You may have noticed some younger faces in the halls recently; hopping off the bus for the first time, vying for the title of the line leader and learning the rules of the playground. As kindergarteners experience the school system for the first time, they now get to collide with high schoolers.
The new Kindergarten Lab run out of the high school fuses the educational experience between the greenest and most experienced learners in the district. The program came from a need for more classrooms as the district completed the switch from half-day to full-day kindergarten.
“We started thinking that a kindergarten lab program would benefit both our kindergarten and high school students, as both leaders and learners,” the Director of Elementary Education Becky Gill said.
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Students of the K-Lab watch the Homecoming assembly. K-Lab students joined the high schoolers to watch the performances. Photo by Samantha Scheinman.
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K-Lab students clap at the Homecoming assembly. Photo by Samantha Scheinman.
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The “K-Lab” offers students on the education pathway an opportunity to see the inner workings of a classroom. A center room with viewing windows between the two kindergarten classrooms provides education students the ability to observe, discuss and ask questions. The K-Lab is separate from the Little Broncos, although both programs work with high school education students.
“So much of teaching is hidden as teachers make instructional decisions in the moment,” Katie Muhratis, who arranges collaborative opportunities, said. “The space design allows for conversation around teaching practice to support education pathway students as they prepare to go into classrooms to teach.”
The partnership with high school students provides the K-Lab with equally exciting opportunities for the kindergartners.
“Kindergarteners are naturally curious and excited to learn. We want to broaden their experiences by providing access to learning in multiple environments,” Gill said.
A unique benefit is the extension of the honed skills of high schoolers to kindergarteners.
“The high school teachers and, by extension, students have special knowledge that can bring things to life for our kindergarten students. They notice that expertise and respect it,” Muhratis said.
Furthermore, the kindergarteners get to work with the range of resources at the high school.
“They could be given opportunities to grow plants and observe plant growth in the high school greenhouse with horticulture students or to bake with our culinary arts students,” Gill said.
Last week, the kindergarteners worked with culinary arts students to make dessert spiderwebs. The experience gave older students the opportunity to lead.
“One of my favorite things was teaching the students,” senior Alex Morici, a culinary student, said. “I could tell that they really enjoyed eating their spider webs.”
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With the help of a culinary student, a K-Lab student pipes chocolate onto her spiderweb. Photo by Samantha Scheinman.
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A K-Lab student enjoys his chocolate spiderweb. Photo by Samantha Scheinman.
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Beyond the growth in the classroom, the high school’s youngest students have provided a morale-boosting spirit to the halls.
“One thing the K-Lab teaching team comments on is the frequency with which we see serious faces turn to smiles when high school students see our K-Lab traveling in the halls,” Muhratis said.
Gill ultimately hopes this combination will strengthen the community of the district.
“Connecting some of our youngest learners with some of our high school students, strengthens kindness and caring for each other – a facet of a strong community,” Gill said.
