1
00:00:25,751 --> 00:00:27,710
Mikela Tarlow: So how do we prepare kids

2
00:00:27,711 --> 00:00:29,939
for the future
that they are going to face?

3
00:00:29,940 --> 00:00:31,141
Because I believe

4
00:00:31,142 --> 00:00:35,470
when these kids graduate high school,
college, get their first jobs,

5
00:00:35,472 --> 00:00:38,393
I think their future
is going to look radically different.

6
00:00:38,394 --> 00:00:39,951
It's going to change so fast,

7
00:00:39,952 --> 00:00:42,684
I don't think we can even predict
what's going to happen.

8
00:00:42,685 --> 00:00:45,420
So how do we prepare them
for that kind of world?

9
00:00:45,421 --> 00:00:50,395
So, that question has obsessed me
for the last six or seven years.

10
00:00:50,396 --> 00:00:54,294
And I feel like we are slowly stumbling
on some solutions

11
00:00:54,295 --> 00:00:58,350
where we are working with portfolios
that allow kids to find their voice.

12
00:00:58,351 --> 00:01:00,222
We have developed a way for kids

13
00:01:00,223 --> 00:01:02,674
to customize and approach
to an assignment.

14
00:01:02,675 --> 00:01:04,931
So 20 kids can have the same assignment,

15
00:01:04,932 --> 00:01:09,003
but each find their own way
into approaching that same assignment.

16
00:01:09,004 --> 00:01:12,400
But a large part of what we're doing
is project-based learning

17
00:01:12,401 --> 00:01:17,379
where we are asking kids to apply
what they know and make something happen.

18
00:01:17,380 --> 00:01:19,150
We call it action-based learning,

19
00:01:19,151 --> 00:01:21,933
because we're asking them
to go even further than that

20
00:01:21,934 --> 00:01:24,583
and to make a real difference
in the world.

21
00:01:24,584 --> 00:01:29,602
So one of our partners in this has been
Stone Creek Middle School here in Edwards.

22
00:01:29,603 --> 00:01:31,905
I'd like to introduce
three of the students

23
00:01:31,906 --> 00:01:34,275
who have been working with us
for quite a while.

24
00:01:34,276 --> 00:01:37,519
This is Conrad, Troy, and Nicole.

25
00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,080
So my first question is to you, Conrad.

26
00:01:41,110 --> 00:01:45,069
You have just started working
with project-based learning.

27
00:01:45,070 --> 00:01:47,508
I am wondering
what the impact has been for you.

28
00:01:47,509 --> 00:01:49,849
Conrad: I definitely become
a better researcher.

29
00:01:49,850 --> 00:01:54,541
Because with my project
there wasn't too much about the topic

30
00:01:54,542 --> 00:01:56,503
that I was doing, net zero energy.

31
00:01:56,504 --> 00:02:01,917
So I had to go to some sites
that I wouldn't normally go to.

32
00:02:01,918 --> 00:02:04,085
M.T.: So you start to think
outside the box?

33
00:02:04,086 --> 00:02:05,612
Conrad: Yeah.
M.T: OK.

34
00:02:05,613 --> 00:02:07,968
Troy: It has taught me
how to be a better leader,

35
00:02:07,969 --> 00:02:11,170
and that a leader is not someone
who is mean to their employees

36
00:02:11,171 --> 00:02:13,191
or bosses their group members around.

37
00:02:13,192 --> 00:02:14,987
They find everybody's strengths

38
00:02:14,988 --> 00:02:17,987
and help them work together
as a good group

39
00:02:17,988 --> 00:02:20,421
and make them feel empowered,

40
00:02:20,422 --> 00:02:25,021
and that way, your project will get done
in a much more efficient and fast way.

41
00:02:25,022 --> 00:02:27,639
Nicole: It has taught me
not to feel scared.

42
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:30,849
Because deep inside of me,
I want ideas to be expressed,

43
00:02:30,850 --> 00:02:34,308
but I am always scared about being judged
or being called different.

