SMART thinking!

I’ve seen this fan at several trade shows …thought you might be interested too.

How They Work

Big Ass Fans are the highest quality, most meticulously engineered HVLS fans on the planet. HVLS stands for High Volume / Low Speed, meaning Big Ass Fans move a lot of air with their size (which is up to 24-ft. in diameter), not speed. Moving at a low speed means less energy used for operation, translating into more energy savings for you. And Big Ass Fans aren’t just for the warmer months. Big Ass Fans can save you money and keep you comfortable year-round.

SMART thinking! What do YOU think? Comment above left.

SMART thinking! The draft version of the EPA’s new School Site Guidelines are now out for review at

http://www.epa.gov/schools/siting/criteria.html.

According to the website:

State and local policies should support school sites that facilitate physical activity, healthy behaviors, and healthy communities.  School siting decisions both influence growth and development patterns and are influenced by these patterns.  Many communities across the country are increasingly interested in ensuring that growth and development meet multiple community goals, including revitalization efforts, fiscal responsibility, increasing transportation choices, providing opportunities to live, work, play, and attend school in convenient locations, and, importantly, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, criteria air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide), and air toxics. Locating schools in the neighborhoods of the students they serve encourages students to walk and bicycle between home, school, and centers of community activity. In addition, the family’s access to school playgrounds and facilities encourages physical activity outside of school time. The location of schools in neighborhoods may allow more children to participate in after school activities sponsored by the school such as clubs, intramural sports, or interscholastic athletics, or activities sponsored by the community by local libraries, parks, and community centers.  These are important factors for the community.  Schools located within neighborhoods will also increase the likelihood of access using public transportation for students, faculty, and staff located both in the neighborhood as well as in surrounding communities.

Finally – we are seeing some great advice about school siting that involves the health and well-being of the WHOLE community.  Thanks EPA!

Related SMART thinking! Articles

Why Kids Don’t Walk to School

Urban High School in a Median Strip

Target of Vandalism Turned Playful

K12 Green Existing Schools Toolkit

Creating Successful Playspaces

What do YOU think?  Comment above left.

Thanks to Peter Lippman, Assoc AIA, REFP of JCJ Architecture, author of Evidence-Based Design of Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Responsive Approach to Creating Learning Environments for pointing out this lovely school in his recent article The Responsive Designer in the Spring Issue of Learning by Design.

The Gateway School Program Strengthens Individual Learning Styles

The Gateway School, New York, NY – designed by Andrew Bartle Architects Studio is a wonderful example of a school built around the problem-based style of instruction.  The Gateway School is a leader in  the education of children with learning disabilities.  The following is an excerpt from the program’s description statement.

The Gateway Lower School Program is a unique setting in which the academic, social, and emotional growth of students with learning disabilities is carefully fostered. Enrollment is limited to allow small classrooms of eight to ten students where learning is highly individualized as well as opportunities for the student body to meet together for large group learning experiences. These larger learning contexts facilitate a strong sense of school community and help prepare students for transitions to mainstream educational programs.

Instruction in reading and math is conducted in smaller group settings in order to teach to the specific needs and skill levels of each child. …These multi-sensory approaches to learning ensure that students develop a strong structural basis for future academic success.

…Gateway’s atmosphere is structured, warm, and nurturing. Emphasis is placed on the development of each child’s strengths and talents as well as the foundational instruction necessary to address his or her specific learning challenges. Gateway is committed to helping each child develop a strong sense of self-worth and independence, a concomitant respect for others and an ability to function well as a member of a group.

Because the program calls for small group, individual, and group activities, the school is designed to be highly flexible and agile – allowing students independence within the learning setting.  The reception provides a sense of lightness and color with intimacy and texture, providing a kid-scale, welcoming entry.

Welcoming Entry at the Gateway School

The classroom area is small but flexible with integral small group breakout.  Individual attention can be provided to students by teachers or peers in a way that is subtle and non-threatening.

Gatway Classroom is highly flexible with integrated small group rooms.

Hallway alcoves cleverly provide an area for one-on-one interaction that is fun and “cave-like”; they are located adjacent to classrooms so as to provide maximum visibility with auditory privacy.  The alcoves make great places for students that prefer a higher level of privacy and quiet for reading or study.

Alcoves off the Hallway provide areas for Study and One-on-One Learning

The Gateway School is SMART thinking!  What do YOU think?  Leave your comments on the upper left.

