My college experience has brought me close to other students which I can eternally relate to. Some of my closest friends at Gonzaga University also attended all-male Catholic high school in their respective towns. In a conversation with my friend Luis, who also attended an all-male Catholic high school, he notified me that his school is part of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition. This coalition has conducted studies and done research on the most effective teaching styles and complimentary techniques to maximize the potential which accompanies these teaching styles. Luis’ high school has implemented these techniques.
According to him, he says they are effective. These techniques include swapping out desk chairs with large yoga balls. This kinetic energy, which boys would normally internalize into static energy on standard desk chairs, is exerted on the yoga balls. The jittering and bouncing on the chairs allows for boys to focus their attention on the material being taught while staying active. It is often hard for boys to stay still in a chair. This technique fixes that issue. Another environmental shift his classroom setting changed was the temperature the thermostat is set to. He believes the “magic number” was 67 degrees Fahrenheit. He noticed a significant difference. When the room would feel warmer than this, it was easier for him to doze off and not absorb the material in an effective manner. Being cozy in class clearly is not a good thing.
Once he explained a few of the techniques implemented in his high school’s classroom setting, these ideas made me think about how the “unorthodox” learning environments made students more capable of maximizing learning potential. I believe a person of your high standing in education, Dean of Men at Loyola High School, should exercise these proven effective teaching styles at Loyola High School. This will raise the bar at an already prestigious institution and will maximize students’ potential and mental growth. It will make a student extremely well-rounded and help them gain knowledge which makes it easier for them to adapt to a changing world in the future.
Sincerely,
Evan Watson
P.S. This letter was written jointly by Evan Watson and Luis Peraza. Evident, we used each other’s high school experiences to support our concern with the educational system. Because Luis’ high school proved to have the “better” techniques, the letter is written in Evan’s voice.