Throughout this school year, we will feature guest bloggers to share different perspectives on or experiences with boys education on our Head of School blog. Our next guest bloggers are Judy Miller and Leigh Contreras, Fourth Grade Lead Teachers, who write about how social studies learning at Regis is customized for the way boys learn best.

“Regis faculty are skilled at teaching boys.” This is something our community hears all the time, but what does that really mean? Integrating best practices for working with boys, such as choosing topics they are interested in and designing self-directed, hands-on projects are only one part of the recipe for success in boys’ learning. The other ingredients are Regis’ small class sizes, our dedication to utilizing technology to enhance learning, and our commitment to the Sacred Heart Goal. All these things combined create a unique environment where each student is able to focus on learning experiences that allow him to be a collaborator, a creator, a learner, and a leader at school every day. Recent lessons in Texas History provided a perfect opportunity to showcase Regis’ approach to all-boys education.

In both fourth grade and seventh grade, students across the state of Texas study Texas History. In the classroom this year at Regis, this learning was elevated when the seventh grade collaborated with fourth grade on a project surrounding “Conflicts in Texas Leading to the Republic.” This project centered on the battles of Goliad, the Alamo, and San Jacinto. Fourth grade students worked in small groups of 2 to 3 to create stop-motion videos about one of the battles that led to Texas Independence. Each group planned a storyboard, constructed background scenes, and filmed the action with their iPad devices. Later, they edited the footage in iMovie, where they were able to add sound, music, and text to better tell their story. 

Simultaneously, seventh grade completed their unit of study on Texas history that culminated with in-person visits to San Antonio, Austin, and Goliad in February. It seemed only fitting that the two grades team up to make the fourth grade projects bigger and better—just like everything is bigger in Texas, everything is bigger at Regis! Seventh grade boys assisted fourth grade with storyboard enhancements, positioning soldiers in the battle scenes, and elevating the general flow of filming. Everyone enjoyed watching the older boys coach the younger ones in art direction and content creation. 

The content expertise of Regis’ seventh grade boys, as well as their more advanced technology skills, offered a lot to support fourth grade, and in the end, this resulted in more complete and better final projects. Seventh grade students enjoyed demonstrating their knowledge of Texas Independence, but this learning experience stretched beyond just the subject of Texas history. The seventh grade boys developed confidence in their own expertise and knowledge of a subject, showcasing Goal II, a deep respect for intellection values; boys in both grades were able to collaborate, demonstrating Goal IV, the building of community as a Christian value; and the seventh grade boys were also able to exhibit their leadership skills, illustrating Goal V, personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. The fourth grade boys loved collaborating with seventh grade and learning more about both Texas History and new technology skills. They also built new relationships with seventh grade and appreciated how intently their older partners listened to them and honored their contributions and ideas. Throughout this project, fourth grade had a glimpse of what life would be like ‘upstairs’ in Middle School too—they’ll be there in a few short months! 

Project based learning like the Texas Conflicts project allows Regis students to create, build, and innovate, and it also removes stress and anxiety for our learners. Boys are allowed to communicate their knowledge and expertise in a different form of assessment rather than with a traditional test and vocabulary words to memorize. Students’ communication skills grow exponentially with projects such as this one. Fourth grade shared their final projects with their seventh grade mentors, and then they were even able to share their projects with their fourth grade counterparts at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart too. 

One of the main goals with project based learning is for a student to share his knowledge with different audiences; this serves as a motivator to complete the project. This particular boy-centered learning experience highlights the opportunities Regis offers boys to shine. Experiences like the Texas Conflicts project gives Regis boys choice and freedom in the way they engage with each other and with their learning, thus building their confidence so the next time they encounter a difficult task, they are more than ready to tackle it head-on. As our current fourth grade students rise to Middle School next year, they will start off feeling eager to learn, confident, accomplished, ready to succeed, and prepared to tackle any task they encounter.

Judy serves as a fourth grade lead teacher focusing on Math and Science in Lower School at Regis. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University. Judy has over 25 years of experience as a classroom teacher, mathematics specialist and curriculum writer. She believes in emphasizing students' effort and perseverance as they learn new concepts that build the foundation for their success in Middle School and beyond.

Leigh serves as a fourth grade lead teacher focusing on English Language Arts in Lower School. She holds an M.Ed. In Curriculum and Instruction, an M.L.A. in History and a B.A. in Communications from the University of St. Thomas. She strives to create a classroom environment that is stimulating, comforting and appropriate to reach the unique talents and abilities of Regis' fourth grade Knights. Leigh is a graduate of Duchesne Academy and is a current Regis parent.