NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As part of the KASB's District Showcase in Wichita this month, Wiley Elementary's Empowering Students to Lead program and the Allen STEM Magnet School KidWind team were two of the featured innovative projects that leaders from across the state could find out more about.
The KASB's own Mark Tallman was impressed with what he learned from all of the exhibitors.
"I had the opportunity to talk with students at just about every one of these," Tallman said. "They were set up as booths where people could go in and visit. Many of our school board members across the state did that. I talked to a lot of people and it was really, I think, a way to let leaders across the state talk directly with mostly students. All of these, although they had teachers or other adults there to support them, the people that did the talking were the students to talk about these different ways they are implementing programs around educating kids."
Projects like KidWind can be the reason some kids are consistent in their school participation.
"If you give kids the opportunity to do something interesting," Tallman said, "Let's face it, for most of us, sitting at a desk all day, memorizing facts to try to spew back on a test is not the most interesting thing we can be doing. Part of it is just, why do I want to come to school, why am I interested in this subject or this learning or these skills? The second part of it, and I think this is just as important is, what we hear so often from Kansans in general, from employers, from others, is that kids need more skills than just reading, writing and arithmetic. While those are critically important, when you talk to people about what they are most worried kids either don't have or will need, it is much more around their ability to work together, work on time, complete projects, interact with other people, interact with adults."
Tallman said a common goal of students and teachers at the showcase is the goal of having the skills to control their own destiny and he saw that on display as part of the events in Wichita earlier this month.
"They are gaining ability to actually do the kind of things we want young people to do when they get out of school," Tallman said. "Answering a need, giving students more of a chance to have some sense of control over their lives."
Given that most of these students may work in careers that aren't even thought of yet, teaching them how to think and how to interact in the real world is absolutely vital preparation for whatever career they may end up in.
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