Learn Like a PIRATE: Empower Your Students to Collaborate, Lead, and Succeed

What People Are Saying about Paul Solarz and Learn Like a PIRATE

Would your class fall apart without you? Could your students learn if you didn’t speak for an entire day? In Learn Like a PIRATE, Paul Solarz shares methods you can use to create a student-led classroom and prepare your students for a lifetime of self-led learning.

— DANIEL H. PINK, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

While many teachers tend to be at the helm of the ship, Learn Like a PIRATE is a model for teaching from the crow’s nest: having a clear vantage point of the class and its direction, but letting students steer their learning. Paul has recaptured the ‘pirate’ spirit in his own way. Diving into the activities of his classroom, we see how students take charge of their learning — and how daring teachers make it happen.

— ANGELA MAIERS, Founder of Choose2Matter and author of The Passion-Driven Classroom

For learning to be relevant and meaningful in the eyes of students today, school experiences need to be more learner centric. Paul Solarz has crafted the perfect guide to help invigorate classroom learning experiences to empower students to take ownership over their learning.

— ERIC SHENINGER, Senior Fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education and author of Digital Leadership

In Learn Like a PIRATE, Paul Solarz explains how to design classroom experiences that encourage students to take risks and explore their passions in a stimulating, motivating, and supportive environment where improvement, rather than grades, is the focus. The particular techniques (and the underlying philosophy) he offers are highly consistent with teaching practice at the distinguished level in my Framework for Teaching. In that model, I tried to describe, at the distinguished level, classrooms in which the teacher has created a community of learners, with the students themselves assuming much of the responsibility for what occurs there. Mr. Solarz offers specific ideas for how to accomplish that.

— CHARLOTTE DANIELSON, author of Enhancing Professional Practice

As I read Learn Like A PIRATE, I regretted that I was not teaching in the classroom where I would be able to work with students in the thoughtful and imaginative ways he suggests. It is rare that we have a firsthand report of the day-to-day practicalities of transforming classes into places where students can become self-directed, curious, interdependent learners. Paul has succeeded in sharing his passion for authentic twenty-first century teaching as well as inspiring us to imitate and invent our own models for preparing our students for an increasingly complex world of invention and problem solving.

— BENA KALLICK, co-Director of the Institute for Habits of Mind and co-author of the Habits of Mind books

There are countless books and articles on how to change school systems to pave the way for twenty-first century education, and most of them are, at best, wishful thinking for an implicitly distant future. Paul Solarz’s book is invaluable in that it tells the real life story of how he is doing that right now in his classroom.

— GABRIEL RSHAID, Professional Development Associate at The Leadership and Learning Center and author of The 21st-Century Classroom

Paul Solarz does amazing inquiry work with elementary students. If you ever thought, ‘Oh my students are too young for that,’ then check out Paul’s site and his writing on inquiry and project-based learning in the classroom. Paul is a go to resource on Passion Time, Genius Hour, and Inquiry-Based learning at the elementary level.

— A.J. JULIANI, author of Learning by Choice

Paul is a top-notch superstar in the education world. Paul could easily be at the top of anyone’s list for educator of the year. He believes strongly in the incorporation of twenty-first century skills, giving students autonomy, challenging students to make a positive impact on the world, and then he showcases their work to the world. Every time I visit Paul’s website, my head hurts because he has so many wonderful ideas and projects that he does with his students. I believe his students are very lucky to have someone that is truly preparing them to be successful in the real world and setting a great example as a hard-working, passionate, compassionate, game changer.

— OLIVER SCHINKTEN, co-Founder of Communities program and ComPassion Based Learning model, and Founder of AssistEd Shift

As an educator, I often get most of my professional development from many other experienced and risk-taking educators within my own community and around the country. Through social media, I came across a truly innovative educator, Paul Solarz, who utilizes these twenty-first century skills into his daily lessons. His willingness to share has helped me and many other educators advance our own practice.

— STEPHANIE DWYER, seventh grade English Teacher

"Anybody who knows teachers on Twitter will know of Paul — he is someone I aspire to be when I ‘grow up’ as a teacher. For the amazing work he does with ‘Genius Hour,’ his class library that I don’t so secretly covet, and so many more reasons, he is one of the first I go to when I have a question, because most times he will either know the answer or he will point me in the right direction.

— CATHY DOHN, Elementary Teacher

In Paul’s classroom, students are actively engaged in what they learn. The environment is collaborative, upbeat, and productive. Students are empowered to take risks and learn from their mistakes, as well as their successes. Paul is highly respected by his students, their parents, and fellow educators worldwide.

