Getting Out in the "Garage"

"Can we get a Garage Day today?"

We hear this question in class after we've been grinding on "hard skills" for a few days in a row. Far from an unwelcome question, it indicates to Mr. Gaylord and I that our students need to "get real," and soon. Getting "real" means heading out into The Garage.

My friend and former co-facilitator Rachelle Antcliff used to say, "I love standards. I read them and ask myself, 'Is this all I have to teach?'" It's a tongue-and-check statement but still, her point is that standards install parameters on the scope of our courses. One could argue for the merits of having some limits-not on what we could do but what we must do-in order for a course to check a box on a diploma checklist. I certainly would.

Alas, I co-facilitate a course called Global Science Perspectives at Columbus Signature Academy New Tech High School. The course integrates English 9 with Environmental Studies (studies, not science) and the course possesses no standards; the only guidelines for the course are contained in a single paragraph description in the Indiana Course Descriptions Guide. The concept works really well for us because it anchors our project in environmental themes of sustainability, climate change, urban design, ecosystem services, and more. It also gives us latitude to explore our project whimsies. We stay rooted to the serious work of learning to read and write well and give our students a ton of exposure to wonders of the outdoor and natural world- especially on "Garage Days."

In Michael McDowell's Teaching for Transfer, he defends the practice of balancing breadth and depth. Most days are for bolstering depth of knowledge in our practices; these are referred to as "Office Days." Anything that constitutes learning new content at a deeper level is done in the office. On office days, we pursue the wellsprings of knowledge that can only be found when all of that digging results in blisters and sore muscles.

Other times, we seek to add breadth to our knowledge. Instead of digging deeper, we traverse and dig outward. Trenches, if you will, instead of wells. Students cherish these "Garage Days," where we might saunter over to the nearby park, creek, or take advantage of the People Trail system in Columbus.

We never leave the building without a goal on Garage Days. Sure, some days the goal is limited to recharging our oxygen levels; more often, it's to hone our observation skills or reach a destination where we might collect data or have an important conversation. Our favorite Garage Days involve learning the names: trees, insects, and street types, or deriving our own names and descriptors: vibrant, musty, and cool. Whatever the goal, focus on it is a non-negotiable. Conversations are encouraged, but cell phones are not to be seen, unless taking pictures or using an identification tool is warranted.

We contend that these Garage Days are not days off any more than Google's 20% rule would consider time exploring long-term prospects based on personal curiosities and passions frivolous. The time ensures that students see the application of content, build in outdoor immersion as a matter of habit, get fresh air and exercise, and bolster their arsenal for tool set for maintaining social-emotional well-being. We try to incorporate Garage Days once a week, no matter the time of year. February in Indiana challenges the collective mental health in many ways; with the days of "real winter" seemingly a thing of the past, the gray skies and dirty, icy snow piles can impart despair on even the most optimistic. We have to lean in during the post-holiday doldrums, and Garage Days can help.

Breadth and depth of knowledge both deserve cultivation. We all recognize the benefits of digging deep to develop content fluency. Consider the many benefits students can reap by digging out on a regular basis.