Reflection #10 – Innovation Hour

Today we ran our stations at Gordon Terrace Elementary, and overall it was such a positive and engaging experience. I was in charge of two stations the button-making station and the movement-tracking watches and both offered totally different kinds of learning and interaction with the students.

At the movement tracking station, I quickly realized how important it was to be really encouraging. The watches weren’t always picking up the movements correctly, and sometimes they registered two movements as “the same” even when students were clearly changing what they were doing. Because of that, I made a point to stay upbeat, supportive, and positive so students didn’t feel frustrated. It helped a lot when I did the movements with them especially when I was silly or exaggerated. Once I let myself lean into it and stop worrying about looking embarrassing, the kids relaxed too. They were way more willing to try different motions, think outside the box, and laugh through the mistakes. It turned into a fun challenge instead of something stressful.

At the button-making station, only a few students could make buttons at a time, so I had to think on the spot to keep the others engaged. I ended up finding and running quick games like charades, and I also helped them make little improvements to their wooden airplanes they had built at the chomp saw station. I actually loved this part it made me feel fully present, creative, and able to really connect with the kids. Thinking on my feet and keeping everyone involved felt natural, and it made the whole station feel more interactive.

A huge part of why everything went so smoothly was our group communication. We all had clear roles, supported each other, and collaborated without needing constant reminders. Everyone stepped in where needed, and it created a comfortable flow for both us and the students.

Overall, today made me feel excited about teaching. I loved being hands-on, encouraging kids, adapting in the moment, and keeping things fun. It felt like real, authentic practice in building engagement, supporting perseverance, and creating a positive learning environment.