Student-Designed Activities: Promoting Creativity in Learning

Just like many things in life, we often know what we should be doing, but have a hard time following through.  As a former classroom teacher and product of the traditional school system, I have to constantly remind myself that genuine learning can take many forms.  If we want to change the world, we need to change our approach to teaching and our methods of assessment.  Inspired by Sir Ken Robinson's views on education, I have recommitted myself to our homeschooling by striving to create an atmosphere of learning that encourages critical thinking and rewards creativity.  If you have not seen his video, Changing Education Paradigms, I encourage you "take five" and be prepared to be blown away!

Back to our homeschooling, some of our best activities have been designed by our children.  For example, when asked to write a biography on William the Conquer, our daughter asked if she could use Scratch to create an interactive report.  Last December, they wanted to study Christmas traditions around the world and to create digital posters of their research.  In both cases, I had to be willing to let go and let them take the lead.  As someone who is completely "in charge of" their children's learning, that is a scary prospect!  As a result, I find myself, at times, taking comfort in our workbooks and textbooks.  I guess, in a way, it makes me feel they are learning what they should be learning.  It is easier to measure their level of understanding.  I can say we "mastered" that material and then confidently move on.

The reality, however, is they are more engaged in the learning process when they are interested in what they are learning and when they have ownership of the ideas and projects being discussed.  I was jarred back into reality earlier this week when I found myself at odds with our third grader over a math lesson.  As I reflected on the issue, I realized two things.  First, he was bored to tears and completely uninterested.  Second, I had been doing all of the talking.  As an experienced teacher, I should know better!  I was forcing a highly creative and inventive child to be a drone.  If I am hearing the Twitterverse community correctly, this is one of the main problems with our public education system.

Trying to regroup and end the week on a positive note, I took a leap of faith and went back to what I know I should be doing.  I gave our children freedom to explore, learn and grow!  Our 8yo son has been bugging me to make a stop-animation movie and our 10yo daughter is currently obsessing over Gimp, an image manipulation program.  I told them to choose something they had been studying and/or reading recently and to incorporate their favorite new "techie tools" to create a project of their choice.  They would be evaluated on creativity and originality, as well as, an explanation including what they learned and if they thought this was a meaningful experience.  After deciding on their projects, they both left and worked diligently until after lunch.  Amazing!

They both have completed the Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief series as well as The Lost Hero.  Our 10 yo chose to use Gimp to draw the three main characters in Rick Riordan's new book, The Lost Hero.  She then plans to import her creations into Scratch and create an interactive, character guide.  Our 8yo chose to summarize favorite moments from the Percy Jackson books through creating short films using Sam Animation.  He used Lego building blocks to create scenery and characters.  Again, I was amazed at their creativity!  The projects are still "under construction," but enthusiasm levels are running high.  On the way to gym, I asked them to explain what they think they have learned so far in these projects.  Our oldest told me, besides learning a new software program and improving her computer animation skills, she was able to think about the main characters strengths and weaknesses and how they changed throughout the book.  Our son told me he was dong a book report through film.  This is where I said, "Wow!"  I really don't think I could have planned a lesson that would have accomplished these things with such a positive response.  I probably would have found some way to suck the fun out of it.

If you are still wondering, there is a point to my post.  It is in our nature to be curious.  It is in our nature to explore.  It is in our nature to be creative.  Education should embrace these qualities not contain them.  To face the demands of today's society and the future, our children need to be innovative and adaptable.  They need to possess the ability to come up with creative solutions.  Our current education model is based on an archaic design meant to produce "factory-made products", not critical thinkers.  To this end, I have to remind myself of why we began homeschooling.  It is our goal to create an atmosphere that fosters creativity, encourages curiosity and critical thinking, and allows our children to develop their individual strengths.  Like I said in the beginning, sometimes we know what we should be doing, but have a hard time following through.  I am slowly learning, though, to take those leaps of faith.  When I do, I am often rewarded with big smiles and amazing learning experiences.

P.S. Stay tuned... I hope to have their projects up soon.  The kids are excited and want to share them with everyone.

