Episode Details

This week I interview Colin Andrews, principal of Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School in Auckland, New Zealand. Mr. Andrews is inspiring. He is doing so much cool stuff, we didn’t have time to get to everything.

• We start by talking about the learning fellowship that Mr. Andrews did many years ago. A four way study looking at transition from elementary to middle and then to high school.
• Forest, outdoor classroom, pest control, projects all directed by the kids.
• Envirokids, through process of inquiry and student voice that create amazing things.
• Pathway and other Envirokids project
• It is the ability of the teacher to be able to spot a question and really pursue it.
• Structure of envirokids: two-three blocks of time on Fridays, one teacher, about 30 kids.
• Working days for the families, kids need to bring one parent with them to participate in the work day (on the weekend).
• How to make manual labor sound exciting?
• 4 Ethics - Academics, cultural, sporting, and service to the community. Recognized through everything they do all the year long.
• Role of the advisor of Envirokids. One teacher teaches all academic subjects, so she changes her teaching on Friday to focus on the Envirokids.

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