BRENTWOOD EDUCATORS BRING BIG IDEAS BACK FROM HARVARD’ S PROJECT ZERO rentwood Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
This past June, three educators from Brentwood took their commitment to innovative teaching all the way to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Elementary Math teacher Rebecca Haggarty, High School ESL teacher Katy Rodriguez, and Middle / High School Assistant Principal Ted Ulmer attended Project Zero 2025 at the prestigious Harvard Graduate School of Education gathering which is known for sparking fresh ideas about how students learn and how educators teach.
Project Zero, founded in 1967, is an ongoing research initiative that explores the development of learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts and other disciplines. Its annual conference attracts educators from around the world who are eager to deepen their practice and bring transformative ideas back to their schools. For Rebecca Haggarty, the sessions sparked new ideas and inspired her. She said,“ Attending the Project Zero Classroom at Harvard University was an inspiring and transformative professional experience. Learning directly from Harvard researchers who have spent years investigating and developing best practices in education and engaging in deep conversations with educators from 18 different countries expanded my perspective on teaching and learning. I’ m especially excited to implement new ideas in my classroom and to explore and share concepts around cultures of thinking, the role of play in learning, and the intentional design of learning places and environments with colleagues in the Brentwood community.”
Katy Rodriguez, who works with English as a Second Language students at the high school level said,“ With Harvard professors and fellow educators who are fully immersed in the practices of cultivating critical thinkers and curious learners detailing their findings, routines, results and stories, opportunities
As Brentwood transitions to a new set of science standards, Ms. Rebecca Hagerty, a 5th grade teacher at Moore, was looking for a way to encourage learners to slow down, observe carefully, and reflect on the natural phenomenon around them.
Nature journaling emerged as a powerful, hands-on approach for engaging her 5th grade students. It fosters observation skills, curiosity, and a deeper connection to the environment. Students gain confidence in their ability to document their surroundings, ask questions, and think like scientists. Time spent outdoors also helps reduce stress, improves focus, and promotes physical activity. Overall, this experience has supported creativity, self-expression, and a love for learning in a natural setting.
Thanks to generous grant funding through the Grable Foundation, Ms. Hagerty was able to provide students with nature journals, sketching pencils, colored pencils, binoculars, pencil cases, picture books, nature guides, and cover the costs of transportation and picnic shelter for a field trip to Schenley Park!
Dr. Cheryl Carr, a former Brentwood resident, artist, nurse, and educator, visited the 5th grade classroom at Moore to introduce nature journaling and share her personal journey with students. Her hands-on guidance helped lay the foundation for students’ work. Students also watched instructional videos by John Muir Laws, a respected naturalist and educator, which provided additional techniques and inspiration.
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for my students began to present themselves everywhere. As a teacher, my goal is never to teach a student WHAT to think but rather HOW to think. Project Zero is an amazing resource to reach these goals”
Assistant Principal Ted Ulmer saw the conference as an opportunity to reflect on big-picture questions about how schools cultivate curiosity and critical thinking.“ Project Zero pushes us to think beyond traditional measures of success and academic achievement,” Ulmer explained.“ It reminds us that the most impactful learning happens when we create environments where students have a sense of belonging and agency in their learning environments. This then fosters a sense of curiosity and satisfaction for the students.”
In between sessions, the Brentwood team soaked up the energy of Harvard’ s campus and swapped stories and ideas with fellow educators from places like Australia, Hong Kong, Argentina, Switzerland and all over the United States. They returned home buzzing with ideas and ready to share what they learned with their colleagues.
For this fall, they’ re already begun planning on working Project Zero’ s thinking routines and strategies into lessons, staff meetings, and school projects. Their goal is to help spark curiosity and creativity not just in their own classrooms, but across the entire Brentwood community.
“ I love that I connected with other Project Zero educators from around the world who serve as my sounding board – offering insights and ideas that I never could have discovered just by reading books or attending webinars,” Rodriguez said.“ I’ ve never been so excited to start a new school year!”
NATURE JOURNALING IN 5TH GRADE: CULTIVATING OBSERVATION, INQUIRY, AND A LOVE FOR SCIENCE
Students engaged in regular nature journaling both indoors and outdoors. On rainy days, they observed nature from the classroom; on sunny days, they explored the school property.
A field trip to Schenley Park provided a much-needed connection to nature. Students explored the park while journaling about plants, animals, and landscapes. This real-world application of scientific skills deepened their curiosity and appreciation for nature. For many, it was a transformative experience that sparked new questions and enthusiasm for learning. One student commented,“ Nature journaling was a fun way to express the inner Picasso in us.”
Because of these experiences, students are adding more detail to their drawings and writing richer, more thoughtful observations. They are asking scientific questions based on what they see and are developing the skills to investigate and answer those questions— skills that will serve them well under the new science curriculum and beyond.
Ms. Hagerty is thrilled with the success of this project and is extremely grateful to the Grable Foundation for their support. Student enthusiasm exceeded expectations, and parent feedback from the end of year Student Showcase was overwhelmingly positive. Moving forward, Ms. Hagerty will collaborate with Mrs. Sciulli to integrate this work with ELA projects. The 5th Grade team at Moore wants to continue fostering cross-curricular projects that inspire a lifelong interest in both science, ELA, and the arts!