Back to School: Leading to Discovery

The job of the teacher is to lead the children to the edge of discovery. Rather than simply explain an idea or show a technique, consider how to structure a class so that the kids discover the main points of the lesson. In the music class, "How many different ways can you make sound on this drum?" can be a good lead-in to introducing tried and true effective drumming techniques. , "Choose two bars to take off the xylophone and create a little piece in your scale" can make a good introduction to different forms of the pentatonic scale. "Find three notes that sound the most like blues to you" might make for a more involved and more exciting way to begin to learn about the blues scale. 

 

“How many different ways can you bounce the ball?” asks the P.E. teacher. “Show me five different kinds of brushstrokes” says the Art Teacher. “Accent a different word each time you say this sentence ‘Let the beauty you love be what you do.’  How does it change?” inquires the language arts teacher. “Try your line in the play with five different emotions and decide which one fits” requests the drama teacher. You get the idea.

 

And yes, sometimes it’s simpler, more effective and even necessary simply to show a technique or explain a concept. But by beginning with hands-on / voice-on/ body-on exploration and problem-solving, you set the foundation for the student's interest and walk them to the brink of their moment of “A-ha!!”

 

Try it and see.