Related SMART thinking! Articles

To See or Not to See

Emotions in Working and Learning

Creativity Crisis in American Schools

Jump Up and Learn

15 Things to Consider in 21st Century Learning Environments

Modern One Room Schoolhouse

School of One Turns Educational Models Inside Out

With the HOKKI, wiggling in your chair is no longer an offense punishable by exile to the hall.

I had the great pleasure of seeing the HOKKI in action at the CEFPI San Jose Conference in 2010 and actually snagged one of these clever little stools for my office.  VS International launched the HOKKI at NEOCON in Chicago last year.  I definitely recommend taking a look at what a great tool they can be in the classroom – linking movement and learning.  Below is an excerpt about the HOKKI from the VS website:

HOKKI comes in a variety of heights for any age group

Our HOKKI is something special:

Sitting on HOKKI means playful movement, activity and high spirits. A dynamic stool for everyone, for use in kindergarden, school, play areas and at home. HOKKI is available in three sizes, so that children and adults can enjoy HOKKI in equal measure.

Sitting on the HOKKI is a Delight

 

The old contrast between sitting and moving has now been broken up: HOKKI is a product with simple and clear basic design which, through its simplicity, allows versatile use. It  is easily manageable and intuitively understood. Children continuously discover new ways to play with HOKKI, it sets no barrier to a child’s imagination.

The controlled free movement stimulates the entire body in different ways. This kind of acitivity liberates and increases the sense of well-being. Body and mind are activated and an existing urge to move  is supported productively.

HOKKI Comes in a Variety of Colors

 

The seat-contact surface makes for increased sitting safety. With the recessed structure of the rounded down seat edge and the firm stand HOKKI offers children flexibility as well as manifold hold.

SMART thinking!  What do YOU think?  Would you purchase this stool for your classroom?

Related SMART thinking! Stories

One Desk. One Chair. K-12. Really.

Jump Up and Learn

Stand Up for Learning

Ball Chairs Get Students’ Attention

Flexible Teaching Walls

Library Learning Fun

The Third Teacher

Heard about this great design guide (click below to download) from Playscapes:

 

Here’s an excerpt for the Playscapes blog about the Design for Play Guide -

Another helpful playground rubric is the set of ten design principals offered by the organization Play England in their publication “Design for Play: A guide to creating successful play spaces”, by Aileen Shackell, Nicola Butler, Phil Doyle, and David Ball.

Successful Play Spaces:

1. are ‘bespoke’

2. are well-located

3. make use of natural elements

4. provide a wide range of play opportunities

5. are accessible to both disabled and non-disabled children

6. meet community needs

7. allow children of different ages to play together

8. build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge

9. are sustainable and appropriately maintained

10. allow for change and evolution

The Design for Play document illustrates each design principle with further explanation and illustrative photos…many of natural playgrounds recently constructed in the UK, as excerpted here. A must read!

Here’s a few photos of great playspaces featured on the Playscapes Blog –

Mounds Inspired by the Lord of the Rings Hobbit House Spa Fields London

 

"Hobbit" Mounds Spa Fields London

 

Compacted Soil Makes a Delightful Path

 

Path at Pittsboro Kiwanis Park

 

Garden of Senses in Copenhagen DK

 

Playground at Garden City Canada

Playground at Garden City Canada

 

Playground at Garden City Canada

 

Wavefield by Maya Lin

 

Play on the Wavefield by Maya Lin

 

Playscape by Groundwork - London

 

Pretty SMART thinking! What do you think?  Leave your comment here.

Here’s of the biggest complaints I hear from educators regarding student computers:

• Desktop units take up too much space, are hard to power (cords everywhere) and limit the use of the classroom (which leads to the other problem – they have to BE in a room for security);
• Desktop units and laptops are expensive! Not near enough $ to fund and maintain computers for the elusive 1:1 kid to computer ratio;
• Laptops are expensive, get dropped, don’t get shut down properly and are, therefore, never charged when you need them – which should be (of course) on a spontaneous basis- cause learning’s organic isn’t it?!!!
• Laptops don’t hold a charge long enough;
• PC’s and laptops require training of the teacher and the student and who has time to be a technology wiz anyway?!

