This month I am sharing stories from
classrooms in Berwyn South District 100.
Day 24: Essential Questions to Guide the Learning with Mike Saracini (Freedom)
Mike Saracini is a pretty innovative teacher. I have been watching his classroom for years, in his elementary days, during his summer school days, and at Freedom. He always teaches me something, and I usually tease him about his pop up green screen. :)
This year, I stopped in his class during the week of 9/11. This time, I was just stunned into silence, as were his students. He had them watching videos and viewing images from that day so long ago now, but yet seems just like yesterday to those of us who lived through it. To these kids, though, it was like they were hearing about it for the first time. They were sitting silent in the halls and at their seats, stunned.
A former student of mine from 2nd grade, now an 8th grader, called me over to talk to me about his thoughts after viewing The Falling Man. Instantly, I was back in my classroom in 2001, listening to my then 2nd graders describe the images they were seeing on TV. Today, I was hearing a touching reflection from a student that I have always found to be thoughtful and wise beyond his years. I was touched to tears.
Mike didn't want his students just to respond to the media. He didn't just throw some links together when he saw the date approaching on the calendar. He was very intentional, and wanted to promote inquiry. So, on that day when he started the lesson, he posed this essential question:
How has life changed in my community, city, or state because of 9/11?
He didn't want facts or dates or random information. He wanted to know the impact it had on our lives. That essential question is so very important to all of history. In this case, it certainly helped his students understand, and I'm sure they will never forget.
Thanks, Mike, for letting me walk in that day. It made a huge impact on me.
No comments:
Post a Comment