Problem Solving Approach Lesson

 What happened?

• For my problem solving approach lesson, I decided to get my students up out of their seats and physically get involved with the classroom content for that day. I gave my students the choice to create a story, skit, or some other type of presentation describing how an ecosystem became polluted. One group choose to act out a skit from the perspective of the wildlife whereas the other group decided to write a story from the perspective of those that polluted the area. Both groups did beautifully, and we were able to share some laughs along the way.

How does it relate to what I know about teaching and learning?

• I think the biggest way this relates to what I know about teaching and learning is that when given autonomy, students can go many different directions with an assignment. Given the same set of instructions, both groups presented something entirely different from one another. Additionally, I think the class had more fun and better connected to the material because they were able to choose how to interpret it.     

What did I learn from the experience?

• I think the most valuable thing I learned from teaching this lesson was that providing flexible yet specific instructions can be hugely beneficial in the classroom. By giving my students lots of room to make the assignment what they wanted, I was better able to serve my students because they could add their own perspectives and flare for the rest of the class to consider. 

How can I apply this as an Agriscience teacher?

• I can apply what I learned from this experience by recognizing that every student in my class is different and has something unique to bring to the table. For example, one student might have never considered the perspective of the wildlife in my lesson until another student presented their story. Ultimately, this allowed for broader thinking and therefore deeper learning.