Class #8--7th Grade History

Wednesday, September 22, 11:40 A.M. 7th Grade American History Class. Class #8 on my “50 Classes or Bust!” voyage. I am in Mr. Bennett’s room on the third floor of the Middle School. Mr. Bennett has moved up to the Middle School after three years serving as a 10th Age homeroom teacher. He now has the opportunity to teach some of his former Lower School pupils in his Middle School classes, which are 7th grade history and math. In addition, he is the head coach for football, boys’ basketball, and boys’ lacrosse. In short, he is a multi-talented—and busy—faculty member. In class today, the students discussed some of the fundamentals, so to speak, of American history: the founding of Massachusetts Bay Colony, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, as well as pivotal figures such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson. I really liked the way Mr. Bennett had the students approach the material in a variety of ways—four, by my count: individual reading the evening before class; teacher-guided class discussion; group work; and by using hand-held “senteo” devices as a part of a formative assessment at the end of class to gauge both individual and group comprehension. The senteos are a great way to infuse technology into instruction in a meaningful, impactful manner. It was evident, based on quiz grades at the end of the period, that the students had, indeed, learned a great deal today. Bravo to Mr. Bennett and his class!