Curriculum Journey

What first comes to mind when you think of your high school English class? Perhaps reading, writing, and thoughtful discussion? Maybe some vocabulary work to prepare for an upcoming exam? Some of our AP English Language and Composition students in English Teacher Mrs. Byron’s class were working on all of these skills as they recently pitched a new toy. A sales pitch? Isn’t that more like something from Shark Tank? Yes, think more along the lines of elements of our Entrepreneurship course finding their way into an English class. Our English students became inventors and marketers!
 
Blending concepts and reinforcing skill sets across multiple subject areas leads to deeper learning. Interdisciplinary approaches solidify understanding and help our students to think critically. When they are able to apply what they have learned outside of the classroom setting in which they have learned the skill or concept, their learning is taken to the next level. In a previous post, I discussed benefits of experiential learning—when our students leave the classroom and engage in meaningful, hands-on experiences to complement their studies. However, we also work diligently to provide students pathways to reinforce their learning even within the physical confines of a classroom. Their creative and critical thinking certainly aren’t constrained to those fours walls—we have many glass walls for a reason!
 
Let’s look in more detail at the toy pitches our AP English students developed over the last few weeks. They first had to come up with a visual representation of the toy they planned to develop. Very few of the students are artists. Nonetheless, they needed to conceptualize this toy and find a way to convey its functionality to their classmates. Next, they had to design the pitch. This was a piece of formal writing, much shorter than what one may think of a typical essay, but their attention to word choice and overall persuasiveness was crucial. Lastly, the students had to share a digital presentation, which included a slogan, social media plan, and potential social media interactions. 
 
Presentational speaking, persuasive writing, distinct diction, precise description, and audience targeting, were some of the skills put to the test in this [insert subject here] assignment. The subject, in this case, was English, but many of these skills could easily have been applied to any number of the courses we offer: Public Speaking (Arts), Entrepreneurship (History and Social Science), Advanced Speaking and Listening (ESL), or AP Spanish Language and Culture (Modern and Classical Languages), to name a few.
 
I was fortunate to be able to listen to our students present the digital portion of their work, which also included their pitch. From a stuffed animal that adjusts to keep you warm or cool you, to a diaper that “speaks” to parents to let them know when their child needs attention, our students crafted creative phrasing to get to the point, make sure their message was heard, and ensure that it resonated with the right audience. The beauty of these multi-pronged approaches is that they learned from one another in the moment, while some of the lessons learned may arise when they are in another classroom trying to convey a message, be it in English, Math, or History class. Some of those lessons will be retained and come in handy as they masterfully present a board report to trustees, patent a new invention, write a convincing grant request, or show one of their own students how to hone their skills. We teach skills across disciplines so that our students are ready to apply their skills and knowledge in all facets of life.