Why “Teach Beyond Paper"?
👋 Hi, I’m Shel.
As a former kindergarten and 4th-grade teacher and a mom of three wonderful children, I’d like to welcome you to my blog and website, "Teach Beyond Paper." This platform isn’t just a place to share teaching strategies and tales from the classroom; it's a space dedicated to exploring the amazing potential of education beyond the more… traditional methods.
Why "Teach Beyond Paper"?
The name "Teach Beyond Paper" describes a vision for education that goes beyond the confines of worksheets and textbooks. In the modern classroom, it’s so important for educators to equip students with skills that reflect the world they’re about to burst into. Digital literacy and digital creativity are critical components of today’s classroom, and here’s why:
💻 Digital Literacy: When technology is ubiquitous, teaching students to navigate and utilize digital tools responsibly and effectively is crucial. From online research to developing effective multimedia presentations, digital literacy empowers students to be confident and competent in any environment— and showcase their capabilities.
🌈 Digital Creativity: In a universe where we have all become avid consumers of digital content, we want to see our students become creators. Encouraging digital creativity means empowering students to express themselves —whether it's coding a game, designing a website, developing an animation, or producing a short film. Creative skills foster critical thinking and problem-solving, which research indicates are essential for their future careers.
The Pervasive Power of Projects
Project-Based Learning (PBL) has always been a foundational element of my teaching style. It involves students in real-world projects that are both relevant and meaningful. PBL encourages collaboration and critical thinking. Students take a deep dive into topics, apply their knowledge, and see tangible results from their hard work.
For example, in my 4th-grade classroom, we once undertook a project to design a lunch system for our school that would cut down on lines and help students get extra time to eat. Students researched the line length statistics at different grade levels, developed proposals, and created visual data presentations to pitch their ideas. This project not only taught them about data collection and teamwork but also integrated math, economics, and language arts seamlessly.
The Arts in the Classroom
One thing I loved about my role as a teacher was when I could incorporate the arts into whatever we were doing. Design, music, and drama are powerful tools for enhancing student engagement and learning.
🎨 Art & Design: Integrating design thinking into lessons can spark both creativity and innovation. Whether it's through graphic design, architecture projects, UX, engineering, or simple art assignments, design helps students see the world through a creative lens and opens doors for their future.
🎵 Music: Music can be a fantastic medium for learning. Songs can help with memorization, and creating music can aid in understanding complex concepts. In my kindergarten class, we often used songs to learn all kinds of content, making the learning process fun and memorable. My fourth grade students often chose to write songs and poems to reflect on units of study.
🎭 Drama: Drama activities, such as skits, storytelling, and role playing can bring any subject to life. These activities allow students to explore perspectives and build empathy. In my experience, drama activities could be used for any subject, and I’m excited to share ideas of how to incorporate drama into your classroom.
Getting Personal
On a more personal level, two of my three children have mental health needs, and one of those is identified as Talented and Gifted (TAG). My experiences working with them and walking alongside other families with similar challenges have absolutely shaped my teaching (and parenting!) philosophy. We all know that a personalized approach recognizing and nurturing each child's unique strengths and challenges is the right move… but that can be awfully hard to achieve.
Through "Teach Beyond Paper," I’ll share strategies and insights that cater to a wide range of learners. I am here to support educators in creating inclusive and dynamic learning environments where every student can thrive… and have FUN!
Looking Ahead
This post is just the beginning. We will dream up practical strategies for digital tool integration, project-based learning, and inclusion of the arts into teaching. I’ll share stories from my own classroom and parenting journey, and I hope you know that I’m an open book- here for you anytime.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Together, let’s inspire our students to learn, create, and grow beyond… well, traditional methods of learning… as we Teach Beyond Paper.
