Thinking scientifically, or maybe like an entrepreneur is a powerful way of approaching things, whether they turn out well or not. The thoughtful reflection about the answer to the question, "Isn't that interesting?" takes any situation to a new level through the careful examination of it (Godin, 2010, 178). Being able to take the outcome not as an indication of your power, but being truly curious may yield unexpected results. A few years ago a co-worker had long standing issues with her department chairperson. She asked for a meeting and when the department chair blasted her for all of her perceived indiscretions, she asked, "Isn't that interesting. Why do you think that?" It cut to the heart of the matter and then they could start the discussion. She caused the department to truly think about why he felt what he did, and they were able to come to a better understanding of why events and beliefs were constructed the way they were.
For years, I have wanted to create an environment like they have in art or tech ed when kids come in the room and immediately begin working. For the last week or so our students have done that. For our final exam we have allowed students to split themselves into groups of 3-5. For the spirit award, they created a team name, logo, handshake, costumes, and promotional posters. They are participating in an academic decathlon where they will merge content from different classes as they construct products for a pitch, trailer, throwdown, physical representation, jeopardy, impromptu speech, website, art gallery, story/skit, and reflection. Maybe the key is that we have gamefied it. Almost everything involves earning points, but in a lighthearted way.
gamification, Arete Academy, interesting, decathlon, Growth mindset
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