Comments for Tinkering School http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog think of what to build, build what you think of Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:19:27 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Self Provocation by gever http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/self-provocation/comment-page-1/#comment-16761 gever Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:19:27 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=164#comment-16761 Jenny, I think that it's a question of degree. You say that you're "always asking kids why", but does a culture of always being asked why suppress or support innovation? Sometimes "why?" can feel like an accusation when it is mis-applied. I think it is important to get kids to think about the "why" of doing something, but there are times when it is going to disrupt the doing. I look for the transition between activities as a chance to engage the kids in some introspection and analysis - which may one of the (many) reasons Tinkering School class size doesn't scale very well. Jenny, I think that it’s a question of degree. You say that you’re “always asking kids why”, but does a culture of always being asked why suppress or support innovation? Sometimes “why?” can feel like an accusation when it is mis-applied. I think it is important to get kids to think about the “why” of doing something, but there are times when it is going to disrupt the doing. I look for the transition between activities as a chance to engage the kids in some introspection and analysis – which may one of the (many) reasons Tinkering School class size doesn’t scale very well.

]]> Comment on Self Provocation by Jenny http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/self-provocation/comment-page-1/#comment-16750 Jenny Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:12:15 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=164#comment-16750 Just to begin, I don't disagree with anything you are saying here. For me, however, it begs a question about metacognition. Are there times when explaining our thinking/actions pushes us further rather than stopping us in our tracks? If so, how do we help kids recognize the differences? As a teacher I'm always asking kids why. No matter what they say I'm pushing them to say more. Should I back off at times? Do I need to let them just be? Just to begin, I don’t disagree with anything you are saying here. For me, however, it begs a question about metacognition. Are there times when explaining our thinking/actions pushes us further rather than stopping us in our tracks? If so, how do we help kids recognize the differences?

As a teacher I’m always asking kids why. No matter what they say I’m pushing them to say more. Should I back off at times? Do I need to let them just be?

]]> Comment on Self Provocation by Kami http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/self-provocation/comment-page-1/#comment-16736 Kami Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:31:34 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=164#comment-16736 Oh man, this brings tears to my eyes. I feel like I have spent years of my adult life figuring this out, or rather, re-learning what I knew intrinsically as a child. My goal for this year is to play even more with materials, just for fun and to see what happens. Just hoping that education can move in this direction, where we don't spend 12 or more years beating the curiosity out of them, which they then spend their entire lives trying to reclaim (if they even realize it's gone...). Anyway, thanks for thsoe thoughts, Gever. Really great, and needs to be said again and again in different ways until everyone gets the picture. Oh man, this brings tears to my eyes. I feel like I have spent years of my adult life figuring this out, or rather, re-learning what I knew intrinsically as a child. My goal for this year is to play even more with materials, just for fun and to see what happens. Just hoping that education can move in this direction, where we don’t spend 12 or more years beating the curiosity out of them, which they then spend their entire lives trying to reclaim (if they even realize it’s gone…). Anyway, thanks for thsoe thoughts, Gever. Really great, and needs to be said again and again in different ways until everyone gets the picture.

]]> Comment on Day 6 – Finals: Racing, Flying, Camping by Flying Games http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2009/day-6-finals-racing-flying-camping/comment-page-1/#comment-16731 Flying Games Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:58:36 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2009/day-6-finals-racing-flying-camping/#comment-16731 I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first

comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep

visiting this blog very often.

]]> Comment on Presenting at TEDU by zoe-claire http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2007/presenting-at-tedu/comment-page-1/#comment-16185 zoe-claire Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:57:42 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=59#comment-16185 too true this guy is hilarius! too true this guy is hilarius!

]]> Comment on Dangerism by Gary Ball http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/dangerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16094 Gary Ball Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:39:21 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=155#comment-16094 I constantly get into disagreements about danger. I truly feel that we create stupid children when we eliminate every single dangerous activity. Children need to explore and learn their limits. Sometimes saying OW that hurt is the best way to learn. The little bumps and bruises they get while young is nothing compared to the major injuries they will avoid later. For example, when my 3 year old jumps off of the couch he learns how to roll with a fall. Later when he is 14 or 15 he will be less likely to jump off of the garage roof because he has experimented and knows his limits - he hopefully will know that a 12 foot drop is unrealistic. Now it is my job as a parent to ensure he knows to look for a clear area to land (from the couch of course). Knives and powertools are only risky if used in a stupid way so lets expose our kids to danger in smart ways. Teach them to know and understand it but not to be afraid of it. As parents we sometimes need to just relax. As educators we should relax too, if we could just get rid of those damn insurance specialists. We are hamstrung by the fear of a lawsuit or a reprisal by the insurance industry. The minute we let the insurance industry run everything we are finished - and so are our kids/students. I constantly get into disagreements about danger. I truly feel that we create stupid children when we eliminate every single dangerous activity. Children need to explore and learn their limits. Sometimes saying OW that hurt is the best way to learn. The little bumps and bruises they get while young is nothing compared to the major injuries they will avoid later. For example, when my 3 year old jumps off of the couch he learns how to roll with a fall. Later when he is 14 or 15 he will be less likely to jump off of the garage roof because he has experimented and knows his limits – he hopefully will know that a 12 foot drop is unrealistic. Now it is my job as a parent to ensure he knows to look for a clear area to land (from the couch of course).

