What if students were able to become an expert on a specific topic from their studies? What if EVERY student at a school had to be involved. What if every student had to present and exhibit their learning to a live public audience of nearly 1000 visitors? What if all aspects of the event from layout design, to project design, visitor engagement design, etc.? What if 6th through 8th graders were utilizing the principals of Design Thinking to create this school wide event? What if students were able to show off to the public their mastery of a project that emphasizes the 4 C’s of Common Core and the additional 5th C (Character) in one setting?
This is what happened at the EmSTEAM Symposium on March 26, 2015, a day that will be branded in our students, teachers, families and the greater communities hearts and minds.
How did this happen school wide?
First and foremost our teachers at EmSTEAM are approaching teaching differently. We have begun implementing STEAM throughout all curricular areas and are integrating the principles of Design Thinking in our classrooms. Design Thinking empowers students to take ownership and allows them the opportunity to drive their education by engaging them in personally meaningful work. Students are engaged in hands-on projects that promote innovation, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration. To prepare for the Symposium our students studied how aspects of STEAM have led to expansion in society and how STEAM innovation fuels change in society throughout history. Our English and History teachers guided students through Design Thinking to learn how to effectively create inventions that meet the needs of the intended user. Teachers assisted students to focus on finding and solving real world problems. This was the game changer for their projects. Students went from the traditional replication of simple models or creating a poster to show what they learned to taking inventions and ideas from the past and applying them to innovations for the future.
The History and English teachers of all three-grade levels held a vertical collaboration wherein they looked at Common Core Standards that addressed common themes across the grade levels. The skills needed to meet the standards were examined on a deeper level and teachers collaborated on ways that those skills would build upon each other each year. The focus was on student generated learning that allowed them to explore areas of interest to them while mastering the standards that needed to be addressed.
What was the process?
Our students spent time engaged in studying different aspects of a civilization (Ancient, Middle Ages, Early U.S.) or an idea from these eras. Students learned to empathize with a particular person or need, define parameters, ideate multiple competing solutions, develop prototypes and then test out their product at the symposium.
Here is what that looks like:
Sonny starts his morning in his English class researching how the Ancient Romans built roads. In history class he begins to ideate ways he can apply Roman knowledge to our current roads that are falling apart. Another student, Delon, who has been in America for only a few months is exploring how to use the coding platform, Scratch, to design a more pleasant sound for our bell system. Dylan, a student that typically struggles with appropriate behavior has decided to write music for travelers to listen to as they walk the path of the Silk Road. He and his group members will perform their music on guitar.
https://drive.google.com/a/cvusd.co/file/d/0B4Iw19z69jTPVzFCc0ZZcmZBQlk/view?usp=sharing
Here is a list of objectives our teachers created during their vertical collaboration sessions:
· Students produce a product that demonstrates their understanding of how innovations of the past have impacted societies across time.
· Students cite text evidence from their research to prove the impact of innovation on society’s growth and change.
· Students recognize the importance of STEAM innovation for the future existence of successful societies.
· Visitors see and hear students articulate aspects of STEAM curriculum and Design Thinking in every project they visit.
· Students provide evidence of their projects’ impact on a changing world.
· Students see how content areas are related and not isolated subject matter.
· Students are responsible for learning material in an area of interest and showcasing that learning in a professional environment.
· Students work with peers to collaborate and produce a product that impact the world.
· Collaborating vertically across grade levels helped teachers identify common themes that could be addressed in depth as the students move from 6-8th.
· Teachers have become facilitators of learning, not lecturers.
· Teachers foster a climate of collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.
· Students cite text evidence in both History and English (varied number of sources at each grade level).
· Students use a variety of media to showcase their work.
· Students have experienced Design Thinking and will be able to apply it to future curriculum.
· Opportunities arise in other curricular areas for students and teachers to incorporate STEAM with Design Thinking into the curriculum.
Long-term goals of project:
· The process creates students who can think critically to find and solve problems they see in their world.
· Students collaborate with peers and learn to work with all different types of people in positive ways.
· Teacher collaboration reaches across curricular areas.
· Students have a “database” of media types that they can call upon to showcase their work.
· The process empowers students to not see flaws in their work as failures, but as opportunities to modify it further to make it better.
· STEAM curriculum is infused into ALL areas of curriculum.
· Students and teachers use Design Thinking in all areas of curriculum.
· Students take ownership of their own learning.
· Teachers personalize learning for each student.
Mr. Bailey | Principal, Emerald STEAM Magnet Middle School | Cajon Valley Union School District | 619.588.3097