— PAULA SULLIVAN, fifth grade co-worker

Learn Like a PIRATE

Empower Your Students to Collaborate, Lead, and Succeed

By Paul Solarz

Learn Like a Pirate

© 2015 by Paul Solarz

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing by the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. For information regarding permission, contact the publisher at daveburgessconsulting@gmail.com.

This book is available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for use as premiums, promotions, fundraising, and educational use. For inquiries and details, contact us: daveburgessconsulting@gmail.com.

Published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

San Diego, CA

http://daveburgessconsulting.com

Cover Design by Genesis Kohler

Interior Design by My Writers’ Connection

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015933027

ISBN TPB: 978-0-9882176-6-9

ISBN eBook: 978-0-9882176-7-6

First Printing: March 2015

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my niece, Ashley, and my nephew, Tyler, whom I love as if they were my own children. It’s also dedicated to my sister, Amy, and brother-in-law, Justin, who invite me to all of their children’s activities so I can be a part of their lives. Finally, this book is dedicated to my parents: my mom, whose child-centered, avant-garde parenting style I’ve chosen to transform into a teaching philosophy, and my dad, whose determined work ethic and selfless nature inspired me to be the best teacher I could be.

While writing Learn Like a PIRATE, my family and I suffered a tremendous loss. My father passed away while driving home from work one evening. He was sixty-two and was loved by everyone who knew him. Our family has so many wonderful memories together. We’re most thankful for the vacation we took as a family to the Dominican Republic in 2014 — it was the only thing left on his bucket list! He loved his life, his job, and his family, especially his grandchildren, with whom he talked or visited every single day! I am so thankful for the thirty-eight years I got to spend with him. I love you, Dad!

Lay of the Land

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Get More Out of  Learn Like a PIRATE

Introduction

Section 1: The Student-Led Classroom

1 What is a Student-Led Classroom?

2 Common Concerns About Student-Led Classrooms

Section 2: Learn Like a PIRATE

3 Peer Collaboration

4 Improvement Focus vs. Grade Focus

5 Responsibility

6 Active Learning

7 Twenty-First Century Skills

8 Empowerment

9 Our Purpose as Educators

More From Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

About the Author

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to so many people for their help in accomplishing my dream of publishing a book! I want to thank:

My publishers, Dave and Shelley Burgess, who gave me the opportunity to write a book in the PIRATE family.

My editor, Erin Casey, for transforming my chicken scratches into intelligible thoughts fit for publishing.

My principal, Caz Badynee, for getting me onto Twitter and helping me put together the best Professional Learning Network imaginable! His continued support and encouragement play a large role in my desire and ability to constantly improve my craft.

My assistant principal, Sue Klarner, for always making small accomplishments feel huge! You can always see in her eyes how much she cares about the teachers and students at Westgate.

My district administration staff, especially Lori Bein, Eric Olson, Jake Chung, and Chris Fahnoe for their vision, kindness, and support. They are leading our district in a very positive direction and each is doing so with class and a smile.

My co-workers who put up with the noise coming from my classroom and the laptop cart always being checked out, in addition to hundreds of other things! I’m so lucky to work with people I consider to be some of my closest friends!

My students and their parents for supporting me through the years as I experimented and took chances every day in the classroom. Their positive feedback and heartfelt opinions about PIRATE learning can be found throughout this book.

My family and friends for being so supportive and understanding as I’ve put in hundreds of hours writing and revising Learn Like a Pirate during the past six months. I’m tremendously blessed to have so many loved ones in my life!

Foreword

I have a confession. I did not have a student-led classroom. Hopefully I created a classroom that was engaging, meaningful, fun, and a life-changing experience for my students…but student-led? No.

I also realize empowering students to lead, collaborate, own their learning, and develop twenty-first century skills is a critical component of education, so I wanted to add another voice to the pirate family. Paul Solarz was an easy choice to be that voice. Countless times, teachers have mentioned to me the positive impact Paul’s resources and online collaboration have had on their classes. He has been a huge contributor to the #tlap (Teach Like a PIRATE) community, and I was honored he accepted the challenge to write this book.

In Learn Like a PIRATE, Paul swings open the door of his classroom and not only shows us exactly how he builds his student-led culture from the ground up, but also delivers a persuasive pitch as to why. One thing will become clear right away; Paul actually does this stuff! He is a practitioner. He is still in his classroom every day walking the talk. It’s that realness that I believe will resonate with other teachers and administrators.

Paul has completely reworked my original PIRATE acronym to perfectly fit his powerful message of student empowerment. This is a treasure map that, if followed, will allow you to design a class that not only covers your content, but also prepares students to lead and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Education isn’t just about raising test scores; it’s about raising human potential. Paul has truly embraced the notion that teaching is a mighty purpose and that transforming lives is at the heart of this worthy profession.

