The Money Jar

Last week, while I was in Berlin, my friend suggested I try this new and hip wine bar. He strongly recommended this place because it indeed challenges the conventional practices of the dining industry.

Image from http://robs-blog.com/2012/07/10/weinerei-forum

Weinerei Forum is self-service. Once you pay the initial 2 Euro entrance fee you can help yourself to a variety of red and white wine.  Also, in the adjoining room there is a spread of homemade food. So far it sounds like a normal wine bar; however, the fascinating aspect about this particular one is that there are no cashiers. And there are no cash registers or bills. At this wine bar, the client is simply entrusted to keep a tally of the amount of wine glasses consumed by referring to a list on the wall with the recommended prices. But it is the client who ultimately decides upon a fair price and leaves the money in a glass bowl. The people working at the counter seem more occupied with refilling wine bottles and taking the 2 Euro entrance fee than monitoring clients. Clients leave the amount of money that they deem appropriate in a glass jar on the main counter. As I sat outside sipping my Norton wine, I noticed that the place was filling up rather quickly and the people who left before me all left the money in the glass jar.  Clients could easily have walked out of the place undisturbed yet they chose not to.

The famous money jar. 

This is indeed an unorthodox approach in the dining industry. But, the owner of this wine bar knows too well that he is competing with a myriad of other wine bars and restaurants in the area, so he has found an innovative way to stand out from the rest.

One must point out that Germany is renowned for its diligence and reliability so this model is more likely to find its niche in this kind of environment. However, having said that, I believe that this idea would be successful elsewhere.  By empowering the client, this new concept redefines the relationship between the client and the owner, which is now based on mutual trust.  Like in every other system there will be people who will take advantage of this newfound autonomy. However, I believe that the majority will take ownership of their new role and make the right call.

Even though this example does not link directly to education, it is inspiring, nevertheless. In a time where many are calling for educational reform, this is a relevant example of how one can bring innovation by looking for creative outcomes. As I sat outside enjoying the German summer breeze, I couldn’t help but think of how better our educational systems could be if we gave more ownership to our students. I believe that like these clients, they would rise to the occasion.

In the meantime, this is the address of the bar should you ever be in Berlin and decide that you want to check it out:

Weinerei Forum

Veteranenstraße 14 10119 Berlin, Germany

From teacher-driven to student-driven.

The academic year that is drawing to a close has been a learning curve for both my students and me. The individual research project that the Grade 9 students had to complete for their Population unit was indeed one of the biggest challenges this year. This unit had been modeled on the philosophy of project-based learning which also blends well with the learning objectives of the new MYP Humanities guide.

Before starting their project, students were exposed to concepts.They learned that these are mental constructs that share common features. As Lynn Erickson states, concepts are:

• Timeless
• Universal (can be applied in different contexts)                                                             
• Abstract to different degrees
• Represented by 1 or 2 words.

By familiarizing themselves with the common characteristics of concepts, students were able to create conceptually-driven research questions. Students were given the freedom to create a product of their choosing that would address a target audience. They had to ensure, however, that their project addressed the unit question: When is populations a problem?

As mentioned in one of my previous posts the process was a bit bumpy at times, but the end results were comforting.

Students let their imagination run wild and created products that ranged from children's books to model wind turbines:

Emma wrote a children's book that talked about resource depletion caused by humans. She read this book aloud to elementary school students.  

Taesam created an animation video that explains the impacts of cattle ranching on sustainability  

Norah researched about space colonization and created illustrations to present her findings

Chris wrote an article on his website to discuss how flooding is one of the biggest causes of migration in Bangladesh

Nina created a model wind turbine. For her personal project, Nina will build a prototype wind turbine  which could be used in the impoverished areas of Lima.

