Credentials

Valuing Multiple Perspectives

(cont.)
Analysis also gives students authentic practice in separating fact from opinion. Further, students often need to be able to determine whether facts presented are in reality supported by evidence. Critical thinking is essential to understanding the conflicting information and the half-truths which often dominate the rhetoric of potentially controversial public issues.

In analyzing data, students are encouraged to look for patterns, regularities and irregularities. The children of Upper St. Clair analyzed their data by grouping survey responses by approximate age level. Initial discussions about the data had led them to believe that there were differences by age, and they wanted to examine that first impression. In groups students tallied responses and then graphed their results. Contrary to the students' original guess, most groups had "swimming pool" at the top of their list with "water slide" a close second. "Picnic benches and shelters" was the top vote getter with the senior citizens. Many of the parents of the preschoolers had listed "bathrooms" as essential to a recreation center.

During the ensuing discussions about the importance of the survey results for the future recreation center, children tended to adopt the concerns of the groups that they had interviewed. For example, one child argued forcefully for miniature golf -- not because he wanted to have miniature golf, but because the high school students that he had interviewed had wanted that. Although miniature golf was not among the top choices when all of the surveys were counted, this student felt that it should be included because it represented a strong choice from one particular perspective.

Working collaboratively, listening to different points of view, and developing solutions that can satisfy various constituencies are important skills for children and adults who are seeking the "common good." Kids Around Town encourages dialogue among all interested individuals. Active listening and understanding opposing points of view are crucial to achieving mutually agreeable solutions.

The children of Upper St. Clair worked together to decide which of the many ideas for the recreation center should be included. They tried to weigh not only the quantitative information that they had collected but also the qualitative information. Thus, even if an activity might not have garnered as many votes as the others, the students considered the reasoning presented by those who favored it. After reaching agreement about the activities to be included, the children visited the site and discussed the topography and ecology of the area with the township forester.

An important part of authentic research is having an audience for the results. Kids Around Town encourages students to take some kind of social or civic action at the end of their study either to improve the situation themselves or to suggest a course of action to the responsible municipal body. The Upper St. Clair students had decided at the beginning of their community survey that they would share their findings with the township manager. As they talked with members of the community, they realized that many people were interested in what they were doing, and they decided that they would provide the information to a broader audience by presenting it to the Board of Supervisors at their monthly meeting. The township manager supported this decision and put them on the agenda.

Students and classroom teachers enlisted the art teacher to help them design and create a three-dimensional scale model of the site and the recreation center that would include all the major activities that they had agreed on. They wrote a summary of the research activities that they had pursued, and they mounted all of the graphs they had developed on poster board.

With television and newspaper coverage, the third-graders presented their study to the Upper St. Clair Board of Supervisors. They brought their scale model, results of their surveys, pictures of community meetings that they had attended, and a large group of parents and community volunteers to the meeting. The children explained what they had researched and what their findings were. The Board of Supervisors and the Township Manager were very receptive. In fact, they told the children that they had done a better job than the township had done several years earlier in trying to survey the community about recreational issues. They assured the children that when the Upper St. Clair Recreation Center was built, the children's research would be used.

The third-graders from Eisenhower School would be among the first to admit that what they did was hard work. As one little boy explained, "It wasn't like anything we ever done in school before; we were building a rec center." The students felt empowered by their experiences; they talked with many different adults; they were on agendas of several different community organizations. They believed that people were listening to them and that they had something important to say.

Perhaps even more importantly, these third-graders learned to look at an issue from multiple perspectives. They learned to listen to others' reasons and preferences and were able to work out compromises that would satisfy the most people. They worked together to develop a plan of action and to present their information to the wider community.

Kids Around Town is built on the premise that children can use real issues in their community to develop skills and thinking abilities. The third-graders in Eisenhower School in Upper St. Clair used a wide variety of communication skills, math skills, and science skills. They engaged in creative thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. They learned the importance of not rushing to conclusions or decisions, and they learned that through careful study, they can have an impact on their community. This is essential, for these children will be the civic leaders and decision makers of the future.

The author wishes to thank teachers Kathy McManus, Kenneth Bauer, Nancy Groff, and Janis Kapadia and their students at Eisenhower School in Upper St. Clair for graciously sharing their experiences with Kids Around Town.

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