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Teaching Middle Schoolers to Identify and Solve the Problems of Tomorrow

Teaching Middle Schoolers to Identify and Solve the Problems of Tomorrow

by Mike DiBiasio, Middle School Integrative Studies: Writing Teacher

 

Our purpose as a school is to create individuals committed and able to repair the world. However, in order for students to identify and solve the big problems of tomorrow, they need to start building their capacity for problem-solving today.

 

With that rationale in mind, our 8th Graders were given a design challenge on the first day of school this year: design a system to organize our Middle School that (1) empowers students to lead, and (2) is inclusive. Students were split into groups of three and were initially given three weeks to develop and pitch a prototype to 8th Grade teachers and Mr. Campbell. Now, when compared to everything else in the world that needs to be repaired, the problems of the McGillis Middle School may seem insignificant. However they are accessible, familiar problems that impact our Middle Schoolers every day—the ideal practice field for future problem solvers.

 

The design challenge integrates the 8th grade Science, Humanities, and Writing curricula. In fact, these three subjects were briefly renamed Process (Science), Product (Humanities), and Pitch (Writing). Students studied the steps of the design thinking process in their Process classes with Ms. White while ideating and designing prototypes in their Product class with Mr. Capone. In their Pitch class with me, students honed their public speaking skills in preparation for their initial pitch. 

 

On September 10, the entire 8th Grade came together in the Gathering Space to share their visions for creating more student voice and inclusivity in the Middle School. Each group took center stage to deliver their pitch, and the prototypes ranged from representative student councils, to suggestion boxes, to student-generated curriculum. They received real-time, American-Idol-style feedback on their process, product, and pitch from 8th grade teachers and Tim Campbell. And they have spent every Friday since then improving and tweaking their prototypes in their Humanities class.

           

One 8th grade group has designed an anonymous student council election process where voters can only see the platform and credentials of each candidate, not their names. “That way you don’t have a popularity contest,” said group member Rachel. “This way people who may not be as popular, but good ideas have a better chance at being elected.”

 

Another 8th Grader, Jonah, is working with their group to increase the power of a student council to make changes to the Middle School schedule. “It would be more enjoyable in school if students are able to make choices about their schedule.” 

 

These prototypes are still a work in progress, but some of them could actually see implementation this school year. “The coolest part is we are really listening. It is a genuine opportunity for students to shape their experience as Middle School learners,” says Mr. Capone.

 

When students are not actively working on their prototypes in Mr. Capone’s class, they are exploring themes established in those first few weeks by inquiring, “What is the best form of government?” They’ve read Animal Farm as an allegory criticizing revolutions and particular governments, and they’ve identified what governments societies have either tried or thought up and what systems have gone well or poorly.

 

“I want to work from conceptually abstract to conceptually concrete, from big picture to little picture, to give them context for their lives as citizens,” Mr. Capone says of the unit. “I want them to think of the types of government as a menu of options for their own blueprints and plans.”

 

Jonah is already making those connections between the curriculum and his groups’ prototype. “Right now the middle school is kind of like an oligarchy because it's ruled by the teachers and administrators. Our plan will make it a semi-democracy because students will be able to vote on what happens in the School,” he says.

 

After writing a culminating essay in Writing class that answers the question, “What is the best form of government?” students will adapt their essay for the stage and present their ideas in the form of a TedTalk.

 

With the contextual understanding of different types of government, students will have the necessary context to learn about the United States government in the units ahead. Perhaps most importantly, they will have had the added experience of implementing their government prototypes in hopes of repairing their world. 

 

To learn more about the Middle School program at McGillis, schedule a visit