Hartwood students, led by their seventh grade“ teachers,” worked their tricep muscles.
students. She also pointed out that peer-to-peer teaching is always beneficial.
“ I love it because I think the students teaching students is always a good thing. It’ s great for the seventh graders to be in a leadership role,” Mrs. Travaglia said.“ The students develop the lesson, teach it, and then get feedback.” She also said that she shares information with the students on the various muscle groups,“ but when they get it from a 13-year-old, it changes their perspective.”
According to seventh grader Cooper Smith,“ It’ s cool to interact with the younger kids. It gives you more appreciation for the teachers who stand in front of us all day and teach us.” He continued, smiling,“ I also learned that it’ s hard to talk in front of a bunch of people.”
Bridget added,“ I hope they learn about muscles and that you can do many different activities to work them.”
Third grader Mason Shelkey-Bray said he liked playing crab‐walk soccer and learning about the abdominal muscles.“ It’ s not just about working out our abs. That will help then when we work other muscles too. It’ s working out our core. If you don’ t work out your muscles, they won’ t be strong anymore,” he said.
The Hartwood students received instruction on using bands to work their tricep muscles.
Dorseyville students explained an activity that was part of an obstacle course they designed to work bicep muscles.
Dorseyville students explained facts about the tricep muscles to Hartwood Elementary School students.
Fourth grader Shayna Horowitz liked the class because it was a combination of classroom learning and a gym class.“ It was really cool since we’ re usually taught by teachers. It’ s fun that we were taught by seventh graders.” She said she liked that the seventh graders explained things in a different way.
According to Mrs. Bailey, DMS principal Jonathan Nauhaus encourages service projects where the students help others. She said the project is different from any other learning experience the students participate in. They have to be adaptable, and be able to determine if the younger students are interested in the activity, and then change it if they are not.
During the presentations, Mrs. Bailey recorded each group and the students watched the videos and then critiqued themselves on their performance.“ The students not only take ownership over what they learn about in class, but they create lesson plans,” said Mrs. Bailey.“ They have to think like a teacher – visualize, plan, adapt. It helps them see teaching from a different angle.”
ox Chapel Area FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS
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