“Passionate Learners” by Pernille Ripp
Wow, I just finished Pernille’s new book “Passionate Learners” in 2 days. What an amazingly written, non-judgemental, hopeful look at what teaching can be.
I love that she admits her mistakes that she is not proud of but moves onto how this didn’t feel right and now what she has done to fix it.
This book is about how to go from rewards and punishments, grades & teacher-led classrooms to a passionate, feedback filled and student-led classroom.
I’ve had a different teaching experience than most. My first teaching placement was at a normal elementary school but my second placement was at Churchill Alternative. I had no idea what the Alternative meant and when I showed up on the first day and told a student to sit down and take off his hat, he responded “We don’t do that here.” I quietly sat down and took this different teaching environment in.
Churchill Alternative is a school where the students, teachers and parents work together to teach the whole child. They focus on intrinsic motivation, community, cooperation and goal making. They believe in innovated and differentiated learning as well as assessment that meets the students created learning goals. Churchill Alternative has been my home base for the last 7 years of my teaching journey. I have been a supply teacher, had many Long Term Occasional positions but I always ended back at Churchill. Churchill Alternative has this amazing sense of community & partnership, and the most responsible, helpful and respectful children. I have created many friendships with the amazing staff at Churchill who I always will look up to.
This book is about making your own Churchill in your own classroom. I have seen the affects of passionate learning at Churchill and the outcome is unlike any other I have experienced yet.
Pernille gives you ideas about how to create this classroom for yourself but doesn’t give you a step by step guide. Every classroom and group is different. You have to figure out what will work for the group you have now.
You have to make sure:
you create a community
the classroom is focused on the students
students create the class expectations, no rules
no grades, only feedback
classroom meetings
no punishments or rewards, have a conversation instead
fun, engaging activities planned with the students
creating routines with your students
really, really get to know your students
be present & listen
This book is a definite must read. I have only just finished it, but going to go through it again and figure out how I can try this out next year.
If you would love to buy this book, click here or to know more about the amazing Pernille Ripp, who is also the creator of the Global Read Aloud, click here.
I know that since I started my blog, ClassromCollective.com I have become so passionate about teaching and technology. I want all my future students to feel that same sense of passion.
