Liberating education: how schools can empower and transform | Trish Millines Dziko | TEDxSeattle

TEDx Talks

16 Mar 202215:59

Summary

TLDRFifth graders at Bose Elementary School are engaged in a project to colonize Alpha Centauri, exploring governance, ethics, and community roles. This project-based learning approach fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership. The school emphasizes collaborative, anti-racist environments, and authentic assessments, aiming to cultivate future leaders and thinkers, particularly for students of color who are often marginalized.

Takeaways

🚀 Fifth-grade students at Bose Elementary School in Tacoma are engaged in a project to plan the colonization of a new planet, demonstrating advanced learning through project-based education.
🌌 The project involves complex tasks such as writing persuasive essays, creating models, and developing a system of government, showcasing the students' multidisciplinary learning.
📚 Students are encouraged to think critically about governance, ethics, and community roles, which are essential for a functioning society.
🏫 The traditional model of education is criticized for focusing on textbook learning and standardized tests, which may not foster the development of future leaders.
🌟 The speaker advocates for a shift towards educating students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and leaders, rather than just passing tests.
🌱 The education model described in the script starts from kindergarten, emphasizing the importance of early engagement in project-based learning.
👥 Interdisciplinary project-based learning is presented as an equitable teaching method that allows for varied assessment and personalized instruction.
🌍 The script mentions the involvement of community professionals in teaching and learning, enriching the educational experience with real-world perspectives.
🎓 High school students in this model are able to address real-world issues, such as creating wearable technology for medical conditions or planning sustainable urban neighborhoods.
💡 The script suggests reallocating funds from standardized tests to teacher professional development and the creation of authentic assessment methods.
🌈 Embedding racial equity in schools is emphasized as a critical step towards creating an inclusive and understanding educational environment.

Q & A

What is the central project for the fifth graders at Bose Elementary School?
-The fifth graders at Bose Elementary School are working on a project to colonize the planet Alpha Centauri. They are planning how to sustain life for a generation on a spacecraft, including building a model of the ship, developing a system of governance, and preparing a persuasive essay and a research display.
What is the guiding question for the students' Alpha Centauri project?
-The guiding question for the students' project is: 'How do you sustain life for a generation on a spacecraft?' This question drives their exploration of governance, ethics, necessities, and the roles required to create a functioning community in space.
What kinds of assignments are the students expected to complete as part of their project?
-The students are expected to deliver a persuasive essay, a 30-second elevator speech, a model of a section of the spacecraft in diorama form, a system of government with laws and a constitution, and a research display demonstrating their knowledge of planets.
How does the speaker contrast their own fifth-grade experience with that of the students at Bose Elementary?
-The speaker contrasts their own fifth-grade experience, which involved sitting in rows in academically segregated classrooms, with the interactive, project-based learning environment at Bose Elementary. They point out that today's students at Bose are actively engaged in critical thinking and problem-solving.
What problems does the speaker highlight about traditional public education?
-The speaker criticizes traditional public education for focusing on standardized tests and classroom management rather than engaging students in meaningful learning. They argue that this approach leaves little room for student voice, exploration, intellectual rigor, and academic risk-taking.
What is project-based learning, according to the speaker?
-Project-based learning is described as an equitable way to teach that allows students to set their own goals, take academic risks, and engage in interdisciplinary, real-world projects. This approach enables students to develop critical thinking skills, collaborate, and take ownership of their learning.
How does the speaker suggest improving the current public education system?
-The speaker suggests reallocating funds from standardized testing to teacher professional development and creating authentic assessment methods. They also advocate for embedding racial equity in school operations and making it a daily practice for principals, administrators, teachers, and staff.
What role do professionals from the community play in the education model described?
-In the education model described, professionals from the community are invited to participate in teaching and learning. They bring real-world expertise to the classroom, helping students understand the practical applications of their studies.
What does the speaker mean by 'education versus schooling'?
-'Education versus schooling' refers to the difference between engaging students in meaningful, rigorous learning (education) and simply having them memorize facts for tests without truly understanding or applying the knowledge (schooling). The speaker advocates for education that nurtures students' creativity and critical thinking.
What is the significance of Paulo Freire’s quote mentioned at the end of the script?
-Paulo Freire’s quote, 'There is no such thing as neutral education. Education either functions as an instrument to bring about conformity or freedom,' emphasizes the idea that education shapes society. The speaker uses this to argue for an education system that promotes freedom, creativity, and critical thinking rather than one that enforces conformity.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Fifth Graders' Ambitious Space Colonization Project

The paragraph introduces a fifth-grade class at Bose Elementary School in Tacoma, engaged in a year-long project to plan the colonization of the planet Alpha Centauri. The students are tasked with creating a multi-generational spacecraft to sustain life across generations. They explore complex topics such as governance, ethics, and community roles. The teacher challenges them to deliver a persuasive essay, an elevator speech, a model of the spacecraft, a system of government with laws and a constitution, and a research display on planets. This project-based learning approach is in stark contrast to traditional education methods, which often focus on textbook learning and standardized tests. The students are excited about their roles and the project, showing a readiness for this kind of learning that differs from the passive, teacher-centered model often found in schools.

05:00

🌟 Reimagining Public Education for Genius Cultivation

The speaker discusses the potential of reimagining public education to nurture the innate genius in every student. The goal is to develop critical thinkers, problem solvers, and leaders through a collaborative, anti-racist learning environment grounded in equity. The approach involves interdisciplinary project-based learning, which allows for diverse teaching methods and assessment. This method not only caters to different learning styles but also encourages students to set their own goals, take academic risks, and discover their identities as learners. The speaker shares an example of fifth graders learning about colonization and Native Americans, vowing to create a more equitable society on Alpha Centauri. The paragraph also highlights the importance of authentic learning experiences, such as visiting museums or having guest speakers, to enhance retention and creativity.

