Giving Compass' Take:

· Chalkbeat talks with Detroit teacher Michelle Schwendemann about her approach to education, why she lets her students lead in their own learning, and how it helps build lifelong skills and community. 

· What role do teachers play in student success? How can teachers better prepare students for their futures?

· Here's more on the benefits of letting students lead in their own learning. 

It barely took four months for Michelle Schwendemann’s math classroom to start looking like a jungle.

When she set out to grow plants hydroponically — meaning in water rather than soil — Schwendemann wasn’t concerned that she’d never tried it before. After all, her teaching philosophy boils down to letting students lead the way.

And they did. Her ninth-grade algebra students stayed after hours at Ben Carson High School of Science and Medicine to build a frame for a 25-gallon water tank. They planted herbs and peppers, and watched day by day as the tank overflowed with dark green leaves. They measured and graphed the changes, debating whether the plants’ growth was linear or exponential. (It’s the latter.)

We spoke with Schwendemann about the lessons she’s learned in 18 years in Michigan’s largest school district. She is a “master teacher,” tasked with mentoring other teachers at Ben Carson.

Her colleagues also help her. Her lessons incorporate history, English, science, and medicine. Once, Schwendemann teamed up with a history teacher to explore the geometry of the Egyptian pyramids.

Read the full article about students leading the way to learning by Koby Levin at Chalkbeat.