New teaching tool used to track, motivate student learning
COLUMBUS — Codi Hrouda and Carolyn Hofferber take a lot of academic snapshots of the students in their Centennial Elementary School classrooms over the course of the school year.
The snapshots bring into sharp focus where their third- and fourth-graders are at on a weekly basis in math, spelling and other subjects using a Columbus Public Schools-adopted teaching tool for tracking and motivating student learning.
“The kids have no permission to forget,” said Hrouda and Hofferber in chorus while explaining the purpose of the L to J educational approach that aims to zero students in on the essential learnings of a class from the first day until the final bell rings at the end of the second semester.
The Centennial teachers are two of four L to J coaches at CPS, along with Liliana Velasco at the high school and Joni Ebel at the middle school, who help other teachers implement the approach in district classrooms.
L to J, which refers to a gradual learning curve that begins after summer vacation is over and picks up steam as students achieve during the school year, celebrates a good-natured team climate in the classroom.
for just one day….a 10th grade classroom full of students that didn't pass the prerequisite course to mine, half of each class is special education, and most students are on a level of 2nd to 4th grade in math (both regular ed and special ed).