From the Desk of Dr. Andy Wilson
Director of Research at CEN
It was my pleasure to be invited to judge 3rd grade student-directed research projects at Roscoe Collegiate ISD this fall. A few minutes after 8:00, the first group of 3rd-grade students entered the room — nervous, unsure, and determined to just get through the next few minutes. One by one, they walked us through their projects, pointing proudly to charts, drawings, and data they had gathered themselves. When they finished, they looked up and asked the judges, “Do you have any questions?” We certainly did. Each team fielded five or six questions — enough to check for understanding, theirs and ours.
As the morning went on, more groups rotated through. By the final rounds, the students were noticeably more confident, and the judges had sharpened their questioning. What Seaman Knapp, the father of cooperative extension, once said rang true: “What a man does, he cannot doubt.” Students who conduct their own research cannot doubt what they have learned. But conducting research without presenting to a panel of local judges is like cake without icing. Students deepen their learning by teaching, and judges walk away inspired by what is happening “up there in that school.” It strengthens community ties and builds advocates for the district.
Are you implementing student-directed research in your school? After 13 years of success at Roscoe Collegiate ISD — including national-level recognition — this remains the most powerful strategy I’ve seen for preparing students to think, solve problems, and fail forward. Research in Roscoe is now under the leadership of Student Research Director, Kayla Graves. If you would like to pick her brain about student-directed research, I would be happy to put you in touch with her. I would also be excited to visit with you about bringing this work to your district.
