Connect 2.0

Now that a new year has begun, we are working hard to ensure that our Learning Hub is used as a learning space, much like a classroom. We love having students, teachers and parents read and check-out books, but it is important to remember that we also have classes scheduled in our space every day, almost all day.

Classes that come to the Learning Hub are either doing a project with their classroom teacher, working with Ms. Tara or Ms. Cofino, or enjoying a good book as part of their fixed check-out/quiet reading session (one session every 6 days for all grade levels).

Along with all of these great classes using our space for learning, we also have students that would like to come into the Hub during recess. However, as you may already know, recess and lunch recess in the ES begins at 9:00 am and continues throughout the day, switching between grade levels, until 1:00 pm. This means that recess essentially lasts the entire school day.

Over the past school year we have consistently had over 60 students in the Learning Hub during each recess time, in addition to all of the scheduled classes (sometimes as many as 4 classes at a time, which would be around 100 students) for a total of 160 students at one time. Unfortunately, this has made it extremely difficult to teach and learn in our space. The constant flow of students running into the Hub on their recess break unfortunately disrupts classes all day.

After much thought and consideration with our administration team, all classroom teachers, many students and several parents, we have decided to pilot a “pass system” only for students during recess times. The system functions like this:

1. Each classroom teacher has 2 Hub passes to use during the school day. These passes can be used over and over again throughout the day, but only 2 students from each class can be in the Hub at one time.
2. Each Hub pass has the classroom teacher’s name written on the front and the Hub Expectations written on the back. Each pass is color-coded for each grade level.
3. Any student using the Hub during the school day (unless they are with a class) must wear a Hub pass. One Hub pass is required for each student.
4. Any students causing a disturbance will be sent outside to recess and the teacher will be informed via e-mail.

We are planning to trial this process for the next month to ensure that all students that wish to use the Learning Hub during recess (to read, not to play) have the opportunity.

As with any pilot program, we are actively seeking feedback from all stakeholders. If you have any ideas about how to run this system better, or suggestions for maintaining the Learning Hub as a learning zone, please feel free to contact Ms. Tara or Ms. Cofino.

Please note that all students and parents are always welcome in the Hub from 6:30 – 7:30 am and 2:00 – 3:30 pm every day without a pass, as long as they are following the Hub Expectations.

We appreciate your support at home to clarify to your children that the Hub is a zone for learning and reading!

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.