In conclusion, even though some students were unable to create products that met their expectations, they still learned a great deal. At the end of the unit, I asked students to write reflections  and their feedback was insightful:

"This project was clearly more challenging than other projects because I made the whole outline for my product. This required me to think very carefully into each stage (research, investigating, and creating my product). I am not self dependent so I am not used to think with my own brain, I usually depend on others doing the work, that is why this unit was challenging but at the same time it triggered some kind of creativity because I had the opportunity to research about something I was interested on." Taesam

"From doing this project I have learned that as a learner once I get an interesting topic that I am fully invested in, I have no trouble continuing with the project. By staying invested into a topic of my choosing I can create the best final products to my capability and get the grade I deserve. Project based learning is a lot better than what I’m used to because it gives me a chance to think for my self and learn from mistakes I’ve made while doing the project. These projects aren’t easy but they help you think in ways you haven’t had to think before."  Nicole 

"Projects like this one prepare you for the real world because in the real world, we don’t get everything done for us, we have to do it ourselves." Antonella

"Up until this point, students—or at least this student—have been babied for the majority of their lives. Everything that they need to do has been given to them in the form of explicit, direct instructions with countless exemplars and checklists that were just handed to them. In the real world (unless your boss has very strong OCD) you will not be given detailed, step-by-step instructions about what you are supposed to do.  Most things require you to use your noodle to create a solution and/or plan to help you succeed. This kind of project takes the focus back off the process, and puts it on the product in a very similar way to real life. This helps ease the transition between schooling and life." Ashley 

The Static vs the Dynamic

We often define success as the accomplishment of a final goal. Some of us reach a level and choose to stay there while others aim for higher or different peaks. No matter what we choose do, we focus on a target and we keep that target at the forefront of our actions. Like many others, I’ve chosen to keep on aiming higher because I always envisioned myself on the next peak. However, I don't believe anymore that this is what truly has been motivating me.

Let’s make no mistake here, I DO want to reach my peaks, but I am starting to become aware that this is not the main driver. And this recent epiphany is significant, because now, no matter how impossible an accomplishment might appear to be, I will be less likely to cave in. It is the realization that rather than working hard to reach a peak, I’ve been actually aiming for a higher peak so that I have the opportunity strive to get there. While it might be rewarding to sit on a plateau celebrating the accomplishment, I know that this won’t determine my happiness because the peaks, no matter how good they makes us feel, are static. It is the motion that truly triggers growth irrespective of the achievement of the final goal.  

 

And I guess that is why I am so enthralled by my profession. I aim to reach a level of mastery in teaching. After all, the kids deserve only the best. Yet I know there is still a long way to go and it is this awareness that makes me feel in my element. I choose to challenge myself to solve this riddle because it fascinates me; it gives me the opportunity to use my ingenuity as I try to crack the codes. It is this dynamic drive that makes me want to wake up most mornings and go to play.

The peak is ultimately a wonderful excuse for us to stretch ourselves and feel truly alive. 

300

For the second consecutive year, Colegio Roosevelt has organized a community build in one of the most impoverished district of Lima, alongside Techo, which is the South American equivalent of Habitat for Humanity.

The idea to start a Techo club at Roosevelt stemmed from a high school student who approached my colleague, Corey Topf and together they delved into this project. Apart from providing emergency housing for the less fortunate, this club aims to raise awareness about poverty in the community and break down stereotypes that plague society. The latter is seen as a central aspect in the club's ethos since stereotypes act indeed as a barrier in a country like Peru which has such a great economic divide.

Since its inception, this club has grown considerably and last year we launched it in Middle School. Students are active throughout the year as they fundraise to pay for the house that they construct at different Techo events, which also include the school community build.


So last Saturday and Sunday, 300 members of the community composed by students, teachers, parents, admin and members of the board ventured into the hills of San Juan de Lurigancho, one of the poorest districts in Lima, to build 26 emergency homes. As I walked with my group of students, I felt chills running down my spine. Here I was sharing this experience with my "tribe" of 300. I still struggle to articulate this catharsis; all I can say is that never before did I feel so connected with the rest of my community. It is, after all, through experiences like this one that we relate to one another other and become cognizant of the strong ties that hold us together.

Moreover, this is yet another reminder of how students shine when they are exposed to real-world problems. Throughout the weekend, they made genuine connections with the families that they were helping and worked collaboratively to finish building the house on time.  This kind of experience allows students to get some perspective on the issues that plague our society and understand that their actions, no matter how small, do matter.

Students know too well the difference between what is purposeful and what is contrived. They yearn to be involved in experiential learning where successful outcomes are not defined by numbers but by the  interactions with the real world.

