This is so cool! Check out Backyard Paradises.
Then, open a new comment on this blog. In one sentence, respond (good or bad) to the backyard utopia that most interested you.
After doing this research, I want you to think about what your version of a utopian SCHOOL would be. BNW focuses on a utopian society, Backyard Paradises focuses on utopian outdoor spaces...I want you to create a utopian school. I am very serious about this. What would it look like physically? What would the schedule be like? Who would attend? How would people learn and grow? How would the different grades interact with each other? Would students be graded? What special events would occur? What would be part of the daily schedule? You are welcome to answer all or none of these questions, but you must get specific, creative, and intentional with your description. Help us SEE this school and understand WHY it is structured the way it is.
These posts are due by the end of the period.
Structure: Begin with a one sentence quote (and yes, put it in quotation marks) that captures your vision. Then describe and explain your utopia.
My non-honors sections will vote on the honors descriptions; my honors sections will vote on the non-honors. The winning students (one honors and one non-honors) will earn 10 Bonus points on their BNW Test, get first pick on which day they would like to present their research paper topic, AND get a one-day extension on their research paper. Awesome!
Everyone will earn 10/10 points for completing this.
“Like GPS, only...”
ReplyDeleteStudents will be graded, assignments will be due, and extra curricular activities will be available.
Grades from tests, quizzes, and homework will be important for college transcripts and personal success. But, they will be seen as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than a number defining a student’s ability. The latter definition of a grade often gives students stress and encourages them to define themselves by what their report card says, but students are who they are inside, not grades. This will be encouraged in the classroom environment. Like GPS, only more personally uplifting.
Assignments like homework and projects will be expected to be turned in on time to teach students responsibility and time management for the future. Is a student fails to turn in work on time, the teacher will work with the student to understand why he or she did not manage time wisely, what else he or she had going on, and what can be done in the future. This will encourage students to become more open with teachers and teachers to become more involved in their students’ lives. That way, they can fully understand the onuses that students face each week. Like GPS, only more family-like.
For fun, extra curricular activities will be provided. But, in this perfect school, students, if they do not find an activity they wish to participate in, will be encouraged to meet with the principal to discuss the formation of a new activity. Clubs, sports, and fin arts will be provided, but not mandatory. However, each student will be encouraged to do activities that help them relax, that are fun, that relieve stress, and that help them grow and discover their personal abilities and interests. Like GPS, only more fun.
All in all, like GPS, only better.
Paradise Garden: I love how this man found a way to share God's word through his own eyes and perspective on the meaning of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteSalvation Mountain: I think it’s awesome how Knight found a way of saying what he loves by doing something he loves.
ReplyDelete“Freedom is the way to being free.” In my Utopia school, freedom would be the principals on which it’s based. Everything, from the look of the school to the grading system, would be for the students benefit. Physically, the school would be very free; there would be outside classrooms for the spring time, lots of windows, comfortable chairs, bright colored classrooms, and student centers with fireplaces. I think that this would increase the student’s willingness to learn because they wouldn’t feel trapped, like I sometimes do. They would be excited about going to school, simply because it is a fun place to be.
The schedule would be free, only requiring a low number of necessary courses. Each student would have to take 5 academic classes a year, but they are given the ability to CHOOSE which classes in every subject they would like to take. Only grades 9-12 would be allowed to attend, because, honestly, middle schoolers can be loud and obnoxious. Also, classes will contain people of every grade, so the students don’t feel like there is a power structure, and the student will be able to relate to anyone in the school. During the day, there would be a lot of free time, giving the student time to do the non-busy-work homework; finishing homework during school causes less stress and gives you freedom in the afternoon.
The grading system would be similar to the one we have at GPS, but it isn’t as vital. If a student tries hard and puts in the necessary effort, they will get an A. If they don’t care about grades, then they will get an F. This is the freedom to be the kind of student you want to be.
