Sparking Curiosity - Waiting for Godot?

This week our school hosted the giant War of 1812 map (10.7 m (35') x 7.9 m (26') that is currently traveling to schools across Canada free of charge thanks to Canadian Geographic. 

We loved the map!

It was truly exciting to stand on a map of that size.

"I realized how big Canada is."

"I never realized we lived in an area where an important war had taken place."

"It was fun seeing the places I have been to."

"I didn't know where places were and now I understand better where they are."

"I saw how all the forts were near water"

"I didn't realize that so much of Canada was forest then"

I understand now why Upper Canada is called Upper and Lower Canada is called Lower. (this has long-confused Canadian children.) 

"I thought the war was only between the British and the Americans. I didn't realize the First Nations people had an important role"

"I saw why the British dominated the oceans. They had way more ships."

We used the map in different ways and the activities included in the kit were very user friendly.

As an observer of learning I noticed .many things.

Students personalized their learning and created different experiences for themselves. One group was a definite highlight for me. They were using the Canada Revisited history textbook timeline of the war and then trying to locate where the events took place on the map. Most groups did this by wandering up and down the map looking for place names.  It did not take one group long, though,  to figure out that they could use the iPads to determine the  co-ordinates of  various events and then use the lines of longitude and latitude on the map to quickly find the exact location.

Students constructed knowledge of the war by visiting the excellent War of 1812 Livebinder from the HCDSB. 

On Friday the map left - much to the students' dismay. They were just beginning to figure out that we else we could do with the map. One week was not long enough. 

For me, though, I recognized the moment - the moment I've been waiting for since September - when a class shifts from going through the motions of school to engagement. I have to admit it has been hit and miss with this group of learners. We've had moments of intense engagement followed by retreat. Trying to find the entry point has been difficult. The range of types of learners is vast, the class is large and interests are varied. What fully captures some,  disinterests others.  I was beginning to think that I might be Waiting for Godot the entire year.

I've been through the process often enough now though,  to recognize the shift when true and whole class curiosity emerges. Learners begin to ask questions and pitch ideas because they are interested and see possibilities.  Our class project emerged out of the debrief. We shared what we had found interesting, what we'd learned and for the first time in 23 years of teaching a student asked what I had learned. She was curious. I don't think students often see their teachers as fellow learners so it was a question I really appreciated. Our discussion turned to what could make the map experience better and from that a real-world project was born that the students are excited about. They are thrilled that they will be working with purpose to create something that others will use. 

Our project-based learning will involve math, programming, QR codes, science, history, geography, language, media, problem-solving and communication. It will take me into territory I have never been before which is the best place a teacher  can be. 

Godot has arrived!

Evaluating Evidence

Built into our First Nations Inquiry is skill building. Students are learning how to construct queries and use search operatives. Our lessons for this come directly from Google, although we will be looking at other search engines.  Searching is one of those skills that students deemed "digital natives" are thought to have merely because they know how to type something into Google. Most, however, have very poor search skills and waste a great deal of time when searching for information.  We spent 3 50 minute periods learning basic search skills and today when students had to find information, it was satisfying to see how efficient their searching had become.

We used the text below to find key words that could be used to construct queries. This is a good example of the shift to inquiry and knowledge building. In the past I would have taught the theory. Now the theory becomes incidental, but content is learned anyway.

Students also read information on the Atlantic Crossing theory which is believed to have taken place much earlier than the Beringia crossing.

Next we watched the docudrama Ice Age Columbus from Discovery Channel which explores the Atlantic Crossing Theory. We viewed with the intent of finding evidence to support the theory.

Students had to consider and learn to distinguish between what was "story" created by the film-makers and what was actual evidence. They also learned that evidence was more than physical objects.

Finally, students considered which evidence was strong evidence and which was weak. At this point, they feel that the computer models of weather and and ice flow patterns are the weakest evidence and that the 1 arrowhead and the DNA are the strongest. We then wondered why only 1 arrowhead was found which led to speculation.

Adam proposed an interesting idea - if they were primarily coastal people, they would have stayed close to the shoreline. When the ice age ended, water levels would have risen. Arrowheads may be lying on the ocean floor. 

Students now wish to speak with experts to find answers to their questions.

Idea Diversity and Breaking Down Communication Barriers in Education

On November 5th I had the pleasure of being a panelist at the 4th annual MindShare Learning Canadian EdTech Leadership Summit at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. The theme of the summit was Beyond Pockets of Innovation.

The day was interesting for many reasons but it was the nature of the audience that I found most intriguing.

We were:

Educators
Start-Up Companies
Executives
CEO's
Policy People
Marsians (Martians? What do you call the people at MaRS who foster innovation and entrepreneurship?)
Business Owners
Education Administrators
Researchers
Graduate Students
Event Organizers


This was the most diverse group of people that I have encountered at an event focused on education.

As I listened to presenters, observed start-ups pitch their companies, learned of fascinating research projects and participated in round table discussions, it struck me how much educators lose because we tend to engage in professional development conversations only with other educators. Perhaps the term "silo" has become somewhat cliche, but it is apt when it comes to how conversations in and about education happen. We talk amongst ourselves.

One person that I was able to converse with was Douglas Williamson, CEO of The Beacon Group. Mr Williamson hosted a conversation on "The Global Stage: Exporting Canada's Innovations."  It was an eye opening experience, because it brought me into a world that I do not know, yet must prepare students for. Where else but at an event such as this would I have such an opportunity? Kudos to Robert Martellacci  for thinking it important that this kind of relationship building begin.

 From Mr Williamson I learned where opportunities lie for Canadian business. I learned what it is about how Canadians approach problem-solving and communication that is beneficial and what we do that creates barriers. I learned that the federal government has pretty much disappeared from assisting Canadian businesses develop trading relationships in other countries and what businesses must now do to counter that. I learned which countries are better for women who wish to grow their businesses internationally. What I wanted to find out from Mr. Williamson was what do I need to do to best prepare students for that world? His answer surprised me. I am paraphrasing, but it went something like this, "I don't need the specialist who has a very narrow focus and not much experience. I need the wind surfer who has traveled, knows opera and has a range of experiences that he or she can draw upon." He needs creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Another conversation I sat in on was "Ready, set, grow! How Do Education Start-Ups Scale Their Innovations?" with John Myers, President, Edsby and Joe Wilson, Education Advisor, MaRS. Again, it was fascinating and completely outside the realm of typical discussions that occur in elementary education - and yet, what I learned was invaluable and so relevant to my teaching practice. Once again, I posed a question related to how we educate students.  If we are to graduate students who think in terms of,  "I'm going to run my own company," rather than "I'm going to find a job." what needs to be fostered? The response echoed Mr. Williamson's.  Business is about seeing problems and finding solutions. Students need opportunities to solve problems.

Having the opportunity to learn from those so far outside the world of  public school education brought home the significance of 'idea diversity' when attempting to find innovative solutions to problems in education. It left me wondering how this might happen on a more regular basis and what it could mean to learners and our institutions if educators were given time to learn from those outside our profession and if those outside our profession could learn from us.

Thank you, MindShare Learning for planning such an interesting event.

Theory Building and the Language of Thinking

My grade 6 students begin our First Nations inquiry and learn to use the language of thinking.

We aim for idea diversity, so students first work independently to devise their own theories.

After sharing theories we discuss which are plausible, which are implausible.


Next, students turn to the textbook to read about various science-based origin theories. Because they have a purpose for reading, students are curious and focused.

Students confirm or disconfirm their theories. We discuss why either outcome is desirable.