Knives and powertools are only risky if used in a stupid way so lets expose our kids to danger in smart ways. Teach them to know and understand it but not to be afraid of it. As parents we sometimes need to just relax. As educators we should relax too, if we could just get rid of those damn insurance specialists. We are hamstrung by the fear of a lawsuit or a reprisal by the insurance industry. The minute we let the insurance industry run everything we are finished – and so are our kids/students.

]]> Comment on Dangerism by Lenore Skenazy http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/dangerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16064 Lenore Skenazy Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:06:32 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=155#comment-16064 "Dangerism" is a great concept and I'd love to think and hear more about it: Why is driving kids not considered dangerous (even though the #1 cause of death for kids is as passengers in car accidents), while walking to school is considered asking for trouble. I'd love to hear more examples of how we have "dangerized" formerly normal childhood activities. Go, Gever! -- Lenore Skenazy, Free-Range Kids “Dangerism” is a great concept and I’d love to think and hear more about it: Why is driving kids not considered dangerous (even though the #1 cause of death for kids is as passengers in car accidents), while walking to school is considered asking for trouble. I’d love to hear more examples of how we have “dangerized” formerly normal childhood activities. Go, Gever! — Lenore Skenazy, Free-Range Kids

]]> Comment on Dangerism by Kevin H http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/dangerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16058 Kevin H Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:26:59 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=155#comment-16058 Mr. Tulley, I enjoy reading your blog and perspective. I purchased your book because it sounded fun, and your thoughts on www.TED.com and your TinkeringSchool website resonate with me. Since the book came right before the New Year I made it my New Year's resolution to document doing the activities with my family on my my blog. Thanks, we are enjoying learning and growing together. Mr. Tulley, I enjoy reading your blog and perspective. I purchased your book because it sounded fun, and your thoughts on http://www.TED.com and your TinkeringSchool website resonate with me. Since the book came right before the New Year I made it my New Year’s resolution to document doing the activities with my family on my my blog. Thanks, we are enjoying learning and growing together.

]]> Comment on Dangerism by Daniel http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/dangerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16052 Daniel Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:28:46 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=155#comment-16052 Gever, a great piece; I think it gets to the heart of the real cultural relativity of 'Risk'. I also like your framing of Risk vs. Benefit assessment, and think it very much echoes the framework playworkers in Adventure Playgrounds (at least in the UK) are encouraged to adopt. I wrote a little about it here: <a href="http://www.danielsaurus.com/2010/01/23/dangerism-and-risk" rel="nofollow">"What Really is Dangerous?"</a> Gever, a great piece; I think it gets to the heart of the real cultural relativity of ‘Risk’.

I also like your framing of Risk vs. Benefit assessment, and think it very much echoes the framework playworkers in Adventure Playgrounds (at least in the UK) are encouraged to adopt. I wrote a little about it here: “What Really is Dangerous?”

]]> Comment on Dangerism by tzf http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/2010/dangerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16048 tzf Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:19:22 +0000 http://www.tinkeringschool.com/blog/?p=155#comment-16048 One of the things I find fascinating about raising children is the differences in children that come from the same gene pools (their mom's and mine). My own mother is overprotective of my children, having had some harrowing experiences in her own childhood, so she was shocked to learn that I was sending the two kids out to the local corner store, two blocks away, when Sayuri was 8 and Toshi was 6. A big part of it was that I know these kids, and I trust them, not so much to "be careful" but to be who they are. Sayuri is adventurous, wild, and very aware of her surroundings. Toshi's more introverted, and has always been very cautious and detail-oriented. I knew that Sayuri's confidence and awareness would get them across the streets and to their desitnation safely, and that Toshi's caution would prevent them from doing anything too adventurous. I still don't let them go out "solo", but they've been ranging around the neighborhood together for a couple of years now, lately going down to the big parking lot to learn to ride their ripsticks where there's a slope in this incredibly flat city. I'm still afraid to let Sayuri, now almost 11, go out by herself, because she's just too damned beautiful and I'm afraid someone will steal her. I've seen the Megan's Law web site for our city, and there's bad people out there... but for now, the buddy system works for me. One of the things I find fascinating about raising children is the differences in children that come from the same gene pools (their mom’s and mine). My own mother is overprotective of my children, having had some harrowing experiences in her own childhood, so she was shocked to learn that I was sending the two kids out to the local corner store, two blocks away, when Sayuri was 8 and Toshi was 6. A big part of it was that I know these kids, and I trust them, not so much to “be careful” but to be who they are. Sayuri is adventurous, wild, and very aware of her surroundings. Toshi’s more introverted, and has always been very cautious and detail-oriented. I knew that Sayuri’s confidence and awareness would get them across the streets and to their desitnation safely, and that Toshi’s caution would prevent them from doing anything too adventurous. I still don’t let them go out “solo”, but they’ve been ranging around the neighborhood together for a couple of years now, lately going down to the big parking lot to learn to ride their ripsticks where there’s a slope in this incredibly flat city. I’m still afraid to let Sayuri, now almost 11, go out by herself, because she’s just too damned beautiful and I’m afraid someone will steal her. I’ve seen the Megan’s Law web site for our city, and there’s bad people out there… but for now, the buddy system works for me.

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