Becoming Experts

As we wrap up this amazing school year, I have been reflecting on how proud I am of our students’ growth.  Some of this growth has been measured by data, test scores, or presentations, but there is more to it than that. 

At DAA, we use EL - or Expeditionary Learning - for our language arts curriculum.  One of the components of this curriculum is that students study one topic or big idea over months of a unit.  By the end of the research period, students have become experts with their own opinions and ideas about the topic.  Students truly learn to be experts on the topic.  Even more importantly, they learn HOW to become an expert.   

I have seen third graders generate ideas about how to solve real world problems facing their community.  I have had first graders stop me in the hallway to ask me what I know about birds.  By learning how to sort through multiple sources, ask questions, discuss and write about these topics, students gain confidence in not just their knowledge but how to express their thoughts and opinions based on evidence. 

What makes this model so special, is that students will enter high school, college, and careers knowing HOW to approach new and complex ideas.  They have skills to walk into any room and lead discussions on how to research a problem to find a solution.  

Students at DAA have read, watched, collected data, interviewed experts about problems or topics.  They have also created, written, and presented their own ideas and solutions.  

We are setting our kids up to push boundaries and become experts and leaders in industries that don’t even exist yet.  They have the skills to tackle any topic or challenge they face and generate creative solutions. 

When I look at our DAA kids, I have nothing but hope and optimism for their futures - and the better world they will create for all of us.