Recalling one of my early experiences in the classroom (prior to making a decision to become a educator with the state of Texas) as a science guest with some elementary school kids at my son’s school discussing miscellaneous science subjects, I was asked the following question, “Why is the sky blue?”
Answer, “Gases particles in Earth’s atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This accounts for the mostly blue sky we see.” (they look and respond “Oooooohhh”)
Followed by another question, “Why do I see a rainbow sometimes after a rainfall? “
Answer, “Well light is really what we call “White Light”. However, with all the tiny raindrops in the atmosphere, the act as tiny prisms that bend the light, separating them out into the different colors in a spectrum.” (they look and respond “Oooooohhh”).
Followed by another question, “What is a prism?” Followed by another question, “What is spectrum?” … another question, “Is there a pattern of how the different colors of light exist in a spectrum?” … another question, “What is a spectrum? Question?… question?… question…
Whereas the experience was cool in hanging out with the kids answering their rapid-fire questions satisfying their curiosity, I was exhausted when my allotted time with them came to an end. I was amazed at their innocence, curiosity, and endless energy in “getting after it” in wanting answers. Afterwards, I spoke with their teacher and applauded the way she prepped the kids for the activity. Her response was, she did nothing different from what she has always done.
Okay? “What was that?” She related an activity she called “Ice breaker”, which she did with her kids for the first 10 minutes every class session for which she had them. No topic was off limit(well within reason of course). She would begin by asking purposeful questions of the kids. They would answer what they thought. Then with her persistent encouragement, the kids would ask away and she would answer what immediately she could, planned short trips to the on campus library teaching them how to research the info, and or write down what they could not find a response with the unfailing promised always later fulfilled with an answer to follow. Powerful, beautiful, passionate, disciplined, modeled, displayed growth mindset. The kids took on her personality in forging their own. This is a great way to prepare students in being curious and encourage a questioning disposition to disposition becoming lifelong learners.
When I did enter the classroom for the first time on 2004, I found myself responsible for 9th – 12th grade kids. The classroom was technologically enabled in so many ways. 20 – 24 kids, one workstation per student, internet enabled, teacher monitored-accessible-controllable. Being that this was one of two engineering academies in the district, the end game/outcome was to produce students that were prepped and ready for the next stage of their journey, be it certified trade onboarding to industry, the community college, and or 4 year degree institution route. In addition, students exiting this program must have non-negotiable soft skill sets that commensurate with seeing the technology as meaningful indispensable tools that positively integrate to and contribute to their lifelong pursuits, personally and professionally.
Subsequently, every lesson plan, was replete with an activity that required students to complete tasks that would affect their futures immediately and long after they left the program. For example, freshmen were required to complete a short-term (1 year), mid-term (2 year), and long-term plan (3 year) plan. The short-term component included a résumé, a declared career field, and preferred institution(s) where they wished to enroll. As the semester rolled on, they were coached in researching what were the detail requirements for their chosen certificate and or degree plan. The short-term and mid-term plans included identifying relatable summer programs where they would apply for well in advance with a view to gaining valuable experiences. Technical writing skills were key, so I had to build campus wide collaborations with each of their department chairs in English, Sciences, and Mathematics, requesting that this be incorporated in their curriculum. They willingly obliged as I guided the process. One of the culmination short term activity was to have the kids reach out to the colleges’ admissions offices of their choices by electronically sending in their résumés, expressing their interests in the particular certificate/degree programs, and expressing an interest in what they needed to be doing to ensure they would get into their preferred field of study, when it was time 3-4 years from now. The responses came fast and furious back to these kids. Three months in, one of our classroom sessions was devoted to the kids just relating/reading their responses received. They were praised in the responses for being so forward thinking, on the quality of their technical writing skills, and several were started in tracking processes resulting later in invitations to several summer engineering camps around the nation. The mindset within the program changed and picked up so much momentum. Each year at varying predetermined intervals the kids were coached and mentored to revisit their plans, make updates as needed. And all this was accomplished alongside the mandatory core learning they were required to do. They did not see it as any different from anything else as they were able to connect the dots of core concepts and soft skills enabling networking across the mental landscape.
Digital learning most certainly was not an intrinsic trait for most of these kids (mainly an at-risk population), so it needed a catalyst to move things along. I was able to be that initially because of my background coming in straight from a relatable industry, which bought me some “timed credibility”. Note, I say “timed credibility” because kids are most impressionable in seeking instant gratification in anything they do. The 20th century factory industrial model would never work with them. Too much abundance of noise and information overload distractions exists. They need guidance in order to make sense of it all. It is important that the expert educator be truly clear on the Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) and never waver from pursuing it from all available angles he/she has access to. And just so we are clear, when I say “expert” educator, a former boss of mine in a previous life experience defined this as “a drip under pressure”. So true of my first year in-class experience! The requirement for any educator to be that differentiated someone leading the change is not for any reserved elitist. That I am not. But an “expert” I would define as someone that is always in the never ceasing dynamic pursuit to becoming one. I do believe so strongly that any child can learn deeply if I am willing to take the time to be aware, observant, vigilant, passionate, and invest in creating a significant learning environment for them, that enables and engage them. It will take on a life of its own that in turn has taught, teaches, and will teach me so much more than I could have imagine, about them.
The DLL program has in many ways affirmed and certified a lot of my approaches to how I view students being learners today versus that of yesteryear. Where I have found karma is in the abundance of invaluable documented thoughts and research offered by those who have done so much in the field of education. Dr. H would say, rephrasing, “There is really no new information, just how it is repackaged and improved upon in helping learners to take the next steps they seek.” And really Grant Lichtman placed an exclamation point on that conclusion, which was determined so many decades ago into one word, “Dewey”. “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow…” (Dewey, 1916).
References
Brown, J.S. December 2010. Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner | MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=c0xa98cy-Rw&feature=emb_logo
Lichtman, G. March 2013. What 60 Schools Can Tell Us About Teaching 21st Century Skills. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZEZTyxSl3g&feature=emb_logo
21 stEducator. April 2009. 21st Century Education vs. 20th Century Education. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiD1UqLPrOg&feature=emb_logo
