Let's re-imagine CAT. Imagine two rooms, at opposite ends of the building. The first is the Interaction Room, and is filled with educational toys, games, programs, and challenges. Against one wall is a row of computers that don't connect to the internet (no distractions) but instead have a variety of educational games that ask students to solve logic puzzles or build virtual bridges or do virtual experiments or learn to code. Imagine a construction corner, with toys like Legos and K-nex and materials like popsicles sticks and glue. There are some challenges and suggestions taped to the wall, such as, "Can you build a bridge so that the matchbox car can drive from Desk A to Desk B?" (There is also a list of rules, such as "no gluing the Legos.") In another part of the room, imagine games set up and ready to play, games that require thought and problem-solving, such as Chess, Monopoly, and Risk. Near these games are a variety of solitaire games and puzzles. Imagine a "jukebox" - a computer with a library of songs that young people like and have been deemed to be appropriate for school. Students may request songs off this playlist, which is programmed just like a real jukebox and plays songs in order. The music is at a set volume, loud enough to be enjoyed but quiet enough to still allow conversation. Imagine that this room has and needs only three rules: 1. Take turns; 2. Honor the rules at each station; 3. If you have finished interacting with the materials and are merely socializing with your friends, please leave and come back later.
Imagine another room at the opposite end of the school, the Quiet Room. It is next to the library, and is filled with comfy chairs as well as tables and computers. Classical music plays quietly in the background. Students read and work on homework individually. This room has only one rule: No talking. It is a place for individual work and quiet time; group work and conversations take place somewhere else.
Imagine students never being forced to be in either room; instead, they can sign up for CAT in either room. Each room has a maximum capacity and is first-come, first-served. Students sign into the room with their name and arrival time; once the room reaches capacity, a waitlist develops. So that everyone gets a chance to be in the room, once a waitlist develops, time is limited to, say, ninety minutes. Once a student has enjoyed the room for ninety minutes, he must leave for a while to allow someone else a chance. He may, of course, immediately put his name back on the waitlist to get in again. When they sign up for the waitlist, students get a ticket that tells them what time they will be admitted to the room. Their time will begin at this point regardless of whether they show up or not. Imagine how quickly they will learn time management.
Imagine teachers taking turns being on duty in each room. In the Interactive Room, one teacher acts as Bouncer, monitoring students entry and exit, and making sure students follow the rules of the room. The other teacher is an Interactor, participating in activities and games with the students and asking interesting questions. In the Quiet Room, one teacher is a Quiet Monitor, who keeps track of entry and exit, enforces quiet and asks students who can't be quiet to leave, and models the expectations by reading or working herself.
In this re-imagined CAT, students Concentrate on their activity of choice. Nobody is forcing them to be in the room; indeed, it is a privilege with a potential time limit. Therefore, they are likely to highly value their time in either room and Concentrate on whatever they are doing, whether it is solving a logic puzzle or building a bridge or playing a game of chess or reading a book or typing an essay. All the activities offered are Academic, designed to get students to think and explore, or giving them a focused, quiet place to read or work. Finally, there is actually Time involved, at least ninety minutes of it. Imagine how much more creativity and critical thinking we would foster if we structured CAT this way, as opposed to twenty-five minutes of enforcing that students pretend to read.
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