我的廣州一土之旅

幾天前,我和我的小伙伴在一個(gè)初夏炎熱的午后第一次去廣州的一土實(shí)驗(yàn)班參觀。雖然天氣燥熱臭墨，但我們的注意力很快就被轉(zhuǎn)移了，因?yàn)槲覀円庾R到這所學(xué)校是多么地獨(dú)一無二。

到達(dá)教室時(shí)瘩将，已經(jīng)是中午1點(diǎn)多，從教室窗外望里看，映入眼簾的是孩子們一個(gè)個(gè)在自己做的紙屋前忙里忙外的身影姿现〕σ牵“為什么孩子們中午不休息呢？”我們不禁好奇地問道备典∫炀桑“孩子們在趕工呢，6月1號他們要去植物園向公眾展現(xiàn)自己的項(xiàng)目成果——關(guān)于竹子是從哪里來的探究提佣∷庇迹”廣州一土校區(qū)的校長李志偉笑著回答到。孩子們展現(xiàn)出來的這種自驅(qū)力拌屏、主動性潮针、專注與投入，是傳統(tǒng)的基于課本的教學(xué)很難帶給孩子們的倚喂。

而這個(gè)研究竹子的項(xiàng)目然低，其實(shí)是都始于去年寒假，一位一土實(shí)驗(yàn)班一年級孩子的好奇心务唐。當(dāng)時(shí)他的帽子被風(fēng)吹到植物園里高高的竹枝上雳攘，當(dāng)媽媽幫忙把帽子取下來后，他問道“竹子是從哪里來的枫笛？”當(dāng)時(shí)媽媽和他都不知道答案吨灭。開學(xué)后，孩子在班上分享這個(gè)經(jīng)歷的時(shí)候刑巧，全班同學(xué)都很激動喧兄，他們也很想搞明白到底竹子是從哪里來的。確實(shí)啊楚，好奇心極具感染力吠冤。一土的老師們當(dāng)場就決定放棄之前所有的關(guān)于健康主題的教案，轉(zhuǎn)而把新學(xué)期的研究主題定為竹子恭理。因?yàn)檫@個(gè)主題是孩子們提出來的拯辙，他們會有主人翁精神。在一土颜价，給孩子們自主決策的空間比方便教師教學(xué)更重要涯保。老師們連忙開始設(shè)計(jì)關(guān)于竹子的項(xiàng)目制學(xué)習(xí)方案，在支持孩子們解開“竹子從哪里來的”的奧秘的同時(shí)周伦，將數(shù)學(xué)夕春、科學(xué)、閱讀和寫作等教學(xué)內(nèi)容全部融入進(jìn)來专挪。

在一土,孩子們的自驅(qū)力很大程度來自于他們的好奇心和自主決策權(quán)及志。在科學(xué)方面,?孩子們被要求使用"科學(xué)探究方法"來解答竹子來自哪里這個(gè)問題片排。首先孩子們要提出自己的猜想，有的認(rèn)為竹子是從竹葉種出來的速侈，有的認(rèn)為是竹竿划纽，有的認(rèn)為是竹莖…接著孩子們就真的開始種竹葉、竹竿锌畸、竹莖等勇劣。可想而知潭枣，他們沒有一個(gè)人成功種出竹子來比默。即使這樣，孩子們也還是學(xué)到了其中一個(gè)重要的道理——失敗乃為成功之母盆犁。這是大概是目前大多數(shù)學(xué)校都缺乏的東西,?學(xué)校規(guī)定什么是正確的,而你必須找到正確答案才能得分命咐。在我的理解里,一土真正關(guān)心的是給孩子選擇的自由，讓練習(xí)獨(dú)立思考及自主決策谐岁，只有這樣他們未來才能掌控自己的人生醋奠，而不是一切都被安排好。這基本上是他們所有課程設(shè)計(jì)的頂層邏輯伊佃。不要扼殺孩子們的好奇心窜司，讓他們自由選擇，帶著好奇去學(xué)習(xí)航揉。如果孩子自己很好奇塞祈，還需要擔(dān)心孩子學(xué)習(xí)沒動力？還需要逼著孩子學(xué)帅涂？