Special events would be the talk of the town. Other schools would be jealous of the activities that this school does. Everyone would want to go to everything, and they will always be able to get in. There will be no cut off of the number of students allowed to go. Also, there would be at least one event each weekend. And they would be FUN.
The thing about this school is that the student would want to go. They wouldn’t wake up every morning dreading the day ahead. They couldn’t wait to go to school and learn and have fun with their friends. They would have the freedom to do all of that. They would feel trapped, and stressed, and hindered. They would be FREE.
Palais Ideal, Hauterives, France; this intriguing backyard utopia had very intricate architecture, which looked like it was pulled from under the sea of a fairytale.
ReplyDelete“Is there such a thing as a school without stress? ”
The school will be made out of large circular orbs. Inside each circular orb will be a teacher with students. The students will not be given grades or rankings. Each student will try to excel in her own way and will be rewarded for whatever they excel in. Students will be able to focus on the quality of their work and the effort they put in it instead of being ranked against others. The orbs will rotate so that no gloomy atmosphere ever surrounds a classroom. Teachers will conduct class in a way to push students to try their best. Students will be pushed by the incentive of the love of learning and prizes. Students who do not excel will not be punished or distinguished from the excelling students. Instead, students who do not excel will be separated from each other and mixed with excelling students. No one will ever truly know if she is better than another student. The most significant rule of the school, which must never be broken, is that no student may share their achievements with other students. In a school that doesn’t make students feel inferior to one another, no animosity will arise. Students will be able to strive to be their best. The final thing that will determine a student's capacity are standardized tests in which the results are only released to the colleges that student wants to attend.
Bottle Village; I like the art and creativity behind this Utopia, and I can’t imagine how many bottles it could have taken to complete.
ReplyDelete“The lack of fun equals the lack of education.”
As you pull up to the school surrounded by water, your car gently stops right beside a stream filled with rafts. You take a 3-minute float to the entrance door, and quickly are lifted out of your tube where your friends are waiting to greet you. At 10 AM, you enter your first class, where your teacher is waiting at the door with something warm for breakfast. Then of course, you run to your favorite couch and lay down to learn the lesson for the day. After only 20 minutes of teacher’s lectures, you have the next 10 minutes to prepare for the next class or just to take a short nap.
Around 12 PM, you take your lunch out to the warm patio right beside the lake water. During your 1-hour lunch break, you can eat, swim with your friends, or even jet ski. The bell rings at 1 PM, and everyone rushes in for 2 more classes. Test are occasional but can be remade until you are pleased with your grade. Homework is expected, but it is required that it only be 30 minutes worth. Teachers and students have a mutual respect for the rules, so no one every gets in trouble. Social events are held on weekends, and therefore no homework is assigned. Dances, lake parties, bonfires, among so much more are held every weekend. Everyone comes because these events are actually fun, and it is a bonding time for students to become like a family.
Palais Ideál - Hauterives, France: I liked his utopia because what was once causing him to fall has become something beautiful.
ReplyDelete"An educated child should be an inspired child. An inspired child can change the world."
Schools should not only teach but inspire.Few children today want to learn; this is because each child learns differently and schools need to cater to each child's need. Some kids are visual learners, some can't sit still. If schools had a system that worked for each individual student, kids wouldn't need extra motivation to do well. Grades would be unnecessary. In an ideal school, classes focus not only on basic knowledge and memorization of facts, but on current issues around the world, what it means to be human, and the importance of love and peace in society. The mental health of students is valued above all. No child should be stressed to the point he or she is sick. A child's homework may include volunteering at an animal shelter. One person's education benefits not only the child but the entire community.
Bottle Village: It is beautiful and creative but could go without the doll heads.
ReplyDelete“The students choose what they want school to be like.”
