Saint David's Magazine Vol. 34 No 1 | Page 17

“The open-endedness of the project allows the students to properly learn and utilize the information I want them to understand, all while allowing them to explore a question of their own design.” prompted me to help others who might similarly “coast” through school and whose main activity involved staring at the clock until the dismissal bell was rung. Ultimately, I needed to teach the way I wish I were taught. Success in rigorous academic pursuit is accomplished when a student demonstrates a willingness to fully immerse themselves in the material and truly develop a strong understanding of it. However, none of this can occur if a student lacks enthusiasm for the subject matter. The Lower School science curriculum is dedicated to instilling that drive, nurturing the curiosity that comes easily to young kids, and allowing it to evolve into passion, ultimately transforming these young men into independent-thinkers who crave knowledge for the sake of it. For a student to demonstrate rigorous academic pursuit, they need to be interested in the academic. Personal interest can only occur if the subject matter is interesting to the student. I have found that interest in a subject can be attained if the material is presented with enthusiasm and is relatable to a person’s life. For example, rather than lecture on about the steps of the scientific method and list the order of how scientists approach a question, we introduce Third Grade students to the process when attempting to discover if Mexican cola really does taste better than USA cola. Each step of the scientific method demonstrates its value when one attempts to answer a high-interest, relatable student question. Afterwards, third graders work together to develop a school-wide testable question in a similar vein, one that will utilize the scientific method to provide data and a proper conclusion. The open-endedness of the project allows the students to properly learn and utilize the information I want them to understand, all while allowing them to explore a question of their own design. This student-driven project is also the result of a full-grade collaboration, with boys listening to and contributing their own ideas until one workable experiment is agreed upon and fleshed out. The enthusiasm and relatability remain intact, and the students are happy to rigorously pursue the topic. They are also learning to respect the process and each other’s thoughts. Much of my love for the Lower School science program stems from the fact that many of the units are designed to allow for these open-ended explorations, supporting and strengthening students’ drive to explore on their own, while allowing them to progress at their individual skill levels. Smaller group assignments allow for similar practice in creating a project where students are self-driven to learn and build, while emphasizing respect for their partner’s ideas and contributions. My approach to designing the lessons in a way to promote students wanting to learn felt especially justified when, in our last unit, students asked to skip their recess in an effort to spend more time working on their projects in the lab. My hope is that they can maintain their enthusiasm for exploration as they progress beyond the walls of Saint David’s, helping to mold them into good men with a strong work ethic and a curious mind. M Brian Donnelly teaches Lower School science at Saint David’s School. Winter 2020  •  17