For this week’s post, instead of skimming over numerous topics, I’ve decided to dive deep into two examples of what deep learning looks like at YIS. Hopefully by sharing these examples it will spark some inspiration and dialogue about deep learning and how we can share the successes of these two projects to better enhance learning that is happening in other areas of our school. 

Student-led inquiry in kindergarten

Little FUGU – 河豚 by jim in Flickr

Every time I stop in one of our kindergarten classrooms I’m inspired. I’m inspired because our kindergarten teachers are incredibly passionate and innovative. I’m also inspired because the live the  IB PYP with some of the youngest members of our school community. Most recently I had the chance to support what action looks like in a kindergarten classroom. 

At the end of last year the kindergarten teachers supported a month of student-led inquiry. The students were given Independence to choose a topic of Interest and inquire about it. The students develop their own timetables, they reached out to experts (often relying on the skills and knowledge of others in our school community) and shared their understandings. 

I was given the opportunity during the unit to co-learn with some of the students on topics I knew about or was passionate about. One opportunity was to work with a couple of students on game creation (we used Scratch Jr) while another student wanted my help learning about fugu (Japanese for a poisonous pufferfish often served raw in Japan). While I know quite a bit about kindergarten-level game creation, I had a great opportunity to co-learn with the student who was inquiring into fugu. I supported and activated his inquiry, but I wasn’t an expert – we learned together. 

An example of a student-created schedule for this inquiry

How is this deep learning?

  • The teachers helped students discover and sort out the inquiries that best suit them
  • The students developed relationships with mentors and experts to support their inquiries
  • The teachers took on a role as activators and co-learners

The role of technology in these student-led inquiries

Students document and reflect on their Learning Journal (Seesaw)
  1. Tool to document and reflect. The students used their Learning Journals (Seesaw) to  document and reflect on their learning through the inquiry process.
  2. 1-to-1 iPads. We have a 1-to-1 iPad program in kindergarten which helps support inquires like this. It isn’t so that students are always on a device, but instead so that they can have access to a device when they need it to support their inquiry. Our kindergarten students research with PebbleGo and use their iPads often for documentation and reflection. 

Global Citizen Diploma

Copyright Global Citizen Diploma

“The Global Citizen Diploma (GCD) provides a framework for students to actively take small steps leading to a better future. Through intentional reflection, students develop a deeper understanding of who they are and what they value by capturing their individual stories and celebrating their growth. By identifying their passions, each student who earns the GCD becomes more inclined to act in an ethical and responsible way as a global citizen.”

Global Citizen Diploma

Reading that paragraph is powerful, but reading the stories and hearing about who are students really are is even more powerful. The GCD program allows students to develop a common understanding within the GCD framework, but then gives them the flexibility to share reflections that tell their story. As teachers our role is to listen and guide – we read and provide feedback on their learning and share their successes. The GCD is for our high school students, but we have elementary school teachers who have volunteers to develop relationships with these students and listen to their stories. It’s amazing to sit down with a range of teachers and administrators in our school and hear them talk about the amazing stories they learning through the GCD program. 

How is this deep learning?

  • Teachers provide highly effective feedback in the learning process.
  • Students develop relationships with their audience – not just teachers, but parents and peers too. 

The role of technology in the GCD

  1.  Tool for reflection. Each student in grades 9-12 has a Google Site that they use to document their reflections. It’s a public site where they can reach an authentic audience (which currently is our school community – their parents, teachers and peers). 
  2. So much more. It’s hard to summarize this as the students have a wide variety of stories that they share. Some of these stories have in-depth links to technology that are transforming the way they develop as young adults. 

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