As I visit
classrooms throughout the year, I want to share some of the outstanding
teaching I have observed and use my blog as a platform to highlight those
teachers. I have expressed the
importance of focusing on engaging students, integrating technology into
instruction, and creating relevant learning experiences. As a division, we are also stressing the
importance of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. Recently I witnessed an excellent example of
the four C’s when I stopped by Mr. Matt Johnson’s classroom at Westside
Elementary School.
As I entered
his room, students were standing in their seats and cheering loudly for each
other-- definitely not something you see every day. I discovered that they were
celebrating the success of the entire class on a recent assessment. In addition, I had the opportunity to watch
the attached video clip as he and his students participated in a “unique”
review of the rivers of the United States.
Please watch the video clip of Mr. Johnson’s active classroom so you can
experience the high-energy level he brings to his teaching. It was obvious that the students were having
fun while they were learning the material in this very active and positive
environment.
I have been
discussing the fact that we must change the way we teach students who are
heavily involved with technology and have the world at their fingertips. Mr. Johnson effectively uses collaboration,
communication, creativity, and critical thinking in his daily classroom
activities and his students are thriving from the experience.
There are
other teachers throughout the division who are routinely using the four C’s
with their students as well. I look
forward to sharing these exceptional examples of classroom instruction with you
that focus on what’s best for every child, every day.