Mike Wesh

At the start of the Ted Talk, Mike Wesch points out the flaws in the statement "some students just aren't cut out for school" by replacing it with the phrase "some students just aren't cut out for learning," which he believes is inherently untrue. Wesch points out that all humans are meant for learning, and that we have just created school systems that don't help all students learn.

Wesch found out through interviewing his students that the questions that really drive students in the classroom are "Who am I? What am I going to do? How am I going to make it?" He says that these are the big questions that are motivating students to learn, yet most students don't get to engage with them during school. I will admit that I find this to be a massive challenge- Wesch is teaching in the context of a university, but I am teaching middle school students in a science class. How can I help my students address these questions and make what we're learning in my class relevant to their lives?

I think the most important thing Wesch found in his discoveries was students need to be able to ask questions, make connections, and take chances. Specifically, when it comes to taking chances, he focuses on students' abilities to get through difficult challenges and find a way to get up and try again. He uses the example of how his son, George, constantly falls and gets back up with a smile on his face as he tries to learn how to climb the stairs. He also gives the example of one of his students going through a difficult time with his wife and finding strength in the notion that we are all our own "heroes" going through trials (like in the hero's journey), which helped him resolve his problems. 

I think the example he provided that struck me the most, however, was when Wesch decided to assemble a group of students together who did not have traditionally good grades, but had great skills that they were using outside of the classroom. When he found a way for them to learn using skills they were proud of, they were able to work together, face challenges, and succeed. 

I definitely resonate with the steps of asking questions, making connections, and taking chances. I am already trying to find ways to frame what we are learning next year in my science class to those tasks. I hope I can apply them in a way to make learning relevant to my students, and help them learn how to get through challenges in order to try again.