The school year has started at STARBASE Hanscom and, before you know what happened, September is passed and October is starting. For me, the days tend to fly by at STARBASE because there’s so much going on and each day brings something new in how students express themselves. The other day a student was working on a robotics project and I told her she was doing a great job. She told me, “I know”. I said, “Really? How did you know?”.
“Well, I’m really pretty good at this. I’ve been taking STEM activities after school since I was a kid.”
I know that’s cute - and the exception rather than the rule, as not many students profess such confidence - but students tell you all sorts of ideas and stories as they participate. Positive reinforcement in the face of challenge invites dialog and it’s these narratives that are really intriguing. They are fifth graders but they are individuals trying to understand and feel comfortable in the world. Aren’t we all like that?