But now we have the Apple iPad (R) - a cheaper (maybe affordable! *finally*) technology tool that engages children immediately with little or no instructions or training.  Believe me when I say this – two of my children received them for Christmas.  By the end of the day they had: a) customized their screens, apps, and passwords; b) explored a plethora of social media; and c) grudgingly (at Mom’s insistence) learned to use the “Pages” app ($9) similar to Microsoft Word ($55-365).  The iPad is light and moveable -highly conducive to differentiated teaching methods and settings.  The lower price allows for easier damage replacement as well.

Now Bretford is offering a PowerSync mobile charging cart for IPads.  Here’s what’s great about the product:

• Charge 30 iPads in one cart;
• The PowerSync Cart for iPad allows you to sync up to 30 iPad devices with iTunes, moving all your selected apps, books, videos, music, and Podcasts to each iPad, according to your specifications,
• To enable syncing, simply configure each iPad in your collection to sync with iTunes, place it in the cart, and connect the included 30-pin dock connector cable. When all your iPad devices are configured, you can connect the cart to your Mac, and sync all 30 devices with iTunes.

Apps for the iPad/ Related Info:

IEAR.org is a non-profit organization comprised of educators who evaluate and grade educational apps for iPads. Click here to see tons of recommended apps..most free.

Related SMART thinking! Blog Entries:

India’s Amazing 35$ Tablet Computer

Do Schools Stifle Creativity?

Creativity Crisis in American Schools

100 Video Site Resources for Educators

Schools not Prepared for e-Textbooks

15 Things to Consider in 21st Century Schools

50 Best Blogs for Education Leaders

Upcoming Technology Trends in Education

SMART thinking!  What do YOU think of this product idea?  Comment by clicking “comments” on the left.

Hi All….Hope you like the new Blog Look.  We’re endeavoring to make the blog as “readable” as possible.  Let me know if you have suggestions! Molly Smith…blog editor

Hope you like the new format!!

Here’s a great resource for educators, architects, and facility planners! Wenger has published a great planning guide for music facilities.

Click here for the free download

This Planning Guide is designed to help you — music educators, administrators, facility planners, architects and consultants — focus on the fundamental requirements of the Music Suite. Though it is written from the perspective of the music educator, your entire planning team can use this information to create a Music Suite that is both effective and exciting. The following guidelines are the culmination of 50 years of Wenger experience. By visiting with thousands of music educators, we understand what it takes to make a Music Suite successful and what seemingly insignificant design elements can jeopardize its effectiveness.

This Planning Guide is designed to help you — music educators, administrators, facility planners,architects and consultants — focus on the fundamental requirements of the Music Suite. Thoughit is written from the perspective of the music educator, your entire planning team can use thisinformation to create a Music Suite that is both effective and exciting. The following guidelines are the culmination of 50 years of Wenger experience. By visiting with thousands of music educators, we understand what it takes to make a Music Suite successful and what seemingly insignificant design elements can jeopardize its effectiveness.

SMART thinking!  Thank you Wenger!!!

What do YOU think? Is this guide helpful? Post your comment below.

SMART thinking! from SIS-USA

One desk and chair for all grades - even adults. No kidding.

SIS-USA has launched a unique new line of classroom workstations designed to accommodate ALL grades, with NO special tools. The product line, called up.grade was the result of collaboration between educators, educational facility planners, architects, interior designers and industrial designers.

Multiple chair and desks heights - from one desk and one chair.

The criteria for design was simple – create student workstations that can fit every student, any time, anywhere, any grade – that the teacher can adjust with one simple tool and not have to call maintenance. No more “special desks” for the bigger kids. No more furniture graveyards of broken, mismatched furniture parts.

Desktops can be cut in many shapes - scale shape shown.

Now add the criteria that the furniture line must be easily reconfigured, be able to be moved around in the classroom simply and easily by students, and accommodate the bouncing and movement of students in the chair. Voila! Up.grade.

Read more from Facility Management News…..

Tell us what YOU think! Would you use up.grade in your classroom?

From PCMag:

The following are nine of the top blogs or websites (we think) to share with students and colleagues:

Bubbl.us

www.bubbl.us
By Corinne Iozzio
This free Web application helps you organize your thoughts into easily readable and colorful mind maps to print or post online. Bubbl.us lets you interact with your team to pool and sort out your thoughts in a clean, crisp way that leaves the usual conference-room mishmash and endless e-mail threads behind.

Evil Mad Scientist

evilmadscientist.com
By Lance Ulanoff
Learn about wacky, interesting, and unusual inventions and devices from technology, food, mechanics, industry, and so forth on this incredibly entertaining blog. There are neat invention dissections, and projects that help you re-create great “mad scientist” inventions from years gone by.

