Trusting the Heroes

The Early Learners’ Paleontology quest and exhibition showed strong evidence that the heroes are so much more capable than what we can ever imagine. Choosing this quest on their own gave them the motivation to learn effectively in many different ways during the session. They truly immersed themselves in Paleontology, stepping into the shoes of different Paleontologists we have learned about in our research. They showed tenacity and eagerness to discover new knowledge about the dinosaurs that drew their passions out. One hero, who from the very start did not waver in interest from one dinosaur to another, showed dedication in learning about a group of prehistoric creatures who could fly like birds. She was enamored of her discovery that these creatures were not dinosaurs at all and was determined to learn even more. Another hero was also filled with confidence in defending her newly discovered dinosaur, despite many objections that it did not exist. And the heroes who chose to be paleontologists could not wait to share all the facts they have learned from reading countless books and online research. Giving the heroes choices in their learning empowered them to achieve high standards of excellence.

The heroes themselves set these high standards for their quest. Their exhibition proved that being in control of their learning process allows them to reach these standards free from expectations and limitations imposed upon them. Their choice of roles during the exhibition, either as a Paleontologist or a prehistoric creature, allowed them to independently learn about their role. Their competence in their learning paved the way to confidently come up with creative ideas for the exhibition, which led them to decide on the idea of taking their families on an outdoor adventure along the nature trails that they so enjoyed exploring throughout the quest. Each hero chose the spots for their dinosaurs based on what they have learned about the creatures’ habitats and behaviors. They even insisted that they could build their own dinosaur costumes, which they did by ingeniously using cardboard boxes to make their creatures’ significant body parts. And the heroes who chose to be Paleontologists to guide everyone through the expedition were very assertive that they are up to the task. The Paleontology exhibition proved that the heroes could be truly be trusted to take control of their own learning.

As the heroes reflected on the past session during group discussion, they were asked to rate the quest on a scale of 1 to 10, with regards to how fun the challenges were and how important the challenges were to them. All the heroes vigorously waved all ten fingers in the air for both questions and some even raised their feet up in the air to count their toes too! Many heroes shared that they felt that the quest was important because they learned many new things they did not know before the quest, not only about dinosaurs but also about other prehistoric life, just like real Paleontologists. They also completed individual surveys to rate aspects of the quest, giving it 5 stars for the best and 1 star for the least. Click here to view the survey results. Many heroes said they liked filling out the survey because they felt like their opinion mattered and their feedback was valuable.

If you were a dinosaur, which body part would you use

to defend yourself from predators?

Ever since their Marine Biology quest, the heroes continue to care for the environment as they run to pick up all the litter they find along our nature path. Their little hearts break each time they see litter, eagerly racing each other to pick them up, with such loving concern for God’s creation.

The heroes set high goals for themselves as they tackle their spelling lists. They take turns working on Spelling City projected on the Apple TV, while the rest compete for their turn to go next if they correctly spell the word on the whiteboard first. With the requirement to master Fry words 1 to 100, some heroes chose to start with words 91 to 100 to challenge themselves. Another hero completed several lists in one day. They are determined to remain in their challenge zones to grow their brains.

“Meeting their brains” has helped the heroes develop strategies using metacognitive practices. Each day the heroes used playdough to add each part of the brain to their model and discussed the function of each part. And at the end of the day, they shared how they used that part of the brain. Their awareness and ability to regulate their thinking enabled them to persevere until they met their goals, despite distractions, obstacles, and struggles. Throughout the day, heroes reminded each other, “I am exercising my brain” and “my brain is growing.” Once a hero reflected on her thinking and said, “My brain says it’s too hard. But the Holy Spirit says keep going. The brain is the boss of the body, but the Holy Spirit is the boss of the brain. So I am listening to the Holy Spirit!”

After feeding their brains while staying in their challenge zones throughout the quest, the heroes enjoyed their well-deserved Challenge donut party, since they filled in all the sprinkles on their Challenge donuts. As they have insisted from the very beginning of the quest, since they have been feeding their brains, they also needed to feed their tummies with real yummy donuts!

Our Week At A Glance

Week 6: May 14-18,  2018