In the #tlap community, we talk a lot of talk about how risk-taking and stepping out of our comfort zones is what PIRATE educators do. Well, it turns out that perhaps the most daring maneuver a pirate captain can make is to be willing to hand over the wheel and let the crew steer the ship.

Dave Burgess

President of Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

Author of Teach Like a PIRATE

co-Author of P is for PIRATE

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Chinese Proverb

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

Benjamin Franklin

Talk at me and I struggle to learn. Actively involve me and I achieve. Empower me to lead and I take my new skills wherever I go.

Paul Solarz

Get More Out of Learn Like a PIRATE

In the following pages, you’ll find all sorts of ideas, tips, lessons, and strategies for creating an environment that empowers students to collaborate, lead, and succeed in your classroom — and ultimately, in life. A few of the tactics I’ve shared are completely original, but many are methods I’ve learned from others and adapted to suit my teaching style, goals, and students’ needs. I encourage you to take the same approach!

Why start from scratch when you can commandeer ideas and strategies and use them as your own? Think of it as the pirate’s version of collaboration! To make implementation easy, I’ve provided links throughout this book that will take you to corresponding images, videos, blog posts, or other resources so you can see exactly how these concepts can be applied in your classroom.

Visit LearnLikeAPirate.com for even more resources. You can also find me on Twitter, @PaulSolarz, and join #LearnLAP chats to expand your thinking and your Professional Learning Network (PLN).

Introduction

When I became a teacher more than fifteen years ago, I was told my main purpose was to prepare my fifth-grade students for middle school. Taking that task to heart, I began a quest to determine the traits a middle schooler needed. I discovered they should be academically prepared for complex assignments, mentally prepared for interdisciplinary projects, socially prepared for pre-adolescent experiences, and emotionally mature enough to handle the challenges they would face in the coming school year.

Teachers learn right along with their students, and I learned early on that it wasn’t possible for me to tell my students everything they needed to know. I can’t force my students to learn and mature academically, socially, and emotionally. But I can offer incredible experiences that make them eager to learn. I can provide a space that gives them the confidence to step outside their comfort zones and try new things. And I can help my students grow by creating a classroom culture in which they have ownership of their learning.

No matter what grade they teach, all teachers want to help their students to mature academically, socially, and emotionally. The process looks different at each grade level, but the desired outcome is the same. I believe the best way to help students learn and grow is to challenge them to take responsibility for their learning experiences through student-led classrooms. Learn Like a PIRATE explains how and why I have created a student-led learning environment in my classroom. I hope this book inspires you to try this approach in your classroom. If you do, I’m confident you’ll discover how much children can learn when they’re empowered to run the show!

So, why is the book called Learn Like a PIRATE? Dave Burgess explains in his book Teach Like a PIRATE (a book I highly recommend) what it means to have the spirit of a pirate:

Pirates are daring, adventurous, and willing to set forth into uncharted territories with no guarantee of success. They reject the status quo and refuse to conform to any society that stifles creativity and independence. They are entrepreneurs who take risks and are willing to travel to the ends of the earth for that which they value. Although fiercely independent, they travel with and embrace a diverse crew. If you’re willing to live by the code, commit to the voyage, and pull your share of the load, then you’re free to set sail. Pirates don’t much care about public perception; they proudly fly their flags in defiance. And besides, everybody loves a pirate.

As teachers, we need the traits of a pirate. Likewise, our students need the characteristics of confidence, curiosity, independence, and collaboration so they can be successful not only in school, but throughout their lives. Unfortunately, the current state of education tends to stifle, rather than foster, a pirate-like attitude.

Students need to become risk-takers, but systems and classrooms that prioritize grades above all else foster a fear of failure.

Students need to make creative decisions, but rigid rules and step-by-step directions stifle creativity and innovation.

Students need to learn to work well with others, but they can’t develop interpersonal skills working alone or listening to the teacher all day.

Learn Like a PIRATE challenges current education models and is intended to encourage and equip teachers of all grade levels. It is my belief that with the proper motivation and the appropriate amount of freedom, your students will rise to the challenge and impress you. Teachers of third grade and above should have little trouble implementing the strategies outlined in this book. Even students in primary grades (K-2) will benefit from opportunities to run portions of their studies, take initiative, and develop leadership skills.

The methods shared in Learn Like a PIRATE are probably very different from those you were taught in college. The experiences shared here may look very unlike that of your current classroom. I encourage you to read this book with an open mind and consider how you could implement or adapt the ideas for your unique students and circumstances. Determine what student-led could look like in your classroom, and then give it a shot. You need only one student who is brave enough to try to lead the class and the rest will follow! Be patient. They are sure to make lots of mistakes early on, but the payoff is worth it. I promise! By equipping them to take ownership of their education, you