This single sex utopian school would feel like a second home. It would run from 8 AM until 3 PM grades 9-12. The schedule would be plain and simple. There would be requirements to make sure every student attended college when they graduated, but there would also be some freedom. Each student would take a required number of English, history, math, science, and language credits but would get to choose their courses. If they were interested in writing, she would take the English courses that mainly deal with writing. If a student is interested in biology, she will take mainly biology courses. You can choose to take classes with only your own grade or with members of each grade. Each student gets to design her own schedule based on here interests. Students would not be judged based on their grades, and teachers would take other things into consideration when grading. They would not be based only on the grades you get on tests and quizzes. Class sizes would be small, around 15 people in each class max. Any extra courses can be taken as well, such as art, drama, singing, carpentry, anything the students were interested in. The teachers would be wonderful who are always available for help academically and as advisors. They would be fair graders and would help and encourage girls in every way possible to do their best. No one would be able to fail out of this school because they are able to create a schedule that they are interested in. The classroom setting would feel like a class, but would also be comfortable. There would be tests and everything normally for there to be a good grading policy, but exams would be optional. Students with certain GPAs would receive rewards as motivations to keep working hard. There would be sports and social activities provided along with the school as well. All sports are offered and girls would be able to create clubs/activities/sports if they can recruit enough members. Nothing would be off limits and it would be like a democracy. The students as well as the adults would have a say in the school decisions.
Salvation Mountain: I love how Leonard Knight was able to create his own Backyard Utopia that inspired himself and also others.
ReplyDelete"Focused girls set on the sights of their future."
High school, reinvented. The first bell sounds at 8 a.m. Instead of the shrill ring students are used to, audible classic or soft, soothing melodies will play in each class. Each class runs for 45 minutes each. Instructors are only allowed 30 minutes for lecturing. At least 15 minutes of class time is designated each period for hands on. The students will be doing. Their brains will be working.
Girls in grades 9-12 will attend school here. Class sizes are limited to 16 students with one instructor. Electives such as cooking, carpentry, art, music, and computer classes are not only offered, but required for students each semester.
The luscious grounds of the school will include labyrinths, pavilions, and benches. Outside classes are a norm at this school (weather permitting). The campus is wireless, so students are free to work on their Macs anywhere on campus. Sports are not offered at this school. The focus of this institution is set on the sights of knowledge.
Bottle Village: This was built by an old woman and it is very cool because it uses used bottles that were otherwise known as trash, and she turned it into art; however, she used the heads of old baby dolls so this place seems creepy.
ReplyDelete“Some say high school is the time of our lives, so let’s make it worthwhile.”
In this school there would be no classes starting before 9:00 in the morning, but there would be a student center serving breakfast and such in the mornings available for the students. Students are allowed to wear any clothes they would like to school, so that they are comfortable and relaxed. In the classes, the teachers would have comfortable seating and laid back classes that are enjoyable. The day would end at 2:00 and any sports practices would get out by 3:00. Social events would be held each weekend that are exciting, like dances, carnivals, festivals,beach parties, and concerts.
The grading in the courses would depend on the student and each would choose how to receive a good grade in the class for himself. There would we two hours of free time in the middle of the day for lunch and activities, like games and movies. For lunch there would be different restaurants each week in addition to the school’s lunch, like chick-fil-a. Any person would get to choose the classes they take and drop or add any they choose. There would be classes that count very high credits that teach things like cooking, sleeping, music, and more like that.
“No ordinary highschool.”
ReplyDeleteMy utopian high school is a coed boarding school located on the west coast. Red brick buildings line the campus, and are completely green. Solar panels and a greenhouses line the rooftop. Students only have to be in these “smart buildings” buildings during their classes, which is 3 times a day. My school would have an A B schedule, where each class is two hours long but you don’t have the same classes every day. Class size is 10-15 students, because student teacher communication is very important, and every class would have kids who have the same learning rates. Uniforms are not worn, but there is a strict dress code. Exams are not required, but can be taken to boost a grade, not to tear it down. Teachers would have to give a week notification before a test and three days before a quiz. During lunch, students would be given the option of either eating in the cafeteria or going off campus.
