HSE21 and Collage Tacos

From Stephanie: HSE²¹ in My Kitchen

• How will we know our work with HSE²¹ is working?
• What will be different for our youngest HSE²¹ learners in years to come?
• We know HSE²¹ is about learning and not technology. Technology will come and go, but what will endure?

Let’s watch our children grow in their disposition, inquiries, initiative, confidence, stamina, grit, determination, and skills as we enjoy Collage Tacos at the dinner table!

A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen, or a sign of a good cook, or are you supposed to kiss the cook? I can’t recall, but last week I was struck by the evidence of our HSE²¹ best practices at work in my kitchen.

Our daughter has recently become very interested in cooking, and I have her amazing third grade teacher to blame—I mean thank! J

My daughter researches recipes and creates scrapbook style cookbooks worthy of a Martha Stewart review. The revisions to her recipes are recorded on a “sticky-back anchor chart” that hangs on our kitchen wall. 

Her mother is an educator who doesn’t always have time to make dinner but always travels with poster paper. Sound familiar?

I'll take this over anything Martha Stewart has to offer!

Last week, we sat down to “collage tacos.” This photo captures her display: a welcoming collage themed invitation next to a mixing bowl full of shredded chicken, salsa, lettuce, and sour cream.

I asked her to tell me more about her work. I literally hung on to every word because I was so struck by her language.

Bring balance to life
and to your taco!

I kept running into problems with your tacos, Mom. You take a bite and only get the lettuce and sour cream on top. You can’t get to other stuff all at the same time. So I thought I would make collage tacos in a bowl, and we’d put everything in the shell all at once. Our bites would be balanced.

We sat down to eat her collage tacos and talk about our day.  Then she interrupted:

I need to collect some feedback. What did you think? Were they too runny? I think they were a little soggy.

We were so fortunate to see true inquiry in action. Her growing confidence and determination is tremendous. We laughed and smiled—and then I kissed the cook!

What Will Endure?

Collage Tacos are part of the answer to the questions I posed at the beginning of this entry:

• How will we know our work with HSE²¹ is working?
• What will be different for our youngest HSE²¹ learners in years to come?
• We know HSE²¹ is about learning and not technology. Technology will come and go, but what will endure?

We will start to know HSE²¹ is working when we see inquiry transferred to situations outside of the classroom, and when we see a desire for feedback and growth as a way of being.  It's true that technology will always change, but what we hope will last is the dispositions of a lifelong learner.

Share Your Stories

I would love to hear from you.  How are your little ones growing in their inquiries? Where are you seeing the lasting impact of HSE²¹?

Please send photos and share your stories with me!

Respond to Stephanie: sloane@hse.k12.in.us

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education