Tell me again why do they have to sit in chairs?

Here's what I think makes an ideal classroom...at any age!

*Movement
*Laughter
*Connections- to real life, to the past, to the environment...(art, music, drama) connect the dots
*high interest
*hands on
*Make it motivating
*Care
*hit all modalities

*MOVEMENT- unless you are deeply engaged in a great book, life and the learning year is to short for the ongoing, total lack of interst, I'm writing notes secretely, doodling to hold my attention, did I remember to feed the dog, lecture. This week students in 5th grade were creating a simulated colonial village, cutting, sewing & designing colonial outfits, and designing a village shop with items to sell and activities to teach. They have been busy all month learning about the 13 original colonies, the economics of the time period and the reasons and effects individuals colonized throughout North America. As our grade level sat down to feast on a colonial meal of stew, biscuits, homemade butter, lemonade or tea (oops, we forgot the salad in ye olde frig) students expressed their contentment and enthusiasm for the day. They understood the basic concepts of supply & demand (if you set your price right, colonists will come) if you have a cool product more colonists will come than what you may be prepared for!!
There is nothing more frightening in fifth grade than being asked to DANCE, being asked to dance with a partner of a difference gender is enough to send goosebumps up and down your spine (or so I have it on good authority from a couple of young ladies and one gentleman who asked to remain anonymous) but dance they did, 99 of them, and they were good!

Long story short, get up out of those chairs and let authentic, exciting, empowering learning take place. "Only the curious will learn and only the resolute will overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligent quotient.