Yesterday, my son and his buddies created a video for their Grade 11 Socials class. The topic was “World War I Weapons and Technology “. It was a collaborative, entertaining effort and I enjoyed experiencing the enthusiasm that the project created. When asked about the purpose behind the video, my son explained that it was to present the various fighting machines used during the war. I was reluctant to criticize but I had to ask some questions about their topic. Had they made any comparisons? Had they looked into the affects of these weapons on war tactics or the soldiers involved? Would they have changed anything if they had been a soldier at that time? I’m not an expert on WW1, but certainly this project should have gone deeper than merely a show-and-tell on WW1 weaponry.
Later that evening I reflected on my reflections. I was surprised at my ability and need to find something more worthwhile and enduring in this assignment. I felt sad for these boys, who could have gone deeper and made more connections with their inquiry. Somewhere along the way, I have begun to develop a sense for good questions. I have also seen how inquiries that challenge thinking, awaken students to new possibilities and ideas. Like my wish for those Grade 11 boys, I desire to create such a learning environment in my classroom.