P.S.S. After our 10 yo watched Sir Ken Robinson's talk, she replied, "I feel like 17th Century Spain."  I asked her why?  She answered, "Well, they were reluctant to change and slow to accept new ways of thinking.  It led to their downfall and a war of succession."  Ah, the mind of a child is amazing!  (Note: We did just finish a chapter on this topic.)

Reflections

As a child, I spent a great deal of time with my great aunts who were retired elementary school teachers.  Ellie was born in 1902 and began her education in a rural, one-room school house in Alabama.  Lena had a similar beginning.  Both ladies beat the odds and obtained the equivalent of a master's degree in education.  My Aunt Ellie taught third grade for fifty-one years and my Aunt Lena taught third grade for forty-nine years. 

Throughout the course of their lives, they witnessed the birth of the modern educational system.  They experienced first-hand some of the greats: Montessori, Piaget, Bruner, Vigotsky, and Binet.  They lived through tumultuous times: World War I, World War II, The Great Depression, Segregation, Desegregation, assassinations, and the 60's revolution.  They were strong, brilliant, compassionate, dedicated women who were amazing role models.  They were born teachers!

As I think about the people who have influenced my love of teaching, Miss Ellie and Miss Lena would be at the top of my list followed by my grandmother, Dot, and my mother, Cheryl.  As you can see, teaching runs in the family!  From all of these amazing women, I learned first and foremost that the mind of a child is a wonderful thing and all children are capable of learning and reaching their potential. 

Last weekend I attended the 2010 Reform Symposium.  Amazing and inspiring!  Throughout the weekend, educators from around the globe gathered in virtual conference spaces to discuss educational reform.  These teachers have also shaped my philosophy of learning and are amazing role models.  Whether the discussion centered around iPods or wikis, 21st century skills or backchanneling, the goal was the same.  Each presenter tackled the question: How can educators tap into the power of a child's mind and help them reach their potential to better prepare them to meet the demands of an ever-changing world? 

Many ideas were exchanged involving ways to effectively integrate technology to promote critical thinking and enhance learning.  Other talks discussed more philisophical topics, like abolishing grades and establishing personal "habitutdes."  Shelly Blake-Plock suggests approaching teaching as a "conversation with students."  In addition to the wonderful presenters, it was exciting to connect with fellow participants and discuss ideas in "real-time."  It was inspiring to witness so many who are truly dedicated to the art of teaching.

As I look back on this experience a week later, I see while much as changed, the important things remain constant and withstand the test of time.  There will always be new tools and gadgets that will surface, as well as, new teaching philosphies.  Educators must never forget the power of a child's mind.  Every child has a voice and every child deserves the opportunity to develop their talents.  We need to use whatever tools necessary to create learning environments, whether virtual or real, that stimulate creativity and foster genuine learning. This goal reamins the same now as it was when my great-aunts began teaching so long ago.  I strongly encourage you to view the archives of the 2010 Reform Symposium.  It was truly thought-provoking and inspiring!

Carpe Diem! Problem Solving on a Morning Bike Ride

This weekend, I took our 6 year old for a bike ride around SELU’s campus.  Along the way, something interesting began to happen: a spontaneous, math discussion.  Let me explain!  As we were running/riding, we each pretended to do “tricks” as if we were part of the latest Mario Wii game.  60 points if mom “jumps” the curb!  50 points if Ellie “pops” her front wheel!  You get the idea.  Then, the conversation shifted from video gaming fun to a lesson in critical thinking and problem solving.  Check out our dialogue.

