Explorer Mindset
- How does having an Explorer Mindset facilitate learning (engage learning, empower learning) in elementary school and inquiry:
- Do you have any general thoughts on how an Explorer Mindset empowers learning standards/content in your area of focus?
- What are the most powerful connections between the standards in your content area and the attitudes and skills of the Learning Framework?
- Do you have any specific examples of how you have used an Explorer Mindset in a lesson or activity that helped make learning more powerful in your content area?
- Any student-centered stories to share of an Explorer Mindset?
- Any thoughts on how an Explorer Mindset it is utilized by colleagues in your content area?
- Has teaching learners to have an Explorer Mindset impacted you professionally or personally?
- Do you have any tips for other educators who are interested but haven’t begun using an Explorer Mindset?
- In the future, what direction/s do you see the use of an Explorer Mindset taking you in your content area?
These questions were ones that could inspire students deeply and connect to learning outcomes in the the program of study. I ask you to visit this process and consider:
Broad Brush Strokes and Big Dreams
Consider the outcomes in your program. What are the opportunities for social justice, service learning, meaningful work that connects to the world and students’ ability to change the world?
Consider your content area learning (science and social studies) and look for opportunities to design learning destinations that excite students with purpose and provides opportunities for students to reveal their STORY focus question!
What path can we design that students increasingly are:
What’s Next: Designing for Essential Learning
I’d like you to consider from September to December (within the context of your destination through to the end of June). What are the essential outcomes for your content areas (often these are in the front matter). Essential outcomes are more than just a set of lesser outcomes. When you look at your program (pick one) consider which outcomes are wth being familiar with, important to know and do or truly essential for enduring understanding. As we look at current (and future) curricula, we know that some outcomes are much BIGGER much more IMPORTANT! Wiggins and McTighe call these linchpin ideas.
“The linchpin is the pin that keeps the wheel in place ion an axle. Thus the linchpin idea is one that is essential for to the discipline...For any subject taught… we might ask [is it] worth an adult’s knowing and whether having known it as a child makes a person a better adult.
Negative or ambiguous answer means the material is cluttering up the curriculum”. (Charlemagne... hmmmm).
- Is what we ask students to take up relevant?
- Consider the wording or combine ideas?
- Which question are we really passionate about digging into?
Broad Brush Strokes and Big Dreams
Consider the outcomes in your program. What are the opportunities for social justice, service learning, meaningful work that connects to the world and students’ ability to change the world?
Consider your content area learning (science and social studies) and look for opportunities to design learning destinations that excite students with purpose and provides opportunities for students to reveal their STORY focus question!
What path can we design that students increasingly are:
- Deeply involved the work and know why it matters to them, to the discipline and/or to the real world.
- emotionally and intellectually invested in the work (don’t want to stop/put it down/leave class/school).
- so excited by learning that they spend extra time and effort doing their work. They derive excitement and pleasure from the work they are doing and grades are not their primary motivation.
What’s Next: Designing for Essential Learning
I’d like you to consider from September to December (within the context of your destination through to the end of June). What are the essential outcomes for your content areas (often these are in the front matter). Essential outcomes are more than just a set of lesser outcomes. When you look at your program (pick one) consider which outcomes are wth being familiar with, important to know and do or truly essential for enduring understanding. As we look at current (and future) curricula, we know that some outcomes are much BIGGER much more IMPORTANT! Wiggins and McTighe call these linchpin ideas.
“The linchpin is the pin that keeps the wheel in place ion an axle. Thus the linchpin idea is one that is essential for to the discipline...For any subject taught… we might ask [is it] worth an adult’s knowing and whether having known it as a child makes a person a better adult.
Negative or ambiguous answer means the material is cluttering up the curriculum”. (Charlemagne... hmmmm).