Connections Part I

Seated near the back of the theatre to the left, I let the music wash over me. The melody and harmony intertwined to create a whole, the brass, percussion, wind and string sections in perfect balance, while the vocalist added the perfect finish. And somewhere between "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Circle of Life" performances, everything slowed down and became really clear. Parts of my life and goals I have just connected. Thoughts, plans, unfinished blog posts from over the past several weeks all solidified in my mind. It all comes back to connection.

Just one thought sparked the realization- "I wish I could help students feel this joy when they listen to an orchestra." Sitting in the theatre, feelings of happiness, joy, and excitement ran through me- not the typical reaction of the majority of students I've worked with. In reality, the wish is much more substantial that just music. I desire with all my heart for students of all ages to experience joy when learning- to connect the learning and discovery process with accomplishing goals and becoming who they want to be. In keeping with the music theme, as a young violinist I practiced but I didn't have the perspective of how developing that talent could potentially bring me joy and fulfillment. I chose to focus on science education in getting my degree partially because I love science, but a huge factor in my decision is how easily I feel we can connect to science to our daily lives. I struggled for months to narrow down a specialty field, because I'm fascinated by history, I'm enchanted by literature, I'm excited with linguistics, and I'm challenged by mathematics. But more than anything, I want to teach connections.

 

I want to teach students how to connect all of their classes and subject not just to each other, but to themselves personally. As a teacher, I want to help a student to enjoy Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and see how that connects to the progression of scientific discovery. Then to see how that has been hindered and helped in various political environments over the centuries--that content and context both matter. And then I want to guide them as they examine their own thoughts and opinions on scientific advancements and implementation. For this very reason, I have found myself drawn to the Montessori theory and curriculum. Focused on a "hands-on" approach and personal application, one school phrased it like this:

"The integrated curriculum encourages children to make connections between topics—such as scientific discovery and historical context—and to put their educational skills to use. For example, a child working on a science experiment understands the discovery of penicillin in a fungal mold. Taking her learning a step further, with the teacher’s guidance, she then explores penicillin’s possible impact on World War II when it was first widely used to treat soldiers wounded on D-Day. In the process, the child engages language, arts, and communications skills to document and share her findings."

Just like a holistic approach to medicine, it's an all-encompassing approach for learning and discovery. It's about connection. Connecting a textbook to our lives. Connecting a high school class with a potentially lifelong passion. Connecting student to student and student to teacher. It's about figuring out how your math or science class relates to your dreams of being a fashion designer. When we stop considering all of these areas as separate entities, and instead as part of one whole, I truly believe we will start to achieve great things and live up to our true potential.

Let's truly feel the music.