Best of the Week 2022-2023: Teaching to the Future

LCA VISITS ST. ED'S FOR AN ENGAGING IB EXERCISE ON DIVERGENT THINKING

This week, St. Ed's welcomed 8th grade boys from Lakewood Catholic Academy to spend the morning with Principal Matt Stepnowsky and Dean of Academics/IB Coordinator Nick Kuhar while diving deep into the IB philosophy. Students engaged in hands-on exercises that expanded their perspectives as IB learners, explorers and listeners. The focus of the morning's agenda was to provide a personal adventure for these 8th grade students and give them an inside look at how an IB education at St. Ed's would give them the power to transform into a young man who thinks empathically and ethically and how to utilize the IB mindset for the good of the world.

Students engaged in two profound activities - the first being a creative thinking exercise to distinguish between language and knowledge. They were challenged to modify or change the appearance of a dollar bill, to keep track of their rationale behind each decision, and analyze whether or not one would consider the bill a usable dollar after the modifications. This exercise not only opened up the room to engaged discussion, sharing diverse perspectives, but also tackled the big questions that lie at the heart of inquiry within St. Ed's IB Diploma Program.

Lastly, students participated in "The Ultimate MJ vs. LBJ Throwdown" which challenged them to ask key questions, consult statistics and research, and to evaluate professional opinions from NBA players to journalists. The exercise begged the questions, "Should we prioritize one form of evidence or justification for a perspective over another?" and "Is bias inevitable?" Students received a well-rounded introduction to debate and emphasized the importance of open-mindedness and critical thinking over pure competition.

Special thanks to LCA President Brian Sinchak and the 8th grade LCA students who joined in this collaborative experience with us at St. Edward High School!