來來议薪，看看孩子們的作品吧，你是不是也跟我一樣媳友，覺得自己瞬間被“秒”了斯议。

除了感受一土的魅力之外，此次來一土參觀最讓我開心的醇锚，就是認(rèn)識了廣州一土的李校長哼御。曾是公益項(xiàng)目美麗中國志愿教師的李老師,幾年前回到北京工作,從事創(chuàng)客教育的他被一土北京的小月校長所感染，成為北京一土早期的教師以及現(xiàn)在廣州一土的校長搂抒。他跟我們分享了一土的教育理念與方法艇搀。除了教育理想以及對學(xué)生滿滿的愛尿扯，一土在培養(yǎng)學(xué)生方面的成就在于它的堅(jiān)定和專注求晶。一土非常注重教師的素質(zhì),?而且堅(jiān)持教師的精力應(yīng)該重點(diǎn)放在課程設(shè)計(jì)和課程交付上,所有分散教師精力的行政運(yùn)營類事務(wù)，則交由運(yùn)營人員接管衷笋。某種意義上說,一土采取了企業(yè)的管理方法來管理學(xué)校,因?yàn)榻巧穆毮苁潜磺逦x和聚焦的,這種聚焦則帶來了效率和效益芳杏。

一土的另一個(gè)獨(dú)特之處矩屁，是他們玲離盡致地開展項(xiàng)目制學(xué)習(xí)(Project-based Learning, PBL)，并專注于理論知識在真實(shí)世界的應(yīng)用爵赵。每次項(xiàng)目制學(xué)習(xí)大概需要3月(一學(xué)期左右)吝秕，每個(gè)學(xué)期都會圍繞一個(gè)特定的主題。比如這學(xué)期空幻，這些一年級的孩子們需要在真實(shí)情景地挑戰(zhàn)下完成相關(guān)調(diào)研工作,比如孩子們在學(xué)校的院子里挖竹子烁峭，種竹子，就得自己寫申請書并得到校長簽字及同意秕铛；比如到華農(nóng)采訪大學(xué)生约郁；比如計(jì)劃在廣州植物園如何面向公眾做展示等。所有這些都是PBL?必備的元素但两，包括真實(shí)性鬓梅、背景設(shè)定、技能培養(yǎng)和自我反思等谨湘。

廣州的一土實(shí)驗(yàn)班目前只有一年級的學(xué)生绽快，但今年秋季這些學(xué)生將升到二年級，同時(shí)開始招收一年級新生紧阔。我們非常期待看到這所學(xué)校繼續(xù)成長,因?yàn)槲覀兛吹搅艘粋€(gè)更光明的未來,一個(gè)孩子會幸福成長的未來坊罢。

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P.S.附上一些我對一土的觀察、分析和總結(jié):

孩子參與:?在一土的班級里,?孩子參與的程度比傳統(tǒng)班級要高得多擅耽。

教師的角色:?一土通過設(shè)置運(yùn)營人員艘绍，減輕教師的行政壓力，使教師有更多精力關(guān)注課程的設(shè)計(jì)和交付秫筏。這樣做的目的是讓教師集中精力做他們真正擅長真正該做的事情,并為他們提供各種學(xué)習(xí)機(jī)會,更好地根據(jù)孩子的需求來定制和設(shè)計(jì)課程诱鞠。

教師的專業(yè)發(fā)展和職業(yè)規(guī)劃:?在一土,?教師的發(fā)展路徑分4級，從助理教師一直到專家教師,?為他們提供了一個(gè)清晰地晉升通道这敬，也鼓勵老師們對自己的教學(xué)水平不斷精益求精航夺。而在許多傳統(tǒng)的學(xué)校里,晉升是基于你的教育背景(獲得碩士/博士學(xué)位)?或往行政管理方向發(fā)展。

教學(xué)排課:?一土的教學(xué)進(jìn)度和排課有較多靈活空間,?可以根據(jù)孩子的選擇和方向進(jìn)行定制崔涂。

課堂人數(shù):?一土的班級人數(shù)是在12～20人之間阳掐。這樣是教師能夠給到每個(gè)孩子足夠的關(guān)注，這當(dāng)然是和傳統(tǒng)公立學(xué)校里的一個(gè)班三四十個(gè)孩子是截然不同的冷蚂。

教室設(shè)置:?教室內(nèi)沒有固定座位,?可以靈活根據(jù)需要給孩子們提供做項(xiàng)目所需要的空間缭保。教師和助教在教室不同角落來回走動,以支持孩子完成他們的項(xiàng)目。很多項(xiàng)目成果都需要通過ipad上傳,孩子可以上傳他們最后的項(xiàng)目成果,以方便老師評分蝙茶。

方法論和深度:?一土提倡的是項(xiàng)目制學(xué)習(xí),?將理論與實(shí)踐相結(jié)合艺骂。而項(xiàng)目主題也會根據(jù)孩子興趣而定制,?教師則負(fù)責(zé)設(shè)計(jì)在某個(gè)特定主題內(nèi)，如何將不同的學(xué)科學(xué)習(xí)融入項(xiàng)目里隆夯。