Mom: How many points would you score if you “popped” your wheel twice?
Ellie: 100 points.  
Mom: Great!  How did you know that?
Ellie: Well, two 50’s make 100.
Mom: Great!  Can you make an addition sentence out of this?
Ellie: 50 + 50 = 100.
Mom: Fantastic!  can you tell me the corresponding multiplication sentence?
Ellie: Easy! 50 x 2 = 100.
Mom: Super cool!  Way to go!  What if you “popped” your wheel 4 times?  How many points would you score?
Ellie: Let me think.  Well, 50 + 50 = 100 and another 50 + 50 = 100 and two 100”s are 200.  So, I would score 200 points. Right?
Mom: Wow! Great thinking!  So, 50 + 50 + 50 + 50 = 200.  What would be the matching multiplication sentence?
Ellie: Easy! 50 x 4.
Mom: Now, for the bonus round!  What if you want to score 400 points?  How many times would you have to “pop” your wheel?
Ellie: Let me see... I would just double the number of times because 200 and 200 make 400.  So, I would need to “pop” 8 times.
Mom: Wow!  I am so proud off you!  Great thinking!  You’re awesome!  What would be the multiplication sentence?
Ellie: 50 x 8 = 400.  

We rode on for a few minutes.  Along the way, I have to admit, I was beaming with delight!  She actually got it!  She clearly understands the relationship between addition and multiplication and was able to apply that knowledge to find solutions.  Yea!  My enthusiastic thoughts were then interrupted by Ellie.  

Ellie: Mom, let’s do more math.  That was really fun!  Now, I am going to do this trick for 25 points.  (She was standing up while riding her bike.  So, we called this cool move the “stand!”)
Mom: Okay, great! Cool move!  How many “stands” would you have to do to reach 100 points?
Ellie: Well, each “stand” is 25 points.  That’s like a quarter, right?  So, it takes 4 quarters to make a dollar.  So, I would need to do 4 “stands.”
Mom: Totally correct!  Now, what if you wanted to earn 200 points?
Ellie: Well, 200 is just 100 doubled.  So, I would double the 4 and get 8.  I would have to do 8 “stands.”
Mom: Super thinking!  Are you ready for the bonus round?
Ellie: Yes!
Mom: What if you wanted to score 150 points?  How many “stands” would you have to perform?
Ellie: Let me think...this one is harder.  I think I would need 7 “stands.”  No,  that’s not right.  I know it has to be less than 8.
Mom: True, but how do you know that?  
Ellie: Because 150 is between 100 and 200.  So, I have to do between 4 and 8 “stands.”
Mom: Great! Let’s think about it this way.  You said it takes 4 “stands” to make 100 and you need to get to 150.  So, how many more points do you need to add to 100 to make it to your goal of 15o points?
Ellie: Hmm...I need 50 more points.
Mom: Great!  So how many “stands” do you need to do to score 50 points?
Ellie: Oh, I get it.  I need to do 2 stands to make 50 points because they are each 25 points.  Right?
Mom: Now, you’re getting it!  So, how many “stands” do you need to perform to score 150 points?
Ellie: Let’s see.  I need 4 to get 100 points and 2 more to get 50 points.  So, that gives me 4 + 2, which is 6.  I need to do 6 “stands.”  Wow!  That one was the hardest.  
Mom: Yes, but great thinking!

At this point, she asked me what grade she would be in to do problems like that.  I told her probably third grade.  Of course, this made her smile because we are “officially” homeschooling second grade this fall.  I told her it doesn’t really matter, though.  The important thing was to focus on what she was understanding in math and that I was super proud!  We rode on for a few more minutes in silence.  Then, Ellie told me this had been so much fun.  She said she loved bike riding with me, but also loved doing math.

As a mom and educator, this really made me smile!  She LOVED doing math!  Did you catch that?  There is a great deal of conversation buzzing around about the need for schools to meet the ever-changing demands of today’s students.  One of the most essential, I feel, is to help students develop their critical thinking skills.  I love that I was afforded the opportunity to have a spontaneous, meaningful math lesson with our daughter.  Unfortunately, these moments don’t come along too often or do they?  As parents and teachers, we need to seize every opportunity to promote critical thinking among children.  Carpe Diem!  Sometimes these “moments” are designed and planned in formal learning situations.  Other times, they may simply arise when taking your child for a bike ride, on field trips or waiting with students for their bus to come.  Regardless, we should tap into the power of their imagination (and ours), establish meaningful dialogue, and create learning opportunities wherever they may arise.

