Preparing our High School Students for the Future They Want | Steven Bryson | TEDxGuelphU

TL;DR

High school education transformation through community exposure, self-efficacy skills, and embracing failure.

Transcript

think back to when you're in high school sitting in those neat little rows raising your hand to use a washroom and there were probably so many times you thought when in the world anything that I'm learning will ever be relevant in my life now for me personally high school was tough you see growing up I'd always been considered smart but a school go... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 High school struggles with relevance can lead to uncertainty post-graduation.
• 🧑‍🎓 Exposing students to real-world opportunities can inspire and motivate them.
• 🤳 Teaching self-efficacy skills is crucial for student confidence and success.
• ❓ Embracing failure as a learning opportunity is essential for growth.
• 🎓 Innovation in education can be achieved through community involvement.
• 🧑‍🎓 Stories can engage students and convey important messages effectively.
• 🧑‍🎓 Addressing equity and inclusion through storytelling benefits student learning.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the speaker's personal struggles in high school lead to the creation of Innovation Week?

The speaker faced uncertainty post-graduation, inspiring him to expose students to real-world opportunities through Innovation Week at St. Mary's High School.

Q: What are the key components of Innovation Week?

Innovation Week consists of presentations by community leaders, lunchtime activities, and workshops in various fields like drone development and computer programming.

Q: Why did community leaders participate in Innovation Week?

Community leaders participated in Innovation Week to inspire students based on their own high school experiences and to contribute positively to the community.

Q: How did teaching self-efficacy skills and embracing failure impact the speaker's students?

Teaching self-efficacy skills and embracing failure helped the speaker's students build confidence and resilience, preparing them for future challenges.

Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses the need for a shift in education for high school students. He highlights three major shifts that need to occur: exposing students to the amazing opportunities in their community, giving them the confidence to pursue their dreams, and reframing failure as a stepping stone to success. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of storytelling and inclusivity in education and shares personal experiences and examples to support his points.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is it important to expose students to the opportunities in their community?

Exposing students to the opportunities in their community gives them a vision of the future and helps them understand what is out there for them. It allows them to explore different fields and interests beyond what they may see in their everyday lives.

Q: How can educators give students the confidence to pursue their dreams?

Educators can teach students the skills of self-efficacy, such as grit, self-discipline, and a growth mindset. By showing students that their abilities can develop and improve with effort, educators can help them believe in their own potential and pursue their dreams with confidence.

Q: How can failure be reframed as a positive experience?

Failure should be seen as an important step along the journey to success, rather than a negative outcome. By reframing failure as a learning opportunity and encouraging students to embrace it, educators can help students develop resilience, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks.

Q: How can storytelling be used in education?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that engages students and allows them to relate to the content they are learning. By effectively telling stories, educators can pass on valuable messages, teach important lessons, and promote empathy and inclusivity. Stories can also help students see themselves in their learning by featuring diverse role models and experiences.

Q: Why is inclusivity important in education?

Inclusivity ensures that all students can see themselves in their learning and feel represented. By sharing stories and experiences of ethnic minorities, educators can help students relate to the content and learn important lessons about resilience, perseverance, and overcoming challenges.

Q: How can educators embed important skills and characteristics in the curriculum?

Educators can embed important skills and characteristics in the curriculum by effectively incorporating storytelling and providing real-world examples. By connecting concepts to relatable stories and experiences, educators can engage students and make the content more meaningful and applicable.

Q: What was the outcome of the speaker's growth mindset experiment?

The speaker conducted an experiment where he taught growth mindset training to one group of students and showed a science video to another group. After collecting data for a year, the speaker found no significant difference in academic performance or enjoyment of science between the two groups. However, he still believes that growth mindset is valuable and needs to be integrated into the curriculum in a better way.

Q: What lessons can be learned from Maria Mendeleev's story?

Maria Mendeleev's story teaches lessons of grit, perseverance, and overcoming failure. Despite facing great hardships, Maria was determined to give her children the best education possible, and she went to great lengths to achieve that goal. Her story serves as an inspiration and a reminder of the importance of resilience and never giving up.

Q: How can failure be celebrated in education?

Failure should be celebrated as a stepping stone to greatness. Educators can help students see that failure is not something to be avoided, but rather an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. By celebrating students' efforts and encouraging them to learn from their failures, educators can create a positive learning environment where students are not afraid to take risks and push their limits.

Q: What shifts need to occur in education for high school students?

Three major shifts need to occur in education for high school students. First, students need to be exposed to the opportunities in their community to give them a vision of the future. Second, educators need to teach students the skills of self-efficacy to give them the confidence to pursue their dreams. And finally, failure needs to be reframed as a positive experience, as a necessary step along the journey to greatness. By implementing these shifts, educators can prepare students for success in their future endeavors.

Takeaways

To better serve high school students, education needs to shift in three major ways: providing exposure to the opportunities in their community, teaching them the skills of self-efficacy, and reframing failure as a positive experience. By incorporating storytelling, promoting inclusivity, and celebrating failure as a stepping stone to success, educators can empower students and prepare them for their future endeavors.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• High school struggles with relevance, leading to uncertainty post-graduation.

• Innovation Week introduced at St. Mary's High School to expose students to real-world opportunities.

• Teaching self-efficacy skills and embracing failure crucial for student development.