TEACHERS LEARN FROM STUDENTS BY WALKING IN THEIR SHOES outh Fayette SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Have you ever wondered what it’ s like to be a high school student these days?
Through the district’ s“ Shadow a Lion Learner” program, educators have had the opportunity over the past two school years to experience and reflect upon life as a South Fayette student.
Launched at the high school during the 2024-2025 school year and expanded this year to include the middle school, this“ empathy walk” initiative invites teachers and administrators to follow an assigned student and experience the rhythms, challenges, and highlights of the school day through a new lens.
Participating staff volunteered for this unique professional learning opportunity and shadowed three different students of varying academic and social levels across designated dates. Reflecting on the experience, one of the educators noted,“ This experience not only increased empathy for what a student’ s dayto-day schedule is like, but it also provided meaningful takeaways on how to better support their learning and well-being.” While the primary goal was to share the student experience, the end result was much more broad as relationships were strengthened, teaching methods were inspired, and appreciation for the practices of both the students and fellow educators grew exponentially.
Lion Learner Life Most of the participating educators immediately noticed how busy a student’ s day can be.
“ From the moment they enter homeroom they are engaged in a variety of learning activities,” said Jeanne Tupper, orchestra teacher at the middle school.“ Students are constantly switching gears.”
Transitions between classes proved to be another eye-opening aspect of the experience. Navigating crowded hallways, stopping at lockers, and arriving ready to learn, all within just a few minutes, was a challenge even for adults.
However, Jeannie Scott, English teacher at the high school observed,“ It seems to be normal to them. None of the students I was with complained about the pace or length of classes.”
Bob Reasey, who teaches high school math, pointed out,“ I expected the day to feel more rigid, but instead I saw students interacting naturally, helping one another, and moving through the day with a sense of connection.”
Power of Perspective While the academic day is full, educators were equally struck by the positive culture within South Fayette schools.
“ What stood out to me most was the kindness of the students,” Mr. Reasey said.“ The overall environment felt welcoming, friendly, and supportive, which made the day feel positive and communityoriented.”
Others noted how naturally students balance both academics and relationships throughout the day.“ What surprised me about the student experience was my students made it seem easy to switch from learning a foreign language one minute, to learning a science the next,” said high school math teacher Mr. Glenn Stewart.“ It was amazing to see how students can navigate not only the different subjects, but different classrooms and expectations.” Ebbs and flows to the day were to be expected. Teachers observed that engagement tends to be highest when students are
36 SOUTH FAYETTE actively involved in hands-on activities, discussions, or collaborative work. In contrast, longer stretches of passive learning or extended class periods, such as the block periods at the middle school, can be more challenging, especially as the day progresses. A middle school social studies teacher, Matt Bacco noted that with 60-minute core classes, he will now give his students a midpoint break to let them move around, and refocus.
Taking Action Perhaps the most meaningful impact of the“ Shadow a Lion
Learner” experience is how it translates into classroom practice. After spending a day in a student’ s shoes, many educators immediately made thoughtful adjustments:
• Brief breaks during class
• Time for students to settle in at the start of class
• More opportunities for collaboration and group discussion
• More hands-on, interactive learning experiences
• Being mindful of workload and pacing across the day, including homework
After the first year’ s experience, one of the high school teachers noted,“ I have always been a bell-to-bell teacher and since the first shadowing day, I have been allowing students to pack up a minute before the bell.”
Other teachers emphasized the importance of balancing rigor with flexibility.“ As a teacher I definitely want to incorporate more hands-on activities or cooperative learning,” Mr. Stewart reflected.“ I also want to assign less work outside the school day after seeing how much all classes combined put on the students.”
Another high school teacher noted the goal of“ creating a community in my classroom where students are helping each other learn.”
The experience also highlighted the importance of physical movement. Ms. Scott noted that students spend a significant