Teaching to Learn – the Secret of Culminating Events

Last week, the Herons entered Xi'an and the long awaited secret of silk was finally theirs. They received silk cocoons and the tools they needed to process the

Filling the white board with what we've learned

cocoons and get them ready to spin into thread. It was the end of a long journey – across seas and rivers, through mountains, desert and steppes. Before we reached Xi'an, a spy from Emperor Dezong's court offered to share the secret of silk in return for learning some of the the things the caravans had learned along the Silk Road. The Herons obliged and filled the white board with information (which the spy was very happy to receive.)

The letter from the Emperor's Spy

Today a student asked, "Now that we've reached the end of the Silk Road…are we done?" Several students answered the question before I could, "No! We have the culminating event!"

At this point in a theme all of the information that we've learned is adrift in students' minds. They remember bits and pieces but it hasn't become cohesive yet. The culminating event is key to the learning we do; it ties things together and cements them. For many if not most themes, a culminating event gives the learning the shape it needs to become truly meaningful. Things come into focus. Details are fleshed out.

The process is three fold:

First we review as a group – what all did we learn? We fill the board with ideas and information.
Then we prioritize – what was most important? why? what should people really understand about the Silk Road when they leave our culminating event?
Finally, we deepen our understanding by preparing materials to teach our visitors. Inevitably, this preparation leads to more questions and more research.

Beyond the research and content of the theme, preparing for and hosting the culminating event develops students' "soft" skills (a term I've not yet come to terms with). Students must plan, create, problem solve, negotiate, engage, present, answer questions, and work independently. My role fades and I become a glorified gofer, supporting students' work. And by the time the culminating day arrives (December 19, 12:45-2:00) the students have so much ownership that I am no longer needed. The learning has become completely theirs.

We are so excited to bring you on our journey.