flickr photo shared by mrkrndvs under a Creative Commons ( BY-NC-SA ) license
I’ve spent the last few days on Year 4 Camp at Camp Sunnystones. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with students while completing a range of unfamiliar activities. With this, exploring what it is they care about. Having spent so long focusing on feedback and growth, it was great to explore the human element in it all. Instead of dwelling on progression points and achievement standards, the focus was on mastering the particular task at hand and how we could support each other to get it done.
Although there was some focus on the environment and sustainability, the current learning focus at the moment, many of the conversation came back to the school’s four core values:
Support
Teamwork
Achievement
Respect
Another significant opportunity that arose though was the opportunity to be a meddler in the middle. Although we may not consider ourselves as ‘sages on the stage’, the structure of curriculum, instruction and learning spaces means that there is a tendency to manage the learning more than allowing it to happen. Camp provided a space for this as there are not many teachers with a background in archery or orienteering. A particular example of leading by learning was during the hut building exercise.
The activity involved working in teams to build huts with the materials lying around. The only requirement was that everyone had to be in sight of the camp fire. This meant that the camp guide always had an eye on where groups were at. It would have been easy to spend the few hours wandering between groups, discussing how the huts were going and providing advice. Instead, we decided as a group to place ourselves in the learner’s shoes and build our own.
We started with an idea, to find three trees with forks that we could somehow connect in order to make a roof. Although we could have spent time debating which idea was best, it was important to get behind one idea early and adapt from there.
As with many ideals though, we soon had to compromise. Either the good spots had already been taken or such a space did not exist. We did find two trees which we felt offered some potential. So we found a fallen limb and put in place our first support.
flickr photo shared by mrkrndvs under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license
The problem was that we could barely reach the beam and decided quickly that it just was not going to work. So we went back to looking.
We finally found a new space with a set of trees which seemed to offer some prospect. Although not ideal, we all felt it had some potential. So we all split up and set off to gather materials for our hut.
flickr photo shared by mrkrndvs under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license
Beginning with two strong limbs, we proceeded to assemble our humble abode. This process involved taking different roles, sharing reflections and providing suggestions. Although we had a clear purpose, the hut was a constant negotiation, cycling through the iterative process.
flickr photo shared by mrkrndvs under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license
What was interesting was the inspiration that it had on the students. Some visited to see what we were doing, others took it as a challenge to better what we were doing. One student told us that we were too noisy and weren’t very good at keeping secrets. While many adapted some of the aspects of our final pitch when they presented their huts. What was fantastic though was that, in the end, everyone benefited. That is the power of the room, or in our case, the bush.
For me, this activity represented what Jackie Gerstein describes as a model learner, where not only do educators share the process, but are open and conscious about the steps involved. This is coupled with a willingness to fail in order to succeed. I was also reminded of the measurement for collaborative problem solving.
What about you? What experiences have you had where you have modelled the learning? Flipped the learning by leading the way? As always, I would love to know.
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Leading by Learning – Building a Hut by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Hut building is just so much fun. It really has a way of taking you back to your childhood. I think the fact that you were having fun while you were learning is what your students were inspired by. Too often we forget that playing, taking risks, making mistakes is just a whole bunch of fun. As a PE teacher, I would often join in the activities as a way to showcase my passion for learning and physical activity. I think students need to see the enjoyment that our passions bring, it is contagious. I love to hear people talking about the things in their lives that make them alive. We can all relate to this. Figuring out problems is something I love to do with my students. A conversation last week with a group of girls about their Media project started with their idea and then quickly followed up with a “we don’t know how do that” statement. I told them that the hardest part is the getting the idea in the first and that we would figure out the how together. They were inspired by that and were off and running. Great post mate. You are my first comment for the week #bringingthecommentback
Thanks Steve for the comment, I like the idea of ‘fun’. Wondering though whether, like ‘engagement’, there is something deeper going on. I feel like I come back to Dave Cormier’s question of care again and again. I care, although I am not exactly sure why. Maybe it was the choice and autonomy associated with the activity.
P.S. What is ‘#bringthecommentback’? Have you started a movement?
Great post and truly inspiring ideas about modeling learning (and having fun)! Thank you for sharing this experience!
Thanks Bjorn, I think there is something about learning in collaboration with others that inspires all.
Is there rigor in fun and wonder? Now there’s a research project. One of your strengths mate is that you do live in the now and enjoy the moment but reflect also on a such a high plane. Showing students how you work through failed attempts or rapid iteration would have had tremendous weight.
As for the movement, I’m growing the conversation : )
Thanks Steve, it would be an interesting point of research. I think that the sense of the now and being aware of your surrounds was what was so fun about the camp. Can be a challenge.
[…] post that got my attention was by my good friend Aaron Davis (@mrkrndvs). The post was titled Leading by Learning – Building a Hut and I was drawn to this because I am often frustrated with the unwillingness of some teachers to […]