Watts Towers: The amount of time and creativity that went into these towers is amazing.
"Freedom structured to be what you want."
ReplyDeleteA Utopian school would be open: no walls or walls of windows so you can always be in touch with the outside world, large enough to fit hundreds of kids comfortably and able to hold over 1000. Your schedule would be fitted to you. There is a minimum of 5 classes every day and each student personalizes it to what he/she wants to learn about (more classes can be taken). School starts at 9 and ends at 4. Core academics are taken depending on grade level, all other classes are taken depending on level of ability (grade level doesn't matter). Core academics have A, B, C grades, electives are graded on whatever scale the teacher chooses.
Palais Ideal: I would love to find enough interestingly shaped and colorful rocks to entertain and interest me for 30 years.
Salvation Mountain: This place is awesome, and with such a good messsage behind it.
ReplyDelete"Interest is the path to success."
My utopian school would be one that prepared them for what they wanted to do in life. They would learn all subjects through the lens of what they wanted to do in their career. Of course, not every occupation could be addressed, so students would be grouped both by grade and by "interest," such as medicine, writing, education, etc. Their curriculum would work around their interest. It would be a coed day school located in the country but not far from the city. This "interest" based learning would make even subjects that students didn't like more interesting when viewed from a new perspective. It would allow them to see how math, science, and english are all related and will be useful in their later life. The schedule would be like GPS's, but each class would be 3 days a week and there would be more free time. The classes would be, for example, English for Literature Interest, English for Science Interest, or English for Education Interest. So everyone would take the same subjects, but with a different intonation. Electives could be taken either within your interest or outside of it. Tests, quizzes, and exams would all be similar to how they are at GPS.
Salvation Mountain: I love the man who created this place. He seems so animated and really gets into what he loves. He knows what he wants to do and is going to spend the rest his life doing it.
ReplyDelete"My teachers finally seeing the amount of effort I put into my work."
On every test and quiz, teachers will check a student's work thoroughly. If a student answers a question incorrectly, teachers will check for the eraser marks, looking for how much effort they put into this problem and award points accordingly. Participation in class will count for much more. Every thoughtful idea a student puts into a discussion will elevate their grade substantially. Students who participate in extracurricular activities that require a large time investment will be able to spend extra time with teachers if they do not have time to finish an assignment or were not able to complete a lesson because of time strains. There will be more class bonding exercises for students to help build a bond with each other. Teachers will interact with students on a more personal level. If a student seems off, a teacher will go out of their way to talk to that student about whatever is bothering them (family issues, stress) and help them cope with their school work while going through the troubles of their personal life. Efforts will be awarded and challenges against students will be acknowledged.
Salvation Mountain: It looks like someone painted the world with "happy-colored" paint.
ReplyDelete"It would be a Happy House."
My utopian school is small with about 50 students per grade. It is only high school- no middle schoolers allowed. Middle school is when most kids go through their awkward phases and most tend to be super obnoxious, disturbing the peace of the chill highschoolers. It is co-ed. It's important for people to have friends that are girls and friends that are guys and get to see both on a regular basis. Each student is required ot take English, math, science, and history classes as well as one foreign language of their choice. Foreign language options include Spanish, Chinese, French, Latin, Korean, Japanese, and German. Fine arts classes are optional and no one is required to take physical education. Everyone brings their own lunch every day except Friday, when the cooking classes provide the meals. On Mondays, everyone sends in their chosen lunch orders for Friday meals from a list provided. Uniforms are not required, but dress code violations result in 5 demerits. Classes are in set schedules that alternate every other day. All classes are an hour and a half long. Students are only allowed to be given 45 minutes of homework for each class.
Windmills: it takes guts to keep working with abstract artwork when everyone thinks your crazy.
