Pearlman: Students Thrive on Cooperation

My favorite teacher is The School of Life, which, in some sense, encapsulates the essence of Project Based Learning. We all learn by doing, not by sitting and listening to a lecture. What's interesting to me about the skills PBL is supposed to nurture is the fact that sports also develop and refine many of those skills, including teamwork, critical thinking, oral communication, and effective application of content. Moreover, employers have long noted that some of their most successful employees are ones who played club sports, including Ultimate Frisbee, in college. In that regard, when I read articles on 21st century skills and the imperative that students must collaborate, it strikes me that these thinkers are attempting to redefine individualism in the classroom. It will, as Pearlman notes, take talented and dedicated teachers to bring about that transformation. The real key is transforming educators and parents because kids will always team according to friendships and interests. As long as teachers can frame a compelling question or task, students will rise to the challenge. Indeed, curiosity directs learning.