Beginning With The End In Mind
Education does wonderful things. It can teach core skills like reading, writing, math and science. Strong social connections and experiences are a vital part of the student journey. Eventually, preschool students go to elementary school, on to middle school and finally to high school where they graduate launching into a whole world of opportunities. Being prepared for those opportunities is one of the main goals of any school system and LaRue County Schools is taking that calling to the next level.
Throughout last year, community members along with school staff joined together to create the LaRue County Learner Profile. This document describes the necessary skills a student will have as a graduate from LaRue County High School being built all the way back from Preschool onward.
For most parents and members of the community, the question tends to be, “What does this look like in my child’s classroom?” That’s where things get interesting.
LaRue County teachers use a variety of strategies to help students go deeper with their learning. Project Based Learning (PBL) is one example that has been around for a long time. A concept is taught to students through a mix of hands-on, creative problem-solving, and engaging activities. While this concept isn’t new, its focus is being renewed in helping students achieve the goals in the LaRue County Learner Profile.
Summer Garris, a teacher at LCHS, is part of a group of teachers across the district who are intentionally focusing on teaching state standards prescribed by the KY General Assembly through PBL. As she describes, it’s something she’s been passionate about for years, “In this style of learning students have an authentic experience. They get to work like they will after graduating, entering their chosen profession. They learn how to receive a challenge, design a solution, test the solution, and then develop the grit and resiliency to keep going until they achieve the goal set before them.”
In Garris’ experience, this type of learning carries over directly into her students being better prepared for life after high school, “Our students are on a number of different paths after they walk across the stage and receive their diploma - military, trade school, workforce, college/university, etc. Yet, they all need these essential skills: collaborative communicator, resilient problem solver, responsible individual, life-long learner, and engaged citizen. Learning through this style helps accomplish these goals set in the Learner Profile because they are embodying these characteristics through their active participation in project-based learning.”
All parents/guardians can agree life after high school is full of unknown and unknowable challenges. There are simply situations that arise with solutions that cannot specifically be taught in school. Yet, Garris points out, this is precisely why this style of learning is vital, “Education isn’t meant to teach absolutely everything a student is meant to learn - that’s the beauty of life and the experiences we have along the way. But, what we can teach them is how to navigate challenges and have the essential tools necessary to conquer whatever obstacles they encounter. If we can do that, we have done our job as educators.”