ReplyDelete“Combining nature and academics”
As you drive up the winding road, dense forest on both sides, the one story building with an open air entry way catches your attention. The building isn’t a building at all, just rooms attached to others with ivy covered archways serving as the hall. This is a hippie high school. There is no uniform, just relaxed clothing for comfortable studying. The classes cover every extracurricular class from sewing and home economics to astronomy and science Olympiad. Each class period is 1 hour long with 7 class periods a day. For an hour between the morning and afternoon classes, one on one teacher conferences are held with students to discuss their accomplishments and how to further understand the course. Sports, from dance to swimming, are encouraged but not required. The students have no requirements except for the credits they need to move onto the college of their choice. School is not meant to be stressful. Being able to have a high-quality education without always being stressed is achieved in this peaceful environment. Various outdoor or indoor lounges provide students with relaxing atmospheres to study in their free periods.
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ReplyDelete"Eco-Student-Friendly: the best of both worlds" The entire school will be powered by solar pannels on the roof and wind mills. The outdoor terrace will be at GPS, but it will have more flowers and a canopy of trees and a pond with cute little orange fish that you can feed. Herbs and vegetables will be harvested on the roof-top garden, and there will be a gardening class so you can garden the plants. There will also be a greenhouse area so the plants can survive all year long. And there will be several classrooms outside will whiteboards and computer outlet so we can have class outside. Our school will still be an all girls' school, but boys from McCallie will coome over on Fridays like they used to. We will still have uniforms, but the student counsel will get to choose how they will look, and the entire school can vote on them, too. We will have seamstresses at the school to ma,ke our different uniforms. How we we pay for all this, and the tuition? The extra plants we harvest on the roof-top garden will pay for everything, because will grow rare and very expensive plants. This will help the school, the environment, the students, and the economy! Also, we can sell the extra energy we harvest from the solar panels. Our schedule will be similar to how it is now, but it will start and hour later. On cold days we can wear GPS sweatpants during classes in the mornings. And because of the extra money coming in because of the solar panels, roof-top garden, and the wind mill power, we will have the best laptops ever (the students will vote on which ones)that will rarely RARELY crash or break or give us the blue screen of death.
ReplyDeletePalais Ideal: The intricacy of this backyard is amazing.
ReplyDelete“Where school can be a home away from home”
In my Utopian school, school would be somewhere students want to go, not have to. It will be a one story building, that way no stairs to climb, with large classrooms, giving students enough room to spread out. Each classroom would have all the technology they need, that way nothing can get in the way of learning. The whole school would be covered in windows, making it feel less like a jail and more like home. There would be all sorts of classes to choose from-cooking, drama, biology...if a student requests it, it will be offered. There would be uniforms so no one would have to think about what to wear, but strict rules wouldn’t be the main focus on them. Classes would go from 8:30 until 3, but each class would only be 30 minutes to keep the students from losing interest. The school would be exclusive, one of the hardest to get into, but somewhere everyone wants to be. Part of the reason everyone would want to be there would be because there would be no grades. There would be tests and quizzes so that the students don’t forget what they’re learning, but the grades they get on those tests wouldn’t matter, as long as they don’t get below a 60 in a class, they’ll have no problem graduating. This utopian school would be somewhere fun and interesting that students would hate to leave at the end of the day.
Salvation Mountain: It blows my mind that this man had the patience to build a mountain out of adobe, dedicating a huge part of his life to painting it and transforming it into a work of art.
ReplyDelete"This could be the future."
No matter who you are or where you live, high school is hard. But what if there was a way to create the perfect school, a school designed specifically for the students? Classes could be organized by how each student learns: visually, audibly, hands-on, through reading. The students could also be allowed to take more classes on the subjects they are most interested in rather than having a generic course list. This school would be more similar to a college environment to help its students be even more prepared for college and real life. In addition to this, the students would be graded on effort rather than accuracy. School is important and there should be some grading scale to ensure the students are trying, but I think effort is a better grading scale than accuracy. If a student who struggles in math is doing everything they can to understand, but the results still aren't there, the teacher can give them a high grade for trying their best. This also means that it would be up to the teacher, which could potentially be an issue. Students should be rewarded for their effort, not punished for a lack of understanding
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWatts Towers: People always talk about the one person with the adventurous ideas.