項(xiàng)目成果與演示:?最后的項(xiàng)目將展示給相關(guān)的真實(shí)世界的觀眾,?如去逛廣州植物園的市民們钳恕。

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A learning adventure to ETU (English version)

As we made our first visit to ETU on a hot sunny day in Guangzhou, we realized that this school was unique. It wasn’t something that the traditional school systems taught most kids as they were actively involved in their projects. It all started with a curiosity brought up by a student at ETU one summer day, when he found his hat stuck on this exquisitely tall branch. He wondered, how tall did it grow and asked his mother where did bamboo branches come from? Curiosity was contagious as he spread the news around the class when he got back. It was then the ETU teachers decided that the topic of the semester would be about bamboo. They started to integrate a cross curricular design with mathematics, science, reading and writing in order to solve the mystery of where bamboo came from.?

At ETU, it’s student driven (and in a large sense, out of their curiosity and choice). In science, students were asked to think about where it came from and using the “scientific method” to solve where these plants came from. They went about it by planting different parts of the bamboo, from leaves to stem to find out what worked. In the end, they all failed, but students learnt the fundamental lesson of all - that is failure breeds success. This was something that is lacking in most schools today, as schools dictate what is right and you have to score to achieve your learning. From my understanding, ETU is genuinely concerned about their student’s choice. It’s essentially what makes the backbone of their classes and also how their students learn. The fundamentals of learning really does kick in when you think about what drives us to learn? It’s curiosity and a matter of choice. That’s what defines what we learn and the methods are the ones that schools are suppose to help with that.?

Amongst one of the many things that I’d like about the visit was ETU’s principal. Principal Li Zhi Wei, who was previously a teacher at Teach for China, returned to Beijing a few years back to work on a maker space project before becoming a full time teacher and principal at ETU. He shared with us his thoughts and insights about how ETU works. The beauty of the school is in it’s execution and focus. On the execution side, ETU focuses very much on the teacher’s quality by giving them a clear focus on course design and delivery, relieving them of any administrative duties which are to be taken over by the administrative coordinator (Florence). In a large sense, they take on a corporate approach to managing this school as the functional roles of each stakeholder are clearly divided, which is where the focus side kicks in.?

Another unique thing about ETU is their learning methodology of using Project Based Learning (PBL), in this case focusing on real world applications. Their typical course takes around 3 months long (one semester) where they integrate the subjects focused around one topic/theme. In the case of the current class, students have to complete inquiry based activities from getting licensed by the school to cut down their bamboo tree (signed off by the principal), conducting experiments in the farm (to grow their bamboo) to demonstrating at the Botanical Gardens in Guangzhou. All of these are stages of PBL that contains authenticity, context building, skills building and reflection.?

Classes at the Guangzhou ETU are now serving Grade 1 students, but soon to open up their Grade 2 year this fall. We very much look forward to seeing this school continue to grow as we see a brighter future for their students to grow along with it.

More research based analysis of ETU

??????Student’s engagement: At ETU’s classes, there is a much higher student engagement than traditional classes. You can observe this by taking a look at student outcomes, time spent seating around versus being hands on, questions asked and many more.

??????Teacher’s role: The way ETU is structured requires the teachers to focus more on course design ad delivery, relieving them of administrative duties (as this is given to an administrative coordinator to work on.) The plan is to have teachers focused on what they’re really good at and to provide them with the opportunity to customize and design the course according to the student’s needs.

??????Teacher’s professional development & career plan: There are 4 levels for teacher’s professional stages at ETU which gives them a progression and checkpoint for them to determine where they are. As compared to many traditional schools where a promotion is either based on your education (getting a masters/phd) or an administrative jump, ETU focused on a professional development jump whereby teacher’s get promoted based on their performance and experience.

??????Teaching schedule: One of the unique features at ETU is the teaching schedule which is apparently more flexible and customized according to student’s choice of projects and directions.?

??????Class size: The current ETU class size is at a cap of 12 students, with a maximum cap at 20. This is essential for teachers to have enough one on one time with students, which is drastically different from the 35:1 ratio at traditional public schools.

??????Classroom setup: The class had no seats, mostly just space for students to work on their projects during project time. Teachers were spread across the classroom to support students in completing their projects. The basic technology used is through iPads, whereby students can upload their final project assignments to be graded on.

??????Methodology and depth: One thing that ETU commits to is using project based learning and applying it to a real world situation. The depth of the topic is customized according to student’s learning and teachers are involved with designing the tasks that needs to be accomplished alongside the different learning strategies.

??????Project outcome & presentation: The final project presentation is to be delivered to a relevant real world audience, such as the botanist at the Botanical Gardens in Guangzhou.