Footnote

www.footnote.com
By Lisa Ruefenacht
For genealogists, history buffs, and even the average passerby, Footnote is the quintessential Web-2.0 example of how to use your Web-browsing time wisely. This site has a deal with the National Archives to digitize and upload every document housed in the archives. You can find anything from handwritten notes from the Continental Congress to Project Blue Book UFO sightings. Users can even upload their own content, so you may be able to find your own high-school yearbook plastered on one of Footnote’s pages.

Futurismic

futurismic.com
By Carol Mangis
This forward-thinking blog divides its focus among news and opinions on current cutting-edge science andtechnology, its impact on culture and people, and extrapolations on how all this will affect our future. Futurismic also features enjoyable “speculative fiction”—sci-fi stories. It’s a feast for those who love to think about the future in all its manifestations.

Librivox

www.librivox.org
By Sean Carroll
Audiobooks are ridiculously expensive: The latest “Harry Potter” title lists at $80 on CD. Librivox, however, provides pod fodder for free. The site features a collection of public-domain books read by volunteers—and anyone can volunteer. The audio quality is good (MP3s at 64 or 128 Kbps, as well as OGG Vorbis files). Some narrators are better than others—some may have listened to a little too much NPR—but almost everything is at least decent, and some performances are quite good. The collection (a bit more than 800 Project Gutenberg works so far) is a bit of a hodgepodge, with everything from Walt Whitman to Edgar Rice Burroughs. You’ll have to wait about a hundred years for The Deathly Hallows, though.

MAKE: Blog

makezine.com/blog
By Carol Mangis
Are you a hands-on type who can’t resist taking gadgets apart, figuring them out, and trying to make them better? An offshoot of the quarterly print magazine of the same name, MAKE: blog features tech-focused content from the mag and lots more in the way of projects, contests, and fun reading in general-enough to keep any DIYer busy for years.

ScienceHack

www.sciencehack.com
By Jennifer L. DeLeo
ScienceHack is a video search engine dedicated to the world of science, including physics, green energy, and space. What sets it apart from the rest is that every indexed video is screened and approved by real scientists. Search for a video by keyword or by selecting a tag. Clicking on “Chemistry” led us to over 20 videos on the topic, such as “Jay Leno and Josh Duhamel Sniff Sulfur Hexafluoride.”

Ugallery.com

www.ugallery.com
By Christopher Ewen
Ugallery.com helps college artists find recognition; it includes artists from more than 60 universities nationwide. They’re not all Picassos, but the site vets artists’ work before letting them in and claims to accept only 25 percent of applicants. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a complete newbie when it comes to buying art, Ugallery is worth a look. It’s a pleasure to browse and anaffordable way to get your hands on a beautiful piece of original art.

Wikisky.org

www.wikisky.org
By Kyle Monson
Much as Google has figured out how to harness user-submitted content to improve Google Earth, Wikisky.org turns the collective wiki-eye on the vast reaches of space. Check out the draggable space model with constellations highlighted, learn more about distant stars (or submit your own info) or you can even see a model of the stars that are above you right now.

SMART thinking!

This resource identified by the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International:

With the support of the National Clearinghouse of Educational Facilities the 21st Century School Fund has sought to identify all of the federal programs available to local districts, public charter schools and states that can be used to ensure that public school children, teachers and staff are in healthy, safe and educationally appropriate public school facilities for teaching, learning and community use.

A comprehensive summary of federal spending on schools can be found in the report.  Click the image below to access the full report.

by 21st Century School Fund and NCEF

The group now has another report out on State Funding of PK-12 Facilities…click HERE for access.

SMART thinking!!

Transparency has been a much debated topic in schools lately.  At odds are several issues:  student security, visibility, natural daylighting, and distractions.

Numerous studies show that students’ test scores as well as teacher retention are directly related to daylighting in schools.  Teacher retention is also related to the quality of the work environment (Buckley and Schneider, Teachers College Record.)

With the increase in project-based learning, teachers are using areas such as circulation corridors and patio areas to extend classroom work areas.  This is possible through visibility: more windows, transparency in doors, sliding glass doors, glass roll up doors and semi-transparent panels.  The transparency allows for the extension of the classroom and simultaneous supervision of all of the students.  Some have worried about the distractability of students in such spaces yet many schools say that – with consistent expectations of classroom behavior – this is an issue that can be overcome within a short period of time.

