Recently I took a
little road trip and visited our schools on the southern end of the
county. I was so excited about what I saw that I knew I wanted to share
it in my blog.
My first stop was Carrsville Elementary,
at the southernmost part of our county, next to the city of Franklin.
The school is reinventing itself as an integrated arts school, with
programs similar to what you might find at a magnet school. They have
given themselves the appropriate nickname of "Artsville." Beginning in September 2018, Carrsville started
a music program where every student participates in violin for 30
minutes every day. This is an amazing opportunity for our students to
learn an instrument starting at a young age. I will write more about
the violin program in an upcoming blog. In addition, Mr. Johnson, the
PE teacher, has integrated Drums Alive into his classes. The program
combines fitness, drumming, music, and educational concepts to
build active movers and learners. I took a turn participating which you
can see in the video below (and, Yes, it was as fun as it looks!).
My
next stop was Windsor High, or The Castle, where I found an inflatable
ball pit in the lobby. The Yearbook class installed it as part of
bullying prevention month. Students were invited to sit and share with
each other as a way to learn more about their difference and to
ultimately break barriers. I also visited with building trades students
who were working on projects in their new lab space. Hands on masonry
at school? Now that's building skills for a solid future!
Next
up was Georgie Tyler Middle School where "It Takes a Titan" rings true. I saw amazing examples of curated
student work from previous projects: Digital Songwriting, The Tiny
House, Pond Life, and more. Curation is
an important part of project based learning. It highlights the
learning process and showcases student work for a wider audience.
Students also learn to take pride in their work, seeing it on display
everyday.
Finally,
I wrapped up my journey with stop at Windsor Elementary School. As I
walked about the school, I saw students collaborating on activities in
their classrooms and in spaces throughout the building. I stopped by
Mrs. Owens' music room where students were learning to play their new
keyboards. Just like Carrsville, this is an incredible opportunity for our students to learn an instrument while still in elementary school.
It
did take me a few hours to visit all four schools, but you can have the
same experience (almost) in just 3 minutes! Here's a compilation video
from my visit to the southern end of the county. Enjoy!
