Something quite remarkable is happening each week in my grade six classroom. But first of all I need to give credit where credit is due.This isn't my original idea. It comes from the Island Movie Project in Hawaii. A project which doesn't run any longer but was a wonderful student produced movie project from about 5 or 6 years ago. Note: Hawaii has been a leader in many things for quite some time, but that's a different blog post.
As well, on many of our road trips with friend and colleague @aforgrave we talk about providing the opportunity for our students to think for themselves and this was one of the ideas we talked about.
Every week, as I mentioned, each of my grade 6 students provides the class with a "Teach Me Something" moment. They come up with something they can teach the class. Here's the list so far:
Making caterpillars out of plastic cord
A magic trick
Baking banana muffins - Yes the students actually brought the materials and baked muffins!
Using long strides when you run
Scoring a goal in soccer
Drawing airplanes
Making paper airplanes
Drawing cartoon faces
Making flat gimp
A card trick
Drawing animals
How to curve a soccer ball
Ice hockey goalie movements
How play Cricket
Painting flowers
Doing a cartwheel
How to do a crossover dribble in basketball
How to bowl
Painting Flowers
Playing a harmonica
We film each Teach Me Something on a Flip camera in 720p and I edit them in iMovie. We then have a viewing the following week (I only get the privilege of teaching this wonder group of grade 6 students once a week for the day).
To say this has generated some excitement is an understatement. Some students took a few weeks to come up with an idea. And in one case a student went away and learned how to play a song on the harmonica!
Note: To meet all needs of the learners in the class, some students neither wish to do their Teach Me Something in front of the class nor do they wish to be filmed. And that's O.K. I provide an opportunity for the students both off camera and not in front of the class. That way all students are included.
5 comments:
Kent,
What a wonderful way to engage students and include them in the educational process. They probably aren’t aware yet of how much they are learning by you giving them the opportunity to teach. Thanks for being the type of educator that provides inspiration and meaning to the learning experience.
I love the idea of a teach me something moment! I am going to try it with my group at some point this year. It is always great to share ideas and make all of our practices stronger.
@Rob
Thank you for your kind words, Rob. There is a large component to this of how much one learns when one teaches another. There was a critical mass of excitement a week or two ago with almost 7 students wishing to complete their Teach Me Something all in the same day!
@Marcie
I suspect your grade 4 students will love it. Let me know if and when you start. It would be fun to compare notes!
Hi Kent, I book marked this last week because it really caught my interest. It takes a really special kind of teacher to bring this kind of learning and culture into the classroom. Those students are fortunate that you are giving them these kinds of opportunities.
Zoe
@zoe
Thank you for your kind words Zoe. It is quite a pleasure to be back with students again. The way it all started for me 30 years ago. Let's say it has come full circle.
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