| Posted 9/3/2009 at 10:46 AM by Jasmin M (jmaurer) | |
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 I found an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the other day about St. Louis schools. The premise of the article was that a study shows that 75% of public schools in StL report students with poor test scores. What they want to do is locate which schools are the worst and close those to open charter schools in the area. It's worth a read here.
This, of course, leads to many questions, but especially for us, perhaps we should consider how PeaceJam fits into this public school assessment. |
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| Posted 9/4/2009 at 8:53 AM by Scott M (sminiea) | |
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 Interesting thought. |
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| Posted 11/4/2009 at 7:31 PM by Lisa B (m.lisa.brown) | |
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 Being an education major I have come to despise teaching to the test. Fortunately, my professors have given me ways to teach to the test but at the same time teach so that students learn through inquiry.
I think that making PeaceJam fit into the public school assessment will take away from what students like about PeaceJam. PeaceJam, although I have never actually been to one, seems to me like a new and different way of learning. I think that is what attracts the students to get involved. |
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| Posted 11/4/2009 at 8:06 PM by Jasmin M (jmaurer) | |
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You have a very good point Lisa. I only have my experience as a student to go by, but learning to pass a test doesn't promote learning from what I have experienced. I stand behind the fact that I didn't learn how to learn until college.
PeaceJam tries to be one of those methods to teach to the test that isn't so dreadful and instead inspires youth to take the lead. We promote that it's adaptable to state standards so that it can be used in a classroom.
The conference might be a good place to talk to some teachers and students and find out first hand from them, though, since I've never gone through the curriculum as a student myself. They probably have a lot more insight that would be of value to you and your studies and interests. I hope you get a chance to explore this. |
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| Posted 11/5/2009 at 8:01 PM by Scott M (sminiea) | |
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The amazing thing about PeaceJam, when it's done well, is that it is experiential learning tied to real world issues and situations that is deeply relevant to the individual.
When people want to learn something for a cause they care deeply about to make life better for themselves and others, they truly DO learn.
In the process, they make a REAL difference in the world.
And PeaceJam is not a touchy-feely, etherial, fluffy thing. It's real, world-changing stuff.
It's taking all the best things from service-learning, and putting them on metaphorical steroids. |
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