Edutopia

I just finished watching the Edutopia videos of " The Edible School Yard" and " A Night in the Global Village". I was very impressed with both of these videos. The edible school yard is such a fascinating concept. It is a a middle school that has their own garden and through this garden the teachers teach them about Math, Science, Geography ect. While learning all of these subjects they are learning even more important lessons such as doing projects together, learning to cooperate and functioning as a community. They also are taught life lessons such as cooking their own food from their garden, setting tables, and learning generosity. The kids are enjoying this so much that they often forget they are even learning.
The other video A night in the Global Village is a very life changing experience for these young privileges children of Denver Colorado. They give up one night of their lives to go and spend the night to get a global gateway experience. They are several small huts set up representing countries such as Guatemala, Thailand, ect. Then there is even a refugee camp. Each child is assigned a village and a family which includes on adult. Each village is assigned a basic need so you have to barter for the rest of your needs. If you are a refugee you have to try to get everything and you are not even able to speak. It really opened the children's eyes up to see how different parts of the world live.
I think in both of these assignment that they are such huge life lessons that the children are learning. The amount of knowledge that they will take from this will stick with them for a life time. I love watching these videos and getting ideas of what I could implement in my classroom one day. what amazing programs these are for children to get a true hands on experience. I feel that it is the best way for them to learn, not through a text book but to truly live it and learn it.