I spent my summer taking several classes at Marlboro College Grad Center, attending various educational workshops, and directing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for Hillcat Theater in Hillsboro NH. it was a BUSY summer! Add onto that pickling and preserving the veg from my garden and it is a wonder that I had any time to myself! But I didn't come here to rant, I came here to share some of the wisdom that I have gathered this summer.
One of the best classes that I had this summer was about Games and Simulations in the educational setting. I learned about Second Life, and Minecraft. I played around in these worlds and realized that I have very little skill as an avatar in the virtual world! I did have a blast and certainly learned a great deal about perseverance and hard work. It really does help give perspective when we are asking our students to try things that they are uncomfortable with! Now, when my students see that I have Minecraft on my computer, they ask "Why do you have Minecraft?" I can say with confidence, albeit very little, that I play Minecraft and am looking at ways to incorporate the use of Minecraft in the classroom. Their eyes light up and then we start having conversations about what they could learn or demonstrate in Minecraft. I find that if I listen to them, they inspire all kinds of ideas.
Meeting with other Marlboro students "in world".
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