Inspire

While teaching in public education in the late 2000's I began to notice that students were struggling to make sense of what they were doing in class and lacking the ability to synthesize and apply concepts to daily life. In the 2011-2012 school year, I made the leap to shift completely to project-based learning, because I noticed the massive disconnect with students and the increased use of technology in the classroom. After creating my own "bring your own device" agreement and removing end of unit paper pencil tests and implementing project-based learning I noticed a change in student behavior. I noticed an excitement when they came into class, I noticed them collaborating and problem-solving. I even found myself loving my job and excited to come to work. 

One of my favorite and most memorable projects was based on 8th grade science standards for light and sound. I stepped out to create a unit based on music. Keep in mind, I am not musically inclined, but what I did know is that music was a huge motivator for my students and many of them played instruments or sung in the choir. 

While there were many components to this unit, here is the gist. Students had to create a musical instrument out of recycled materials to play Mary had a little lamb, in tune. They had to be able to apply principles of mediums, wavelengths and frequencies to adjust and tune their instruments. We learned all about the concepts then students had to apply them to design, build, and test their prototypes. 

I kicked off the unit with a video of the traveling vegetable orchestra...yes it is a real thing. (see video linked to the left) We discussed how music is sound, sound is vibration, and vibration is changed by mediums...and just like that we were deep in learning so they could solve the problem and create their project. 

The end results were amazing and so much more than I could have imagined. Students created pan flutes from carrots, zucchini clarinets, cigar box guitars, and even played the water glasses. 

Now remember I was not an expert and could not have taught them how to do all of these things, there was no way and not enough time. My role shifted to become a learning partner with them. I had to reach out to our school music staff to ask them questions like how do I make sure that the instruments they create are in tune? How can I teach them to play Mary had a little lamb, when I don't know how to read music?  I didn't have the answers, but I knew someone who did, and I collaborated with them. 

On exam day, there was a buzz in the classroom, students were excited to show off what they had learned. Students couldn't wait to present their musical instruments and signed up quickly to be the first to go. I was floored! I had not experienced such excitement about learning and I was hooked....this was the change that had to happen. This was just the beginning of my journey toward creating authentic learning that engages students in real world problem solving and developing skills necessary in the technological world we live in. 

George Couros author of The Innovators Mindset: Empower learning, unleash talent and lead a culture of creativity (2015) once asserted the following: "The way we learn--and the way we teach students even the most basic skills--must reflect and capitalize on the technology, information, and people we have access to today. We can't base the way we teach on how we were taught because a) we have powerful opportunities at our fingertips, and b) the way many of the teachers were taught wasn't effective for all students when we were in school. (p. 220)