Kids & Family
St. Mark School Kindergarten Gets Personal
The Kindergarten classroom environment at St. Mark School facilitates independent and group learning and students are 1:1 technology.
St. Mark School Kindergarten Teacher Stacey Zenowich uses a personalized learning approach to understand each student's strengths and weaknesses so that she can tailor instruction and strategically plan their individual goals.
This means each student gets a clear set of learning targets and gets the support they need to master each topic before moving onto the next.
Zenowich states that her students know what they need to learn and how to work independently.
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“Most of my kids know pretty much where they stand,” said Zenowich. “If you ask them what they are working on in literacy they can say, ‘I’m doing blending words right now,’ or ‘I don’t need to do my letters anymore because I know them already.’ They know where they need to be and where they need to get their materials from, so they can move through their targets at an independent pace.”
The Kindergarten classroom environment at St. Mark School facilitates independent and group learning. Students are 1:1 technology and each Kindergarten student is provided their own iPad, which is used during centers.
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“We do a lot of station rotations,” Zenowich explained. “We do literacy and math stations that are personalized to each student’s level. We have small group teacher-led instruction, writing centers and games to reinforce previously taught concepts.”
According to Zenowich, personalized learning allows her to provide individualized support to students who need it while challenging those ready for more advanced material.
“Kids get excited about their learning and move onto the next lesson only when they are ready,” shared Zenowich. “Having control over their own learning builds self-confidence and motivation and instills a love for learning!”
St. Mark School is a 2009 Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Academic Excellence and a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredited school, serving students in Pre-K through Grade 8. St. Mark School will host an Open House for prospective families on Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 10 am–12 noon. For more information, visit www.stmarkschool.org.
