Spaces to Explore and to Excel

Recently our church choir extended an offer to the rest of the congregation to come to rehearsals only for the first thirty minutes — anyone who wanted — so that they could join in preparing to sing Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” The choir would thus temporarily expand, and people who did not want to commit to full-time participation in the choir could join in for this special event.

A similar principle used to be more common in schools. After-school clubs, for example, existed to allow students to sample activities and to participate in some that they did not have time or inclination to take as classes or full-scale extracurriculars. Unfortunately, in many schools these types of “sampler” activities have fallen victim to funding cutbacks or simply the crush of other activities that fill the lives of teens, preteens, and even younger students. Creating spaces within classes for exploration thus becomes even more important.

I well recall a unit on demonstration speeches that I taught in a ninth-grade English class. Students were encouraged to choose as their topic something that they really did and for which they felt as though they had some expertise. They would explore the topic, one they already knew and liked, to such an extent that they could then explain it to their classmates. Virtually any topic was fair game to sample.

One boy, who struggled with most class assignments, if he did them at all, and seldom participated in class discussions, chose skateboarding as his topic. And he did a fantastic demonstration speech. He not only showed and talked about skateboarding techniques but also explained the technology behind various types of boards and wheel assemblies. He truly was an expert, and his demonstration speech showed it. Moreover, the new approval he received from his classmates (and me) raised his self-esteem. Thereafter, though he never excelled in the class, his work improved and he was more willing to take part in discussions.

The point is this: Students need opportunities to explore and to excel. When their explorations are validated, that positive energy spills over into other areas — and the boost to self-esteem builds confidence to tackle new learning. Schools may not be in a position to reinstate or revitalize lost activities, but individual teachers can ensure that, in their classrooms, spaces exist for students to explore and experiment by focusing on topics that are meaningful to them and at which they can excel.