"You can get all A's and still flunk life."
Walker (Alexander) Percy May 28, 1916
When I saw this quote on my daily email quoting famous people, I didn't have a clue as to who this was. I don't really care, to tell the truth. I just know it spoke a whole world of ideas about what actually IS important. This blog has tried to stay centered around the idea of intrinsic motivation and its importance in the learning process. Getting all A"s is the ultimate external motivation in education. We place so much value on that concept that we forget (ignore) completely the value of learning for the sake and joy and worth of learning. So, hail to you, Mr. Walker Percy, for reminding us way back at the turn of the century that we need to get our heads out of dark places and find the light of learning as life itself.
Yesterday was my LDWKTY (last day with kids this year) and it was busy and fun. I gave them a formal test over the last semester similar to last semester's exam where I asked them to summarize the lessons they had and the projects they did and feelings they had about them. I also asked them again how they felt about the "program" they were on, the self grading, choices, etc. I'll share some of their thoughts about that in subsequent posts here. We also finished, or came close to finishing, their last project, the Positive/Negative India Ink projects.
I am posting a video showing, again, some of them working along with some still shots of some of the finished works. This time I set it to music by the artist Rebecca Penney. I love her piano work and hoped you would enjoy it.
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