why flat classroom again?!

Oh my goodness, are you sitting down? You’re not? Well, sit DOWN, silly, because we need to talk.

So last September, I did this thing-a-ma-jig called the Flat Classroom Workshop in Hong Kong. It was AMAZING. It was TRANSCENDENT. It was…okay, truth time: I wanted to get a Flat Classroom tattoo (I’m still working on design ideas but that’s another blog post). Now, I’m a type-A person, but this kind of zealotry and passion is not often demonstrated in little old me. But, as I wrote in my last post, FCW was something that made sense dans ma tete, people (Apologies for the horrific French, especially to my future teammate at ISP! J’adore the language, but I’m rubbish at it!)!

I could finally wrap my head around a concept that I could SEE for myself that made a tangible difference in the lives of my students. That’s what this whole here thing is about! It’s about STUDENTS. It’s about students making sense of the WORLD and their PLACE in it…man, I really haven’t moved past the whole capitalize to emphasize thing, have I? Whadda gonna do: it’s who I am.

Anyhoo, I watched my students take ownership of their learning and I watched the fabulous Julie Lindsay and Kim Cofino orchestrate an experience for the students that was fun, honest, revolutionary, interesting, and totally DOable. I know, doable isn’t a word, but it SHOULD be, okay? It should be because that’s what students at the FCW well, DO. Wait, that didn’t make any sense. Basically, I’m saying that this is a time for action. We are at a crossroads, and I want my students to see that what we do every day when we skype/ichat/facebook/gchat/msn chat/tweet/tumblr/posterous/voicethread/podcast/prezi/youtube anything, it’s for a good cause. It means something.

Essentially, I believe this process teaches students that their LIVES can MEAN SOMETHING. That this whole thing isn’t for naught. That we can DO MORE with our lives than we think. Now, that’s some high-falutin’ rigamaroll, but you know what I’m saying. I’m saying to get ready to do something different. Think different. Be different. And I get to work with Julie again! AND I get to meet and work with Vicki Davis! AND I get to experience this alongside my good friend/colleague Kate Wentworth. AND I get to meet and work with all of you! AND I get to watch my veteran Flat Classroom kiddies rock Mumbai! AND I get to watch my three adorable newbies take the workshop by storm!

I wish I had a teleporter! I wish I lived in Mumbai and worked at ASB so I would already be there! And then I wish it would never end…and it doesn’t: teachers, take what you learn here and use it with your kiddos at home. Students, take what you learn here and share with other students. Teach them! Teach us! Change the WORLD!

Okay, I need to go calm down. See you Thursday morning, gang!

photo: s. patterson / flowers in goa / 01.09

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