Vision...

We began a discussion in our small 21c group last week that really got me thinking about vision. We were asked to think about something that we could change in the school that would really make us proud and to think about what the school will look like in 5 years. We were discussing a lot of positive changes but I think that we are at the point where we are in need of a more drastic change in order to adapt our school for the future. We need to make better use of technology in all of our classes (me included). I think that means that every student and staff member needs to have a laptop with Internet access at all times. I also think that these students will better be able to meet their full potential if they are not forced to be in a classroom for a set amount of time each day. When the school was started a group of educators came up with the variable schedule which was a revolutionary way for high school students to learn. Now I think it is time for a more open learning environment where students are able to spend the amount of time necessary to learn the material that they need to learn. Why does a student who is great at math but struggles in English need to spend the same amount of time in both classes? Would that student be better off learning the math in a shorter amount of time and then be able to go to work with an English teacher on things that they are struggling with? I propose that there is a way to make the learning environment at Arapahoe more open so that students can learn the things that they need according to what their needs are and not according to a bell.