Wrap-up of a Wonderful Extern Experience

               I believe I was in a very ideal situation through this experience. I reaped the benefits to the maximum. As I accomplished tasks given by my employer, I also had time to work on projects relating to school as I learned about the company and used the experiences and resources that surrounded me by being at Merrill.

                I learned some very good applications as I worked on my tasks here. Some of those applications included: 1.) As I worked on my “Surface Area Project,” I used surface area formulas and other formulas to figure out if a hydrant could be used by humans for drinking water. This project also looked at the huge role variables and algebra has in solving real life problems. 2.) The importance of finding trends in and coming up with models/equations to make predictions as I worked on the “Production Trend Project.” 3.) I discovered how Excel is a technology tool we should be familiarizing students with because I used it in all of the projects I did at Merrill. 4.) I worked with averages and standard deviation to set manufacturing target goals. 5.) I saw the importance of using conversions as I examined freight shipment quotes. 6.) I found I need to implement the 21^st century skills, especially communication, problem solving and reasoning into my classes.

                There was such great value in working with my math skills hands-on this summer. Everyone of course encounters math on a daily basis. I am different in that when I do, I have that constant sometimes nagging question- Can I get my students to experience this math like I am experiencing it right now or could I turn this into a project that will make math more real for my students? And, as long as you are a teacher with that constant nagging question, you will fly and create wonderful things; it only takes the encounter of real, applicable math, some creativity and innovation, and some TIME.

                I guess I am most thankful for the time that I did have and the support to work on these projects and activities that blossomed through my work at Merrill. I will say that is the biggest benefit I had in this process. I was able to have a focus on bettering my teaching throughout the summer. I was able to work on a water flow project for my calculus class. I have been working on this project on and off throughout this summer. There was a lot I did not know about hydraulics and water dynamics that I needed in order to make the project I am designing successful. Being that Merrill manufactures and engineers water system parts, I was well surrounded by resources I needed to ask any questions. I have to also mention, the pay was wonderful too. I felt well compensated, if not a little guilty, that I was being paid for the professional development experience this summer. I learned a lot and made good progress in the creation of projects and unit planning.

                This experience was absolutely priceless for me. The list of benefits that go named and will continue to arise from this for me is something I am so thankful for. 

Opening the Doors to Business and Education Collaboration

I saw first hand how much good the collaboration of the business world and education world can be. I had a unit about percentages and exponential models where I used loans and interest as the application. Students were to create a request for a loan. They were to prepare their loan proposal to actually present to a loan officer from the bank in town where they showed knowledge of exponential growth. Knowing this “outsider” person would analyze their project and give them feedback made them work hard. Those that did not work effectively and efficiently on the project faced the real sense of the consequences of ill-preparation. I am very thankful to the volunteer loan officer that came in.

The obvious answer for more involvement is to bring in the employees or administration of these businesses into the classroom. My employer mentioned doing this before where a school ran a program and he was asked to speak about is position to students. He stopped when the school no longer extended the reach out.

                If all businesses had it as a priority to get involved in young peoples’ lives from just talking with them to forming mentoring and educational relationships, there would be so much more engagement from students. Unfortunately, I realize that the priority for businesses is to keep themselves afloat. Their job is not to understand standards, how students learn, and create engaging, relevant learning experiences that will spark the curiosity of our workers to-be. BUT, the brilliant, specialized minds in the working world have the ability, and it becomes the educators job to open the doors and force these brilliant minds to volunteer (I'd pay them if I could). I know most people would not turn down a request of help toward students’ education.

               

                This is where the teacher takes on a time-consuming challenge. Oh, to just KNOW how to engage the students- if only I could whip units, activities, and lessons out. The design of applicable lessons where real-life experiences become clear and motivating to students is a big picture goal. Finding businesses willing to be involved could be a huge aide in achieving the goal.

There are a couple ways I see teachers designing units involving businesses:

1.)    The teacher can use the business to give feedback: I really liked the loan unit I taught. I will boast a bit, and say it was a very strong unit. There can be a more real drive for students if a particular business is involved in critiquing and giving feedback. The learning experience results in more than just an “A” or a “D”.

2.)    The teacher can use the expertise of businesses to help learn new things to teach to students: I just recently designed a pump as inspired by the work I was doing at this company. Merrill produces water systems of all sorts, so the knowledge here on water flow, fluid dynamics, and general physics can be found if I ask the right people. I am in the process of designing a lesson which has to do with the rates of water flow in various pump designs. By default, I am in the position to ask for help from “experts” for I am by no means an expert of water works. My ignorance on fluid dynamics, for example, could have easily stopped me at one point from attempting a project like this. I have a good resource here, I am dedicating the time, and the project will be created. There are a lot of projects and applications where non-expertise has stopped me in the past. I did not have the expertise of computer programming. I did not have the expertise of wind turbines. Time would just not allow for the research required to make lessons surrounding applications like programming or aerodynamics for example. The solution… find the experts. We need to expend the time and energy to make worthwhile activities and projects for students. The reward of will be great: engagement from the students, a potentially fascinating learning experience for all, and who knows, maybe an invaluable business partner who KNOWS HOW to spark the students curiosity- they just needed that open door.