When we visited Shaker Heights Middle School I had the opportunity to observe two different history classes. Both classes were run in very similar ways, the main differences being the content of the courses. I really enjoyed what was happening in both classroom settings. The teachers both encouraged students to not only actively participate, but also actively listen. Each class watched a video on the smart board and the teacher would give them a worksheet. They were to take notes on the material that they were watching and draw conclusions based on the information that they had already learned. The teachers would periodically pause the video and start a discussion with the class. They would ask the students how they thought the new material related to previous concepts learned, how it related to what was happening in today's society, and explain what their thought process is about the new material. The teachers also asked the students to make predictions, give their opinions, and provide real life examples. I was surprised to see how well the students responded to this approach. Most of the students seemed very excited to participate and were either trying to shout out their opinions or raise their hands to answer a question and give feedback.
In Chapter 4 of To Teach the Journey, in Comics, Ayers discusses the concept of building bridges both literally and figuratively. On the literal side, Bill helps his students solve the problem of how to get Bingo up the stairs by building a physical bridge or a ramp. An example of a figurative bridge being built is Sal providing a bridge for the powerless by giving the adults in her literacy class the skills and the tools they need to succeed in life. Both the literal and figurative bridges that are being built are helping their respective groups learn, grow, and make connections. The example with Bingo applies more with how to build bridges to solve physical problems. The example with Sal is more applicable towards problems that are less tangible.
Building bridges is important in a school setting because it allows students to make connections. The bridge that is being constructed at Shaker Heights Middle School is one that allows students to take the knowledge they have, make connections, and use critical thinking to draw new conclusions and opinions. Building upon this concept further, I can connect a bridge from my experience observing Shaker Heights to help me in the future in my own classroom.
