There are three keys to building capability:
- Re-think your role
- Re-think the classroom
- Re-think the goal of learning
What are some of the implications of making this shift toward building capability?
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There are three keys to building capability:
What are some of the implications of making this shift toward building capability?
Questioning through ‘what’ and ‘how’ has been working for me for years now. It’s so good to hear that such thinking is now mainstream. The wonderful ideas about building capability and re-thinking the classroom and the goal of learning will need to be reflected in the way we are asked to evaluate learning and growing. Currently, Naplan and school-based tests tend to be computer and pencil and paper assessments. Such structured and one-dimensional evaluations are stifling.
I think it is a necessary step. I like to think my role could be a facilitator and that all classrooms could be flipped. It will take some time before the students and the teachers take this up.
Oh, this was cool. I think that there is still so much of how we teach that is stuck in the days when kids weren’t sitting there with actual computers in their pockets! I love shifting from this mindset and seeing some of those initially reluctant kids move towards more critical thinking… So much of what we teach still rewards the lower order recall style of thinking. I hate delivering content. I have tried the “reverse homework” thing in my maths classes and have found it to be rewarding… A bit tricky, and probably not suitable for all of my… Read more »
Couldn’t agree more Julia, I can’t wait to take this on, I just think that the wheels of change will turn slowly.
The phenomenon of students just wanting to be told the answers, just wanting to write down notes from the board, is an interesting one. I have found I almost have to trick students into thinking for themselves. It’s hard work. I give rewards for good questions. A good questions is better than a good answer. And students have such a huge world outside the classroom, through social media, that what they learn at school pales in comparison. They are often so engaged in that world that their attention in the classroom is split between the lesson and the phone. They… Read more »
There are elements of capability building already present in the high school setting, and some staff have more confidence than others in doing this. I think that some teachers struggle with losing control of every aspect of the classroom and it is these teachers who will need the most support and guidance. Rethinking the classroom is not just about resources although there has already been significant change in this in some areas of the school. It is about the way that learning happens, the processes encouraged by the teacher that allow the students to have some control and ownership of… Read more »
I agree and think that ownership of the learning by the students is key and getting them to ask questions. They wont own the learning till they feel they have some control over it. They also need to have their own reason for engaging in the learning. We all know this already.
Well! This is a killer for me. I’m not sure that I could easily let go of some of the old methods. I am old myself and am confident in what I do and the way that I do it so for me it might be extremely confronting to totally let go the reins so to speak. I definitely will have to stop asking the old “why is it so?” like professor Julius Sumner Miller even though I believe this is how I get my students to actually investigate for themselves. Maybe I will switch to “What made it so?”.… Read more »
The physical space of the classroom is interesting. The new open concept designs will probably prove that distraction isn’t such a bad thing, but it’s hard to get used to!
True Kelsey, I imagine it will come down to outcomes and the amount of interaction and noise will become just part of the scene. Gone are the days when kids sat quietly and worked independently.
Lots of interesting points – so many that I agree with and would love to see come to fruition so that we as educators can be future fit. An interesting point that we are still aligned with the platoon school model of 1910! Come on, lets have some imagination here and start to look at best practice and redesign our spaces, our teaching – higher authorities need to seriously get with the times and support us to do this! Anyone who has the privilege of walking through the new classrooms at Old Bar would be so excited about where education… Read more »
The ‘ why’ question to a student who has done the wrong thing really resonates with me. ‘What’ or ‘How’ is much less confrontational.
Any change to our current school model will need to be slow I think. I love the ideas around changing the way we teach, posing better questions, flipping the classroom etc but there are so many structural barriers that will need to be dealt with along the way – old building design, timetabling, meeting NESA criteria etc.
One small thing that could be done straight away would be to do away with the school bell. Schools can function fine without the need for a bell indicating when to move on…it just reinforces the school factory idea.
I absolutely agree with getting rid of the bell system. Schools are not factories.
I agree about the bell Carla. We trialed it before and I thought it worked really well. It seemed smoother and less rigid even though we went to the same periods at the same time, it just felt calmer I think. The only problem was that some staff all seemed to run on a different time zone! I also agree about the slow and steady approach. We need to build up to a whole new outlook not dive in or we will leave a lot of students behind.
