NOTE: Photos available online at www.abpc21.org.

Journal profiles George Hall Elementary

Other educators should imitate school's vocabulary-rich field trips

Teachers at George Hall Elementary hijacked the traditional school field trip and turned it into a rich, multi-layered learning experience that connects to the curriculum. Because of this innovation that results in deep learning for students, the school is profiled in the latest issue of the Working Toward Excellence journal.

"With integrated vocabulary lessons beforehand and students' multi-media presentations afterward, George Hall's field trips exemplify best-practice teaching," said Cathy Gassenheimer, president of the Alabama Best Practices Center. "The lessons are strategically designed to give students what they need in an engaging way, followed by a chance to apply that new knowledge. Schools across the state would be wise to copy George Hall's example."

Working Toward Excellence, the journal of the Alabama Best Practices Center, is published in print and online formats to help professional educators adopt the best ways to teach. The latest edition, "Alabama's 21st Century Schools Are Blazing Trails Through Cyberspace," focuses on Alabama teachers who are changing the way they teach to better prepare their students to succeed in life and the digital economy.

Find the online version of "Alabama's 21st Century Schools Are Blazing Trails Through Cyberspace" at www.abpc21.org.

George Hall Elementary is one of 40 schools that participated in the Alabama Best Practices Center’s 21st Century Learning Project, underwritten by Microsoft Corp. and the Wachovia Foundation. This project does two things for teachers: helps them understand what students need to know to be successful in our ever-changing world, and provides them with the skills and tools to effectively engage their students.

George Hall, a Mobile County school, won notice for a project that harnesses field trips to build vocabulary, reading and writing skills while also incorporating content from subjects like science or social studies.

Teachers say their lessons have to multi-task because their students have so much to learn. Many students have had little experience with the world beyond their inner city neighborhood, one of the poorest in Mobile.

The field trip projects also position George Hall's students to succeed in our quickly changing Digital Age, Gassenheimer says. "Children will need more than the 3 R's to succeed in life," she said. " This is a fast-paced, technology-filled world where abilities like critical thinking, collaborating with others and communicating effectively are necessary to adapt and thrive."

The project is a collaboration of teachers Robin Ogburn, Jennifer Harris and Jinkle Jones; media specialist Patti Westbrook and achievement specialist Liz Reints. Student documentaries are online at  http://georgehall.wetpaint.com/.

The A+ Education Foundation in Montgomery is home of the Alabama Best Practices Center, which receives major support from Microsoft Corp. and the Wachovia Foundation. Since 1991, A+ has advanced policies, programs and initiatives that result in high achievement by every child in Alabama's K-12 education system. A+ believes Alabama's economic future depends on strong public schools.

KEY LINKS

George Hall Elementary Wetpaint site http://georgehall.wetpaint.com/

Digital version, Working Toward Excellence journal: www.abpc21.org

These articles feature George Hall Elementary:
"Purposeful Fun: Field Trips That Advance Learning" http://www.abpc21.org/digitaldivide.html

"Schools Must Bridge the Digital Divide: Every Student Needs 21st Century Skills" http://www.abpc21.org/digitaldivide.html

"Alabama's 21st Century Schools Are Blazing Trails Through Cyberspace" http://www.abpc21.org/blazingtrails.html

PDF (449 Kb) of the Working Toward Excellence journal's 16-page print edition, www.bestpracticescenter.org

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