In this episode, Aaron Maurer (Coffee For The Brain, Smart Robotics with LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor), Beth Campbell (teacher-librarian, Forest Grove Elementary), and Sarah Vice (6th grade educator, Forest Grove Elementary) discussion how education is hard. Rebalancing our mindset and learning space can be even harder when so much is swirling in the realms of chaos. Let's take a breath and explore how a year of pushing our growth edges in authentic learning and project based learning transformed learning for students and educators. Come discover what happens when we give ourselves permission to draw on our courage to navigate ambiguity!  

Beth Campbell

Beth Campbell is currently the teacher librarian at Forest Grove Elementary School in Bettendorf, IA and an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa in the Library and Information Science Department.  During her lengthy career in education, she has advocated for the school experience to be relevant, authentic and meaningful,  while also elevating opportunities for student voice.

Her  innovative work with students’ podcasting can be found on iTunes, Voiced.Ca and other hosting platforms. She co-designed the instructional frame of Design.Drive.Do with Sarah Vice.  She has co-authored an article on Student Voice with Allison Zmuda, which was published in School Library Connection.  Creating a #CultureOfReaders has been at the foundation of her work in and out of the library.  

Sarah Vice

Sarah Vice has taught a plethora of grade levels and is currently a sixth grade teacher at Forest Grove Elementary School in Bettendorf, IA.  She has a Masters’ Degree in Educational Administration. She has helped open two elementary buildings within the Pleasant Valley School District.  As a National Geography certified educator, she shares her leadership and vision with others as the district’s grade level lead teacher.  Sarah also co-designed the instructional framework of Design.Drive.Do with Beth Campbell to help equip teachers and students. She believes in being courageous, taking risks and being an advocate for her students to empower them  to see the possibilities all around them.

Permission was granted to share the conversation via my podcast. The original conversation was hosted July 6th, 2022 by What Schools Could Be

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The show is on Spotify!

TOPICS WE EXPLORE

1. Weaving all the learning together
2. Grappling with thick questions
3. How do we layer this learning and type of learning space of student ownership within the classroom?
4. Learning how to have an organic conversations with adults vs. reading from a script is one of the most valuable life skills.
5. How do you deal with students who are rather shy and quiet?
6. Power of experts
7. Focus on undoing the school part of the thinking students have that limit their boundaries of new thought
8. Just be a normal human being. You can't script everything.
9. Most Likely To Succeed

YOUR CHALLENGE

Explore the classroom project from this past school year

• If interested in learning how to do this work or possibly join this project this year, then head here

Leave a comment and let’s engage in conversation around the ideas shared, what further questions you have, or what you want to know more about for your own learning journey.

Join a community of deep thinkers around education at What Schools Could Be Community

VIDEO VERSION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xppCYnrBYc8