Only one more week until the big EXPO and we are thrilled to have you join us. As a staff, we've been having some good conversations about authentic learning and what that looks like at an exhibition. It's hard to break the habit of wanting perfect, shiny products to display for parents and community members. However, what do we lose in the process of achieving that. Here's a peek behind the educational curtain. Teachers, by their nature, are incredibly talented project managers. What normally happens in situations like these is the teacher, about 2-3 weeks before exhibition, will snap into GO-MODE and do what's necessary to get kids to the finish line. As educators, we've all done it. Long work periods, chaotic classroom environments as each kid is trying to hurry up and finish a variety of needed pieces, and the teacher is managing it all.
But when do students learn to get there themselves? What's the worst thing that could happen if they aren't fully ready? Struggle is the most optimal place for growth to happen. But we have to give students opportunities to struggle. They have to be allowed to be uncomfortable if we expect them to learn and grow. My proposal is that our EXPO be an authentic display of student process. Some will be finished, some won't. There will be different levels of quality and understanding. There will be both clarity and confusion. There will be all sorts of room for wonder and further inquiry. This is a far more accurate representation of the process of going through these projects with students.
I want our educators and students to be able to be okay with this level of honesty at exhibition. But it means a change in expectation by our community as well. Let me be clear, it's not a lowering of our expectations, but a shift in what we're after. Our community must expect that their kids went through something interesting, something engaging, something difficult, and something and filled with inquiry and wonder. We must expect that they had hardships in communicating, collaborating, conducting research, finishing pieces of the project...that's natural! Real learning is about helping our students to articulate that entire process...the good and the bad. If you we coming on campus simply to see perfect results and outcomes, we are missing the chance to experience the art of true learning and we will reinforce that educators should spend weeks in GO-MODE leading up to these events. I certainly don't want that and I hope you don't either. It's not natural.
At Webster, we're going to take big swings, give kids real things to think about, real problems to solve, and challenge our staff to do the same. We're going to try things and reflect on the outcomes and be committed to growth mindsets. This is what the world is screaming for from our staff and students. So...when you come for our EXPO on December 15, @ 9:00am, you are coming to witness the continuance of something different...a more authentic exploration of learning. We are beyond excited to have you join us. (Photos from last year's Botswana School Project and Spring Deep Learning EXPO)
