PALM COAST, FL. Diane Tomko added another International Baccalaureate program to our list of collaborations at the Flagler Palm Coast High School. She shared the book with her 36 senior Theory of Knowledge students; offered a book study program for parents, held a literary lunch with freshman students in her Inquiry Skills class, during which they discussed sections of The Art of Learning; and used the book in a Socratic Seminar with her multi-age Gifted Studies class.
Says Diane: “Sharing and collaborating within the educational field directly affects student learning. I want to try harder to make my students thirst! Anything is possible in the classroom. To help someone cross the bridge from a haze of confusion into the clear light of knowing—seeing that in the faces of students—is breathtaking. Educators have an incredible challenge and an equally daunting ability to encourage dreams. We touch the future. We know that not all our students will come willingly on this educational journey. Therefore, we must be vigilant agents of change. We must develop a classroom environment in which all students are motivated to invest in the learning opportunities encountered; where they feel safe and secure in sharing voices; where acceptance and tolerance are advocated. We know that it is not enough to teach the content; we need to teach students how to interact with us and with each other….We know that our classroom will evolve, will change, as we collaborate with our students on this journey of discovery.”