Enrichment Clusters~

My school is participating in doing Enrichment Clusters to help the students develop interests in various ideas, or to continue their development of their interests. Each teacher "hosts" there own cluster, whatever they decide would be best. For example, my mentor teacher does a "Legal Eagles" cluster where the students learn about the legal system and put a fairy tale on "trial". She picked this cluster because she is very interested in the legal system and wants the students to be interested too! Other enrichment cluster ideas were game shows, cake building, sewing, and many others. The fourth and fifth grade are grouped together, where they are mixed and can choose any of the 4th or 5th grade clusters, second and third are grouped together, and first and kindergarden stay in their grade levels. Students have the opportunity to pick their top 5 choices of clusters and the teachers try their bests to give the students one of their top choices.

I had the privilege to assist in a kindergarden cluster because the teacher really needed an extra pair of hands. We are teaching the students "Oceans Adventures". I am helping out each time, which we go once a week for 5 weeks. Boy, is it a HUGE difference going from fourth grade to kindergarden and back to fourth grade!! I love both ages, and would be happy teaching both ages, but those grades are on totally different ends of the spectrum!! I had to mentally change my mindset quickly as I walked into the kindergarden pod, and change back when I returned to the 4th grade pod!

Overall, I believe Enrichment Clusters are a really good idea because the students have time during the week to participate in something they truly enjoy, or want to get to know better. When the students returned to the classroom, they were excited and telling everyone about what they did in their cluster. It gives the students an opportunity to interact with other students in the school, which is a positive aspect because we want them to get to know others!

I am excited to continue my journey in participating in the kindergarden "Oceans Adventures"! I hope I have the opportunity to take some pictures of these students because seeing how they react to anything dealing with the ocean is such a treat!!