ReplyDelete"Efficiency comes from working smarter, not harder."A Utopian high school would benefit the students as well as the teachers. The campus would be beautiful, but comfortable. Brick buildings, flowers, things that seem happy. School would start at 8:30 everyday. This is the best compromise for getting enough sleep and getting enough done during the day. Classes would not be over an hour long. By keeping classes short more get accomplished quickly and no one gets restless.There would be no major tests, but more small assignments to lessen the stress level. In a normal high school this would add more work to the teachers but in a utopian high school, technology would be used to an advantage. Computers would be programmed to scan assignments and grade them efficiently. The only thing teachers would HAVE to grade would be assignments that require human thought. IT WOULD BE AN ALL GIRLS SCHOOL. Going to an all girls school is more comfortable. There would be places for the teachers and the students to relax during a one hour break in the middle of the day that includes lunch. School would end at 3 and students would only have USEFUL homework. Homework that makes you think or practice a certain skill. Not workbook pages over material that has not been taught yet. Not busy work. One to two hours of USEFUL homework only. Every friday would be a "free dress day" that you didn't have to pay for.
Bottle City- This was really cool! She must have had a lot of time on her hands! But the dolls were scary.
ReplyDeleteSalvation Mountain: This idea was really cool and I love the idea of people coming together to be a part of something.
ReplyDelete"Creativity is the key…"
Going to school is something that is done because it's how we were raised. People have been going to school for ages because it is how society works. Kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and then a steady job. These are the stages one must go through to get an education. However, children are rarely learning because they want to. This will be the ultimate challenge of this utopian school. By having legitimate experiences with what they are studying, students will want to understand what they are learning. Students will hardly be taught straight from textbooks, but rather from experiences and sheer knowledge presented by teachers. Museums, parks, and other memorials include some of the most valued information in society, and classes will take place in these locations. For example, a history class will visit a museum or a renaissance fair instead of reading from a textbook. Biology classes will be held in hospitals where surgeries, diagnoses, and treatments are taking place. By having hands-on experiences, students will be more aware of the world and won't rely on words in a book. It will also help students remember what they are learning. They will have the freedom to choose their classes and what they want to learn. There won't be "credits" or "requirements" per grade, and students will be graded on participation rather than on written homework. Excessive stress will not be present, and instead of being encouraged NOT to fail, they will be encouraged to succeed. Teachers will be experts in the subjects they teach and thoroughly enjoy every aspect of the class. They will challenge the students in creative ways, and create a love of learning in each student. A homework assignment could be visiting an art museum and picking your favorite artist, or talking to a patient and attempting to figure out a diagnosis. Creativity, abstract thinking, and enjoyment are the focuses of this school.
Paradise Garden: The creative yet productive idea to paint Bible verses in order to commit them to memory is awesome!
ReplyDelete"School should be fun."
Students in my school will look forward to come to school instead of dreading it.
If students dread school, then they will not learn which is the reason to have school.
My school will be a coed school. However, there will be separate buildings for the sexes so that there will be no distractions. Girls and boys will have their own classes within the school. They will eat together and will have free time. The point of this is so that everyone has something bigger to look forward to each day seeing their guy friends.
The uniform. The only uniform requirement for the school will be that everyday, everyone must wear some shade of blue. Their whole outfit does not have to be blue, but some accessories at least. This shows the spirit for the school, representing the school color. This "free" expression of dress does not take away from the learning experience, which is the reason why we are all at school.
Grading. Everyone in the school will be graded on accuracy. However, your effort will be considered. No one in the school will fail and everyone is guaranteed to get into college. If someone is struggling, then they will be worked with.
