The 21st Century Classroom

A couple of weeks ago, we had the chance to take part in a collaboration between the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Public Radio (VPR), celebrating the strange and wonderful ways this year's graduation differs from those in years past. The hourlong program featured students and educators from around the state, performing music, giving speeches and simply musing on the ways in which the class of 2020 made. It. Work. So as an excerpt, and leading us towards the end of the podcast's fourth season, here's the piece we produced for the show. We spoke with students, educators and families from two schools who approached graduation very differently: The Warren School, in Warren VT, and Poultney Elementary School, down in Poultney VT. This is a tale of two sixth grades.

"It feels really weird, because in some ways it's kind of cool to see how you can be homeschooled. But then in other ways you're like, "Ohhhhh, it’s kind of scary." Because we are staying home because of the virus that’s going around and for our safety and other people's safety and everything. So it’s mixed feelings I guess." Today on The 21st Century Classroom we're going to explore quarantine homeschooling in the age of COVID-19: What are we learning during it? And what are we learning *from* it? A full transcript is available at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-6sm

In Vermont, fishing and hunting license sales have taken off since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Turkey hunting license sales increased by 26% for the recent start of the spring turkey season. Combination hunting & fishing  licenses are up 24%. It seems like since the Stay At Home order, where our work, school and social spheres got smaller, Vermonters have been heading outdoors to hunt. Not just adults but whole families. Which bring us to two questions: 1) What does it take for a young adult in Vermont to get a hunting license? And 2) what do young Vermonters find so engaging about hunting? Especially as it’s an activity they do with their families? A full transcript is available at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-6GW

For this episode, we're in the Two Rivers Supervisory Union, in southern Vermont. Ace podcaster and #vted Reads host Jeanie Phillips visited the Mount Holly School, in Mount Holly, Vermont. We'll hear from Aubrey, Alyssa and M., three sixth graders entering their final semester at this K-6 school. Next year, all three move up to one of the nearby middle schools. So what have these three students learned from their time at Mount Holly? Let's find out. A full transcript is available at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-6kg

On this episode of the 21st Century Classroom, we hear from three students from Champlain Valley Union High School, in Hinesburg Vermont -- a sophomore, a junior, and a high school senior. They tell us about what makes school meaningful, along with the way they see the roles of students and teachers changing as schools evolve. We also talk about equity in schools, as well as spending some serious time discussing what proficiency-based learning has looked like. Does it work? Is it an improvement over the traditional grading system, and how does it affect how these students apply to college? Full transcript at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-5Oe

This past fall, educator and parent Emily Hoyler, took part in the Youth Climate Strike, along with her three children. They visited various protests in Vermont, and Emily interviewed some of the students she met at the protests. She asked them why they were there, what they hoped to achieve, and how this day of action related to their in-school lives. "I'm here because every morning I wake up afraid. And so knowing that so many other people feel the same thing? It makes me hopeful, for the first time in a long time." A full transcript is available at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-5Bc

Today we're going to listen in on a conversation between three students from Orleans Elementary School in Barton, Vermont. These students talk about about the importance of community, the empowerment of student voice and choice, and offer some brilliant insights about how and why schools can adapt to serve the needs of so-called “troublemaker” students. Transcript available here: https://wp.me/p4r2oE-5pc

Welcome back to The 21st Century Classroom! Educator Lindsey Halman muses over a decade spent on The Edge, an experimental academy at Essex Middle School. She interviews former students and their families to try to figure out what made The Edge work for learners. (Hint: it involves building strong relationships, empowering learners and involving your whole community). Transcript: https://wp.me/p4r2oE-5p4

Usually we ask students to talk about a specific project or experience that we are featuring. But what if we left it open ended? We wanted to find out what students would talk about in a free-flowing conversation about what is meaningful for them about school. We learned a lot, and we hope you do too. A full transcript of this episode is available at https://wp.me/p4r2oE-4yN

Legendary librarian Jeanie Phillips is back on the podcast talking about what else but books! Not just any books, but graphic novels. Joining her this time around is Peter Langella, Vermont librarian, educator and former minor league hockey player and coach! They’re discussing Ngozi Ukazu's Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey. Plus the larger genre of comics and how to use them in the classroom.