Slate project on building a better classroom

[Patrick F Bassett]

I don’t know anyone who has seen more classrooms than I, all over the world, but I haven’t yet seen one that wasn’t a box with movable parts (chairs, desks, manipulatives, technology, etc.)  It may be that the best idea is to leave the classroom behind (experiential ed as the norm), but SLATE is looking for the best ideas to work within the new classroom. Anyone seen anything different, a classroom designed for the future in a way that is truly unique and innovative?  

 

Cheers.

 

PFB

 

"What we learn to do, we learn by doing." (Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.)

 

Patrick F. Bassett, President

NAIS - National Association of Independent Schools

1620 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20036

202.973.9710 (office) 202.746.5444 (cell)  202.973.9709 (fax)

[e-mail]    www.nais.org    www.twitter.com/patbassett      www.facebook.com/NAISnetwork

 

From: Linda Perlstein [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 3:48 PM
To: Bassett, Patrick
Subject: Slate project on building a better classroom

 

Hi Pat,

 

I'm the public editor for the National Education Writers Association and will be leading a crowdsourcing project for Slate magazine on building a better classroom for 21st century learning. Previous "Hive" projects, as they're called, have taken on suggested improvements in energy efficiency and urban transportation. Starting in a month, readers will be asked to suggest ideas for completely rethinking the way classrooms are built, and we'll select finalists and a winner. (Not that there is an actual prize.) Slate's partners in this project are Coca-Cola and Arizona State University. 

 

I was wondering if you could think of anyone in the private-school world who has thought innovatively along these lines—if you can think of examples of schools that have done anything notably different in the way classrooms are designed (especially if it's done so in a way that is integrated with a specific philsophy of educating students). If you can think of anyone good to talk with, please be in touch, by phone or e-mail.

 

Best,

Linda

 

 

Linda Perlstein
Public editor
Education Writers Association
[e-mail]

www.educatedreporter.com

202-265-0280 (w)

410-608-6676 (c)

 

 

[Susan Carter Morgan]

Matt Montagne wrote a blog post about visiting Stanford last year. They are doing some innovative things