A Call to 911

Since the last “From B106” was about questions, I have a few to ask:

What is the purpose of school? 

When I was in elementary school in the 60s, part of my reading education came through the SRA reading program.  SRA was housed in a large white box with color-coded “cards” containing short readings and a series of required questions.  Students would move at their own pace through these cards from red, to yellow, to purple and green, and end up with the blues (pun intended).  Each level successfully completed was recorded on a wall chart for each student, so everyone had a colorful visual of who the good and struggling readers were.  It was the 60s, after all.

I recall the thrill of making it to the end of the box, placing the last blue card neatly back in its folder, and reporting to my teacher that I had finished.  Rather than sharing my joy, my teacher said, “Come with me.”  She took me to the back cupboard, opened it up, and showed me Box Two sitting right beside Boxes Three and Four.  It turns out that “finished” is only a relative term.

I started on my first red folder of Box Two that day.  I honestly don’t remember if I finished Box Two, but I do remember the moment I realized SRA was going to be a long journey to an unclear destination.

Do we SRA our kids at HSE?  Do we teach with the primary goal of getting students ready for a test or for the next level or course?  Comments like this might be an indicator: “Okay third graders, you will need to know this for fourth grade?”  Or “You have to know this for the test next week.”  Or “When you get to college, you will have to write a paper just like this one.”  Perhaps there is nothing wrong with these statements.  This approach may even be necessary, but it seems somewhat joyless and artificial and to be honest, a bit depressing. 

I was pretty good at “doing school,” and fortunately I discovered the real joy of reading with a different teacher in a different class.  That is a story for another time, but I still wonder if we continue to send the message that students should learn to “do school” so they can “do school” at a higher level next year.  “Do well on Box One, so you can go on to Box Two….”

Shouldn’t it be more?

This is an email one of our students sent to her teacher recently:

Hola Señora! Excuse my English but I had a proud moment today that I wanted to share with you. After fourth period I leave to go to my internship at the Indiana State Police. Lately I have been with the dispatch just listening and learning their ways. Anyways, today a frantic lady called and she only spoke Spanish. The dispatchers on duty had no idea what she was saying so I got to take over and talk to her. It was such a surreal moment and it showed me that I often overthink talking in Spanish, but if I just let it go, it actually comes natural!

Sorry for the random email, just thought I'd let you know

No apology is necessary!  This student beautifully illustrated the value of her education by independently applying it to a unique situation.  It is also an example of the real purpose of school.  School is much more than simply doing school for the sake of school.  It is about doing life well.

Can we develop activities and tasks that recreate the authenticity and urgency of a call to dispatch?

The simple answer is likely “No.”  But a more complicated answer is “Perhaps.”  When our HSE student translated the call to 911 for the dispatcher, she put into practice her learning in a way that would be difficult to replicate in the classroom.  I wonder, however, whether or not other classroom tasks might be able to simulate at least a little of the situation.  To use our student’s words, could we create a situation that would allow students to “let it go”?

When we think about, create, and use Performance Tasks, we won’t always be perfect, but these tasks certainly are more engaging and purposeful than working our way through rainbow-colored folders.  There may be times for the SRA approach, but there are also times for creating an opportunity to call 911.

Those of you from my era, check out the picture again to bring back memories.  Tell me your stories.  What do you remember about SRA moments?  Those of you a few years younger, my guess is you experienced something similar on your educational journey.  Let me know what that might be.

Also let me know those experiences you had in school that you still remember as engaging, meaningful, or transformational.  If you are teaching now, my bet is you had these somewhere along the way.  In fact, those moments may be why you are teaching today.

Have a great week, HSE.

Phil