GARDEN CITY, Idaho — Editor's note: This content is sponsored by CapEd Credit Union.
Fostering creativity is the core of a Garden City teacher's lessons. Her students take a break from land and learn under water, and she's "shellebrating" their creations.
A classroom under the sea – it's an experience Jessica McGinnis offers her students at Anser Charter School, where she is the curiosity lab leader.
"It's why I do it, it's my jam," McGinnis said. "Anser is an EL (Education) school, so it's a national network and we focus on three areas of student achievement."
The areas include academics, character and craftmanship.
"That's looking at revision, reflection, practice and how you create really beautiful work in the world that you can be proud of," McGinnis said.
This space is where creativity flows:
"I'd open the door to the blue light and the kids would go, 'oh!' Then they'd start to swim in, which was delightful," McGinnis said.
It's work her kindergarten through fifth-grade student built all by themselves.
"They can collaborate and build on each other's ideas, so they feel like they're part of a larger undertaking," McGinnis said. "It's not just me making my one thing, it's 'what are we creating together?'"
The creation went from an idea on paper, to building it using recycled cardboard boxes.
"There are some parameters – it has to touch the ceiling, they have to be able to move their bodies through it, their friends in wheelchairs need to be able to move their bodies through it and it has to have some sort of interactive element," McGinnis said.
There was a project for everyone, with the older students at Anser Charter School working on the bigger projects, while the younger students took more of a simple approach.
"We have a sunken ship, we have a coral reef and crystal caves," McGinnis said. "The kindergarteners ended up making the mural for us on the back wall so they can also paint."
Aside from working together and being creative, students are also learning along the way.
"Some kids like to go really scientific," McGinnis said. "We learned about coral and they learned about different coral fish."
It's a project that makes McGinnis feel "em-ocean-al."
"I love the kids. I love this school," McGinnis said. "This is such a great place to work and teach. I feel really honored to be here."
The cardboard boxes will be donated to a local artist for their future projects.
Educators, for information on submitting an application for a classroom grant through the Idaho CapEd Foundation, visit www.capedfoundation.org. If you would like to nominate an Innovative Educator, send us an email to innovativeeducator@ktvb.com.
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