Security experts who subscribe to the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design tout the value of “watching” – or the process by which the collective help to passively supervise the few who may seek to make trouble.  Informal and engaged watching help keep schools safe by keeping many eyes on the action.

Here are some examples of how schools today are using transparency to enhance the learning environment. SMART thinking!!

If you’ve been reading SMART thinking! for awhile you know that we’ve done a couple of stories about the Urinal Fly (see “Something to Aim For”) – a great concept to help boys reduce …um…”spillage” at the urinal.  So here are some funny urinals “aimed” (sorry couldn’t help the pun) at keeping restroom floors clean from Xinjo.com.

Don't Know if it makes music or not!

Robot Urinal

Cartoon Character Urinal

Flower Urinals

For Soccer Fans

Wow. These are some powerful statements about the condition of our schools – as viewed by students. Please take time to visit the “Through Your Lens” exhibit by clicking HERE.

Linda, New Orleans

This From the 21st Century School Fund:

Through Your Lens is a collaboration of The 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure, and Healthy Schools Campaign to raise awareness of the need to fund school buildings that support learning and provide a safe, healthy environment for students and teachers.

By sharing photos and stories of what they see every day at school, students and teachers will provide us all with an honest window into today’s school buildings.

Background

This year, Congress met to discuss the future of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known most recently as No Child Left Behind. ESEA is the major federal vehicle for providing funds and support to K-12 education in low-income communities. It also sets the criteria and standards by which the federal government measures school improvement. However, through numerous Congressional hearings and the issuance of a White House Blueprint for Reform, school buildings have largely been absent from the conversation.

Participating Students from McKees Rocks, PA

School buildings must be part of nation’s conversation about education. Quality education requires quality spaces, something that millions of students lack.

We know that millions of children, especially those living in low-wealth school districts, spend their school days in poor quality, unhealthy, and overcrowded buildings that cause health problems and limit educational opportunities. All students and teachers have the right to adequate, appropriate learning conditions that will allow them to strive for and achieve the goals being set for them. No single level of government can accomplish this alone. We must create a new federal, state, and local partnership to ensure that each and every single community has sufficient resources to provide high-quality school buildings to their students.

We need to show our elected leaders what our nation’s school buildings really look like and how important they are to student learning. That’s why we’re gathering and exhibiting photos from students and teachers across the country showing the reality of their school building conditions.

Help make sure that decision-makers at all levels of the conversation have a clear view of our nation’s public schools: invite your legislators to view the exhibit today!

SMART thinking! kudos to 21st Century School Fund.

Here on SMART thinking! we write alot about creativity and it’s place in education.  We came across this orchestra and just HAD to post their video. Talk about creative!!

Worldwide one of a kind, the Vegetable Orchestra performs on instruments made of fresh vegetables. The utilization of various ever refined vegetable instruments creates a musically and aesthetically unique sound universe.

This first video is of the Vegetable Orchestra making their instruments and in concert and the second is of the group making their new album Onionoise . You can see more about them on their website http://www.vegetableorchestra.org or at PRI’s The World Website

Davis Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth has created another thought-provoking documentary: Waiting for Superman. Waiting is a “deeply personal exploration of the current state of education in the US and how it is affecting our children.”  The documentary follows five children and their journey through the educational system.  The project proves to be electrifying – fostering conversation amongst educators across the country.  The film is premiering in selected cities on Oct. 1, 2010 and adds cities each week thereafter.

Anyone who’s worked on a new school facility or a remodel knows that one of the main problems is parent drop off and pick up.  Hundreds of cars line up every morning and afternoon to drop off and pick up kids.

Congested line to pick up kids

Safe Routes to School is a great program encouraging kids to bike, walk and even has a walking school bus program.  The program was created by Section 1404 of the federal transportation bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act (SAFETEA-LU). Housed in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety, the SRTS program has been funded at $612 million over five federal fiscal years (FY 2005–2009).  School communities across the country are using grants from SRTS to improve walkways in their community, create programs for awareness, and a variety of other strategies to alleviate the morning mash-up at the school front door.

Kids walking to school in a "walking school bus" supervised by parents..safe and fun!

