Human nature is inherently diverse, curious, and creative. We have to rise above the current system of conformity and standardization.
As a Kindergarten teacher, I see these inherent human principles in raw form and find myself challenged daily by finding the balance between allowing and providing the framework for these principles to flourish and teaching my students the "etiquette" of morning meetings (for example).
Karen, do you think that there is a place for EdCafe in K classrooms? I saw a model in a first grade where student names were picked out of a cup and a certain number of students could go to each indoor recess choice until that area was at maximum. At the primary level choice might look very different than what Katrina describes.
ReplyDeleteI actually do that very model for Choice Time in my classroom. Student helpers pull names out of a bag randomly and that child gets to make a choice on the "Choice Board". If a certain choice is full, they have to go with Plan B. I find that my students get very attached to this process and are comforted by the structure, but also the freedom they have to make choices that suit their interests and change their choice if they are ready for something new. Interestingly enough, until I read your comment, I had not made the connection between EdCafe and my Choice Time routines. I suppose it is, in essence, an example of the EdCafe model at the primary level.
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