Because school is fun, there will be freedom. You may choose the courses you take once you are a junior based upon what you want to focus on in the future. An individual counselor will be assigned to each student to help them along the way and advise them which courses will be best to take considering your focus.
Breaks. Everyone needs a break. My school will still have summer. And will start at the end of August and will be out by the end of May. Everyone is busy during a certain time of year. Considering this, if you have been out of town and get home late because of your sport, you may email me and ask for the next day off. Because you are missing this day, you must still make up this time. You will either have to come in on a Saturday or on a day that the rest of the school is out. By doing this, it allows the student to catch up and perfect their work without being overly stressed.
Exams. Exams will required for grades of B and lower. If you have higher than this, they are optional.
School should be enjoyable and anytime you need help or a breather talk to someone and ask for help!
The Forevertron: I would really love to be able to find a bunch of junk and build something incredible.
ReplyDeleteBleak Education
“Only the best is accepted, and equality is expected.”
The children sit at stainless steel desks as their teachers reads off answers from the projector that illuminates the white board at the front of the classroom. The clock tick, tick, ticks as the student checks their homework from the night before. Every student gets a check, every student gets a 100. The teacher tells the children facts which they right down diligently in a white notebook. The bell rings; it’s never late. Each student rises to leave with a screach of their chair,and white rubber soled shoes squeaking on the tiled floor.
“Thank you Mrs. Smith,” says each and every student.
Their books, not worn, not ripped, not written in, are placed in clear backpack that are tightly secured to the shoulders of each student. They line up in the classroom and walk down the long hall to their next class; prepared to learn with their pencil all sharpened in a clear little bag, but not eager.
As they walk, their white suits rustle, making echoes in the silent hall. Other students walk past, but they pay no mind; their teacher is waiting and they must hurry. The boys and girls are equal, the freshman and seniors are equal, but the teachers are superior.
In the next class, the students have a test. Everyone knows each answer, except one, a boy in the back sobs as he stares at a blank space on his test. The teacher talks to him after class offering him help for his “special case.” The best grades are the only grades.
The students at the school are always prepared, but never eager.
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ReplyDeletePalais Ideál: Since I used to collect rocks, this really caught my interest and it's really cool how he was able to build a mini castle out of all of them.
ReplyDelete"Stress is NOT the way to succeed"
The campus is surrounded by Palm trees and beaches. This Floridian, coed, boarding school is highly ranked among the national schools. Every sport is provided, from cheerleading to crew. Even bowling. The administration is very open-minded and is willing to take any suggestion about other activities. Teachers are expected to make their classrooms a comfortable, stress-free place, where the students are able to feel like themselves without any judgement. There are only 4 classes a day, each being 50 minutes long. Classes would only meet 4 times a week, giving the students an extra day for the weekend. There is a wide variety of courses offered here and a student is able to pick any combination of classes that he or she feels comfortable with. For lunch, plenty of delicious, also nutritious, food is set out for everyone. And if they're not satisfied with that food, they can take a bus or drive to one of the many restaurants down the boulevard. No uniforms are required, but there is a reasonable dress code. We want students to be able to express themselves in any way possible and they have that opportunity through their attire. After school dances/parties give students a chance to socialize and have fun without any restrictions. These dances are only chaperoned by people elected by the students. Even though this is a stress-free zone, students are expected to excel. The students here have the aspiration to succeed.
Palais Ideal: I like this utopia because this man found parts of his utopia over a span of time, therefore his creation is meaningful because it is a part of his whole life.
ReplyDelete"Let's make learning magical…"
Growing up, I always wanted to go to Hogwarts. J.K Rowling was one utopian school author wasn’t she? Who wouldn’t want to ride a hippogriff or cast spells or mix potions or LOOK FORWARD TO A SCHOOL YEAR? Why can't we educate adolescents without both parties dreading it? Why do we all have to wake up at six in the morning, grab our 16 ounce cups of coffee, drag our feet to the car and go through a preplanned schedule? Why can't school and freedom coexist? A utopian school, in my perspective, is somewhere people can learn and grow-- in happiness. We're like flowers, in need of light and care and happiness to grow to our full potential, and stress is not exactly the flower bed we want to exist in.
