The Transformative Magic of “Doing” Learning Instead of “Receiving” Learning

by: PPHS Coach Sarah Mundy

We sometimes forget how important it is for young people to learn with their eyes, ears, hands, and heart in order to find their zest for education and not just receive an education. 

"Not hearing is not as good as hearing, hearing is not as good as seeing, seeing is not as good as knowing, knowing is not as good as acting; true learning continues until it is put into action," Xunzi.

Here at PPHS, we believe that it is vitally important for all students to go out and immerse themselves in world challenges. The world is a dynamic place and we need to prepare our students for the world by having them go out into it. It’s not just that the students are having field trips for their enrichment, but that they are interacting with the world while they go. They get to wander into the world and ask people questions to learn about what the average person feels about real-world issues. 

Here were some student's thoughts on their trips outside of school to go and talk to people and go to experience Republic Airways and the Indianapolis Zoo. 

This past month we had the students go outside of school to learn about Republic Airways and the Indianapolis Zoo. The students are working on what it is like to transport materials all around the world and how the natural world needs saving. Our students got to go into airplanes, talk to pilots about what their job was like, talk to zoo employees about the importance of conservation, tour wild plant gardens, and see invasive species. These are experiences that help bring the world that they’re studying to life. In their passion projects, students are learning about the skills that they will need the most to help them navigate the complexities of life:  emotional regulation, reasoning, precision, problem-solving, collaboration, thinking historically, speaking and listening, growth mindset. From doing DIY home repair to learning game theory through chess (and everything in between) students are really delving into their interests and coming out on the other side with these skills. At the end of the year, students will have participated in at least 6 projects that are based on their interests and have experiences with a wide variety of real-world skills.