I love the idea of getting rid of the bell and the need to move on to another subject at a particular time. In Science especially, the time restriction in prac work is not conducive to deeper learning.
The greatest challenge that seems to face us as teachers is that reality very rarely accommodates our imagination. These are all great ideas, but due to a wide range of factors from habit to funding, they often result in us falling back to the same patters and same routines; because like so many others have said: it is what everyone has grown accustomed to. Being fresh out of uni and full of ideas and inspired by the grand talk of many of my lecturers I was excited to shake it up, with some kind of impression it would be one… Read more »
Yes Oscar, we all have grand dreams but often times you just have to go with what works.
I don’t think it was wrong or arrogant Oscar. It was passionate and that can’t be wrong. The struggle, especially at our school, is that the buildings and available space often become barriers to what we would like to do therefore we only get part of a new idea or approach happening and that is often setting us up for failure. But we need to keep slowing eroding the edges off an old system that seems to be part of the bricks and mortar. Never give up ideas. Remember they are all learning experiences for both us and our students!
I think that for me as a senior teacher who has been at the forefront of many of these innovations at a tertiary level (and indeed still attempt to use them in the classroom) the difficulties I have found are these: *flipped learning is a tertiary model which needs staged integration at a whole school level or the flip will flop (as it has for me before) when you teach it to year 9 used to an industrial model. * Teacher training advocates for all of these ideas and yet school systems can’t support the shift (rooming, timetabling, student abilities… Read more »
I particularly like your last point. So much of what we do teach seems like a force feeding, and that itself is a cause for much resistance in our students who rarely see the point.
Implications working toward building capability building are the availability of funds, resources and the training/motivation for ‘growth mindset’ staff.
It is inspiring to re-think our role in the classroom and the way we deliver/facilitate learning. The 21st century is coming and we need to adjust and model life long learning.
As so many others have noted, there is current incompatibility between what we know is best practice for future-focused learning and what the day-to-day reality of the profession actually looks like as set by NESA, DoE, school architecture etc. Until there is a radical shift in thinking from above it is, unfortunately, hard to see how these initiatives will be able to take off outside of specialised and private school settings.
I definitely agree, large scale change must come from above.
Yes so agree with you Barton, as a creative thinker if you gave me a budget and a freedom to design my classroom space it would look NOTHING like I have to work in!!!!
I find this whole discussion very inspiring, i then get back to school and find myself bogged down with the sheer volume of stuff i have to do and that creativity goes out the window:(. The implications for most teachers will be stepping outside their comfort zone, trying new ideas, which takes time; this leads to a fear of not covering the content required to meet NESA requirements.
Totally agree Alison, reality means we fall back to what we know and what is efficient.
Exactly right. I get inspired, but then go back to the coal face where it is very difficult to find the resources and especially TIME to implement change.
I agree, Alison. We live in fear of being ‘valued’ by the perceived ‘value’ we can add to our students’ scores.
i like the concept but many traditional buildings do not have the space in the building to facilitate this. How do staff implement classroom layout change to implement capacity building. Let alone the having the the actual resources to develop students capacity in the area of Design and Technology
This is true Barb, but with the capacity to build motivation and inspire creative thinking through sustainable design and 21st century learning we are in the right subject for inquiry based learning opportunities.
Yes. In theory a lot of these suggestions are great, but we are often so limited by our physical space!
Wow it all sounds great doesn’t it? The funding needed for all of this to happen is highly unlikely. We are currently using equipment that’s slow and outdated. Music keyboards that have broken keys because they’re cheap due to budget constraints. Students who are incapable of bringing a pen let alone being able to read, spell or comprehend well enough to be successful in a lecture-like situation. How can we encourage students to discover new things (e.g the planets) when they don’t have the basic skills or tools needed to facilitate personal success?
I agree Peter educational theorists do not have to think out of the practicalities of implementing change.
It’s depressing…..the reality of it all
Changing the way we assess students needs to be changed. From “can they do what everyone else can do but at a different level” to “what can each student bring to the table and do in a way that is unique and diversified”
Totally agree. The standard definitely needs to be changed.
This agree with you Leanne. Unique, creative problem solvers are our future!
It was an interesting theory of how the schooling system fitted in with the industrial needs.Yes we do need new ideas to encourage the students to continue to challenge themselves with the modern technology available. However the skills learned last century did provide us with the ability to retain and process information .We also seem to be able to think for ourselves better than the students of this century.