Let's make learning magical and go to school, yes, still in our uniform, and begin the day by waking up in a relaxed manner--not solving math's problems. We would start out with simpler classes in the early morning, leading to the more challenging courses in the afternoon. Lunch would be followed by nap time. During learning hours, we'll work hard, and won't have homework. Stress about requirements and graduation credits and this and that and the other will disappear. School life might be perfect, but in order to have perfection in this school--you do have to put effort in. In my utopian school, learning would be based off of experience not text books. Instead of learning about events in history, visit museums about events in history. All grades would be completion grades and GPA wouldn't matter. School should be a place of relaxed learning and enjoyment--sounds a little too perfect, huh?
The Forevertron : it was really cool how this man took junk and made something incredible and significant to him
ReplyDelete“Welcomed to paradise”
The sky is as beautiful as the Jamaican shoreline, the bright sun shining brilliantly in the cloudless sky high above the green trees sitting like clouds atop their brown sturdy bases, the grass like a bed beneath your feet. The birds chirping, crickets croaking, and bees humming along fill your ears with perfect harmony. The building in front of you is made entirely of glass, like a castle, with hallways and spiral staircases, and mazes, waiting to welcome you into its hallowed halls. When you enter the magnificent glass building, your classmates meet you with a smile on their face, like servants meet their king and queen. The different kids of all ages, joyful to see you, greet you as if you are a celebrity. You fall into the pattern of everyday life, saying hello, making jokes, laughing at others, all in simple unison. No one is made fun of for being different, everyone is unique, nobody is the same, and no one tries to be something or somebody that they are not. People do not judge, there’s no mocking, nobody being made fun of, no fights or drama, unless you take that class, of course. You walk into your first period class, your teachers welcoming you with freshly baked cookies to say that they are glad you could join them today. With no complaining, everyone follows the orders and instructions of the teacher, but with understanding, the teacher never pushes them too hard or makes them do anything that they are not able to. The lunch is whatever you feel hungry for that day and the classes change from day to day, depending on your mood. Your days are scheduled yet free, they are organized, but random. This utopian school welcomes you to paradise.
The Rock Garden: I thought this was a nice idea of a backyard utopia.
ReplyDeleteThe Academy of Tiana is a prestigious high-school for the best of the best students. The Academy of Tiana will be perched on a secluded hill, overlooking a breathtaking view of the ocean. The students will be required to wear a uniform everyday with the exception of Friday’s Field Trip Day. School will begin at 8:00 sharp. The classes will take forth in the following order: Foreign Language, Math, Relaxation Day, Science, English, and History. The Academy of Tiana feels strongly about taking the time to ensure our children are not too overwhelmed, which is why we scheduled Relaxation period. In this time frame, our staff provides snacks and entertainment for those needing a break. After the morning classes, the students go to lunch to enjoy meals prepared by the finest chiefs in the country. We are talking about America’s Top Chiefs; we take our lunchtime seriously. After lunch, the rest of the day is filled with various activities, clubs, study halls, and meetings. At the end of the day, everyone meets in the auditorium to discuss the upcoming field trip on Friday, different announcements, and recite the Pledge of The Academy of Tiana. I hope to see you soon!
"Why do more when you can do less."
ReplyDeleteFacebook is equivalent to World State.
The Internet is equivalent to Ford.
Learning is acheived by a students being exposed to a stream of flashing images.
Nutrients are provided through tubes connected directly to the bloodstream.
School is offered from the home of the students; they are only required to "attend" the virtual stream of images for 4 hours each day.
Their progress is recorded by a "check up" once a year to make sure that the information from the stream of images is engrained in the student's brain.
Salvation Mountain: The colors are beautiful.