River Life Project

9th May 2022Website Admin

This half term, Tamar class explored rivers through the big question of ‘what happens on, and in rivers?’

View or download

To do this we visited the Iver Environment Centre and became ‘River Detectives’. We wrote a non-chronological report about river wildlife and designed and built our own riverboats. For our final project, students raced their own boats in Gesher’s first regatta! This took place in the penultimate week of term, with parents and other classes being invited along to watch.

Teacher’s Reflection

“Overall I believe the project was a success with the students being engaged throughout. In addition, this was the first time we had incorporated a trip into our PBL sessions and this provided an excellent real-world experience. It still remains a challenge to adapt the projects to meet the range of needs within the class. However, the more projects I am involved with the more skills I am developing to be able to do this. If I was repeating the project again I would like to have had a larger audience (including parents and other students).

What did I find challenging?

– Weather during the trip meant we weren’t able to fully explore the river.

– Incorporating meaningful literacy lessons into the sessions – we wrote a non-chronological report about beavers but this could have had greater links to our topic.

– Lower-achieving pupils found the technical vocabulary related to the rivers to be challenging.

– Exhibiting the project – only our class were able to visit the river to test the boats.” – Sam Dexter

Student Reflection

“My highlight was going on the trip to Iver Environment Centre and catching creatures with the net. It also taught me how to recognise what fish are.”

– Gadi

“It taught me that projects are more useful than normal lessons.”

– Yitzi

View all project cards

The Gesher Way

25th April 2022Ali Durban

Ali and Sarah were asked to define what Gesher means to them — what is the Gesher way? Hereʼs what they had to say…

Ali:

Gesher has a number of different elements that make it truly unique. And whilst it they are all critical in the development and the outcomes of our students, it is the people in the school, around the school and behind the school that make it unique.

Collectively they are part of a relational community who are working towards a greater good and purpose; whose unconditional care and persistent commitment to our students that has enabled the school to flourish.

They form the character, culture, and heartbeat of the school. One of relational warmth, care, and compassion, where every voice is heard and every voice matters.  A commitment to being bold and brave, with a relentless pursuit of ensuring equity and opportunity. And where all children and young people are celebrated for who they are and the work they do.

 

This is the Gesher way.

 

Sarah:

Rabbi Sacks zʼl said

“The world our children will inherit tomorrow is born in the schools

we build today”.

The word ʻwayʼ has two meanings. It can mean ʻa method or a style of doing thingsʼ or it can be ʻthe pathway, track to travelʼ. And those two meanings perfectly encompass Gesher. The word Gesher means bridge. We aim for every one of our students to successfully step onto their bridge, ʻtheir pathʼ, walk across it and embrace all the opportunities the world has to offer. But to do that successfully takes a team of support.

The Gesher Way encompasses ambition, building relationships, having compassion and fundamentally – being collaborative.

We have sought to create a community of young people, parents, educators, therapists, exemplary schools, experts in SEND and autism, volunteers, philanthropists and foundations, future employers and faith-based organisations; all with a voice, all with a purpose and a part to play in the development of Gesher.

The Romans Project

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

In this cross-curricular project, we explored the question ʻWhat would it be like to live like a Roman?ʼ We looked at the architecture and homes of Romans, Roman Gods and Goddesses, Roman food, Gladiators and slaves.

View or download

We began the topic with a special visitor called the ʻHistory Manʼ who enabled the children to spend a full day as a Roman. They built catapults, learnt how to light oil lamps, rebuilt the Roman walls and dressed up for epic battles.

We reflected on life during that time and evaluated what the Romans have done for us throughout history. We designed and made our own swords and shields, engaged in drama-led literacy lessons, created our own graphic novels, drew an architectural design for a Roman villa and made and participated in a Roman banquet.

This project enabled our pupils to have cross-curricular experiences and access the topic of interest in all lessons and ensured our children worked as a team to achieve their overall goal. Our therapists enjoyed incorporating Roman life into their therapy sessions as well through making and lacing Roman shoes, playing Merellus in Communication and practising Roman battle games. Overall the pupils were engaged from beginning to end and it was a pleasure to see their eyes light up with each activity! Finally, listening to them share and celebrate their work during the FAB exhibition was memorable for them and for us.

Teacher’s Reflection

“I think as a first project for a group of varied pupils with additional needs, it was a huge success. The children came alive with the interactive Romans day in launch week. They seemed to enjoy the variety of styles of learning and having more control over their own learning. I am incredibly proud of their graphic novels and how much subject knowledge they have absorbed. I also love how enthusiastic they were on the PBL Exhibition day and how much they thrived when other students and teachers came in. If I did it all again, I would ensure the computer programme for graphic novels for the lower attaining was more accessible as the pupils required lots of adult support. Alongside this, I would make sure we had more opportunity to critique our work and improve it with more input from teachers on how to critique.” – Rowan Eggar

Student Reflection

The History Man who visited during launch week was the “best day in history. Even better than my birthday!”

