What passions DRIVE our students?

Each week there is something that inspires me to blog. However, there is always a common thread about our students and improving their experiences at school. This week I can't help but be inspired by my 9 year old daughter. Most of you have seen or heard of Rainbow Loom bands. The colorful small rubber bands that people usually make friendship bracelets from. Well...about two weeks ago my daughter received a bracelet from her cousin that inspired her to start looming again. She went on Youtube to find a video on how to make a "waterfall" bracelet. While searching, she found a video on an owl design and she wanted to try it. She watched the video, created the owl, and the rest is history. Every time she has a spare minute she grabs her bands and her tablet, finds a new tutorial on Youtube, and starts looming. She has now made over thirty different unique designs that range from Disney characters to charms for pencils.

I asked her today why she keeps doing it. Her answer, "It is fun and I like being creative." The interesting part to me is that she is being "taught" every time she goes on and watches a tutorial. However, she is seeking it out because she wants to create more and find the most challenging designs to make. This is where I make the connection to our classrooms. Dr. Vince Bertram, president and CEO of PLTW, states, "The key to education-especially in critical STEM fields is activity based learning that makes concepts relevant in real-world meaningful ways. No field should be isolated, on an island, or in a silo."

For those of you asking yourselves why your students aren't engaged in your class or why they aren't doing their homework, I have these questions for you. If you were the student what would excite you about the assignment? What relevance to the real world does the assignment or activity have? Do you see purpose in completing the assignment? Put yourself in the students' shoes for a minute. Be the student and experience what you are asking them to do. If you wouldn't be motivated to complete it then more than likely they would not either!! It may be a shift for some of you, but we cannot continue to just deliver curriculum in isolation. When we do we are not preparing students for success in a future career. We need to develop our students ability to collaborate and critically think in order to be competitive in the global market. We need our students to be facilitators of their learning. We need inspiring role models and hands-on experiences. It starts with you!!

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK