Team Explore is a kindergarten and first grade next generation learning community at Hoover School. We are made up of 31 students and 2 teachers. This is our second year as a community, but our first year in our current environment. We share 2 classrooms that are connected with a doorway; a doorway that never shuts that is. Students are free to move throughout the environment as they see fit for learning. We have 2 seminar areas for teachers to lead lessons, 2 small bean tables to pull small groups and then a variety of work spaces from traditional tables to pillows on a carpet for students to choose from during workshop. Seminar, workshop... That's our lingo. We run a seminar-workshop model throughout our day in reading, writing and math. Seminars are when students are in a group lesson that is led by a teacher. Workshop is when students are working on a personalized plan to reach a goal independently. Students are placed in a seminar group for each content area and only attend seminars that are 'just right' for them. Then in workshop they work on tasks that are also 'just right' for them. Tasks include digital platforms, paper work, iPad apps, discovery ed flipped lessons, journals and hands on games. While this seems like a lot for young learners, they are working in a personalized environment. Everything they do is picked by them, for them. We also break up our day with specials, brain breaks and recess. We are a busy group that encourages collaboration, failing forward and 21st century skills. Welcome to a teacher's inside look at Team Explore!
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