Submitted by Jackie Bryant
Instrumental Music, Church Lane Elementary

In my 4th grade Exploratory Music class, students are working at various music centers to explore different properties of sound.  Using items such as tuning forks, ping pong balls, boomwhackers, and balloons, students conduct science experiments at each station in order to learn about how vibration creates sound and how sound travels through the air. 

Because instrumental music pedagogy is often focused on whole group instruction and modeling, it can be difficult to find places to insert student-directed learning.  Imagine trying to have a student teach themselves to play a violin when they have never even held one before, or trying to prepare for a band concert without having the whole group rehearse their music together, and you can see where the problem comes in!  When I heard that Mrs. Karen Seward did a mini-sound unit with her students, I asked her for the lesson plan and knew it would be a great way to try out music centers with my 4th graders.

The centers were a huge success, and the students now have a foundation on which to understand the rest of the instruments they will be learning about this year in Exploratory Music.  I am hoping to include more centers throughout the school year to continue this high level of student engagement in my classroom.

Submitted by: Katie Cox - S.T.A.T Teacher, Mays Chapel Elementary,
Katie Schmidt - 5th Grade Teacher, Rodgers Forge Elementary & 
David Robb - Supervisor, Dept. of Innovative Learning

After reflecting on training about learner-centered environments from the Lighthouse Summer Institute, many teachers are being very thoughtful about how to set up their classrooms this year. 

This first video reflection featuring Bethany Banks and Shantell Breen at Mays Chapel was taken during the week before students arrived as teachers were setting up their classrooms. 

The second video reflection from Rodgers Forge 5th grade teacher Katie Schmidt was recorded after just two weeks with students. As you'll hear, making the classroom more student-centered takes some adjustment, but Katie is already noticing more student engagement.

Join Chase Elementary Principal Doug Elmendorf on September 17 at 7:30pm  as he moderates a Twitter chat on student-centered learning.