Critical Exploration
Rivendell Academy is committed to moving away from a pedagogy in which teachers provide information and students are expected to absorb that information. We view students as creators of their own understanding and the role of teachers as providing materials and situations that support student investigation and discourse. One approach to fostering rich student thinking is the use of Critical Explorations. With the support of the Rowland Foundation, we will support Rivendell staff in implementing Critical Explorations in their classrooms. To do so, we will collaborate with Rivendell Academy staff and students and with the Critical Explorers Inc. to identify and assess appropriate materials for use in classrooms throughout the school.
Critical Exploration is a philosophy and pedagogical approach that focuses on advancing student thinking as students interact with specifically chosen materials through observation, experimentation and discourse. In this model, the role of the teacher shifts from a provider of answers to a facilitator whose goal is to elicit student thinking and pull in all learners. The role of the student shifts from a passive absorber of information to an active driver of classroom conversation and ideas. We believe that as students develop their own ideas and meaning in classrooms throughout the school, they will also develop confidence in their thinking and problem solving abilities. These skills will support them as learners beyond the classroom, and will help them chart their own course for learning throughout high school and beyond.
