As we’ve charted the waters since our founding in 1998, we have remained faithful to the nine elements of body-brain compatibility—enriched environment, meaningful content, collaboration, movement, choice, adequate time, immediate feedback, mastery, and absence of threat—as the foundation of our school wide design, the Highly Effective Teaching Model (HET). These elements serve as our guide and provide the framework for implementing instructional methods and techniques for optimal learning to take place.
The common school-wide language of LIFESKILLS and Lifelong Guidelines provides a foundation for all students to develop a sense of community and experience the highest levels of learning in a safe environment. At the start of each new school year, our year-long outlines are presented to all students and displayed within each classroom. Similarly, students get a clear sense of what to expect each day, as every class features a hand-drawn circular agenda on the white board to depict flexibility within the daily schedule.
With desks organized in learning clubs, a sense of community is born as we foster collaboration among our students. Teachers are able to differentiate instruction based on the South Carolina College and Career Readiness Standards and customize instruction to meet students’ needs. A distinct advantage to the HET approach is that the current science or social studies unit of study can be seamlessly integrated across the curriculum.
Immersion brings real-world relevance into each classroom and is represented by an area dedicated to the current unit of study. Imagine seeing real tadpoles growing, actual cocoons transforming into butterflies or a tangible representation of another culture through its flag, foods, literature and photographs of historical figures. Each immersion area includes student created and three-dimensional real world artifacts, relevant literature, and significant knowledge key points for students. This also includes the element of “choice” aligning with the knowledge that there are many different ways to display learning. Meaningful content engages and connects to previous knowledge and experiences, including purposely selected “Being There” experiences that tie into the current unit of study. We also engage our students through the use of movement through body mapping and dramatizing.
Collaboration and teamwork opportunities are provided through periodic “Round Robin” class rotations allowing our students to rotate from class to class within their grade level and take part in an educational activity led by a teacher other than their own. Book Buddies, in which two classes from different grade levels are paired up and assigned partners, meet weekly for shared reading and learning experiences. Chromebook Buddies are similar in that the pairs share mobile devices, allowing access to resources needed to master technological skills.
Lastly, our teachers have found it extremely beneficial to implement the Balanced Literacy or Daily Five workshop model for English Language Arts to allow specialized instruction at varied entry points for students. Last year, the workshop model was extended to math among third grade teachers and we saw math SC READY achievement data soar to over 80 percent of students meeting or exceeding expectations. We are working toward consistent implementation of the math workshop model in other grades, as well.
Bookman Road continues to “Light the Way” with students, parents, staff, and the community to provide the very best learning experiences for students. Stakeholders are invited to learn more about BRES by visiting the school’s website at www.richland2.org/bre.
Dr. Kendra Hill, Principal
Mrs. Jody Osisek, SIC Chairperson
