Reflections/Guiding Question

Reflections – Modified Question

Initially, my focus for the Field Experience was going to be how students in Morocco develop the skills, knowledge, and processes of a scientific literate mind.  While these traits did not present themselves in a manner similar to how they would in the US, Moroccan teachers instilled similar building blocks but with a focus on discovery learning. Thus, my adjusted reflection will be on how teachers use discovery learning in their classroom with similar goals in mind to our terminology. 

The classrooms we observed were in English, Mathematics, and Science.  Having the ability to observe more than just science was great in seeing the actual school culture of discovery-based learning beyond just the usual content areas I would see them in the US.   While resources were limited in the schools compared to back home, the creativity of the teachers and the students shined through. 

For example, one student (with help from her mother) created an amazing demonstration in a tent (and a pretty big tent!) that was kept hidden from even her teacher until time to present it to us—the visiting teachers.  Inside the tent, not only the did student highlight science concepts and scientists important to Morocco throughout the ages, she had also designed a creative way to reveal the main points she wanted us to learn. Instead of simply telling us information, she led us through a way to discover it.  Considering that students often model their own presentation styles after their teacher, it shows that her instructors have encouraged way for the students to discover information themselves.  Her tent of information showed that she had thought about how she wanted us (visiting teachers turned into her students) to discover the information ourselves.  I’ve heard that she has now been accepted into a virtual international program to examine some hot topics in AI.  I am sure she will be extremely successful since it is clear that she has the habits of mind that over-arch all subject areas – including scientific literacy.

Discovery education was also the theme of one of the symposiums where I presented.  It was fascinating to listen to the principal discuss the requirements he expected to see in lesson plans for the English teachers and to be able to make notes on the connections between those and what I expect to see in science lessons.  In fact, of the topics I sent for him to select from, he picked the investigable questions professional development for me to present to his teachers.  Although the scientific literacy traits might not have officially been discussed, that day involved many ways for the teachers to discuss and share how they support the same main components in their discovery learning goals. 

Side comment – from a science teacher perspective, it was fun to hear the teachers discuss how they might use the hands-on portion I included in their own English classes.  Instead of using it for an experiment, perhaps they have their students think of words to describe the materials.  Maybe they use the “poppers” (small rubber domes that will eventually “pop” when flipped inside out) as timers for students to add some random time challenges for the students. 

At the evening school for adult language learners, discovery learning looked a bit different but was still evident.  The adult learners were given higher level questions that, while difficult from a language point of view, caused the learners to really ponder the topic and be motivated to share their point of view—including hot topics like technological advances which included the students discussing AI and robots (pros/cons).  It provides authentic discussion points which relates to the goals of authentic experiences in discovery learning and also connects to the skills, thoughts, and processes of a scientifically literate mind where issues that could affect all of us were being discussed.

I cannot tell if “discovery learning” was a term that the students knew but it was clear that they benefited from the goal of it.  The trust that the teachers gave the students to work on a task without the teacher dictating each step is definitely something US teachers should consider.  We often hold the hands (metaphorically speaking) of our students too much and don’t let them do their own discovery or, in my original question’s terminology, we don’t let them build their own scientific thoughts, skills, and processes; we try to make them learn ours.  How can they build those skills up if we keep trying to do things for them?

I thought that my original question was not worth discussing because I didn’t see the direct connection but it is now apparent that their “discovery learning” really hits on the same goals that we want for our students to become scientifically literate adults because the habits of mind for both are the same.

Other reflections not directly related to discovery learning:

When people first ask me about my experience, I quickly explain how amazing the students were. They were able to speak multiple languages, had a genuine interest in sharing their stories, and were also curious about my life. They were also very willing to participate in the class discussions, volunteer to do additional tasks, and took on responsibilities leading other students. Of course, we have students like that in the US, but it was the overwhelming amount of them that I met in Morocco that made the tremendous impression on me. Traits of Global Citizenship were evident everywhere as well.

As an example, one of the public schools had taken in some girls that had been orphaned by the large earthquake the previous fall. Students at the school made sure to show that the new girls were accepted and came up with many ways to ensure that they new they were welcomed and felt part of the community. They didn't need an adult to lead them, they did it themselves. Or, a more day-to-day example, several teens in a private school were in charge of a debate club and had arranged it in such a way that the various ages of students would work on their topic, present it to the teens in charge, get advice, then go work on it some more. It was all very organized in goals, timing, and even how the students set up the room to ensure success and we didn't see teachers nearby--they trusted the students to lead and that all would be on-task and safe.

These are just two isolated examples in a visit that was full of them. Even the welcoming ceremony at the main school had tents where students had selected topics, prepared what they were going to say/do, and presented them to my partner teacher and me. One of the girls had not even let her teacher see what she was doing until that day so it was a surprise for all of us. Another group of students had done something similar for our last day in a different class at the same school. The teachers trusted the students to be able to do things independently and the students were trustworthy to follow through.

Once again, I've had students in the US like that but it was the sheer number of students that were able to lead things on their own that impressed me.

I'm assuming part of our reluctance to give students those abilities come down to ensuring that they are supervised and that we know what they are doing. How do we let our students have the same freedom to lead things on their own while having protocols we have to follow to ensure safety? How we strike that balance to let students build those skills.

I love my time in Morocco and the schools (teachers, students, staff) were definitely the highlight.