Dixon-Smith Middle School educator Stefanie Root had a tough problem to solve: how to divide her attention among 30 students, many of whom needed remedial math instruction. But, with the help of a $5,000 Student Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation, she used technology to multiply her effectiveness, enabling her to work more with each student, and at the same time, to empower her students to help each other and themselves.
In the video below, watch as her students move through three different workshops, each equipped with data folders, iPads, and more, for a blended approach to learning.
“By the end of the school year, 98 percent of my students passed their Standards of Learning (SOL). As a sixth grade, 95 percent of our total students passed their SOL! … The math workshop idea has spread to other classrooms. There are currently several teachers working with, or planning to start, a blended learning model.
Since we last spoke, I was appointed to assistant principal at Rodney Thompson Middle School. … I am excited to report that several teachers at this school are excited to use math workshops as a means to work with large classes and still provide a quality education for our kids.
All I can say is WOW! I have been so motivated by this experience and am excited to share what I’ve learned.
Stefanie Root
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Watch the video above to see Root’s project in action! Have a great idea, but need funding? The next deadline for the NEA Foundation grant applications is October 15, 2015. Find out how to apply.