44
00:02:34,309 --> 00:02:37,021
And now I know
that I don't have to worry about that.

45
00:02:37,022 --> 00:02:39,057
MT: So let me ask you another question.

46
00:02:39,058 --> 00:02:41,951
You've been watching
a lot of your friends go through this.

47
00:02:41,952 --> 00:02:44,519
You have been watching
the whole class go through it.

48
00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:45,956
I will start with you, Nicole.

49
00:02:45,957 --> 00:02:47,630
What kind of changes have you seen

50
00:02:47,631 --> 00:02:49,778
in your friends and others
you have watched?

51
00:02:49,779 --> 00:02:51,853
Nicole: Well, I have two personal friends.

52
00:02:51,854 --> 00:02:54,842
They are like anti-social.
They really don't talk with anyone.

53
00:02:54,843 --> 00:02:58,611
But when the problem-based learning day
comes, they are jumping off the walls,

54
00:02:58,612 --> 00:03:00,975
they are talking,
and interacting with everyone.

55
00:03:00,976 --> 00:03:02,651
They are totally different persons.

56
00:03:02,652 --> 00:03:05,188
Troy: My friends have
so much more self-confidence,

57
00:03:05,189 --> 00:03:07,742
because they feel
that they can create an idea.

58
00:03:07,743 --> 00:03:10,916
No matter how crazy it may seem,
no one will judge them.

59
00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,234
They can make it into a great project
that everyone will be very proud of.

60
00:03:15,866 --> 00:03:18,824
Conrad: My friends-- we did
a couple of projects last year.

61
00:03:18,825 --> 00:03:21,739
When it came to the day to do it,
they are all just blah,

62
00:03:21,740 --> 00:03:25,884
and now when it comes to
the project-based learning day,

63
00:03:25,885 --> 00:03:28,244
they are all just bouncing off the walls

64
00:03:28,244 --> 00:03:30,723
and are really happy
kind of like Nicole's friends.

65
00:03:30,724 --> 00:03:32,587
MT: Let me ask you one more thing.

66
00:03:32,588 --> 00:03:36,750
So the whole intention of this
is to prepare you for the future,

67
00:03:36,751 --> 00:03:40,132
for what you are going to face
in the future.

68
00:03:40,133 --> 00:03:41,413
So how do you feel,

69
00:03:41,414 --> 00:03:44,803
do you think it has prepared you
for the road ahead?

70
00:03:44,804 --> 00:03:46,348
Troy: I really feel it has,

71
00:03:46,349 --> 00:03:50,044
because in our future jobs we are not
going to be doing huge algebra problems.

72
00:03:50,044 --> 00:03:52,364
We are going to be working
on practical problems,

73
00:03:52,364 --> 00:03:55,192
and we are going to have to know
how to put a plan together,

74
00:03:55,192 --> 00:03:56,964
and how to put that plan in action.

75
00:03:56,965 --> 00:03:58,876
Nicole: I agree with what Troy said.

76
00:03:58,877 --> 00:04:00,839
You can't just sit at that table and say,

77
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,775
I am going work on
my personal problems for 30 minutes.

78
00:04:03,776 --> 00:04:05,532
You can't do that.

79
00:04:05,533 --> 00:04:08,502
You have to think about
what you are going to do in that moment

80
00:04:08,503 --> 00:04:12,140
you have to think everything effectively,
and everything will turn out right.

81
00:04:12,141 --> 00:04:17,348
Conrad: People should include more
problem-based learning in their curricula

82
00:04:17,349 --> 00:04:21,091
because it definitely prepares kids
more for the world ahead of them.

83
00:04:21,093 --> 00:04:24,508
MT: So thank you.
I hope you enjoyed our dialogue.

84
00:04:24,509 --> 00:04:26,413
Students: Thank you.

85
00:04:26,414 --> 00:04:27,904
(Applause)