Another idea we’ve heard recently is the ”parent cell phone lot” – modeled after the lots found at most airports.    Schools contract or create agreements with nearby churches, shopping centers or other parking areas found within a one to two block radius of the school. The parents then drop kids in the pre-assigned lots in the morning and/or pick them up there in the afternoon (calling them on their cell phone first.)  For elementary students, volunteers supervise the short walking distance to the school to ensure students’ safety. For middle and high schoolers, students walk on their own.  The strategy alleviates the big traffic jam at the school and makes parents happier with the MUCH shorter drop off/ pick up times.  Also, cars don’t have to idle in the lots – easing the air pollution problem.

Another way to encourgage kids to be healthier and eco-friendly is to provide bike racks and  skateboard lockers.  Skateboard Lockers makes a great product for kids to store their skateboards safely at school.  The nifty design allows the student to use their own lock and the skateboard stays out of textbook locker or classroom areas.  SMART thinking!

This from Shirley Two Feather’s photostream:

One Cool School Bus

Don’t know whether this bus is actually being used to pick up students but I bet my kids would be happy to ride in it!!

Check out the interior!

SMART thinking!  For more cool school buses, check this out…

Got this invite from the EPA and thought I’d share it…

Discover the Link Between IAQ and Student Productivity!

Improving Indoor Air Quality and Academic Performance -
Facility Maintenance is the Cornerstone

EPA Tools for Schools Program

Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 12:00 PM ET.

Register today for this free webinar!

Speakers:

• Yasmin Bowers, American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
• Michele Curreri, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program
• Frank Di Nella, Keller Independent School District

Facilitator:

• Roger Young, Roger Young and Associates

Attend this webinar to:

• Learn about the impact of indoor air quality on student health and academic productivity.
• Hear current academic performance results from a school district leading the way in incorporating and sustaining an IAQ management program.
• Gain insight on ways to identify, address and prevent IAQ problems in school environments.
• Develop guidelines and proven methodologies that you can start using immediately, including training, reporting and leveraging technology.
• Discover the importance of using a maintenance management system.

This webinar is offered at no cost to participants. Don’t miss your chance! Register today at https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=s3yrb36cocfe.

Please note: This webinar will be approximately 90 minutes. You will need a high-speed Internet connection and a telephone line to interact with speakers and other participants.

India Unveils $35 Tablet PC

From the Statesman:

The Indian government is set to revolutionize the way education is delivered in India.  The government has launched an innovative program to create an open source tablet computer that “can be used for functions such as word processing, web browsing and videoconferencing. It can also be powered by solar energy — important for India’s electricity-starved hinterlands — though that add-on costs extra.”

Apparently inspired by Nicholas Negraponte— co-founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab- who introduced a $100 laptop for children in developing worlds, India wanted to find a way to create a much more affordable replacement to textbooks.

The government has already invested in “an ambitious education technology initiative … which also aims to bring broadband connectivity to India’s 25,000 colleges and 504 universities and make study materials available online.” Read the whole article here…

The article cites low interest from private industry because of the low profit margin.  I would ponder how much a company like Apple or Microsoft would be willing to “invest” to have technology literally “in the hands” of every child – starting in kindergarten.  I would also ask how much we could save per child by  reducing expenditures some districts have estimated at $175 per student spent on textbooks. I would also ask how much educators might value the opportunity to have choices in instructional material that is fresh and easily updated.  Hoping for some SMART thinking! and investment here in the US.

First saw this on Daniel Pink’s blog:

These great Fast Lane -Volkswagen videos prove it…behavior CAN be affected by environment and specific outcomes. Some call it “emotional intelligence” – the importance of emotions in work outcomes.  Here specific outcomes are linked  to emotional satisfaction.   Love it..SMART thinking!

Along the same lines, the fun theory folks believe that behavior can be changed for the better by making tasks, chores or less desirable things fun!  I can definitely think of ways this might apply to teaching  and learning.

Here they get people to not only throw their own trash away, but hunt the surrounding area for more to throw in! Brilliant!

Humor also plays a part….this video (created as a take off on the popular Old Spice commercials) for the Harold B. Lee Library encourages students to make use of all the amenities at the library…thanks to Christian Long at the Be Playful Blog for pointing this one out!

This from a recent Newsweek Article:

Since the 90′s, creativity scores among American children and adults (measured by a standard measure of creativity called the Torrence Index) have been declining.  Definitions of creativity include not only the creation of something new and useful (called divergent thinking) but also combining those ideas into a new and better result (divergent thinking).

