SPARK Initiative Increases Opportunity for Co-teaching

For three years now, Barrington 220 elementary STEM Teachers and Teacher Librarians have collaborated in a SPARK program. In this initiative, teachers co-plan and co-teach a lesson synthesizing objectives from both content areas. Previously, this initiative was piloted at North Barrington, Grove, and Sunny Hill Elementary Schools. This year marks the first time we have full-year STEM at every elementary school in Barrington 220 and, therefore, the first year of the SPARK initiative happening at each school.

Here are a few examples:

• At North Barrington, Teacher Librarian Wendy Settles led students through a story where the main character was in a wheelchair. This led to a rich discussion about different human abilities and how to design the world as inclusive for all people. Students then spend time with STEM Teacher Rita Thurston designing or re-designing elements of our surroundings to better serve the needs of everyone.
• At Barbara Rose, Teacher Librarian Pam Meiser recently guided students through a nonfiction book about forming snowflakes. STEM Teacher Eden Becker-Mosoff then directed students through a coding exercise that was related to this topic. 
• Hough Teacher Librarian Taryn Parise led Grade 5 students through a library lesson to design advertisements for businesses they were building in their Fresh Inc. entrepreneurship experience. 
• Teacher Librarian Nancy Wadin and STEM Teacher Josh Wager invited Sunny Hill students to learn about the problem of homelessness then set out to design affordable, weatherproof housing.

Here are two videos that demonstrate these activities:

• North Barrington One-Minute Spotlight
• Hough One-Minute Spotlight

Students were given a rich experience in all of these cases because previously isolated content was combined into real-world, problem-based scenarios. Students learn better, and learning sticks longer when learning is personal, meaningful, real-world, and collaborative. 

While the SPARK initiative is currently being developed with elementary Teacher Librarians and STEM Teachers, teachers interested in the program can reach out to their building Teacher Librarian to discuss other co-teaching opportunities. Imagine the powerful connections that are possible in such combinations as:

• Science and STEM
• STEM and Art
• Music and Literature
• Social studies and Biographies
• Art and Music
• Science and Media literacy

The possibilities for rich, co-taught lessons are everywhere. Barrington 220 students stand to benefit from the collaboration of teachers in multiple content areas.