The discipline measures from last century encouraged the young to be fearful but respectful of the old. That sadly has gone. The young think they know everything and believe they are entitled to be able to just have whatever they want whether it be a job, a good result in a test, a HSC , a tertiary education or a brand new expensive car. I remember having to work and study hard to achieve those goals. Where has the work ethic gone?
I feel the biggest challenge is for us as teachers, for making this shift towards building capability, is the idea of losing control, being uncomfortable with idea of where a lesson or discussion may lead to, whether it will be productive and flipping a classroom could be seen as more a playground of disruption. The other implication is the issue of standardised testing. The way we assess students knowledge would have to change in order to see a challenge in our delivery methods.
losing control is every teacher’s fear, it is why we prepare and organise everything we wish to achieve in a lesson…. this will be a real challenge for our future teachers.
Change is good and teaches adaptability. I think that re-thinking the goal of learning can equip students to be better learners and possibly ignite the fire within them to want to learn, know and understand.
Totally agree! Keeps everyone “alive” and on their toes
I agree Rebecca, change is good and if embraced can help one to adapt to the future needs of society and therefore build the skills and knowledge required by our students to be productive members of a future focused society.
Some of the implications of making this shift toward building capability are a rethink for curriculum and teaching less to provide students with more time to go deep into the learning in a particular area.
Totally agree, a focus on depth rather than breadth of knowledge is essential in this model, but not always easy to achieve with our overly cluttered curriculums and pressure to teach the types of ‘basic’ skills that can be easily measured through standardised testing
I love the thought of inspiring students to find new planets instead of learning their names etc by rote – I think there are so many barriers to this though – particularly the sheer volume of curriculum teachers need to wade through. The creativity and inventive thinking is really taken out of the curriculum.
I agree. I think there needs to be a complete shift in the curriculum requirements to enable more time for students to build capability.
Absolutely, the curriculum is bloated with so much trivial content that robs students of their potential as critical and creative thinkers, and teaches them that learning is boring. How can we compete with mobile phones etc. when this is all we have to work with at times?
I like the open questions of what and how instead of why, this works in practical subjects especially well as it asks student to consider using jargon and explaining their thought processes. The flipped room is achievable but will it still be the same dedicated (to their learning) student asking the questions , starting the discussions and perhaps leading their group to find answers that the other do not contribute.
The idea of a flipped class room is good- I like the way that the placement of students and furniture encourages students to learn and interact. This is great for students who want to learn or even those who don’t start off wanting to learn but can be inspired to learn, however we are seeing an increasing number of students who are not at school to learn but to fill in time until they can leave. The flipped classroom will be challenging for teachers to keep these students engaged.
The placement of furniture is really important in open classroom settings, having taught in a setting like this previously. It is interesting that trauma children do not cope well with this type of setting, from my experience.
It will be a challenge but hopefully the kids inspire each other for intrinsic motivation to be as creative as their peers
For me at least flipped classrooms have little to do with furniture layout but in willingness to collaborate. Students, when they have an authentic audience and a true interdependence of goal, usually come ready to work. My issue has always been learning how much is too much in my expectations of what they should be prepped to discuss. Worked BRILLIANTLY with year 12 doing socratic circles but terribly with year 9 working on novel context
New, open, team-teaching classrooms that are well resourced are a few years off for many public schools; however, the need for them is immense. Our most educationally at risk need this more than anyone. I look forward to supporting the change in my school when it comes.
Funding for this furniture is also a challenge for schools that have limited budgets. The possibilities with furniture are really exciting for teachers, in the way that they can be flexible with grouping of children etc.
I personally find the idea flipping the classroom with furniture that looks like a playground is only going to hinder the learning experience.
I understand this point Jimmy and as i have said in another post- for me at least it’s not the furniture that flips the learning but the learning design. Everyone gets set a problem for homework/ a question to research then in pairs/4s or groups they work out the solution together- coming back to the whole group for clarification and evaluation. Could work in any space 🙂 Also does not need to be every lesson all the time. There is a place and space for instruction as well
Well said Jowen, funky furniture is not what flipping the classroom is. It is the way that learning is structured, the control of the student in gaining some knowledge/data and then spending the lesson time discussing, evaluating and building understanding.
