Schools are changing every day with new ways of capturing students’ attention. In Cedar Hill ISD, they’re moving away from teachers lecturing in the front of the classroom and embracing learning through projects.
Schools are changing every day with new ways of capturing students' attention.
In Cedar Hill ISD, they're moving away from teachers lecturing in the front of the classroom and embracing learning through projects.
At Collegiate Prep Academy Middle School, Kellie Burchfield's science class was learning about energy and force. Rather than read a textbook or listen to her spout facts, the kids are working on a project.
“They're going to build a basketball goal. It has to stand by itself and then it has to stand with a ball going towards it, said Burchfield.
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Working as a team to accomplish something and knowing the reason behind it is the goal and it's going so well, the district is looking to expand it even to their younger learners.
“When we look at the future of jobs, we see the majority of our jobs are stem related,” said Xavier Lewis, principal, Collegiate Prep Elementary.
He just finished training on how to bring more stem and project learning to his students.
Carter In The Classroom
Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed.
“They’re able to do an activity that has a problem. They have to work through and it really helps enforce in a fun and engaging way, said Lewis.
38 teachers in the district just finished the training program alongside Lewis. It details ways to design and build more science and engineering projects for the classroom.
It's this type of learning that Cedar Hill ISD is finding most effective and helping students not only learn but retain it and think even more critically than teachers intended.
“Were gearing our scholars up to be business owners to have experience in these fields while they're in elementary school. We have students coming up with solutions to COVID right here on this campus,” said Lewis
The district says this type of learning isn't for everyone and they'll make sure traditional methods are in place for those who learn best those ways.
Cedar Hill plans to continue to expand those opportunities throughout all its campuses.
