I got my first taste of interdisciplinary learning when I was in the seventh grade. The fact that I can remember the lessons, the outcomes and the experience itself more than 40 years later is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary and experiential learning.
When I was in my student teaching immersion in college, I worked with an amazing mentor teacher who allowed me to see the joy of this learning model from the other side. The questions students asked and the amount of engagement we saw solidified what I already knew: Educators must get children involved in the learning process.
This week on the Education Evolution podcast, I’m sharing some of the research out there around interdisciplinary education and what it looks like in real time. Every child in schools today will grow up to be part of the larger world. Don’t we owe it to them to allow them to use the skills they’re learning right away, rather than relying on rote memorization?
Jump Through the Conversation
[1:12] How Maureen experienced experiential learning in 7th grade
[3:11] What, why and how of experiential learning
[3:38] Why teachers should go through the work of creating interdisciplinary lessons
[7:53] How LEADPrep prepared to “go interdisciplinary”
[10:20] What our version of interdisciplinary will look like for the fall
[13:25] Tapping into educators with more experience
[14:32] Maureen’s Magic Wand: The isolated silos of each subject becomes real-world blended and relevant for our learners
Links and Resources:
- Open Learn’s Benefits of Interdisciplinary Studies
- Interdisciplinary Learning Works: The Results of a Comprehensive Assessment of Students and Student Learning Outcomes in an Integrative Learning Community
- The University of the Future Will Be Interdisciplinary
- Bank Street College of Education graduate institution in NYC
- Bank Street K-8 Demonstration School
- Bank Street – Sky’s the Limit: elementary unit in NY studying own models of multipurpose skyscrapers
- Bank Street – Studying the Subway: first grade interdisciplinary study
- Juliani’s Launch Model – design thinking
- Andy Smallman
- Amanda Kern Chambers of the Teton Science School
- Learn more about multi-tiered systems of support
- Find out about LEADPrep’s multi-tiered systems of support
- Email Maureen
- Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
- Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
- LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
- Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.
Latest Episodes
Education as a Human Right with William Tucker
Every human on the planet has a right to an education. And, more importantly, a right to the education that they need and want. In Western culture, that often looks like traditional education…sitting in seats in classrooms and memorizing vocabulary and historical...
Imagine Seeing the World as One with Rekha Magon
One of the challenges with traditional education settings is that you’re bound to the same place for nine or more months every year. Slow travel, or really learning about a culture or community is difficult, if not impossible. But the reality is that taking kids out...
What Do You Want from Education with Lainie Liberti
A question we don’t ask enough is what we want from education. Of course we all want well-rounded young adults when they’re done with school, people who can become productive members of our society and who also have a healthy worldview. But our schools are not...
Latest Blog Posts
Why Isn’t Educational Change Happening?
School change is so much harder than I thought! When I did my doctoral research on school innovation and created a hands-on learning school-within-a-school in the 90s, I had no idea that I’d spend the next few decades making tiny changes. Changes that often...
Instilling a Practice of Gratitude in Uncertain Times
Thanksgiving looks different this year. Traditions are being shattered in 2020 and new realities are emerging. Thanksgiving is no exception. After Canada’s Thanksgiving in October, COVID statistics jumped, reminding us that, sadly, the pandemic isn’t taking a break...
Building Interdisciplinary Learning into Traditional Classrooms
A traditional classroom setting is just that...traditional. Teachers must teach specific subjects for a required amount of time, often using prescribed curriculum materials that may be a decade old. There’s little consideration for the individual learner--their...
Categories
Coming Soon
Subscribe
Related Posts
Imagine Seeing the World as One with Rekha Magon
But the reality is that taking kids out of their comfort zones and letting them learn and live in other areas can teach them about kindness, purpose, building relationships, and so much more.
What Do You Want from Education with Lainie Liberti
This week on the podcast, Lainie is sharing her experience with parenting and teaching in the real world and how she and her son are supporting other families to do the same.
Immersive Project-Based Learning Abroad with Joann McPike
THINK Global School was founded on the idea that students should learn the things that matter in the grand scheme of things, rather than what we’ve “always” learned. The structure is so interesting and immersive, and it’s one that I hope gains some traction in the future.
Sign Up for Podcast & Blog Updates
and Get our Free Guide:
Five Interdependent Hacks to Lead the Creation of a Learner-Centered Culture!
By providing your email address you are agreeing to receive email communications from Education Evolution.
You can unsubscribe at any time.