The problem with changing the Goal of Learning in the classroom is that the HSC wants to examine what the students know. So they have to still be prepared for this by their teacher otherwise questions will be asked.
A challenge we have always had to meet Foxy… imagine when the HSC changes to a show us what you know, apply some theories to solve this problem, or unpack this design.
are we testing that students are good at taking tests?
Agreed. The current model of standardised testing doesn’t support the ideas of building capabilities in students.
Interesting point Steven.
Some of our challenges are getting parents & the system working towards one goal. Their expectations often are different. A lot of the blaming game about literacy & numeracy deficiencies are put down to leaving traditional methods.
This is right Brian. Parents will still be expecting their kids to learn the way they were taught and to know all the things they do and some.
I agree Brian and I think that it would be helpful if the curriculum also supported this style of teaching.
The whole education community including parents need to be made fully aware of the shift before to allow discussion. Parents need to be included to be made aware of their responsibility.
The idea of the flipped classroom is great in theory, however, in practice, is harder to implement than it sounds. It involves getting both the students and teachers up to scratch with the technology, as well as ensuring that the students are actually completing their work on their own to make the experience effective. I think we are seeing a lack of resilience in students today, where fostering their capabilities will be of great importance. Although it is going to be hard to make the shift and will take a lot of trials and errors to perfect, I think moving… Read more »
It can be hard to embrace new technologies for some of our older staff and there is a genuine fear among many that they are being left behind and not able to embrace new ideas. This has been evident with the current situation with online learning. We had to adapt our teaching methods and content in a very short time frame and this has been a rewarding and challenging situation for most teachers.
I do agree with this. It has been an incredible learning curve for all of us, however, we can later look upon this as a great time of development as educators.
i know it has been a very busy time getting work together so am looking forward to having the kids back at school and launching into new units of work.
While challenging the use of technology in different ways has been an opportunity to extend my knowledge of the mediums available that I would otherwise not have allocated myself the time to learn. I have now explored a variety of new ways of presenting and sending information to students that I see as great for future teaching.
Acknowledging students for their own ideas and answers to questions is important but yes finding the most effective ways to encourage students to be confident to present these and not just wait for THE answer is a challenge. I do agree with the barrier to the shift of practicalities is a big one. The amount of curriculum content can be restrictive with time constraints (eg HSC) and there needs to be a reduction in content to allow greater focus on the skills or Capabilities,
also the specific skills of the teachers and how they relate to the students adds to the content delivery time, also attendance patterns and the unwillingness of some students to engage , even online.
I think that making this shift would help students to be independent, self-directed, and critical and creative thinkers. These skills will be critical in the future as technology and societal values change the way we live and work. Making these kinds of changes is difficult when the traditional approaches to teaching and learning are so ingrained.
I believe flipping the classroom is a fantastic idea but with restricted budgets, where are we getting this money from?
In regards to re-thinking the role of the teacher, I believe more experienced staff would find this quite challenging. It moves away from the transitional role of a teacher.
I agree with the re-thinking the role of the teacher comment. Moving away from the traditional role of the teacher is going to take a lot of trials and errors to make effective, so that we are not just sitting on the sideline as supervisors.
I enjoy re-thinking my role as an educator. We are in this business because at the end of the day, we want to see our students gain the greatest outcomes that they can. I have no shame in not being the ‘pillar of knowledge’, rather then taking the educational journey with them and providing a structure for them to grow. If the teacher is engaged and wanting to learn, then the students will find themselves more involved in the activity too.
I agree. I would never claim to have all the answers but as someone who has always loved learning, I feel my role to guide and encourage students to find meaning and understanding along with the ability to think critically is very important BUT yes challenging.
I agree with this I feel that there are so many new employment and social avenues opening up that we cannot see ourselves as the expert in all fields or even our own. We need to be willing to explore these areas with our students instead of assume the role as the font of all knowledge.
I think re thinking the classroom is a challenge as we have so many restrictions and practicalities that make it hard like time, pressure to get through curriculum, funding, direction from those in leadership. There are many variables that make it hard even if you want to re think your role and make a shift. However, like everything small steps work and we can start with ourselves and how we motivate students and be facilitators.
I agree. It seems the roll of the teacher is constantly growing but nothing at the moment is being done to assist.
