|
Over the 20 years I have had the pleasure of working in many different settings and helping students with a variety of different backgrounds and experiences. Each one of these experiences is just as unique as our students are. Every student brings a distinctive way of looking at a problem and coming to a conclusion about how to solve it. Each one learns a little differently than the peer sitting next to them. As educators we try to honor these differences when we are teaching. Here at Aspen View we pride ourselves as educators to provide meaningful experiences for students.
There are set topics and units that students are expected to learn at each grade level, but giving these students an opportunity to learn in a meaningful way is important. At Aspen View we provide these opportunities to students on a regular basis, but in unique ways. These unique lessons allow students to show their understanding of the skills they have learned in ways that are not just pencil and paper. It also allows them to take those chances that they need to in a safe environment.
One such example was a battle re-enactment in a middle school classroom. The teacher set her classroom up so that the students could act this out. This gave them the opportunity to understand what each side was fighting for and why they were doing that. Another example was when in another class the teacher transformed her classroom into an escape room. Giving students tasks and solving problems as a team. There are many opportunities given to students in elementary classrooms as well. There is 4th grade Living Museum festival, 5th Grade Civil war Reenactment, and 2nd Grade Bottle Biographies to name a few more meaningful ways to show their learning.
Each one of these are a unique way of allowing our students to show what they have learned in class. It engages them in the learning process and helps them with retaining what they have learned. Students through the years will talk with me about these experiences and what they remember about them two or more years after the experience. This type of learning resonates with them. Not all students thrive in these settings, but we work to meet the students at their comfort level and then help them stretch themselves just a little bit more so that they can grow. We are lucky to have some many passionate and thoughtful teachers that do this with our students on a daily basis for our students.
Dave Bodiker
Dean of Students
| 
