For the teacher to have the freedom to do individual or small group instruction or assessment, they must become the facilitator in the classroom, thus freeing the teacher to address individual needs. The team approach consists of 4-6 students in a team. In the classroom, two different methods can be employed. WOW time is an hour long segment where teams are heterogeneously configured and theme oriented around a unit of study, such as Space, New Mexico, Africa, etc. Using the pottery shards, recreate the pot and write how it might have been made many years ago.
Students can get on one at a time throughout the day.
Students complete long term and short term projects that pertain to the unit of study. A TechKnow Pro has passed all computer basics and gets a license to help or train a Techknow Pal. While all the teams are working, the teacher is free to instruct a group of TechKnow Pros or do a Writer's workshop conference with individual stories, etc. All of the students' work is held in the students' portfolios. Each day the teacher checks 4-6 portfolios.