Some recommendations about the size of classrooms and teachers to cover several subjects with the same students.

A screenshot from the website of Frida Kahlo High School, circa 2009

Transcript

There is a lack of peace everywhere.    Our schools in the USA are under tremendous attack.

However, there is hope.  Elliot Washor and Dennis Littky, and Carlos Moreno have been trying for years to spread the message about personalized learning.

They describe "real learning," how it extends itself, how it grows.  Personalized learning is the most beautiful aspect of a school.

Ask anyone who has worked at a Big Picture school (or a school inspired by Big Picture Learning) "What is the most important ingredient?"   They will look at your straight in the eye and say, "Personalization.  Listen to the students... Get to know me.  Get to know what I'm about.  What is going on in my life?  What is going on in my history? 
Then the student realizes, "This person really cares."

How many teachers can say that they know the lives of these kids?  Do the teachers know what each of their students have been through?  
Where they came from?  What was their possible ancestry?
Many of those questions can be answered if the schools emphasize personalization.
Sacrifice one hour out of the day, each day.  Let students and the teacher talk as they did centuries ago...when they didn't have these "so called" schools.

PERSONALIZATION OF INSTRUCTION
Before I can begin to excite you about multiplication and division and writing and reading, ...
What did the teacher in elementary school have to do?  Get to know who you were.
As a young person, you responded because of the innocence of who you were.  

What happens in middle school and high school?  Destruction.
"What happened to Joey?  Joey changed dramatically when he went into middle school."
What happened?   Someone disengaged from that young man.  Joey went outside the school classroom to meet his needs.

When we ask a teacher to stand in front of five or six classes of 25 students each week, that's 150 students.  How can anyone possibly get to know each student enough?   

What if two teachers share those 150 students?  Teach three subjects each to two groups of 25 students?   Then the teacher sees only 50 students -- now the teacher has a better chance to personalize the school environment.

AN EXAMPLE OF PERSONALIZATION
Instead of starting a study of histoy with a textbook (and starting in Ancient Rome or China), why not ask each student to interview his parents and grandparents.  "What significant events do you remember, Grandpa?"
Get the FREE EBOOK  "Personal History Workbook"

Go deeper:
Big Picture Learning Schools ask one teacher to teach all subjects to 15 or 20 students.... for four years.   Teachers who teach several subjects can spend more time with fewer students and get to know them.
Learn more at BigPicture.org
Enrique Gonzalez was principal of Frida Kahlo High School in Los Angeles. 


Share his video at TINYURL.com/enriqueGonzalez1


Hear Dennis Littky at TEDx NYED