I had an opportunity to observe Ms. Melissa Hardy’s 3^rd grade classroom at Central Ridge Elementary School on Thursday morning.  Ms. Hardy is  using an exciting and fast pasted learning strategy called “Power Teaching” (a.k.a. Brain Teaching).  I was first made aware of it from our Assistant Superintendent Mary Curry at a recent School Board meeting.  Power Teaching is a technique from Power Teachers of America.  Power Teaching/Whole Brain teaching is an instructional approach derived from neurolinguistic descriptions of the functions of the brain’s left and right hemispheres. Neurolinguistic findings about the brain’s language functions show that in the integrated brain, the functions of one hemisphere are immediately available to the other, producing a more balanced use of language. Whole-brain teaching emphasizes active learning, in which the learner makes connections that tap both hemispheres.

Silvia Flores / The Press-Enterprise Fourth-grader Aranza Quito , 10, left, gets a “ten-finger whoo” from classmate Jamie Meneses, 10, right, as positive reinforcement for getting a correct answer during class Wednesday at Urbita Elementary School in San Bernardino.

I was so impressed with the students’ high level of participation, energy, and engagement during the lesson.  I loved how Ms. Hardy would switch from asking students to turn to a partner and “teach” a vocabulary word to, “learn”.  The students would mimic a clap, or voice level or hand motion which Ms. Hardy would use to give her next instruction.  This further kept the students engaged and attentive as they wanted to know what direction to do next.   It was exciting to watch and it was hard not to want to participate as well.  As I observed with 4^th grade teacher Ms. Christina Touchton, we both were impressed with the lesson.  Ms. Hardy further used a Power Point presentation projected o to the video screen in her classroom to provide additional visuals for the students.

I visited Crystal River High School and spent time with Principal Mark McCoy.  We talked about some of the new challenges facing high schools due to recent legislation passed this spring in Florida Senate know as ‘Senate Bill 4’. SB4 now requires that all Florida high school students MUST pass algebra I, geometry, algebra II, biology I, chemistry or physics.  I have grave concerns that public school education is not a “one size fits all” and I worry at a time when we should be expanding our vocational options to high schools that  we are having to instead focus on the expectation that our Legislators believe that all students MUST go on to college.  While that is a wonderful desire,  it is just not a realistic option  for some of our students. CRHS is currently  in the middle of phase one of a large three phase multi year renovation project.  During phase two the center section of the campus will be demolished.  Mr. McCoy spoke about some of the planning and challenges the renovation will bring but safety and security of students and staff was of foremost concern.  When completed, CRHS will be a near fully remodeled more state of the art high school with a an increase of approximately 200+ more students which will greatly help the overcrowding we have at both Lecanto and Inverness High Schools.

Related Links

• Central Ridge Elementary School
• Power Teaching
• Power Teachers of America
• Videos for”power teaching”
• Power Point
• Crystal River High School

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