What I learned in a shed

A search for a school for my much-bored son turned out to be a life-changing adventure. I learned how kids learn.

Having taught in university environments for a good part of my life and being bored with it myself, I was asked by the Principal of this school in 2013 ( well before the Maker Space Fad) to run a program where kids can learn, without being graded and being directed. It turned out to be a dream job that went on for three years. Here is what I learned:

You don’t have to teach

Kids are better learners than most adults and have the same level of access to the information world – with far better abilities to swim in it. Accept the bitter truth. Kids can find a better teacher online and they do.

If there is interest Learning happens

So said Arthur Clarke. Real learning is a by-product of interest. Einstein said:

   I never teach my pupils…I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they
   can learn.”

That is exactly what I did.

Why do it in a Shed ?

Because school environments are highly regulated to ensure that the inmates in their custody don’t injure themselves. For most kids, schools are boring. Get them out of there.

They can teach each other

They love it, particularly Aussie kids (they compete primarily in sports). By doing so, they learn a lot more. More importantly, they gain a sense of recognising from peers than what good grades can provide. They can infect each other with interest and enthusiasm in ways that teachers can't.

Don't Spend

If you spend, you bring in the regulators - who create a barrier in the name of safety between learners and what they are learning. By avoiding power tools, sticking to 5 volts and using open source material you can cause great learning in a safe learning environment. Keep it cheap and cheerful.

They will surprise you

Year 10,11 Kids in the shed were found to be building all manner of things without any previous background or experience. A micro satellite was being built by students who taught themselves, electronics, programming, CAD and 3D printing all by themselves.

But this won’t work in any school

Because, what they learn cannot be measured. According to education experts, pigs are grown by constantly measuring them. When amazing skills are being developed they always accompany failures. We only fail on the edges of what we know and what we can do. All the things we now know how to do will soon be done by computers and robots. Humans add cost but no value. But that is what most schools labour on - teaching stuff that machines can do now. This way we prepare them to be loosers.

So what do we do ?

The answer is simple

We need to keep talking about Innovation. Just keep talking about it while doing the same thing that our grandparents did. That way, parents understand that we are doing something about it. Kids don't - because they live in the future.

Innovation cannot be taught, but can be experienced. Kids deserve the chance to experience it. They love it, enjoy it - until we educate them out of it. Innovation is about dancing on that edge, not knowing where it is, falling over and bouncing back. You can't grade them while they are at it. Because if we do, they will fail. Schools are about stopping kids from failing.

By doing so, they fail themselves.

Sivam helps schools and universities create low cost high octane learning environments.