A few years ago, I got to be part of a design challenge with 3rd graders who read a book and empathized with a character to design a solution that would help other students who feel invisible at school and in their families.
Facilitated by the amazing Kaleb Rashad at High Tech High, these students read, wrote, collaborated, and designed solutions to a problem that plagues people of all ages: despite being increasingly connected, people often feel isolated. These 3rd graders had some amazing ideas for how to solve this challenge in our communities.
When we value kids and see them as capable and honor their ideas and expertise in the learning process, we often can learn more than we teach. This lesson supported students to be better readers, writers, and thinkers while also developing their character to empathize and be good citizens in their communities. It is a reminder to me, and hopefully to you, that young people are capable of solving big problems, and it is so powerful when we create opportunities for them to develop and showcase these skills.
