“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.”
– Dolly Parton
If I have any superpower as an educator, it is not even thinking about things that consume most others. For fifteen annual institutes, Constructing Modern Knowledge has maintained a consistent pedagogical approach based on constructionism and a faith in the creativity, confidence, curiosity, and competence of teachers. Like Dolly Parton teaches us, a considerable amount of thought and effort goes into creating a learning environment in which anything is possible and where expectations are frequently eclipsed.
While the tools and technologies have changed over the years, the simple provocation of “What would you like to make?” has served us well. Our summer institute is a bespoke, curated, and intentional environment designed to incubate knowledge construction.
The Secret Sauce (shhh!)
CMK’s uncompromising constructionism and undying confidence in teacher competency and creativity is dependent on the following elements:
- Lack of coercion
- Absence of instruction
- Access to expertise
- Sufficient time
- Space to build, dream, explore, spy…
- Availability of materials, tools, technology, junk, toys, books. craft supplies, and a surgically enhanced Eyore.
These elements combine to create confidence, competence, courage, and change in the educators brave enough to take off their teacher hat and put on a learner hat for a few days.
Please join us at the last Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute, July 9-12, 2024.
Read part 1 of this series about the cure for learning loss.
