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by Rachel Kleinschnitz, Scott Stewart, Steve Williams
“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.” Chinese Proverb
Inquiry based learning is a form of active learning where the success of students is based on how well they demonstrate skills rather than on the amount of information they possess. In this type of learning, solving problems becomes a more important goal than the mere memorization and repetition of facts. Throughout our lives, we naturally inquire about the world around us and we seek out information through questioning. By using the human senses--seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling--we can begin the natural process of inquiry and convert interesting information into useful knowledge. At Weilenmann School of Discovery, we use inquiry based learning as one approach to help students become critical thinkers and creative problem solvers.
Contine reading...
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by Mary Kimball, Principal
There is no single policy that, on its own, will fix all the problems in our public schools. But if I had to pick one thing to improve student learning, it would be to invest in our teachers. Research shows that the most important factor affecting student achievement is teacher quality. In fact, having a highly effective teacher several years in a row can literally change a child’s life trajectory. The investment in our teachers is critical to both student and school success. Continue reading...
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by Cara Robins, Kindergarten Teacher
Having gone to high school in a small and quiet Oregon backwater--a mud puddle no doubt left over from all that rain--where little was expected, and even less encouraged, college was a breathtaking experience for me. I found myself facing a veritable smorgasbord of courses, majors, opportunities, and more choices than I knew existed. I gorged on the fare to the point that I had to buckle down and finally forgo the feast in order to graduate--albeit a few terms late (in those days, no one exceeded the four-year schedule). It was the first time I had experienced the utter joy of learning for its own sake; I found it just plain cool to learn new stuff! I went into teaching for selfish reasons: One, to be in a field that would allow me to continually learn, and Two, to be able to share the incredible joy, awe and excitement that knowledge can
bring. Teaching has never let me down. Continue reading...
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by Cindy Phillips, Middle School Dean
The Weilenmann Middle School recently received an outstanding vote of confidence this fall from Phillips Exeter Academy. After reviewing our school’s mission statement and researching the faculty and program, Phillips Exeter sent Hal Lynch, an admissions officer, to discover whether WSD was really what it claimed to be. Continue reading...
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WSD Teachers Help Write Utah’s New Math Curriculum
WSD teachers Melissa Armenta (second grade) and Pam Dahlkamp (third grade) were among 30 teachers from around the state selected to spend November 16 & 17 at Thanksgiving Point to write the first draft of the new Utah state core curriculum for second and third grade math. Teachers took the objectives from the newly adopted Common Core and wrote specific conceptual, procedural, and representational objectives for mastery. They also researched and created teacher supports, including teaching strategies, resources, vocabulary, and background knowledge required. Finally, they created skill-based and problem-based assessment suggestions for each. This was the initial step in creating documents that will be published for all Utah public school teachers. The new Utah core curriculum in math will be implemented in 2013. Our thanks to Mrs. Armenta and
Mrs. Dahlkamp for lending their expertise!
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Weilenmann School of Discovery 4237 Kilby Rd, Park City, UT 84098 |
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