How Teachers Create Forums for Ideas
Educators Sharing Experiences at RiseUp
There is a Master Teacher heading to RiseUp Atlanta. Jaqueline Valentine, or “Mama V” as she’s known around her school, has used Empowered’s educational strategy in her classroom to facilitate sharing knowledge for 5 years. She’s ready to share her success with other educators.
With 25+ years of experience in the classroom, Jacqueline prepares for every class knowing that the “vibe” in the room may force her to improvise. This flexibility, she believes, helps more students feel connected to and engaged by the learning. Valentine’s commitment to individualized education creates value for her and her South Cobb High School (Austell, Georgia) students.
Jacqueline first experienced Empowered and our resources at a 2018 training event. She not only gained access to our tools and resources, she left having met and started relationships with dozens of equally-passionate educators. These relationships with similarly-minded peers has helped her become more agile and more confident as a teacher.
Adding Empowered to the Classroom
The first Empowered tool Mama V tried was creating a fiat currency based incentive marketplace in her classroom. This choice allowed her to showcase what she values – creating value by sharing ideas and resources. “I picked my lane – using Empowered’s resources like currency and bonds,” Valentine.
“There are so many different ideas and inspirations within Empowered. So, I took some time to figure out what was most natural to me and what my students might take to the fastest and got started. Currency and bonds moved the needle. It’s been wonderful.”
JACQUELINE VALENTINE
Valentine was already challenging students to share their ideas, take greater ownership of their educational choices, and to find ways that they could contribute to not only group projects but the culture of her classroom. Having currency and a system for issuing and having students use earned currency and bonds during classroom auctions made perfect sense and made classroom time even more real-world relevant. Her students immediately jumped in.
Recognizing that their interactions in Mama V’s classroom mirrored their interactions elsewhere – like at home, their part time jobs, community involvements, etc. helped students better connect to subject matters and discussions. Market concepts like subjective value, freedom to enter and compete, innovation, trial and error, and even voluntary exchange felt instantly familiar.
As they got more comfortable in their classroom marketplace, students shared their experiences with friends and family. Before long, the whole school was abuzz. “Oh my gosh,” said Valentine, “It’s as easy and infectious as they said.”
Growing Through Feedback and Experience
Jacqueline’s choice to start with one offering – adding more tools as comfort (for her and her students) grew. This reflects Mama V’s approach to helping students discover their unique talents. They try something, find what they are good at, and spend more time and energy mastering that skill.
“There are so many different ideas and inspirations,” said Jacqueline. “So, I took some time to figure out what was most natural to me and what my students might take to the fastest and got started. This is a strategy Empowered encourages. Individualizing education is so valuable to so many classroom teachers especially when trying something new with students.
“Your approach is going to have to be different based on the mix of kids in a given class,” said Jacqueline. “I teach two intro classes – they are like day and night.” With a full toolbox of Empowered resources, concepts, and support at her side, there are plenty of ways to engage and share knowledge.
Jacqueline always welcomes former Empowered students to come and talk with her classes. They share what they learned and how they are applying it in their lives today. “It’s so awesome to see those modern, twenty-first century, real world skills start here but be applied beyond our classroom.”
