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April 15, 2003
Put the Fun Back In
By Susan McLester, Editor in Chief
There is a theme running through the many conversations I've had lately with teachers and administrators from around the country: Teaching is no fun anymore. Too much testing. Too much curriculum to cover. Too little time. Too little money. Too few resources to try new things. Too much pressure.
I was discussing this situation with T&L advisory board member David Warlick recently, and he agreed with me and shared an observation. As a consultant who spends a lot of time in schools, he's noticed there's one class that's an exception to the "no fun" syndrome. This is a class kids love to attend. They come early. They stay late. They devote weekend time. Their parents are involved: promoting the curriculum and volunteering hours of their time. What class is this? Band. Band is a zestful, fun, hands-on experience. Warlick's conclusion is that math, science, and English should also become performing arts offerings. A little far-fetched, especially in the current NCLB environment? Perhaps, but why not take a first step?
Enter digital photography. This month's cover feature, Al Doyle's "On a Roll: Digital Photography and Image Editing," details numerous ways that the art of photography can be integrated into the curriculum to empower students and make learning more a journey of discovery and experimentation. Photographing objects or people can bring out our creativity. Find the interesting angle, such as the "worm's-eye view," or stand on a chair for a perspective from above. Light or shade an object. Manipulate images by applying a color or texture filter. Create a gallery of Now and Then photos to compare your field trip shots of a historical site to those taken 100 years ago. Use a photo montage to let students place themselves next to the pyramids of Giza or the Eiffel Tower. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Technology has taken photography out of the elite-only class and made it accessible to all students.
And also along the theme of accessibility, we bring you this month, "Build and Teach a Successful Online Course." In this piece, consultant Alese Smith and Concord Consortium vice president Ray Rose share their years of expertise in e-learning via tips, key considerations, and suggestions on how to get started in planning your own course.
Enhancing both of our features above are numerous sidebars we did not have the space to present in the pages of the magazine. So watch for our "More@" icon, and be sure to visit us for scanning tips, digital photography Web resources, essential elements of an online course, and a distillation of the benefits of the e-learning platform from the veteran educators of the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative. There's lots more to learn!
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