Surprise! We're Leaving The Classroom

A funny moment today: students were presenting plans for designing an authentic learning environment. After one pair explained their idea, we began discussing which stakeholders should be contacted first.  The class was pretty evenly split between "administrators first," "teachers first," and "students first."  Ultimately, I gave some reasons why I thought it would be wise to start by interviewing other students, including that it would be less intimidating than going to adults first.  At the mention of adults, the mouths of a couple of the students who were sitting across from me just dropped open.  At first, their stunned expressions confused me.  But what I realized is that they thought this was all a hypothetical exercise.  Essentially, for them the planning was the endpoint.  It was something to discuss in a circle and then be done with.  

Why this assumption?  Because it is what they are used to.  

I am as guilty as anyone for reinforcing the idea that projects end at the classroom door.  Plenty of times I have had students produce work, whether a piece of writing or a multimedia project, with the implicit or explicit direction that it is for our eyes only.  If not solely for mine.  

So the response was not surprising, even though earlier in the week I tried to emphasize the very point that we would be moving this project out of the classroom.  It is entirely possible that students did not grasp this key factor because I explained it to them on a Monday or because I was unclear.  Then again, I also think some of them stopped listening to the details of the project because they thought they knew the drill.  And usually they do.  

I enjoyed seeing their faces as they looked back down at their planning notes.  I'm going to guess that most likely they focused on what had seemed like an insignificant phrase: "interview the principle," or "talk to the school board," only to realize now that it was not so insignificant.

But I was also dumbstruck by this moment as the implications became clear for me, the teacher/facilitator.  It's not just about helping them to arrange an interview.  It's about making them see the value of this whole project, even if (or when) their ideas inevitably are met with a friendly nod and slightly patronizing, "wow, great ideas.  Thanks for sharing them with me.  This is really important."  

Because it is important for them to follow through on this no matter how "unlikely" their ideas.  I just need to make sure they agree.