Yesterday my high school students painted more on the Bevin's Skiff, bringing them nearly to a point of completion. The students have taken great pride in them and their work as you can see.
Jerome Bruner and others have talked about education as being a process of scaffolding. Bruner's concept of scaffolding comes from his recognition that the development of human intellect is sustained by an external skeleton as described below:
“(a) Human’s use of mind is dependent upon her/his ability to develop and use tools or instruments or technologies that make it possible for him to express and amplify her/his powers”Scaffolds in the building trades are constructed of light weight components that allow workers to safely reach heights beyond the safety of ladders. The idea of scaffolding is an apt metaphor for what we would like to happen in schools.
Of what is the educational scaffold made? Here is an idea. Experience, what the child already knows, forms the foundation from which inquiry takes place. Technology plays a part, as Einstein said, "My pencil and I are smarter than I am." You can think of the computer as the pencil on steroids. The teacher plays his or her part as a pry bar, attempting to inspire, challenge and steady the child's climb. A fourth component has to do with the school culture. Does it support an atmosphere of inquiry, of creativity and creative expression for teachers and students alike? If we had the fundamental materials of scaffold building on site, what wonders would we behold in American education! Can you see it from where you are? Use scaffolding to get a better view.
Make, fix, and create. Assist others in learning likewise.
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