There are days when teaching is a theatrical performance and days when it is a sprint. As I grow as an educator I'm striving to reach an equilibrium of student enquiry and me facilitating that process. I want my classes to be a marathon. I have to keep reminding myself to step back and let the kids explore and discover on their own. It's so easy to just jump in and move the process along for them. That's what we've grown accustomed to do. Get things done quick with fast results. But what good is that during genuine experiential learning?
Letting the kids investigate solutions can be an ambiguous, messy process especially when we've all become addicted to outcomes. It requires us to trust the students thinking and to let go of the control. However, the pride and autonomy students have over their learning once a solution has been independently solved is worth its weight in gold.
Today we introduced the pulley and belt system and discussed its function in the world.
We then provided students with six pieces (two pulleys, a belt, two axles and a beam). Their task was to get the pulley and belt system working. It didn't matter how it looked as long as it worked. At that point they had a manual system made so the next step was to add a motor and figure out how to power it.
There were two ways, the battery pack and the LEGO WeDo Software.
Next week we'll be saving a LEGO figurine in need using the pulley and belt system.
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