If I Had All of the Money in the World...My School

Yesterday in class my students and I were having a discussion about being global citizens. I was telling them that if I had all of the money in the world I would LOVE to open a school of 10-20 student. There would be no actual school building, no bells, no schedules, no rows of desks, no cafeteria lunches, no discipline code, no books, no state tests, no grades, no worksheets and no wasted time...First, they looked at me like I was crazy until I started to explain.....
 
I told them that my perfect school would be based completely on EXPERIENCE! It wouldn't start until high school, and I would choose students from the "worst" schools in the United States. I would take 2 or 3 from each school and we would begin our educational journey (honestly, it doesn't matter what type/kind of student was with you, it would work for ALL students)

This is KEY factor of the school would be...LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE...In place of the school building we would be boarding planes, trains, and automobiles and our classroom would be foreign lands. Instead of bells and schedules dictating their every move it would be landmarks, museums, and natural wonders guiding them through the day. In place of desks, we would be reflecting on experiences in parks, cafes, or with the local people deepening their knowledge. Students would be able to taste delectable cuisine from around the world. They could forget about processed chicken patties, frozen veggies, and whatever mystery meats that they are putting in their bodies. They would now be dining in Italy, sampling authentic tapas and paella in Spain, and where ever else our hearts desired. We would visit historical sites, build relationships with local townspeople, participate in customs and traditions. There would be no need for discipline, as it would be real world learning about safety measures in other countries. There would be no time for wasted time, every moment would be a learning experience.

They would be able to describe the different smells of each body of water, know how historical landmarks felt to touch, taste exotic creations, visualize and dream about the beautiful masterpieces and know what it is like to explore so many wonders of the world. I could only imagine being able to experience these things myself.

I honestly wonder what impact this would have one someone's life. Would it completely redirect their life path? Would it inspire them to change the world? Isn't that excited to think about? The possibilities are endless!

So...after describing this to my students and how awesome it would be...one of my students looked at me and stated, "Don't talk about it, be about it Ms. Leigh". My wheels started turning as I was questioning myself of why I haven't tried harder to make this dream of mine a reality....

Some people may say I am crazy, and that's fine by me, but I think it would be an awesome way to allow students to learn. I'm sure after attending my school for a few years, they would be able to surpass most kids their age on any standardized test put in front of them. Not because they are smarter...but because my kids would have EXPERIENCED IT!!!!!!!!
So in a tiny nutshell, that is my perfect school, you never know.....it may just happen one day!!!

Fruit for thought...also, if you know of anyone with an abundance of money and a love for education send them my way:)))))

Live with flow and ride the wave...

Leigh