April is STEM Month, dedicated to promoting and raising awareness about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Meet Greggory Cannady, the Senior Manager of STEM and Student Experience at DSST Public Schools.
Harmony of Innovation - From Music Teacher to Global STEM Collaborator: Meet Greggory Cannady
What is your personal/professional story?
How does a music teacher end up collaborating with aerospace companies, working with students building CubeSats, and co-designing international learning collaborations on how to grow plants on Mars? It's actually just one amazing accident after another. The third STEM School in the nation hired me to find out what music in STEM looks like. Of course, I didn't know the answer. I was pretty sure it was different than my many years of directing choirs in public schools and universities. I decided to stop telling students what to do, and listening to industries that produce music for a living, and dig deeper into what matters to students.
The first thing that had to be done was to find subject matter experts to inspire and inform authentic learning; people connected to real-world music production, performance, and the many ways that music is used beyond traditional choir, band, and orchestra. Thankfully, Chase Dobson was working with several well-known artists using Ableton Live software and hardware for music creation and performance. With the help of Chase, and Ableton Live trainers like Serafin Sanchez, we set up music production stations where students composed, produced, and performed original music. We also combined the composition software Sibelius with daily skills to build musicianship, collaboration, and technical knowledge allowing students to go beyond any curriculum, and into the infinite ways that music can be used in society.
The students won a national award called "Think It Up" in their first year. They produced an album called "Band Together," performed an album-release concert at a Denver venue, and rapidly became musicians who could jam with professionals. I did not teach them. We learned together while I facilitated learning. These students thought like musicians instead of following my made-up curriculum. Even with an advanced degree in music, I could not have done what the students did.
The next step was to see if this student-driven, teacher-facilitated, industry-inspired, and informed learning would work with other grades and subjects. It did! I now find myself watching these miracles in learning every day. We have used this approach successfully in Belize, Peru, Mexico, the UK, and across the US. Every grade, every subject, every ZIP code. Experiential learning is not new. There are so many ways to STEM the GAP in the world. We simply must do what I did . . . CHANGE.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
Building "Ships" - Relationships, Friendships, Mentorships, Internships, Apprenticeships, Global Citizenship, Leadership,
We formed an advisory group of industry leaders to tell us what students need to know to thrive in their future careers and lives. We asked these industry leaders what problems keep them up at night that our students could help solve. The answer is simple, but not easy. At the center are relationships in learning combined with authentic learning that is driven by the passions and purpose of students, and facilitated by teachers. and all with mentorship from subject matter experts and industry professionals. I like to call this Collaborative Learning Adventures. We have much work to do in order to empower each student's potential. Teaching is still important. However, facilitating authentic learning must accompany every aspect of our work.
Working with students and teachers in other countries has also opened my eyes to the diversity of values, perspectives, and innovative ideas that come from people working together on what matters. I was reading the Boulder Daily Camera and thought this quote summed up how we can all work together to solve the things that matter, and the problems that face our world. “There are all kinds of challenges these days that people are trying to solve, and we’re done with the easy problems. We’re entering grand challenges that aren’t going to be solved by a person or company, they’re going to be solved by a community.” - Scott Sieke, (graduate student at CU Boulder who works with Science Discovery) How can we solve global problems without learning how to work together, globally?
Where does your passion to serve come from?
URGENCY - I've seen what is possible, and I've seen the hopelessness that happens when we fail to reach every student. The status quo, industrial revolution, one-size-fits-all way of teaching does not work. Are we brave enough to innovate and make the necessary changes in education that will help every student thrive in their future careers and lives? I always tell authors and musicians that it’s not about creating songs or stories that others will buy, it’s about creating authors and artists who can think like musicians or authors, and then themselves become the creators, collaborators, and innovators.
Carl Wierman's Experiential learning for university physics students enabled students to think like physicists.
- Creators vs Consumers
- Innovation vs Conforming to Mediocrity
We must break the one-size-fits-all mold, and leverage learning relationships to embrace infinite opportunities, perspectives, and the unstoppable force everyone has.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
We are inviting industry, communities, and businesses to join us in making sure every student has the kind of “ships” that promote kindness, readiness for future careers, and passion for infinite opportunities to help humanity. Let's Build Ships!
