[xmca] pretending, imitating, playing and performing

[Gregory Allan Thompson <gathomps@uchicago.edu>]

Lois,
I just had a chance to take a peek at the fantastic article that you circulated (lots more to say but no time...), it reminded me of a video from an article that was discussed on XMCA about a year ago with regard to Teach for America (Atlantic Monthly article "What makes a great teacher"). Much of the discussion on XMCA involved policy and TfA, about which I didn't have much to say. I was struck by one of the videos of the teachers (his video is labeled "The Motivator"):
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/01/what-makes-a-great-teacher/7841/

He puts on a wonderful performance and the kids appear to be riveted by his performance as evidenced by their performances, sometimes imitative, as he institutes Operation Get Smart in his classroom (certainly the cameras had something to do with everyone's performance, but maybe there is a lesson there too). He tells his students everyone in the class has the potential to be "the smartest students in the country". There are certainly parts of his delivery that could have been better, but it's a hundred times better than I could have ever done... And it seemed like a nice example of pretending, playing, and performing.

-greg




>Message: 4
>Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:22:56 -0500
>From: Lois Holzman <lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org>
>Subject: [xmca] pretending, imitating, playing and performing
>To: Activity eXtended Mind Culture <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
>Message-ID:
>	<059CBF2B-7257-4B83-B402-DD6BA12C4B55@eastsideinstitute.org>
>Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii
>
>Hi,
>
>I'm passing along a short essay by Lenora Fulani and Fred Newman, entitled Let's Pretend, that looks at lots we've been discussing here lately in relation to schooling and reform efforts.
>Comments?
>You can find it at http://admin-allstars.promotions.com/sites/default/files/Let's Pretend Special Report 010611.pdf
>
>Lois
>
>Don't forget to check out the latest at http://loisholzman.org
>
>Lois Holzman, Ph.D.
>Director, East Side Institute for Group and Short Term Psychotherapy
>920 Broadway, 14th floor
>New York NY 10010
>Chair, Global Outreach for UX (www.allstars.org/ux)
>tel. 212.941.8906 ext. 324
>fax 718.797.3966
>lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org
>www.eastsideinstitute.org
>www.performingtheworld.org
>loisholzman.org
>www.allstars.org
>
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>End of xmca Digest, Vol 68, Issue 30
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