In part I of the engaged learning interview series, we delve into Michael's 5th, 6th, and 7th grade social studies classrooms to explore what genuine engagement looks like in his classroom—be it virtual, in person, or hybrid—and why that engagement is so essential for students' learning outcomes.

By ensuring that the literature and thematic units in 4th grade are centered on developing multicultural understandings of depth and meaning, Alison's students leave her class not just prepared for Middle School, but prepared to be global citizens in the truest sense of the word.

Images of the Capitol under violent siege are both stunning and disheartening. The citadel of our republic was the site of what Maryland Governor Larry Hogan rightly called “a heinous attack on our democracy.”

I appreciate that our connected Green Acres community of students, staff, and families is open, shares and listens to others’ perspectives, and makes space for respectful conversation. As we affirm in our Statement of Philosophy, our values at Green Acres address the world’s abiding need for compassion, community, responsibility, and independent thought.

Bevin, our school librarian who leads 5th and 6th grade social justice book clubs, and Kara, 7th & 8th grade language arts teacher and director of service learning, discuss the significance that literature has in creating an educational experience that fosters not just academic excellence, but empathy and compassion, too.

In this piece, Head of Lower School Tracey Marks illuminates the ways in which the Lower School curriculum is designed to nurture students' multicultural understandings. 

Like her physical classroom, Mary has made her virtual 3rd grade classroom a unique and vibrant place for intellectual growth. In this interview, Mary shares how her students are thriving and coming into their own as thoughtful, engaged, and independent learners.

Marcia, 5th grade Techxplorations teacher and 5th & 6th grade language arts teacher, and Merita, 7th & 8th grade science and engineering arts teacher, share the importance of incorporating design thinking in class curricula and how this meaningfully shapes the kinds of learners, thinkers, and change makers that our students become.

Ryan shares how her 1st graders are blooming, both socially and academically, and how their adaptability and can-do spirit can be an inspiration for us all. 

Our first-name basis is a long-standing aspect of our school culture—an important and intentional one that reflects how the children and adults at Green Acres interact and what we value as a learning community.