Redefining the Role of History in 21st Century Education

Traditional history is still predominant in 21st century education. Teaching experience has indeed showed me that traditional history is a perfect avenue for those educational systems who feel compelled to prescribe content.  It is also easier for those teachers who revere textbook-driven delivery of information because history content is already all laid out in those stale pages. It is not at all uncommon for middle school students to be exposed to burdensome content ranging, sequentially, from ancient civilizations (many of of them)  up to the Cold War.  

I learned French for five years in secondary school, obtaining a "B" on my O-level, but alas, I've never really spoken a word of it. My teacher was more focused on the reading and the writing. As I look back I cannot help but question the purpose of it all. In the same way, I believe students taking social studies should have a clear purpose: They must be empowered to "speak" the language of concepts. I'm not trying to imply that history is irrelevant as I'm a history buff myself; however, the content (which is not taught through a conceptual lens) is. European exploration taught as a stand-alone topic is in no way relevant compared to when it is conveyed as a major cause of poverty in a poverty unit. In the same way, the French Revolution plays a more significant role if studied to identify patterns which allow students to understand the significance of the Arab Spring. History is indeed a great starting point to understand global issues which are far more relevant to students being citizens of the world.

Global issues facilitate the acquisition of relevant, overarching concepts such as scarcity, globalization and sustainability. These can certainly be explored in history, but we can only extract their true essence  as we delve into global issues and make connections with the past.  

I believe that as learning becomes more conceptually- based, units taught in Humanities or Social Studies will need to be redefined.  In fact, it is already happening in various schools. The Humanities curriculum outline at Colegio Roosevelt, in Lima, has truly evolved over the last three years as it is starting explore more relevant issues such as water scarcity, poverty and aid, and much more.

Finally these are the two take-aways from this post:

1) History taught as a stand-alone discipline is an outdated model in concept-driven education
2) Global issues can redefine the role of history in education making it more focused and purposeful

The Post-it Disruption

I took this picture last Friday, at the end of a 90-minute lesson with one of my Grade 9 Humanities classes. Needless to say, I am usually disapproving of students leaving a mess behind them, but this time it was different. This picture represents the strenuous thinking process that my 14 students have been exposed to over the course of the last two weeks.

Before, discussing Friday’s class, I ought to put it into context first. This population unit, which is currently being explored by both Grade 9 Humanities classes, embraces both the MYP and PBL educational philosophy. In addressing the unit question, “when is population a problem?” learners are required formulate a research question that addresses a real-world problem to a target audience.  

While my students are not new to the idea of addressing a real-world audience, this is the first time that they are being given such autonomy; hence, when I shared this assignment with my classes, two weeks ago, I was fully aware of the initial discomfort they would inevitably experience. As one of my students suggested, this would “be hard because we do not simply have to follow instructions. We have to come up with the whole plan.”

 Student Sample Work

Due to some scheduling conflicts, I was able to avail myself of a one-time, out of the ordinary, five-hour Humanities period with both of my classes, simultaneously. Students would use this time to come up with a research question and write down a proposal that would have to be approved. I strongly believe that students benefit from having ample time to delve uninterruptedly into one task. Prior to this, students had been exposed to introductory activities that evolved around the unique characteristics of concepts and the formulation of meaningful research questions (or so I thought). During this lengthy chunk of time, I gave feedback to my students and could attest student engagement. 

At the end of the week, as I went through my students' proposals (and approved most all of them), I felt bolstered by what had been, until then, a smooth sailing and rewarding experience. This was indeed the calm before the storm.  

During the last months, I've read various inspiring books and articles about innovation in education. They all seem to agree on one essential factor: Paradigm shifts in the classroom don’t come easy. Unlike more traditional teacher-driven pedagogies, student-driven education is non-linear; therefore, both students and teachers are vulnerable to unpredictability. I experienced first hand this vulnerability when I realized that the some of those same research questions that I had so enthusiastically approved only a week earlier, were in fact too broad.

I must admit that I have underestimated how challenging it would be to guide students through their research questions. On one hand, students are required to identify a problem relating to population; however, the teacher has to poke students in the right direction. After discussing this with my MYP coordinator, I realized that I had unwittingly mislead my students who had by then already started their research stage. For instance, one of my students had come up with this research question:

         What are the environmental implications of overpopulation?

While this question might seem appropriate at a first glance because it incorporates important concepts such as sustainability, overpopulation and depletion, it is way too broad to be effectively addressed. Environmental implications include a wide range of ecosystems ranging from deserts to glaciers. It is unrealistic to address effectively all of these questions in the same research.

