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

Summary

Fifth 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.