NY Times ran a story today about the closing of the Brooklyn Banks, a small hangout under the Brooklyn Bridge that became a world famous skateboarding park.
Check out this video of skater Mike Vallely talking about the history of the place and why it was so great. In a way I think it speaks volumes about the DIY ethic, and -- at least the way I grew up -- that ethic prevailed as the fundamental starting point for all endeavors: a) Yes, you can do it. b) Yes, you can do it yourself. c) The reason you can do it is because you are going to use what is already there in a new way to achieve your goals and express yourself. You are going to see the beauty in things that other people discard and you are going to use those things to empower yourself and your community.
At the end of the video, Vallely says that the Banks was the best skatepark in the world because it was never meant to be a skatepark. And there's a lot in that sentiment for us teachers to learn from. Kids don't learn just because you are teaching out of an educationally-approved textbook. Kids don't learn just because they are playing an "educational" video game. Kids only learn because they and their teachers dig in and find the transcendent value in the common material of this life and use creativity and passion to push their understanding to new levels.
Skate or die.
Froot Loop Conspiracy Theories
-
Hello, Providence Day parents and others who may be watching this video.
This is Dr. Wes Fryer. Today is November 11, 2024, and this week we’re
starting ou...
"....find the transcendent value in the common material of this life and use creativity and passion to push their understanding to new levels." You continually impress me with your commitment to education and ability to articulate its profound importance. In short: you're awesome.
ReplyDeletelove this!
ReplyDeleteSo last year I used this at the end of my class, and talked about what I thought it meant relative to what students could have learned in my class. Last night, a Friday night, I got an email from a student. "I was perusing the internet and came across this video that reminded me of the one that you showed at the end of last year about the skateboarder. This one also has similar ideas, like living life to the full, plus the beginning has some really great photography of awesome ocean scenes. Just thought you'd enjoy it and didn't know if you would want to use it in class ever."
ReplyDeletehttp://vimeo.com/14074949
Thanks for sharing with me so I can share with more.