– Josh

“(I loved) our first gallery exhibition in the classroom. I liked showing people around and my stuff!” – Fran “I liked typing up my facts, Iʼm good at computers!”

– Jacob

View all project cards

The Value of Getting it Right for Each Child: A View From Parents

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

The Value of Getting it Right for Each Child: A View From Parents

 

ʻThe Bridgeʼ is an adult learning journal for and by educators – which includes community members with an interest in young peopleʼs learning. This first issue would not be appropriately balanced if it didnʼt include the voice and reflections of parents. In fact, we intend that every issue of ʻThe Bridgeʼ will include articles by parents and community members who have experiences to share.

 

What it feels like when a school doesn’t understand your child

Our daughter was previously in a local mainstream school with 1:1 support. She would regularly be separated from the other children in her class in order to receive various therapies and in order to carry out her learning.

We knew she wasnʼt happy because we had frequent reports of her pulling her learning assistantʼs and other teaching staffʼs hair. She started stimming (self-stimulating behaviour) at this time by waving her arms around; this was evidently her way of coping within the experience of boredom and isolation and yet it marked her out as different, leading to yet more of a sense of alienation both on her part (and mine).

Our daughterʼs difficulties in all areas such as speaking, attention, large motor movements, were making it difficult for her to join in classroom activities. It was clear that she was suffering from anxiety. She was being and would be increasingly failed by the mainstream education system and I could see things would only get worse if we didnʼt find another school for her.

The staff within her school were clearly overwhelmed and they didnʼt really know how to support us or how to deal with us.

This was obvious from our meetings with them. They didnʼt know how to help our daughterʼs learning, nor did they know how to help manage her behaviour and it was evident that we represented a burden or a problem for them.

I didnʼt have much of a connection or common point of contact with other parents owing to our experience being so different.

Our daughter lacked confidence when she was in peer group situations and she would often shrink back and stick to the adults in the room. I recall birthday parties and park playgrounds being particularly tense times for both of us.

 

How did you know when you had found the right school?

You can tell when a school knows what it is doing. When we found Gesher, the corridors were calm and distraction free and there was an atmosphere of peace and contentment and also a positive can-do attitude amongst the staff.

It was clear to us that this was going to be the best place for our daughter, not least because her severe speech dyspraxia was making any kind of integration into mainstream schooling increasingly complicated.

We knew that people would take the time to listen to her and to try to understand what she was saying, that she would be encouraged to communicate. She would be able to join in group activities without being separated. Immediately, we felt that Gesher would see us, not as a problem or hindrance, but rather as an opportunity.

 

What it means to belong

When children are encouraged to feel a sense of belonging to their school, not just to their class, that is really important. A whole school focus on inclusion, support and nurturing of children means that children are encouraged to learn good values and the importance of taking responsibility for themselves and for others. This is crucial.

I really appreciate here that therapy is integrated, meaning no child is singled out or isolated, while at the same time each student has their own learning plan. Each child is included and also cared for.

 

When your child (and you) are truly seen and valued

Our daughter has flourished, blossomed even, into a confident young girl who has a strong sense of who she is. She is no longer scared to try new things. Her ability to focus and to give her attention to a task has grown too. Her speaking is improving day by day. She is so happy to be part of a wider community. She wakes up each day with a sense of purpose and curiosity which is exactly how we should all be in life.

As parents we no longer feel alone in the experience of having a special needs child. When we go through a difficult time, or we have a specific issue, or we need some practical help, we know that we have other parents and teachers to whom we can reach out. That has made a phenomenal difference to our lives. We have started to feel a sense of optimism about our future as a family.

Spring Term 2022 Exhibition

7th April 2022Ali Durban

Exhibitions are the culmination of the projects students have been working on, These are some pictures of the beautiful products that formed part of our student’s exhibition days this term.

Loni Beqvist talks more about the importance of exhibitions in her article Demystifying Project-Based Learning.

‘Students present their work (product and process) to a public audience. This authentic audience is carefully chosen and is best when it includes members who require the knowledge and products created in the project by students. This might include a school-wide Exhibition night where the local community is invited, or a presentation at the local aquarium to inform the public about ocean conservation’.

 

Project-Based Learning Animation

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

Gesher School’s founders, Ali Durban & Sarah Sultman, share their experiences of founding a school that is radically ambitious about what education can look like. This video narrates the school’s journey, including the underpinning principles, values and pedagogy that bring these ambitions to life, what this innovative approach to educational provision has meant for Gesher’s children and parents and the advice they would give to others who are equally ambitious for change.

