Dorothea Ramsey

A student tells us they want to become an engineer. We encourage them to aim high. Then we hand them a science lab where every step is already decided, every procedure is written out, and there's almost nothing left for them to figure out. There's a place for structured lessons. Students need foundational knowledge, examples, and practice. But they also need opportunities to apply what they've learned in situations where the answers aren't already laid out for them. What if students had to design part of the experiment themselves? Decide what evidence to collect? Figure out why something didn't work and what to try next? Those experiences give students a chance to discover what they're capable of, sometimes in ways we never anticipated. We spend a lot of time encouraging students to believe in their potential. We should spend just as much time creating opportunities for them to explore it.