DK Holland
In researching how to calm the room we looked into sound deadening materials. And we came upon a very cool product called Rubber-Tak which we can install on two walls in Room 220.
Gloria, Monica and Ms. Morrison with Edward, one of our many experts at the charrette we held in July.
Monica Snellings
loria Fischer, architect, Jillian Kornsweig designer, DK, and I walked through A Day in the Life of Room 220 with our awesome 5th grade classroom teacher, Opal Morrison. In our design world we call this kind of inquiry a 'user journey'. In an architect's world it's called 'programming'.
At any rate we focused on 'what goes where?' in great detail. What are the movements within the room, throughout the day? When, how, and where do kids need access to materials? Where are items currently stored? What is ideal?
Kids from our May workshop with both 4th grade classes - our 50 future 5th graders.
In May when we asked our 50 ‘experts’ (the 10 year olds of PS 20) if it was too noisy in their classroom, in unison, they screamed, ‘YES!”
Using the volume on your computer — select the level of noise you would be comfortable with in a classroom. Room 220 is its near the highest level. Sound absorbent materials are already helping since this video was taken! Leave a comment! And you might want to check out our fundraising platform. Donate and we'll help you with your classroom too!
How about a tree house for independent reading time, Edward, one of our room 220 volunteers, says.
Our goal is to provide a How-to Workbook with insights from this pilot project so ALL schools will be able to transform their classrooms! Consider donating to that effort, even if it's just a few dollars.
What happens when you gather 15 teachers from 3 different divisions, add in 3 principals, and mix with 3 design thinkers?
That would be the LREI Innovation Institute.
Two years ago when I made the decision to go to graduate school I had no idea how an MFA in Design for Social Innovation would change my life but I knew it would be big.
Monica and DK arm in arm with the staff of Morningside Center, Teaching Social Responsibility at their offices in the Interfaith Center, Morningside Heights, New York.
Do you know a kid who risks being expelled from school for bad behavior? Or a child who has been bullied in school? These children and their classmates need to be heard, to heal. They need to stay in school and feel safe. This is part of the work of Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility.
DK Holland and Principal Lena Barbera prepare for the PS 20 5th grade commencement
Inquiring Minds DK Holland's address to the graduating class of 5th graders at PS 20 in Brooklyn, New York. She was introduced by class valedictorian Clara Flanders. Read the transcript of her speech—which by the way—brought the house down!
What does the 21st century 5th grade classroom look like? Is it achievable in a Title 1 inner city school? Inquiring Minds decided to find out. So we called on 50 experts: 4th graders about to be promoted to 5th grade, at PS 20 in Brooklyn.
I took on this major challenge for teachers when I was invited to facilitate at ReWork’s Classroom Innovation Studio recently. The day long workshop’s goal: Help 14 teachers and 3 principals improve their problem-solving skills using the principles of Design Thinking.
Meticulously based on primary sources, How Lincoln Learned to Read, by Daniel Wolff, brings to the fore a spectrum of influences that shape a child’s mindset and future.
Carla Diana is a designer, maker-futurist, tech tinkerer, writer, educator and the author creator of LEO the Maker Prince. I met Carla at the Core77 Conference in Brooklyn where 200 designers from all disciplines gathered for a conversation about ideas, techniques and trends.
DK Holland
Monica and I had a great meeting with principal Michele Del Gallo Castner at the progressive Agnor-Hurt Elementary School (in Charlottesville, VA) recently.
Thanks to our friend John Hunter who teaches there we discussed the possibility of bringing My Future Self to the school.
Getting kids to imagine their future doesn’t turn out to be difficult at all! And especially in fifth grade, when kids are about to transition to greater independence and are starting to think critically and abstractly, this kind of exercise can open up portals in their young minds.