10:03

🌱 Project-Based Learning Fosters Academic Rigor and Fun

This paragraph emphasizes the effectiveness of project-based learning in fostering academic rigor and enjoyment. It describes how students at partner schools engage in this type of learning from kindergarten, encouraging them to share views, ask questions, and support each other. As they progress through middle school, they tackle socially relevant issues like world hunger and immigration. High school students are capable of addressing complex issues and opportunities, such as creating wearable technology for medical conditions or planning sustainable urban neighborhoods. The paragraph highlights the importance of continuous improvement in public education, suggesting reallocating funds from standardized tests to teacher professional development and authentic assessment methods to bring joy and respect back to teaching.

15:03

🌈 Embedding Racial Equity in Education for Freedom

The final paragraph calls for embedding racial equity into the core operations of schools as part of a daily practice for all educational staff. It stresses the need for political will to achieve this goal and to normalize racial equity as part of the educational journey. The speaker quotes Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, emphasizing that education is not neutral and must be used to foster freedom rather than conformity. The paragraph concludes with a call to action to give children the freedom to learn and grow in an inclusive and understanding environment.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach where students learn by engaging in real-world and meaningful projects. In the video, the fifth graders are tasked with colonizing Alpha Centauri through interdisciplinary projects that involve math, science, governance, and ethics. PBL emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, aligning with the video’s theme of fostering students' autonomy and deep engagement.

💡Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri refers to a star system, and in the video, it is the hypothetical destination for the students’ multi-generational colonization project. The concept serves as a backdrop for learning about governance, ethics, and community, providing a context for students to apply their knowledge in an imaginative yet academically rigorous way. It illustrates how students can integrate scientific knowledge with societal concepts.

💡Multi-Generational Spacecraft

The multi-generational spacecraft in the video is a metaphor for long-term planning and sustainability. The students must plan how multiple generations will live, learn, and thrive during a journey to Alpha Centauri. This concept challenges students to think critically about governance, resources, ethics, and the human experience, all while developing practical skills like problem-solving and collaboration.

💡Equity

Equity in the video refers to creating fair and inclusive learning environments that consider the needs and backgrounds of all students, particularly students of color. The speaker emphasizes the need to embed racial equity in education to ensure every student has an equal opportunity to succeed. The students’ work on the Alpha Centauri project, where they vow to ensure equality for all inhabitants, is an example of how equity is taught through projects.

💡Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is criticized in the video as an outdated method that stifles creativity and intellectual growth. The speaker suggests that reliance on these tests limits students' ability to explore, take risks, and develop critical thinking skills. Instead, the video advocates for more authentic assessment methods that align with project-based learning and equity-driven education.

💡Teacher Professional Development

Teacher professional development is highlighted as a necessary investment to improve education. The speaker advocates reallocating funds from standardized testing toward training teachers to implement project-based learning and equity-driven practices. This investment would allow teachers to continually refine their skills, assess students' learning in multiple ways, and create more engaging and inclusive classrooms.

💡Authentic Assessment

Authentic assessment refers to evaluating students’ learning through real-world tasks and projects rather than traditional exams. In the video, students are assessed through their work on projects like creating a spacecraft model, drafting a constitution, and presenting their work to the community. These methods offer a more comprehensive evaluation of students’ understanding and skills, encouraging them to take academic risks and discover their strengths.

💡Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is central to the educational approach described in the video. Students work in teams to solve complex problems, such as calculating the human capacity for the spacecraft or creating laws for their new society. This teamwork fosters communication, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills, and is a key aspect of project-based learning, where students are not passive recipients but active participants in their education.

💡Exhibition of Learning

The Exhibition of Learning is a culminating event where students present their work to their peers, teachers, and community. In the video, students showcase their Alpha Centauri projects, receiving praise and feedback from parents and teachers. This public display of learning promotes accountability, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment, reinforcing the video’s message that education should be engaging, meaningful, and community-driven.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a major skill emphasized in the video, where students are encouraged to question, analyze, and explore complex topics, such as the ethics of space colonization or governance structures. The goal is for students to develop problem-solving abilities and intellectual independence, preparing them for future challenges in life and work, contrasting with the passive learning often associated with traditional education methods.

Highlights

Fifth-grade students at Bose Elementary School in Tacoma plan to colonize Alpha Centauri with a multi-generational spacecraft.

Students discuss governance, ethical questions, and necessities for living on a spacecraft over generations.

They work on multiple projects including a persuasive essay, elevator speech, diorama model, system of government, and research display.

These students have been learning project-based approaches since kindergarten, gaining confidence and critical thinking skills.

Contrast drawn between current public education and outdated teaching methods that fail to engage students.

Public education systems are not cultivating leadership skills, especially for marginalized students of color.

Criticism of teaching methods based solely on textbooks, scripted curricula, and standardized tests.

Reimagining schools to develop critical thinkers, problem solvers, and leaders, particularly focusing on students of color.

Teachers are encouraged to engage students in interdisciplinary, project-based learning, assessing each student's individual learning style.

Project-based learning fosters student autonomy, allowing them to set goals, take risks, and discover their unique talents.

In an Alpha Centauri project, students vow to create an equitable society and learn about Native American experiences.

Students apply practical math, science, and research skills, creating an immersive learning environment.

Projects culminate in exhibitions where students present to their community, boosting confidence and pride.

In middle school, students take on social issues, like world hunger and immigration, with immersive projects.

High school students design solutions for real-world problems, such as sickle cell wearable technology and sustainable urban planning.