Development
- Sep 9, 2018
- 2 min read
During conversations about the reproductive system students were amazed by the complexity of something they’ve experience daily. This is the spirit of a scientist! Despite how much they thought they knew about sex cells and gonads, there was an air of curiosity and wonder in the classroom as they shared their takeaways from the reading and guest speaker. Annotating a reading was the first assignment in the grade book but I learned much more about each student as I observed them make observation journals from reusable materials.
As groups of students navigated using a protocol to make their journal, I watched how students planned, designed and collaborated to create their journals. With all the materials available to them some groups began with a distribution of roles while others decided to take each step together. As some students diligently worked for the 50 minutes, some chose to observe, cut, drill and sew their journals. Weather referencing a finished model from time to time, or observing me bind a journal, students were engaged in creating something that did not exist the day before. Watching students take ownership of their work through peer-to-peer learning or engaging with specific steps of the protocol was all my aim for this second week of school.
Having students awaken their inner scientist can be challenging at times, but this week it seemed effortless as they shared questions about the reproductive system, put the finishing touches on their observation journal, and listed descriptive words for an observed image. My love for biology and chemistry didn’t necessarily come from reading a textbook but rather engaging in multidisciplinary activities designed by my G.A.T.E. teachers or being an assistant to my grandfather as he milked and tended to cows on his farm in Valle de Guadalupe. It is those personal experiences that give shape to what our classroom looks like.
As we move into the third week of junior year I’m looking forward to connecting with students as they develop as scientists.
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