It is that time of year again. The time where we set aside a
day and allow students complete control over their learning at our annual
Innovation Day. Year
one,
two and
three were great but this year might have
been one of our most successful ones yet. As with Rocky, the 4th installment is the best. For those that are not familiar with
Innovation Day, feel free to click the links above to see how it has evolved in
our school and with our students.
This year we took a different focus and shifted from
learning for the sake of learning and put more emphasis on creation. Our goal
for the students was to make or create something. To get them fired up we
showed them two videos. The first was
Caine’s Arcade, which by now is a
legitimate viral video that has been seen by millions. The other video was
created by a friend of mine and focused on a school in his district where they held
an Invention Convention. Both served as a great jumping off point for our
students to get them thinking creatively about creating something.
As in previous years the learning throughout the day was
great with students all over the learning map. I am always amazed at how
certain students will surprise me with what they come up with. One of my
favorites was the young man who created a working telegram. Throughout the day
he was beyond frustrated with the progress and how he could not seem to get the
contraption to work. Finally, late in the afternoon he “got it” and you could
see the pride on his face over his accomplishment.
Another new element to this year’s day was we tied it with
our grade level Open House. In year’s past that night was a dog and pony show
where elaborate projects were created in an effort to convince parents we actually
do stuff at school. Apparently the lack of a trifold board and glitter is an
indication of the downfall of public education. The parents loved the projects
and seeing what kids had worked on during the day. It was also great for the
students to have that audience of the community and family members during the
night. Many students showed up early and stayed late to show off their work.
Like I do every year after Innovation Day, I reflect on the
process and how I can infuse more autonomy and choice into my every day work
with students. It clearly motivates and empowers students and is a powerful
approach to learning.
Here are some other projects that caught my eye during the day:
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Student painting |
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Engineered vehicle |
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Garbage truck with functioning "crusher" |
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Functional pinball machine |
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Model of the ice at the United Center |
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Stop-Motion film |
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Minecraft model of our school |
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