Study Group: Heightening Student Identity

WITSTeachers

Being the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension

Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Study Groups are school-based professional learning communities. Study groups develop a goal to guide their learning throughout the school year, and meet monthly to discuss instruction and push their practice to reach their goal. Learn more about Prescott Elementary School’s study group and what they learned about the components of a balanced literacy program.

School: Prescott Elementary School

Text: Being the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension by Sara K. Ahmed

Study Group Leader: Melissa Dippel

Study Group Members: Begona Cowan​, Nick​ Giacobbe, Tayler ​Showalter, Nessy ​Moos

Goal: To increase student discussion skills and connection to school academics and the importance of heightening student identity.

During an end-of-unit presentation, students were able to present the results of their identity study where they shared their identity webs, short stories, and poetry. Through an exploration of heightening student identity, children felt more connected to one another and as a class unit.​ In fact, between Q2 book clubs and Q4 book clubs, there was a significant documented increase in student-led talk.