The consequences to America are enormous. Creativity is the number one leadership competency identified by American companies for the future.  Traditional professions such as law, medicine and engineering are and will be overtaken by countries such as India where skilled labor is cheaper.  The key to success in America will be creativity.

Some of the reasons for the decline stated are the number of hours kids spend in front of the TV and video games, but much more disconcerting are the changes wrought by rigid curriculum standards and standardized testing.  American teachers warn there’s no room in the day for creativity class.  Art, music and physical education exposure is declining as teachers “teach to the test.”

Experts argue, however, that the same standards can be taught in a different way by “taking creativity out of the art room and into the homeroom.”  Creativity involves using the hard facts; in fact, fact-finding and deep research are vital to the creative process.

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and other great programs like Model UN focus on longer term, integrated project-based learning - directing students’ attention to engaging and relevent work.  The National Inventors Hall of Fame School in Akron, OH – a center for STEM learning – reported that, in its first year, the school has already become one of the top three school in Akron, despite having open enrollment by lottery and a 42% poverty rate.

The article makes a point: “Creativity CAN be taught”; but it’s going to take some serious effort by forward-thinking educators  order to do so. SMART thinking!!

Another great statement about creativity from Diesel….

SMART …er…STUPID thinking…whatever!

History (from wikipedia)

The Ron Clark Academy, housed in a renovated red brick warehouse, is located in southwest Atlanta, Georgia, and accommodates fifth through eighth grade students. Students are from low wealth to high wealth families. Clark had planned to build the school for ten years before construction began. Along with the proceeds of his two books The Essential 55 and The Excellent 11, Clark raised additional funding for the project which eventually cost over $3.5 million. The academy was established on June 25, 2007. Classes began for students on September 4, 2007.

Technology and facilities

Each classroom provides students with technology such as notebook computers, interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, projectors, and audio video equipment. In addition to the technologically-equipped classrooms, the school provides students with accessible amenities such as a recording studio, a darkroom, a two-story vaulted ceiling library, a gymnasium, and a dance studio.

The Ron Clark Academy uses donated computers in all classrooms and offices. As a result, students will be able to study photography, music production, and business leadership.

Library/ Cafe

Student population

The students that attend The Ron Clark Academy come from a range of backgrounds, including students from high wealth families. Students must go through an application process in order to be accepted into the school. Only 50 students were accepted out of 350 applications the first school year. Students must be nominated for the school and then must apply. Students’ applications are then reviewed by Ron Clark and other teachers and students are selected to be interviewed by the school. If accepted, students’ parents must sign a Contract of Obligation in which parents agree to volunteer 10 hours of their time each quarter. They also will have to allow their child to go on mandatory field trips essential to the curriculum.

Check out this video about the school from CNN. SMART thinking Ron Clark!

While this is not the only great kinesthetically-attention-enhancing (is that a word?) furniture for schools, I appreciate that the Safco company has provided some links for funding and grant opportunities on their web page.  Below is a description and video about the stand up desks.  SMART thinking Safco!

“The stand up desk allows students to feel less confined and helps them stay focused in the classroom.  It offers improved body ergonomics, expends excess energy, allows for better oxygen flow to the brain, improves handwriting, and is being studied for increase in caloric expenditure which could help fight rising childhood obesity statistics.”

This from The Centre for School Design:

A great short poem from students at Hamble College in Southampton.  I this this poem speaks for itself!

Click Title Slide to See the Presentation (hint log in to google docs for full access!)

Obviously, “form follows function” when designing highly-responsive school environments and understanding the key survival skills 21st century learners will need is one way to identify “function.” The 15 considerations that follow are key “survival skills … for careers, college, and citizenship in the 21st century” (Wagner), skills for a participatory culture, and key characteristics for the environments needed to support communities of learners, local and global (Jenkins.) 15 Skills to consider are:

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration and Leading by Influence
3. Agility and Adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurial-ism
5. Effective Oral & Written Communication
6. Accessing & Analyzing Information
7. Curiosity & Imagination
8. Engagement
9. Personalization
10. Global Competencies
11. Social Equity/ Responsibility
12. Community Focus
13. Arts Integration
14. Maintainability, Safety and Security
15. Sustainability

Read the whole article here….

Just visited New Orleans and toured the schools that are being rebuilt, modernized and replaced after the storm.  What a big job these folks are facing!  Our tour guide, Kenneth J Ducote, PhD, AICP, has been working with the Orleans Parrish School system for years and was a wealth of information.  I salute his passion and perserverence on behalf of the children – especially children of poverty and color.

