Oh my goodness it has been a minute since I have had a moment to breathe. The school I work at participates in science fair. Now unlike the science fairs you see in movies you unfortunately cannot just tell kids to do an experiment and it be done exceptionally well and you all come together and present some amazing thing. So this is a task that we assign piece by piece starting the very first day of school, and it FINALLY came to a close… well the school fair anyways. The students all came up with an actual science experiment they researched and wrote procedures and decided on variables and carried out the experiment and wrote abstracts and conclusions and then made presentation boards and finally presented. They did it all and as much stress as it was on both them and myself it was truly incredible to see them shine this past week. Students got excited about things. They were able to turn their hobbies into a science experiment. They were able to see which GF flour supplement created the best rising bread, or which wing shape allowed an RC plan the smoothest take off or which track shoe caused less knee damage. All things that mattered to these students they had ownership of their projects and their interests and even my most shy and anxiety ridden students who were terrified to present to the judges felt proud of themselves afterwards.
I think ownership of learning is something that is slowly dying as the generations go on. Students do not have the same light in their eye when learning because everything is googleable. Sparking ways to get them excited to discover on their own without asking Alexa is something that can be so challenging. Giving projects and assignments that allow this ownership makes students learn better. They remember and retain what they care for and are passionate about. I am so proud of all of my students and the joy they expressed after weeks of stress and uncertainty. I hope in someway we can all cultivate ownership in areas of our continuous learning or just an area of life in general. Things are so much more meaningful when you care about them and take ownership for discovery.
-am
Smile Style & Science 