What Happens When We Give Learners the Mic
Written by Aaryn Drapiza
In a post earlier this year, I shared about how middle school learners are more capable than the world gives them credit for. Recently, I was reminded of this truth while attending several Adventure learner-led presentations. Something I did not do until several years into my career, Adventure learners embraced with enthusiasm, professionalism, and poise.
The first two presentations were part of the AERO Conference, a learner-led conference that seeks to reimagine education by highlighting young voices and experiences. Perfectly aligned with this mission, A Day in the Life of a Village School Learner was the topic of four Adventure learners.
Before diving into the presentation itself, in true TVS fashion, I must share about the process. The four young presenters who took on this challenge did not simply meet it, but ran at it with full force. Weeks of collaboration, scripting, rehearsing, and Zoom practices went into the presentation. Imagine Google documents with highlighted speaker notes, transition cues, timers, and learners spread throughout the school practicing virtual conferencing. Unsurprisingly, this was not at the behest of the adults in their lives but rather bloomed from the internal motivation to deliver a presentation they were proud of. Further, the learners eagerly invited feedback on their rehearsals, welcoming it as a constructive opportunity for growth. As I sat in on the virtual presentation, I could not help but smile as each learner delivered their sections with confidence, clarity, and passion. Seeing TVS through their eyes was truly a gift, even for someone who experiences its magic every day. They also clearly inspired the attendees, as evidenced by the thoughtful follow-up questions. You can view the recording of their presentation here.
The second presentation for the AERO Conference focused on how TVS learners collaborated to create our school promises. Presenting with incredible poise and handling technical difficulties with grace, the learner’s concrete example of empowering and valuing learner voice challenged those in the virtual room to consider how they approach school promises and norms. What made this experience even more remarkable is how this learner bravely led the presentation independently after her initial partners were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. (Unfortunately, due to the technical difficulties, a recording is unavailable.)
Finally, the third event I attended focused on AI in education and was hosted by What School Could Be. During this one-hour virtual event, four Adventure learners shared about the project they worked on during Session 1 – AI & Me. After giving a general overview of the project and sharing their AI Guidebook with audience members, learners spent the remaining time answering participant questions. Full of wisdom and forward-thinking, each learner answered questions thoughtfully, critically, and authentically. Stay tuned for a recording posted on the What School Could Be YouTube channel soon!
Leading a presentation alone is challenging enough. Presenting to a group of adults on an online platform? This is something many adults struggle to do because, like me, they were not trusted with these kinds of opportunities early on. In contrast, the Adventurers confidently stepped up to the plate, using their voices to challenge educational norms and push our society forward towards a world that believes in and trusts those at the center of education: learners. I continue to be inspired by how much these young people are capable of when given the opportunity to prove it.
