Bridges can be spread into all areas of curriculum. I think it is a wonderful idea to use that as a topic to teach many subjects and life skills around. It is obvious that when students are able to use the information they are learning in a concrete way, or for a reason they understand, they enjoy it, it makes sense to them, and they make it their own. I do not understand why this practice is not in place more in schools. It seems like it would be much more enjoyable for the students and the teachers, and easier to explain more abstract concepts. This is something I continually think about through all of the readings. If this method of teaching is shown to work, why isn't it used more?
Through working with children the small amount I have in the wide spectrum of things, I have found that students thrive when a schedule is present, but do more so when they are informed of it, and see what they are going to do, and what they have done. Even though we are almost two months into school, and the daily and weekly schedule is the same for the most part, students still ask what we are doing later in the day, or what exploratory they have that day. This shows me that they are just not developmentally ready to be able to keep track of that sort of thing without being told what it is directly. I am sure that some of my students do not even realize there is a pattern we follow every week for specials. Allowing the students to be part of making and reading the daily schedule seems like they would be able to take more ownership in it and value what has to be done more.
As I was reading chapter six, I was thinking about my unit, and how to show the students their own progress of their writing. It really makes sense to use a portfolio as a tool to show growth, and not as something they are required to fill with certain things. So many times portfolios are used as a checklist of things they must put in it, instead of proof of progress. I am not sure if the students have had much experience with using a portfolio, or really understand what it is used for, but there is a first for everything. I think that showing how the students progressed gives them great confidence, and makes school more meaningful for them.