Tuesday, January 17, 2012


Elizabeth  Harson: Responding:  Kiran Bir Sethi Teaches Kids to Take Charge

Contagious in the positive sense of the word, Kiran had a plan to infect children with the “I Can” change.  She wanted her fifth grade students at Riverside to take charge and change something, one thing that bothered them and change it or make a difference.  She connected school life to the real world for these children, and oh what a connection she made for them.  She empowered the children to lead the change. 

I think she set the stage to help these children make a difference.  She believed in their ideas and challenged them.  It is a contagious attitude, more than that, she had a contagious energy.  

It just makes me wonder... how can this happen in Louisiana schools?

2 comments:

  1. Hi Liz, I agree, her energy was contagious. I often would love to have more time in my day to allow my students to help me plan lessons. I wish I could empower them in helping me to plan activities that make a difference to them. SO many times, lessons are rushed or a quick worksheet will do the trick, because creativity takes time. I wish we were not bound so much by the State Curriculum Guides in Lousisana because more flexibility and time to listen to my students would be great! I do believe that children can make positive changes in the world. We all can!!

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  2. Thanks Michelle, We all can make positive changes. I know what you mean about having time, but I often make time to allow them to connect with the activity and be engaged with their own learning; that is important. At a previous school, we partnered with each other and the older students helped, talked and built relationships with each other and that was an awesome experience. The first graders read to the third grade students and they read to the first graders as well. Both groups loved it.

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