West Brook Education and Training students are creating engaging projects to use in their future classrooms. The students received a lesson on holidays in the classroom that continues to build throughout the year. 

“During the holidays and the seasons of the year, I normally incorporate some sort of assignment for them that allows them to get creative, but also allows them to put it in their portfolio as future teachers. Something to add to their teacher tool box for when they have their own classrooms,” said Kelsey Jozwiak, teacher. “I was always told during student teaching that I cannot assign a project I haven't done myself, so they are getting a head start.”

For the month of October, the classes focused on the pumpkin book report. After reading a book, they have to summarize the main point, the main characters and learn to recognize the main parts to the story. They then have to look at the characteristics and motives of each character. 

“The actual book report part allows students to improve their overall reading comprehension, while the painting of the pumpkin builds on creativity and could even be co-curricular with art,” said Jozwiak. “The second aspect of the project was an example of what teachers could do in the classroom. Most of my students remember doing this assignment in elementary school, but we can now teach the reason behind why teachers do this activity. This allowed for them to recall their own memory from being a child and now see the teacher aspect behind the assignment. They could see how it would be beneficial to incorporate lessons like this not only for learning, but for classroom environment and cultural diversity.”

The goal behind the project is to show future educators how to be intentional about what they are teaching, using projects to build relationships with students, finding purpose in instructional strategies and more. 

“We do a lot of hands-on projects in my class to allow for students' minds to grow and learn based on their experiences,” said Jozwiak. “The students loved it. Learning can be fun, and it should be. Even as teenagers.”