Interviewing

Interviewing (as in the students conducting an interview with peers, family, school staff etc.) is a wonderful method for:

• Developing communications skills
• Comparing informal and formal language
• Introducing the concept of code switching
• Conducting content specific surveys and data collection
• Preparing for job interviews
• Establishing self-awareness and building confidence 

The following resource from the d school may when building lessons that utilize students interviews.

Link: Interview Preparation from the d school @ Stanford

Brainstorming

"Ok, go ahead and brainstorm X number of ideas...." I have said this, I venture to guess that if you are reading this then you too have said this. I have also been the person at the receiving end of this request thinking sarcastically "if only it were that easy". As educators it is fair that we ask students to develop a plan or to brainstorm however it is not fair to reason that unlike every other skill that we ask our students to demonstrate that brainstorming is somehow exempt from scaffolding. So here are some resources to utilize when brainstorming:

Brainstorming Rules:

1. One conversation at a time
2. Quantity over quality at this point
3. Headline
4. Build on other's ideas
5. Encourage wild ideas
6. Be visual
7. Stay on topic
8. Defer judgement- no blocking

Source: Link to the d school @ Stanford

*The d school brought us the Design Thinking process and has may great resources available for educators, while you are browsing check this out...

Design Thinking for Educators- Resources from the d school

Design Thinking for Educators Tool Kit

Graphic Organizers: I am a big fan of graphic organizers and list making in order to generate ideas. The following is a series of graphic organizers that I have used to introduce an entrepreneurial unit during which the students will be asked to create a service or product to address a need within the community.

STEM

In a recent PD on integrating STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math) held at RAFT (Resource Area for Teachers) I was introduced to the following flow chart:

As a certified art educator I will admit that I have allowed myself to function under the stereotype that I am a right brained thinker... an intuitive out of the box creative type who is therefore not expected to be good at science or math. Because of this limiting definition of self, I have not always embraced STEM integration with the same passion and vigor that I would defend the value of arts integration or the need for sustained and substantial electives course offerings. This PD however was the access point that I needed in order to embrace the other skills and characteristics that I possess, because after all no one is honestly all right or left brained. I appreciated this graphic because I was able to see how the scientific process of exploration/discover, analysis/feedback, and benefits/outcomes so neatly mirrors the methods and strategies that I utilize not only in my curriculum design but also in my art making processes. I am sharing the flow chart as I find it a natural complement to many units and concepts addressed through my organization including but not limited to:

• Design Thinking Protocols
• "Shark Tank" or Entrepreneurship and Innovation Content/Unit
• College and Career Research

I challenge educators such as my self, who have resisted STEM integration to at the very least use this flow chart when developing and implementing protocols within your class (as I am sure that you already are, though perhaps without the scientific context).