I have been considering the role of the community within the public school system. In the private art gallery world, community involvement is key to fostering the local art scene and enriching not only the clients experience but the artists experience as well. The gallery can act as a bridge between the community and its local artists.
This started me thinking about a schools relationship with the community that it is in. Often schools are alienated from the rich community around them. Teachers are bogged down with large classes and little financial support. Do we as teachers have a obligation to our students to actively involve their community into their education? Do we as members of our community have an obligation to give back to the schools that educated us?
In my years in business I have realized that there is a wealth of talent and support for the arts when it is actively pursued. Event planning, fund raising and sponsoring events that support charities within the community could be incorporated into a curriculum to add richness and context to the student's education. How can students get creative about reaching out to their community?
How do others feel about our role as a possible bridge to the community beyond the classroom? What other ways can we utilize our communities and create a more collaborative environment for our students to learn in?
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I think that our communities have a wealth of knowledge that, as teachers, we can use. Our students will benefit from guest speakers, or activities that get them out of the classroom and see the practical application of the class they are taking.
ReplyDeleteMany times, students will argue, "why do we have to learn this?" or something similar. By bringing the class into the community, or the community into the classroom, we can show them why they are learning this, and how they can apply it to everyday life, and possibly even a career. They will gain connections with people in their chosen field, and experience as well.
I really liked the idea of asking the class what experiences they may have had with the topic. I think students would eager to share there experiences on many topics and they could be an amazing resource for group discussion. This idea can be applied in almost every classroom but especially in a history or socials class where the student may have visited the place in question.
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