At the outset, the word ecosystem, especially in regards to a classroom setting where there are power dynamics at play, brings to my mind images of the forest or the ocean. I mean this in the sense that there is a hierarchy of animals with the goal of survival in mind. Necessarily, in this scenario, […]
Ecosystem
A Courtroom Drama, Maybe?
In thinking about the different metaphorical “ecosystems” my class resembles, I’ve been thinking, as well, about hierarchies in the classroom. How, more often than not, some semblance of hierarchal order is consciously and unconsciously put into effect by the second week of class, beyond the standard student/teacher dichotomy. This comes about most directly by way […]
Playing in the Band
My class is a band, and my room is our performance space. Sometimes I’m the conductor, sometimes the road manager, but rarely a performer. I want my students to play the instruments. Some are more skilled than others. A few may be picking up their instruments for the first time. One or two have a […]