 

 

 

Project-Based Learning Animation from Gesher School on Vimeo.

Habits of Heart and Mind

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

With thanks to High Tech High for allowing us to share their student’s beautiful work

Understanding Habits of Heart and Mind Through Our Community

Second graders investigated the question, “How do Members of Our Community Show Care and Perseverance?” Throughout this project, students engaged in fieldwork to show care and perseverance within their community.

View or download

To begin, we brainstormed people who showed our Habits of Heart and Mind: care and perseverance. Next, we asked various experts to visit us to teach us about these traits and how they show this in their personal life and in their job. During the process of speaking with experts, students generated interview questions, took notes, and debriefed about what they learned. Finally, the students selected one member of their community who inspired them and taught them about our Habits of Heart and Mind. Students wrote creative biographies and created Norman Rockwell style artwork, developed through multiple drafts. These pieces of work were exhibited at a local non-profit art center in San Marcos called Charity Wings.

Teacher Reflection

I was inspired and amazed at the efforts the students made to help their community. It was tremendously rewarding to see the outcome of our fieldwork as well as how accomplished the students felt. I hope that this project will be an inspiration for students to continue to help others outside of their school and persevere to make a difference in their community.”

Student Reflections

My highlight of the project was going to the beach because we got to pick up trash.

—Grant

My highlight of the project was getting to help the community.

—Matteo

More from High Tech High
View all project cards

Food For Thought

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

With thanks to High Tech High for allowing us to share their student’s beautiful work.

The Food for Thought project focused on why and how to make healthy food choices. Students researched the food industry in America and the deceptive nature of fast-food advertisements. They learned how to read food labels and discovered the many benefits of vitamins and minerals.

View or download

 

Students selected a vegetable to grow and research, de-signed a kid-friendly recipe that included their vegetable, calculated the nutritional content of their recipe, cooked their recipe many times, and took professional photos of the results. Ultimately, the students compiled a professional cookbook of healthy vegetable recipes for kids. During exhibition, students in chef’s hats stood by their cook-book pages and educated visitors about the benefits of their vegetable, how they calculated the nutritional value of one serving of their recipe, and the importance of making healthy food choices.

 

Teacher Reflection

This project stretched beyond the classroom to connect school and home. I was struck by how powerful it was to involve parents in the critique process. Many parents told me that their child had never cooked before, or was now more appreciative of the food on their table. When you hold the cookbook in your hands, and flip through its beautiful pages, it is clear that 56 children cared deeply about their work.

 

Student Reflections

We made our recipe at home with the help of our family and then they tried it and gave some critique. They gave some celebrations and suggestions. We took the suggestions into consideration and changed our recipes. This was a very unique form of critique because it allowed for our families to get very involved with our project and truly get an inside look at what we were learning in class.

—Sarina

Eating fresh and balanced meals make a big difference in one’s well-being. When you eat what you choose, ask yourself, “This tastes good, but how does this affect my health?”

—Izadora & Aleia

 

To learn more about this project and others,

visit the HTH Unboxed website.

Superheroes Unite!

7th April 2022Duncan Robertson

With thanks to High Tech High for allowing us to share their student’s beautiful work.

The Superhero project explored what superhero qualities each student possessed and how these unique “superpowers” con-tribute to our classroom and school community. The students investigated fictional superheroes and found a common theme in their powers.

View or download

 

The students examined everyday superheroes in their community, learning about their different jobs and respon-sibilities. Each first grader considered the questions: What super qualities can you bring to better our community? How do super-heroes work together? Students designed and made a costume to represent their superpower. The children also created social stories featuring their superpower in a comic book format. The stories were then made into short films with the students role playing in their superhero costume. These films and the students’ experiences were then shared at a school gathering.

 

Teacher Reflection

There were several things we loved about this project. An ab-solute highlight was the excitement in the children’s faces when they realized that everyone possesses a superpower and no mat-ter how old you are, you can make a difference. We often found them using their superpowers like Grit Girl, Thinking Man and Happiness Gal on the playground or during class time when no one was watching. At a table you would hear “Don’t give up, use grit!” when participating in a difficult math activity or “I’ll get a band-aid!” as Helpful Boy ran off to help a friend who had fallen down on the blacktop. It empowered the children to take owner-ship in making a positive change in their classroom and school.

 

Student Reflections

The Superhero project taught me that I should help people and I should take big risks for the people I care for.

—Nia

I learned that superheroes are real and help us everyday like po-lice officers and firefighters. Everyone is a superhero!

—Giovanni

 

To learn more about this project and others,

Visit the HTH unboxed website