Dr. Fletcher
Our students met with Dr. Fletcher this morning. No, not Dr. Ruth Fletcher, Dr. Chip Fletcher (her husband). Interim dean of UHM SOEST, he's clearly a busy guy but Dr. Ruth volunteered him to spend some time with our students and let us pick his brain.
What amazes me about some people (I'm referring to the Fletchers here) is you can throw out almost anything about almost any topic and they will have some insightful widsom to bestow. Students in each group got to ask him questions that were plaguing their project and also environmental questions/questions about him as a scientist and a learner. Each time he had unparalleled advice to give. Our students brought their A game with their questions and wonderings and he was so encouraging and helpful. It really was a treat to have our students spend an hour with an expert in the field.
Mahalo Drs. Fletcher!
Awesome, Denalee! You brought in an expert, and students asked great questions to bring clarity to the questions that had been plaguing them. So often, when students are stuck, we give them answers or tell them where to look. You didn't do that; you brought in an expert and the students asked the questions. I applaud Dr. Fletcher for his willingness to answer the students' questions in a way that made sense for them.
ReplyDeleteI also see that you are documenting your project journey through this blog. Wonderful! Short posts along the way will help you when you are working on your final presentation.
I can't wait to see what you share next!
What an awesome opportunity to provide your students an experience to work with Dr. Fletcher who has such a wealth of information. Not only were they able to ask about their wonderings, they also were able to feel the dynamics of learning together, building on each other's probing questions and realize that primary resources are current and relevant. Your own observation of the dynamics through this interaction can be part of the journey in learning about how students learn, retain and apply concepts to real world situations. What a great day for all!
ReplyDeleteI am going to echo Jan's and Ann's comments, Denalee, and add one more thought. Over the years I came to see my father, Dr. Fred Reppun in the same way you see Ruth and Chip Fletcher, meaning it seemed like he could converse and add wisdom to any topic, any conversation. I know now that I admired that about him (Jan, thinking of the comment you made in the JamBoard about your father) and, most importantly, wanted to "be like Dr. Reppun." I wonder that your kids might have come away from the experience with Chip Fletcher thinking, "I wonder what it would take to become like him? What are the skills, habits, dispositions and knowledge I need to gain to rise to the level of Dr. Chip Fletcher?" As you noted in your blog, I believe that process of becoming starts with questions. So bravo to you and Trevor!
ReplyDeleteDenalee, thank you for demonstrating how teaching and learning should extend beyond the classroom using experts who can offer students a real-world connection. Thank you for empowering your students to develop their own questions to provide authentic interaction with Dr. Fletcher, their mentor snd guide. In the Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Framework, the highest form of relevance is when students apply their learning to real-world unpredictable situations. You certainly ensured the students moved one step closer to true relevance. Giving your students the opportunity to be in the presence of an authentic "sensei" allows them to understand the grit and determination required to become an expert in one's field.
ReplyDeleteGreat work Denalee! Mahalo for the kind words. I am so glad this worked out for you, Trevor and your students. Chip absolutely loved his time with your fabulous students and is grateful that you are educating them about how to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis through creative problem solving and focused actions. Bravo!
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