EAGLE, Idaho — Editor's note: This content is sponsored by CapEd Credit Union.
Problem solving using technology – this week's Innovative Educator is using students' love for tech to learn every subject.
"Lots of tears on the last day of school, it's a safe place," said Gina Kwid, a second grade teacher at Galileo STEM Academy in Eagle.
While school may be out for students at Galileo, Kwid's students will hold onto the lessons they learned this year in her classroom.
"They love it … We are learning literally every second that we are in the classroom," Kwid said. "They're taking that, just that growth mindset."
The growth mindset includes problem solving, with encouragement and perspective from Mrs. Kwid.
"Even if it doesn't work the first time, you know, I can go back and iterate it's not a failure," Kwid said. "We just found one way that doesn't work."
With subjects that involve almost anything – sometimes it is out of this world.
"We tie in a lot of NASA lessons and we bring in space with science, with math, with social studies," Kwid said.
The second grade class also brings in a twist of technology. Kwid said "I love to integrate technology and educational technology into every subject," and she means literally every subject.
"The kids are coding robots to write stories. They are creating videos for assessments of stories that we've read," Kwid said. "The kids are doing mathematics with robots, social studies in science. We integrate a lot of space science and history through the use of educational technology tools."
As for the students at Galileo STEM Academy, Kwid said "they love it."
"It's just controlled chaos in here all the time," Kwid said.
The Innovative Educator said using robots for just about anything is a concept the students are pretty much used to.
"They truly are coding and technology natives," Kwid said. "You know, they've never known a world without it and they have no fear."
It is a common trend Kwid's seen in her 20 years of teaching.
"When they come back and they graduate college, and they're making more than me after doing this over 20 years, I go, 'yes! You know, that's the goal, you did it.'"
As students move on from her second grade classroom, Kwid hopes to continue inspiring future generations.
Educators, for information on submitting an application for a classroom grant through the Idaho CapEd Foundation, visit www.capedfoundation.org. If you would like to nominate an Innovative Educator, send us an email to innovativeeducator@ktvb.com.
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