Problematic

I often find collegiate reading to be "too academic." If I want to make my way to REM sleep I could simply pick up a piece of academic writing, and I'll quickly find myself there! What does that mean? The writing does little to excite the reader, grabbing them by the neck and compelling them to read on. Unfortunately that was the case with reading Courting Controversy, as it just didn't really tell me that concept/problem based learning is incredible.

Fortunately I've had experience with PBL, and see how it really does bring learning to life (or the real-world into the classroom, whichever way you want to slice it). I worked with a class that used their 3, 22 student classes as a way to explore social justice (by creating a town, taking on roles, and then encountering a problem that they needed to come together and solve). I also was a part of another class that was exploring how to get more people to vote (2004 election). To me, those experiences were more powerful than any textbook example could provide. It also brought out issues that could be explored via reading, writing, and math, with more intergration being done via the arts.

I wish it academic writings were written in a more accessible manner. I am reading Deborah Meier's In Schools We Trust, and the tone sucks you in. Not to mention the fact that she talks about things like PBL through her staff's creation of tables and chairs with their students (Problem: we don't have furniture, what are we going to do!?!).