Chaos in the Classroom

Co-author Julie Coates has discovered another innovative Gen Y teacher.  Sara Schneeberg of St. Joseph, Minnesota, teaches elementary school kids. She allows - no encourages - them to move around the classroom, talking, laughing, and learning together.  Sara says, "I'm Gen Y and I'm teaching Gen Y kids, so I'm just doing what comes natural to me." 
   But for Sara's superisor, it's chaos in the classroom. And disapproved of by millions of other teachers who focus on behavior and punishment, called "classroom management."
   With a not-very-loud voice command, Sara can get her students quiet and seated pretty quickly. But it's still totally foreign, and 21st century, to the obsolete factory way of teaching.
   It won't always be called chaos in the classroom. It will soon be known as interactive, hands-on, collaborative, personalized learning with choice.  Just not soon enough.
  Got any other 21st century teaching techniques to share with us?

Comments

[Terry Newman]

A lot depends on the student's learning style. Some can learn better in an open, active, "chaotic" style while others need calm and organization to learn. There has to be effort given to numerous learning styles. There isn't one correct way of teaching and learning. Makes a teachers job difficult.

[Stephanie Sandifer]

I'm a "Gen Xer" and even I recognize this as evidence of active, engaged learning -- and definitely NOT chaos.

But -- it is very difficult to get some people to move away from the rigid "desks in rows", all students working quietly at their own desks scenario.

I am also a school administrator and what Ms. Coates does in her classroom is exactly what I would love to see happening in all of the classrooms in my school!

[wolfy]

On the money...Wolfy