So two weeks into this project, I had to concede that I had rushed into accepting some of my students’ proposals and explained this candidly to them. So, we placed all the research questions around the class and we gave each other feedback. The MYP coordinator also chimed in. Stacks of post-it notes were decimated in minutes, but the room was buzzing with activity. Together, we indentified important components that make research questions focused and clear such as the manageability and the specificity. 

One of my classes was able to modify their questions easily whereas my second class of 14, mentioned at the beginning of this article, struggled. I saw students who are usually confident and poised experience frustration and uncertainty for the first time. Some students decided to scrap their original research. They realized that, even though their questions sounded elaborate and specific, they simply weren't manageable. For instance, one student was looking at how population density affects urbanization in Lima. This would not have been manageable since the answer is simple: it does not in Lima. So some students had to go back to the drawing board and think harder.

At the end of this class, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt responsible because I had misguided my students by approving some of their broad and unmanageable research questions; however, this experience was also reassuring. Aren’t students, after all, experiencing real-world challenges? They are experiencing first-hand the essential role that trial and error plays in the accomplishment meaningful outcomes. Students are truly immersed in this project because they feel ownership. As they do this, they are adapting to unforeseen scenarios and striving to come up with creative problem-solving. 

My role as a facilitator is to learn from my own mistakes and be there for my students. This past weekend, I was able to Skype with some of them and bounce off ideas. As a result, we are now back on track with a better plan and an extension to our set deadline. Today, some students chose to stay back, after school, to work for two solid hours on their project. These kids have indeed accepted the challenge and are rising to the occasion. 

As I reflect on these past two weeks, it becomes unmistakably clear why we teachers tend to hesitate to give up control. This is daunting to us because as soon as we give up control to implement more student-led projects, the latter become our "equals" and we become more prone to failing and looking vulnerable in their eyes. Giving up control is disruptive and we cease to be infallible. This thought process is understandable, but we need to strive to get of of our comfort zone. 

I'm choosing to give up control because this is the only way forward. Back in the day, I was told that I had follow instructions if I wanted to be a successful citizen of the world. This has shaped me deeply and it has taken me years to learn how to trust my own judgement and be my own problem-solver. Following instructions does not get you so far when you lack independence and curiosity.

Finally, I choose to give up control because I believe in genuine professional growth. This experience has been truly a learning curve for both myself and the students. This IS my professional development; it is organic because there are no scripts and most importantly no contrived agendas; I am learning with and from my students as we break away from the old school thinking in the search of real-world contexts. 

Tweak it

Last week my colleague made a very interesting point about students’ misconception that detailed information is contingent on the length of their written arguments rather than their content. To address this issue, she encourages them to be concise.

As I reflect on my teaching I realize that I help spread this myth of detail and wordiness. Many students in my class write shorter paragraphs that lack detailed analysis. Up until now I have always asked those students to write MORE information, but I think the time has come for me to change my pitch. 

The abundance of information has shaped us for good and for worse. On a daily basis we are submerged with information in the form of emails, text messages, blogs, videos and much more. In this context of overwhelming abundance, conciseness and loquacity become essential survival skills determining whether our message will be absorbed or discarded by our audience. 

In his new book “To Sell is Human”, Daniel H. Pink highlights the purposefulness of conciseness when pitching ideas to our audience. Interestingly enough, a university now uses 140-character responses from applicants as one of the criteria in their selection of future candidates. The character limit is a constraint that requires that students be resourceful and creative in their responses.

So I cannot help but question how my students would perform with these constraints if they were applying at the Tippie Business School at the University of Iowa. More importantly, how would my students perform in the real world were succinctness will be central for their survival? Knowing my students and their teacher, my guess is that many of them would find it challenging to say the least.

So my plan is to expose my students to this kind of process. In the next month, I will expose students to a suitable, real-world challenge that needs to be addressed in not more than 140 characters. It will be interesting to go through the process of elimination, starting with a long text and slowly trimming it down to 140 characters. In this way students will appreciate that conciseness does indeed accentuate the message. 

So I guess I ought to lead by example. Tonight, I will be tweeting this reminder to myself:

Detail is not defined by the lengthiness of an idea but by its essence.