Emergence of curriculum
Kapka Family Groups | 11/06/2008 | 1.5 hours field work | Present: Kapka students, teachers and myself
This week I spent time in with a different Family Group. This is a group focused on 'Families' under the larger theme of People. As they finished their group sharing (to come together as a group at the start of the session), one of the students pointed out that they seem to be getting more and more interested in owls (the group had spotted an owl in the earlier week on one of their outings) even though they are supposed to be focused on People in their Family Group studies. To this the teacher responded with acknowledgment and tried to get a sense of who is interested in studying owls. The teacher was not doing this to pay lip-service to a student question. He seemed to be genuinely interested in trying to see if the group was moving in the direction of wanting to study owls.
Soon enough a discussion erupted with students trying to garner support for a focused study of owls. It was fascinating to see how desperately and excitedly this group of learners wanted to learn something. The teacher directed this energy by drawing out a Venn diagram with owls in one circle and people in another with some overlap between the two.
What followed was a half-hour exploration on people and owls, what they have in common and what they don't. Every student contributed and some of the realizations and learning was so meaningful. For example, did you know that owls don't have a nose so to speak so if a skunk squirts them, it doesn't bother them?
Here are some of my main observations from the exercise:
For every commonality and difference cited the teacher paused to explore it, allowing the students to answer questions instead of providing answers.
No book was referenced for answers. Instead, the group collectively used their knowledge and deductive skills to come to answers.
At one point, a student placed a plastic model owl in the middle of the group to inspire people. It was fascinating to see a student take such ownership in his learning.
Every student and adult in the room participated.
The study stayed true to the thematic topic of people while incorporating a deep student interest. In some ways, this seemed to be a much more meaningful way to learn about people — seeing them in connection with another living creature.
The group time ended with a 'story', a non-fiction read-aloud from a book on owls. To the children this was as much a story as any non-fiction story because it told them more about something they wanted to learn about.
Takeaway(s)
— it is possible to make space for student interest while keeping on course with a previously selected topic. This reaffirms my belief that since all subjects are really just parts of the larger subject of life, approaching them in an interconnected manner makes for richer and more meaningful learning.
— students take ownership of their learning when their curiosity is honored.