Our tour took us by the Phyllis Wheatley School, built in 1954 for one of the oldest black neighborhoods in New Orleans as an attempt to build quality facilities for minority children of the area.

Today, the school is being considered for replacement by the Orleans Parrish School Board. Preservation architects have fought hard to have the school remodeled. Below is an excerpt from docomomo US.

“The Phillis Wheatley Elementary School is in danger of demolition by the School Facilities Master Plan for Orleans Parish. The elevated school was designed by the architect Charles R. Colbert (1921-2007) in 1954. The cantilevered steel truss structure is solid and clearly did not flood after Hurricane Katrina. The building suffers only from neglect. It is one of the most innovative monuments of mid-century Modern architecture in New Orleans. The design was recognized by Progressive Architecture in 1955. Mr. Colbert received the Louisiana AIA Medal of Honor in 2006.”

While I am personally in support of saving historically and architecturally significant buildings, I believe that no building of historic significance should be placed above student learning or a community’s best interests.  After touring the site, it is clear that the Wheatley school has a number of issues that will significantly interfere with every student’s right to 21st Century learning.  Most notably:

• The site, at just 1/6th of the size recommended for a school of 800 is too small for play areas and fields needed for a quality physical education program;
• The elevated structure – built to keep the school from flooding – doesn’t work for Kindergarteners and 1st graders who can’t be located on the 2nd floor due to fire code regulations – so they are relegated to a ground floor portable building; which defeats the concept in the first place.
• The elevated structure was designed to provide playgrounds underneath but creates a wind tunnel effect in practice; further, the completely open ground floor means a fence must surround the site – adding to the prison-yard aesthetic.
• The original structure was completely transparent – great idea for natural light and views but a bad idea for glare on the the whiteboards and heat gain.  Sound daylighting principles are more appropriate for a learning environment.
• The small site precludes having a gymnasium, music rooms, performance spaces, science labs and a host of other spaces needed for a quality instructional program.

The resources that will need to be expended to remodel this facility are significant and the essential drawbacks of small site and elevation are not solved.  The OPSB must consider how to get the highest and best use of funds for student instruction…students are the history that must be most important to this great community.

The Treme/Lafitte neighborhood has not been supportive of  remodeling the school (click here for a NPR story), even though the building has been placed on the World Monuments Fund Watch List.

Definitely, this is a building worth preserving – as a community center or other community resource, but it doesn’t meet the needs of a quality 21st Century Learning Environment.

Children's School in Stamford, CT photo credit: MaryAnn Thompson Architects

Spotted this project at SchoolDesigner.com…

From MaryAnn Thompson Architects:

“The program for the Children’s School, a school for 60 children 2-8, was given to us as a “one room schoolhouse”. The two age groups of the school are housed in two classroom “wings,” both joined and separated by the entry area in which quiet activities are located to calm the child upon arrival.

Roof planes subtly tilt against one another to let in light from above between their skewed forms, and they define the classroom spaces below them without the use of walls. The younger children occupy the east-facing wing as they are only in school in the morning; the older children occupy the west wing to take advantage of western light. The scheme has multiple relationships to the exterior play areas with doors out from every classroom.

The shifting plan allows for a fragmented reading of the building that reduces the scale of the mass to be more in keeping with the scale of the child. It also prioritizes the subjective. In order to fully understand it, the building must be occupied and its spaces engaged. The spatial sequence is one of hide and reveal. The building offers a sense of journey and moments of epiphany for the child in its unfolding layers.”

The school has won numerous design awards and is a champion for student’s individual learning styles.  For more pictures and the full story CLICK HERE.

SMART thinking!!

Amelia Wagner sits on a WittFitt chair while working at her desk; photo credit: Amy Correnti www.rrstar.com

This from Cathy Bayer at the Rockford Register Star:

Students at Spectrum School have had their standard chairs replaced with WittFitt chairs – a chair like an exercise or stability ball with feet.

The chairs help to increase students’ attention level and improve posture.  Each chair is fit to a students’ size and the cost is comparable to the old chairs – about $30.  Schools can buy about five different sizes and students can change seats as they grow.  Balls can also be inflated or deflated for comfort.

Teachers observe less wiggling and leaning forward.  The balls help to exercise the stomach and back muscles because one needs to concentrate to stay upright.

SMARTthinking Spectrum School!!