Oak Flat teachers show data-driven small-group instruction and inclusion work

Oak Flat teachers Lisa B. Scar Bro and Amanda Weber presented a video and board report describing classroom reforms intended to improve student learning and engagement. They said teachers identify instructional areas to refine, redesign lessons, and then use student evidence — formative assessments, surveys and interviews — to check whether changes improved skills. “Some students even identified that although one activity may have been more fun, an activity that was less fun was actually more impactful on their growth as learners,” one presenter told the board.

The presenters described specific practices now in use: kindergarten "center days" that mix students across classes based on ability for targeted math work; small reading groups led by learning-support staff; use of first-grade materials with lower-grade learners to close gaps; a fourth-grade "genius hour" science project that paired general-education peers with students in multiple-disability support rooms; and LEGO Spike units that combine building, coding and collaboration. They said pre- and post-tests and observation of student behaviors show measurable gains for some students, and they highlighted inclusive practices such as Friday buddy-classroom time that increased peer interactions.

Board members praised the presentation and thanked Oak Flat staff for their work. The board offered no formal action on the presentation; members encouraged continued sharing of promising strategies.