Rethinking the classroom in terms of a flipped classroom is definitely an effective method that can tailor learning to the needs of the future students. I understand, as many do, that this type of classroom is best tailored to the senior demographic, that already being one implication. Implications that are related to the practicality of a flipped classroom also need to be considered. This is specifically related to the feasibility and affordability of such a setting. As education facilitators (not just the teachers/staff but also the wider facility/community) we need to be equipped with the understanding of how to apply… Read more »
Flipping the classroom, changing the physical environment for students, has been a real push in the last 5-10 years. However we’re yet to see budgets and policies change to support this. This is the real challenge.
I agree Sarah. There is definitely a question of feasibility and affordability especially in differing communities. We don’t if this type of rethinking and restructuring a practical option for all schools.
equity in resources has been a major factor in ensuring all students have equal access to a quality education.
Well said. Equity is a major concern in Australia, and we don’t want the ‘gap’ to get any larger.
I totally agree Sarah. I would love to do this but with what money.
It would also require a comprehensive professional training budget, with the spend of the government on Covid, it would be difficult to see this getting a priority.
This is because despite the departments’ line that it’s all about teaching and learning. The truth is it’s all about the bottom line and has to fit into the budget.
I like the idea of flipping the classroom. I have seen it work well in senior classes at schools where I have completed placements. From my experience flipping the classroom seems to work effectively at helping students become more independent learners. It provides them with the skills to find information themselves which is becoming increasingly important. It also frees up time in the classroom for the teacher to engage students deeply in the content with discussions. While I have seen this work well in senior classes, I have reservations about its practicality in junior classes. Both as a result of… Read more »
I to have had a run-in with the flipped classroom setting and have seen its potential. To me, it has seemed daunting but I hope that one day I can effectively apply this method. I also agree that the implication of applying it effectively to the junior years needs to be considered and I hope that I can better enable, from a junior year, students so that this setting can be effective. I also agree that there is a degree of feasibility and affordability that needs to be considered.
Changing the way teachers think about their role in the classroom and the goal of learning has certainly changed and remains to be a challenge for all educators. I do think there have been some positive changes in education that are linked with evolving technology and is making students and educators change the way they think about the function of education and how this links to innovation. Changing the function of a classroom is difficult, you may want to change the way it looks to be able to flip in a variety of ways is connected to the financial ability… Read more »
I agree Alex, there are some barriers to the “flip”. But starting with our own view of our role is important.
Teachers in the 21st Century need to shift from tradition and be active learners alongside the students. This means that teachers will be required to learn new methods as a way of achieving a new way of teaching. This will be difficult for teachers who have been in the profession for many decades. Tradition will be the only norm for older teachers and will make the shift harder for both themselves and their students.
It is hard for the older teachers, however, with support of the younger ones anything is possible. We just have to be willing to see our role in a different way and take risks to try new things. Be learners ourselves. There is the barrier of confidence and pride as mentioned.
The role of a teacher is to enable a student to interpret their world around them and to help them build the skills needed to have success. Changing the way of delivery and flipping the traditional classroom is giving a student the example of what they may or will face in a future work force where problem solving and critical thinking are more and more valued. There will be the same challenges with classroom management for groups of students due to poor self management skills and inadequate family support systems. If these students aren’t managed and supported to their needs… Read more »
I totally believe in everything that is being said here. We do need reform, we do need student directed learning in order to cater for the 21st century. However a couple of things are going to cause significant challenges, as I see it, in the public system. 1 – Behaviour Management – Students need to be willing to read or self-motivated enough to watch lectures in order to come up with self-driven projects. To be allowed to generate their own project concepts from their own interests would enable this to be more successful. 2 – Flexible Guidance – This will… Read more »
Agree strongly with your point on a relevant curriculum Naomi. An education system is relevant in a changing world. Instead of adding more, we need to look at the skills needed and work within building and reinforcing those skills so that the student can adapt and use them.
As a teacher and facilitator of students learning, it is important to guide students learning in the right directions without giving them answers right away. We are there to help students make connections and use problem solving skills. Teachers in the 21st century need to be flexible and tailor their teaching to the class or even the students needs. Some teachers may find this difficult as it is much different to the teaching practices they may be use to.
I agree with Jazmin. We are facilitators that will guide our students in developing their own capabilities and the capacity to be flexible in a changing workforce.
