This is a Take Your Child to Work Day project with a twist. In an effort to make the day more meaningful for students, and to the visiting elementary school-age children of district teachers, the young visitors are escorted by high school student “buddies” to a day’s worth of activities.
From period to period, the activities are hosted by classes in various disciplines. Activities include relay races in physical education classes; fingerprinting in forensics; sing-a-long and “exploring instruments” in music; planting vegetables in health and wellness; playing Monopoly in accounting; using Adobe Illustrator Pictionary in computer graphics; and more.
The buddy system, and student-as-teacher approach gives high school students the chance to step into leadership roles with the children who visited. They were able to teach them about the various curricular areas, plan the visit, and be positive role models. In addition, it enabled cooperative relationships among teams of students and their teachers, who planned and executed activities together. The visiting children also had the opportunity to lean, and be part of the school community through interaction and participation.
Information
Contact: Maria Carrell, director of curriculum, instruction & assessment
Nominated for the 2017 School Leader Award.