Making an IMPACT on Teaching, Learning, Motivation, and Student Achievement
Cape Hatteras Elementary School received an award at the North Carolina Educational Technology Conference in Greensboro on November 29 as a model IMPACT school. CHES is one of two schools statewide to be recognized with the award. The IMPACT Model is based on the premise that effective school library media and instructional technology programs are fundamental in teaching and learning, and essential to making learning relevant. IMPACT was put into practice last year at CHES to fully evaluate the model's effectiveness. The mission of NCETC is to help shape the future of education by bringing together emerging and existing technologies and Best Practices in education.
At CHES, the level of cooperation and collaboration among teachers across the curriculum soared, as did student enthusiasm and motivation, making the model popular with both staff and students. With its relatively small student population, coupled with strong media and technology programs, CHES is ideal for implementing this research-based model.
CHES Technology Coordinator Diane Brown, with Media coordinators beginning with Freda Ballard and currently Shauna Leggat, have taken the reigns leading CHES to incorporate the research-based IMPACT model. The schedule was arranged to optimize teachers' planning time, facilitate productive meetings among grade levels and bring "specials" teachers - art, PE, and music - in the academic loop. With support and encouragement from school-based and district administrators, the CHES program reached a level of success noted by the Department of Public Instruction, and the school was recognized as one of two schools statewide to have fully integrated the model into daily teaching and learning practices.
The level of success is due largely to the willingness of faculty to collaborate. "The main component is collaboration," explains Technology Coordinator, Landra Cartwright. "Diane Brown and Shauna Leggat have worked very hard over the last two years to establish collaboration between media and technology and classroom teachers. The collaboration is very evident when you walk through the school. Media and Technology are teaching the same thing as the classroom. Students can connect learning in meaningful ways.
"The schedule for the computer lab and media center is important," stresses Cartwright. "It must allow enough flexibility for classroom teachers to do projects."
On Tuesdays each week, Brown and Leggat hold grade level meetings during teachers' planning times. Since the model is needs-driven based on teacher requests, test scores and by grade level, input is the first step in the success of the collaboration. For example, first grade teacher Trish Dempsey admitted she was not strong in teaching poetry and sought help from Leggat who, as the gifted teacher and media coordinator, is strong in all areas of language arts. After observing Leggat at work in her classroom, Dempsey is more secure in knowing her students have received the foundation they need, and in the process has more confidence in her own ability to instruct her students in this area. In fact, at a recent collaborative meeting with Brown and Leggat, Dempsey described how she had launched her own seasonal poetry assignment to give Leggat a heads up about what her students would be working on when Leggat next returned to her classroom. By being open about what she felt was a shortcoming and taking the opportunity to observe Leggat, Dempsey is now equipped to teach a unit if the curriculum that she was not comfortable with before.
Leggat sees the model as prompting the faculty to "work smarter, not harder; we're sharing the load by building on our strengths." She and Brown are enthusiastic about the team-teaching approach that is vital to the success of the IMPACT model.
"As a result of this approach our students are receiving a more comprehensive education," asserts Brown. She shared that many kindergarten students needed extra instruction in patterning - the sequence and relationships of objects to one another - critical to a strong foundation in math. This need was shared in a regular Tuesday collaborative meeting, and before the week was out - whether students were in art, music, PE, computer lab or library - patterning concepts were being presented and reinforced. The kindergarten teachers had the support they needed, while students were simultaneously having their differing learning styles addressed as they mastered the concept.
"I am so pleased that our school received this award," commented Principal Ray Gray. "It's a direct result of the effort of many staff members working collaboratively together to do the best for children. Using the IMPACT model is great for children; they not only have the assistance of their classroom teacher, but on some projects they have the assistance of as many as six other adults. This model is wonderful for research, and presentations. I'm very excited that we are using IMPACT and anticipate that we'll continually improve on this approach."
There are many successful and innovative plans to equip 21st Century students with the skills they'll need to succeed. What sets the IMPACT model apart is the collaboration among teachers in subjects across the curriculum, recognition that technology and media resources are key, and creation of relevant connections between faculty and students. IMPACT sets the tone for the rigor, relevance and relationships that will mark these students' middle and high school years.
Cape Hatteras Elementary School Second graders in Kristin Gray and Licia Kee's classes could chose whatever medium they wanted to present life cycle projects - students choosing to create their own books: (front from left) Brittany Parsons, Jahfar Christ, Aron Stowe, Gabby Saddler, Abby Rippin, Delaney Johnson; and (back) Ciera Hooper, Hunter Thomas, Avery Johnson, Maddie Gray, Libby Tawes, Ciara Plumley display their finished projects. CHES, using the NCDPI IMPACT model, makes available media and technology resources and teachers, and "specials" teachers - art, PE, music - to collaborate and reinforce concepts across the grade level.
Several Cape Hatteras Elementary School second graders selecting PowerPoint to deliver their life cycle projects (from left) Christa Johnson, Lola Wyche, Nicholas Midgett, Savannah Nichols, Landry Tawes gather around one of their classroom computers to watch the imbedded video in a presentation that explains the life cycle of a frog. The project beautifully combined science and language arts with research using resources on the internet and in the school library. Classroom teachers Kristin Gray and Licia Kee, Media Coordinator Shauna Leggat and Technology Coordinator Diane Brown joined to guide groups of students through their projects.
CHES second graders choosing to create "comic strips" for their life cycle projects in first, next, then, and last sequence (front from left) Hayden Scarborough, Aaron Silver, Jake Phillips, Jack Quidley, Carley Martin, Cassidy Merillat; and (back) Devyn Larson, Jordan Rochin, Ethan Gray, Conner Day, Alastar Damitio and Rhiannon Harris. Students were encouraged to use library and computers as resources for their research in addition to their skills in art. This project resulted from the collaborative IMPACT approach, for which CHES just won an award from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on November 29 at the North Carolina Educational Technology Conference in Greensboro.
Cape Hatteras fourth grade students in Molly McKnight's class ‑ from left ‑ Peter Focht, Ayden Dimitio, Noah Dixon, Katie Williams, Kate Tawes and Katelyn Mattingly display hand painted tiles they made at school as part of a haiku project combining art and language arts. McKnight centers the project on Grass Sandals by Dawnine Spivak, a story based on the travel journals of the haiku poet Basho in the 1600's. The story is filled with examples of Basho's poetry and defines the form and function of the Haiku style. "Each child has the job of writing at least one Haiku, maintaining the 7‑5‑7 formula while drawing upon at least two of our five senses, plus movement," describes McKnight. "After completion and revision of their poems the children painted them on ceramic tiles that were donated by Tyler Timms of Rodanthe. The children were free to decorate the tiles freely but reminded to honor the simplicity and order of the art of Haiku."
This is the second year McKnight has used this project in her classroom and anticipates that she has enough of Timms' donated tiles to continue for another year. True to the CHES collaborative IMPACT model in use schoolwide, Media Coordinator and Gifted teacher Shauna Leggat, EC Assistant Lisa Mattingly and parent volunteers conferenced with students about their pieces. "The students used technology to search for symbols and inspiration," McKnight added. "And, mathematics was also employed in the design process as the children learned basic layout principles.