Some implications may be the lack of respect of many students and their inability to cope with more responsibility in their learning. Students seem to prefer to be given the answers or content without having to think too much for themselves. More emphasis in primary school will need to occur on building capability.
Joel, I think the building of confidence, respect and love of learning will always be our challenge for some.
As far as re-thinking the teacher role, many teachers may feel out of their comfort zone particularly if they have been in the profession for a long time and are accustomed to their own way of teaching. Time will also be a factor as teachers will be required to learn new methods as a way of achieving a new way of teaching. I have no doubt they will be able to do this, just as they have demonstrated and adapted to the changes in their way of teaching using technology and online classrooms since before the end of term one,… Read more »
Great points Sally. Time will definitely be a barrier and ability to practice different teaching methods.
All these points are valid, the other barrier, is that some of the students themselves don’t deal with change very well & would need some transition time & nurturing through the process.
There is definitely a reluctance to move to new ways of teaching. Teachers need to be supported in that, for sure!
The idea that the most important shift we can make for our students is from the mindset that teachers have all the answers as opposed to helping the students figure out what to do when the answer isn’t straight forward. By re-thinking our role in the classroom to become facilitators of learning rather than the only source of knowledge is an important shift moving forward.
I feel like we are already teaching students that we don’t have all the answers. I believe giving students choice in what they learn will be key to building engagement to begin with.
We as teachers have to include in our teaching ways to motivate students to do self-investigation, so that they don’t just expect teachers to provide all the answers students want.
yes we need to teach students how to questions and inquire for themselves
This is a perfect opportunity to bring in Inquiry Based Learning to the classroom where students are the learners and the teachers. They are responsible for their own learning and the set their own expectations.
I agree, but first we need to teach students the value of intrinsic motivation and give them the tools they need to be self-directed and hold high expectations of themselves.
Yep, for sure. I have found in the past that when doing Inquiry-Based Learning, students need to be explicitly taught those skills of investigating – it doesn’t happen by magic!
I was interested in his example of the teacher that let their students use their phones in class, ‘for research of course’. These tools are a distraction for many but can be so useful, it comes down to teaching how to use what’s available in front of them in a correct way.
Likewise, I was interested in this contradiction. Not all students can handle having the temptation of their social media pinging them while they are researching for their work. Practically in a 30-60 minute lesson, avoiding distraction and managing behaviour, having a school ipad/tablet may be a better option than their personal device.
Motivating students is a key and essential role. It certainly is a challenge and social factors can play a significant part in the level of motivation impacting on each student.
Michael has shared some very interesting truths in this session .Educators can be resistant to implement changes because it not only means stepping outside of their comfort zones and ‘losing control’, but with a’ crowded curriculum’, incidentals that occur daily and constant interruption, time is a precious resource to teachers and there is not a lot of it, . This does not allow for adequate time, planning, resources, or learning opportunities for teachers to change their pedagogical practices and to implement change within their classrooms. Perhaps if educators had more time to allow for spontaneous teaching without worrying about getting… Read more »
Good points Katherine. Planning and resources will definitely need time to create and find do change our roles as educators.
I think some teachers will find it difficult to shift their teaching practices. In this day in age, we no longer need to know things the way we did 30 years ago. Some teachers may be confused as to how they need to be teaching their students. We still need to cover the content in the syllabus but in a way that is meaningful and relevant for a 21st Century learner.
I agree Imogen, some teachers have a set way of teaching that works best for them and any change of practice will be very difficult for them.
I agree Imogen. 21st century teaching is much different to that of the 20th. Teachers need to be flexible and teach their lessons to match the specific needs of the children in their class.
The concept of changing classroom design and layout has been an area that I have been exploring for over 10 years. Flipping the classroom and having adaptable and flexible learning spaces has many beneficial outcomes. There are a number of schools in Victoria where they have introduced a whole range of strategies in an attempt to improve outcomes for students. The biggest barrier to change is breaking down traditional expectations and budgets. The building of new schools could easily be adapted but in traditional established schools it is more problematic. Unfortunately our classrooms by design are very inflexible, so the… Read more »
I agree, we need to find ways to change our traditional roles and approaches within the limits of what we currently have. I think that the most powerful changes to our classrooms will not be about the furniture, but about supporting students to grow in skills and experiences, and to see the value of what they are learning and how it will apply to their real lives.