The past few years, I've been lucky enough to work with FuturePREP'd, a design-thinking (and project-based learning) program through our local ISD.
One of the programs I help lead partners a group of high schoolers with a local business. The business provides mentors to guide the teens professionally. They also give the team a driving question, a problem the business is facing. Our team meets four hours a week to understand the problem, investigate it, generate possible solutions, and build the best solution possible in eight weeks.
At the end of the program, the students pitch their solution to a panel of stakeholders from the company and get feedback. We pitched to our business on Tuesday. Last night was our final celebration for this season, and it was awesome!
200 teenagers, 28 teachers, and even some of our business partners gathered in a local bowling alley. As required by galactic law whenever dozens of teens are in one place, there were ptichers of mountain dew, piles of candy, and LOTS of pizza.
Even cooler, though, were the conversations. Our team of students was so excited to see each other and hang out. These kids were all strangers two months ago, but they've grown so close during this project. They bounced from topic to topic, they laughed, and they reflected on all the work they've done.
They also engaged with the other teams. They wanted to hear about other businesses' driving questions and how the teams approached them. They wanted to know how other groups' solutions worked and what their mentor meetings were like. They wanted to know what's next. These kids are hungry for professional experiences.
I'm reminded that, as a teacher, I need to hang out with passionate students like this regularly. My team was mostly sophomores (one freshman and one junior), but they were so excited to do work that matters and to challenge themselves.
We don't always (or at least, I don't always) see those kinds of kiddos in the classroom. But, seeing the work this team created and their professionalism, I don't have huge worries about the pandemic's affect on our students. I know some struggled and many are still struggling, but this generation is going to be fine.
It's really encouraging to work with students who care about the things they create. Even if it's only a few hours after school, I encourage you to find some kids who are excited to do something. Hang out with them. Help them out if you can. It definitely helps with that burnout feeling that so many of us teachers feel from time to time.
I'm working to adapt my curriculum to provide more opportunites for students to make things that matter to them. Project-based learning is the best tool I've found so far. Anything working for your right now?
One of the programs I help lead partners a group of high schoolers with a local business. The business provides mentors to guide the teens professionally. They also give the team a driving question, a problem the business is facing. Our team meets four hours a week to understand the problem, investigate it, generate possible solutions, and build the best solution possible in eight weeks.
At the end of the program, the students pitch their solution to a panel of stakeholders from the company and get feedback. We pitched to our business on Tuesday. Last night was our final celebration for this season, and it was awesome!
200 teenagers, 28 teachers, and even some of our business partners gathered in a local bowling alley. As required by galactic law whenever dozens of teens are in one place, there were ptichers of mountain dew, piles of candy, and LOTS of pizza.
Even cooler, though, were the conversations. Our team of students was so excited to see each other and hang out. These kids were all strangers two months ago, but they've grown so close during this project. They bounced from topic to topic, they laughed, and they reflected on all the work they've done.
They also engaged with the other teams. They wanted to hear about other businesses' driving questions and how the teams approached them. They wanted to know how other groups' solutions worked and what their mentor meetings were like. They wanted to know what's next. These kids are hungry for professional experiences.
I'm reminded that, as a teacher, I need to hang out with passionate students like this regularly. My team was mostly sophomores (one freshman and one junior), but they were so excited to do work that matters and to challenge themselves.
We don't always (or at least, I don't always) see those kinds of kiddos in the classroom. But, seeing the work this team created and their professionalism, I don't have huge worries about the pandemic's affect on our students. I know some struggled and many are still struggling, but this generation is going to be fine.
It's really encouraging to work with students who care about the things they create. Even if it's only a few hours after school, I encourage you to find some kids who are excited to do something. Hang out with them. Help them out if you can. It definitely helps with that burnout feeling that so many of us teachers feel from time to time.
I'm working to adapt my curriculum to provide more opportunites for students to make things that matter to them. Project-based learning is the best tool I've found so far. Anything working for your right now?