New self-directed learning approach

Grade 6 science students are benefitting from a new, more self-directed approach to learning this year. Their teacher, Beth Grieser, is implementing new ideas from a course she took this summer and from colleagues who have started a new enrichment program at Bethany this year. She notes that the smaller class size at Bethany, where she can work with individuals and small groups, is conducive to this kind of learning.

While Grieser has always incorporated hands-on learning into her curriculum, with this new approach students are getting even more, as they delve into areas of their own interest that relate to the topic of study. Students choose projects that utilize the ways they learn best, including hands-on, visual, factual, and creative processes. And their textbook, rather than being the primary source of information, now serves as resource for basic information. Students not only learn more about their own area of special interest, but then learn from others as together they share what they are learning.

In a study of mitosis, one student, who became interested in cancer cells, researched how cancer cells are formed.

Another student created a game to demonstrate how osmosis works.

And yet another student created a fountain from bottles of water connected by tubing as he demonstrated diffusion while also learning about gravity and air and water pressure.

Students also had opportunity to explore the Bethany wetlands and gardens as they learned about plant classification: seeing and touching plants in their natural setting.

See also article in The Paper.