Trustee Audrey Pinkerton represents District 7 which includes North Central Oak Cliff and parts of West Dallas. In this excerpt from her monthly column in The Advocate, she shares how innovation in the classroom helps students soar and how one partner supports that effort.
Innovation drives excellence in classrooms
When you look at some of the most successful classrooms today, you find many of them share commonalities, including opportunities for students to explore, problem solve, collaborate, create and innovate.
Every year, Dallas ISD’s most innovative teachers determine ways to bring all of these components to their classrooms through hands-on activities that provide incredibly rich learning experiences for kids.
The Junior League of Dallas supports many of these teachers by awarding Grants for Innovative Teaching to help bring their projects to life. This year, nearly 70 teachers received grants to increase student learning, and eight of those teachers are here in District 7.
Here’s a peek at their exciting projects:
Sustainable gardens with aquaponics at Trini Garza Early College
What’s aquaponics? Students at Garza Early College are growing a sustainable garden through this process that combines fish waste and water to fertilize plants and vegetables. It may not sound too inviting, but it allows students to grow indoor gardens in a much smaller space and at a faster pace. The program uses a multidisciplinary approach for students, combining aquaculture, math, biotechnology, zoology and much more.
Also at Garza, students evaluate ecosystems through their study of water quality and air pollution. With the help of watersheds that sit on wooded areas surrounding the campus, students analyze the effects of man-made activity that impacts climate change.
The science of sound
Sidney Lanier students explore the science of sound through music classes that focus on percussive learning using the Joia tubes that were inspired by the Blue Man Group.
Student produced broadcast news
Students at Quintanilla Middle School explore the world of broadcast news as they plan a broadcast, design storyboards and develop the best ways to tell stories that impact their world.
Robotics and fractions
Stevens Park and Winnetka elementary schools are adding or expanding robotic programs that will engage students in building and developing programmable robots, and Rosemont students are utilizing manipulatives to better understand fractions.
Innovation drives excellence in our classrooms.
Thanks to our friends at Junior League for supporting and encouraging learning environments that help students thrive.
January is School Board Recognition Month, a time to thank local leaders for their dedication and willingness to serve as advocates for children and public schools. Dallas ISD joins other districts across the state in recognizing the work of its board.
