Tutoria at South County Blended

In the last few months I have had the great privilege of working with Jade Wang as she and her students learned what Tutoria is and how it could be implemented in the classroom.  And then I witnessed it rolled out at South County Blended Community or Tech or (its full name an enigma even to its teachers).  The first steps were tentative but before long the students were building beautifully crafted temas (lessons) and then began the process of teaching these temas to their peers.

And me.  I was lucky enough to be taught by several brilliant, engaging students in Jade's class.  Alexys taught me about tears.  I learned not only about the different roles and types of tears there are, but how they are produced, and why they are important.  Alexys was an amazing tutor and she told me afterward that this work in researching her topic made her want to do more as a student in science and that she aspires to a career in the medical field.

Tutor Alexys

Carlos taught me about the effects of marijuana on the brain.  Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Carlos made it clear that the purpose of choosing this tema was not simply the obvious interest of the plant, but it was to scratch an intellectual itch, to solve a puzzle that had always intrigued him.  So now I know why chemically a pot smoker craves Doritos.

Tutor Carlos

And then there was Summer.  Summer had attended last year's four day institute on Tutoria at the County Office and said that she strongly believes that Tutoria has bonded students even closer.  "The positive effects of this have been amazing."  For the record, Summer presented the skeleton of her tema to me and I hope I get a chance to be tutored on it by her or one of her peers.  Her tema focused on the effects of music on the brain (made me recall Oliver Sacks' brilliant book Musicophilia  which I read many years ago).

Tutor Summer

To sum it up--Wow!!  Students discovering a passion for science and a gifted teacher helping them translate that into powerful teaching and learning.  Jade helped students in  refining their research and organizing their thoughts (Alexys told me that this is a particularly challenging but rewarding part of the process) and finally, presenting it to their peers.  And the occasional visiting Instructional Coach.

Jade Wang at work

Thanks Jade and all the students at South County Whatever.  You all rock!!