Journal Entry #17

Blog 17: What does learning in a community-based setting afford children? What are they able to learn in a community-based setting that they would not be able to learn in a school setting? What does teaching in a community-based setting afford the educator? What can one do in a community-based setting that one could not do in a school?

A community based approach can be really important. As an instructor, you can take on a different role than the one you take in the classroom as a teacher. For example, I work with a children’s theatre, stage managing and assistant directing. Often, in a classroom, I would be more concerned with what the kids are learning. In this setting, I am often more concerned with the songs or the choreography the kids are doing, and it results in the kids learning differently than they might in a classroom setting.

I also find that in a community-based setting, kids feel that they are able to talk to you and share more with you than they do when they see you as a teacher. Kids feel that since you are spending time with them outside of school, although you are still something of an authority figure, you are someone they can talk to.

As an instructor, you can specialize more to the specific activity that you are teaching, instead of integrating the lesson into the curriculum for that level. For example, with the children’s theatre, I can work with the kids on music, dance, and acting instead of trying to keep it consistent with what their curriculum is. I probably don’t even know what they’re learning in school; sometimes I don’t know what grade the child is in. This has the potential to make that particular part of their learning even above their grade level, if the child is capable, and that is awesome.

This teaching helps me see a wider age and ability range of kids than I might get to in the classroom. It also is good practice for running an extra-curricular program. I think it’s a great experience to get to know different levels and ages of children through community-based learning experiences not only for the instructor, but also for the kids.