Developing Number Sense With Arithmaroo

The team at Arithmaroo has just launched the first of five iphone apps aimed at helping students develop number sense while improving their understanding of basic operations.  The first app, Instant Counting, focuses on transitioning from counting to recognizing and assigning values to numbers.  There are 4 levels involving the numbers 1-50. Up to four people can race against the clock while testing their numerical prowess in this fun, counting game.

This application takes a predominately "right brain" approach to learning.  For example, vivid imagery replaces static, black and white problems.  Also, pattern recognition replaces the standard "drill and kill" repetition.  Throughout the game, there is a timed element.  While it does not serve as the primary goal, this aspect should appeal to those who enjoy healthy competition.

Being a math educator myself and a homeschooling mom of four, I was eager to have each of our four children try this app.  We even took my iPod Touch to gymnastics and passed it around to others.  The team at Arithmaroo should be proud because it became an instant hit with the younger crowd.  While my 2nd and 4th graders were not challenged by the content, they enjoyed the "game" aspect and raced against each other to see who could get the most correct.  Our preschooler, on the other hand, found the game fun and engaging.  As I watched him throughout the activity, I could actually "see" his recognition of the numerical values improve.  He became faster and more confident.  He even commented, "this school is fun."  I even had a mom (and fellow math teacher) comment on how this is a great way to solidify the understanding of one-to-one correspondence and the modeling of numerical values.

Instant Counting is an instant hit!  This is a game parents and teachers can feel good about letting children play. You can actually watch children develop confidence in their mathematical ability while building a great foundation for more advanced skills. Arithmaroo, you should take a bow!

Breaking Boundaries

I was recently inspired by a tweet by @ktenkely in which she mentions her hope of shedding subject areas in schools and eventually grade levels.  How wonderful!  As I began to reflect on this type of learning environment, I realize that I have this opportunity each and every day with our children.

When I first began homeschooling, I was actually doing public school at home.  I followed the same school schedule, the same incentives, and even tried to mimic the accelerated reading program (which I didin't even like!).  I think this was done to provide a sense of structure to our lives and to serve as a transition from a private school education to homeschooling. Slowly, though, we have stepped outside of the box and truly began to homeschool.

Each day I teach four very different children who are technically in four different grade levels (preschool, 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades).  However, each day, the lines between where one grade ends and the next begins becomes more blurry.  We are breaking through the boundaries established by polite society and truly beginning to learn for the sake of learning.  For example, we have a first grader (who would have been forced to be in Kindergarten due to when her birthday falls) who can keep up with her fourth grade sister when discussing Medieval history or our fourth grader can push her quest for knowledge in science and math without being held back.  Our children are blessed to have the opportunity to explore, imagine, and create while working at their own pace and, oftentimes, incorporating multiple disciplines at once. I realize now, this was often missing when they were in school.

With all of the talk about digital learning, web 2.0, and global classrooms, one thing is for sure, the landsape of educaiton is rapidly changing.  While the basics are still the same, educators of today face great challenges while be presented with great opportunities.  For example, technology has opened many doors, yet educators have to find ways to integrate these new tools in meaningful ways.  Classroom teachers are constantly complaining of not having enough time to complete tasks or engage in meaningful activities.  Finally, let's not forget the dreaded end of course exams or yearly standardized tests!  Too much each year is determined by these scores and, many would agree, they are not the best indicators of student achievement.  Whether you homeschool or teach in a traditional classroom, we all face these issues to a certain degree.  

For our family, homeschooling has been a blessing.  Don't get me wrong, we have our moments of stress!  However, I am excited we are breaking through boundaries and moving forward.  It is far from perfect and each day we face new challenges.  I face the same struggles as many teachers who are trying to make sense of everything and find ways to integrate the digital world into their classrooms.  While the task is daunting at times, I find it exciting!  The classroom of today (whether it's held at the kitchen table or not) needs to rethink assessment, look across disciplines and think "outside the box" as they strive to prepare our students for the world of tomorrow.

Good luck and Happy Learning!