This week’s Academic Spotlight shines on Lansing Elementary School third grade teacher Ms. Zamauria Herring and her creative approach to helping students master irregular plural nouns.
Ms. Herring used a Kagan cooperative learning strategy (blast from the past for some of our readers!) that got her students up, moving, and talking while practicing grammar. Each student started with a task card showing a singular noun. As music played, they walked around the room, stopping when the music stopped to pair up with the nearest classmate. One student read their word, and the other gave the irregular plural form. Then they switched roles and traded cards before moving on to new partners when the music started again.
“I liked getting my wiggles out and listening to the music Miss Herring played while we practiced grammar,” said one student named Celeste.
Another student named Samuel agreed, saying, “It was very fun!”
Ms. Herring said she loved how the activity combined movement, music, and teamwork:
“It allowed students to move around the classroom and talk with one another while still learning,” she said. “Many students learn more effectively from their peers, and I wanted to take advantage of that.”
The students were big fans:
Austin said, “I liked it because there is music and walking around,”
Amelia added, “I liked the music and would want to do the activity again.”
Ms. Herring said the strategy helped everyone stay engaged, something every teacher struggles with:
“When students are active and collaborative, their engagement and understanding often deepen,” she said. “It also gave every student multiple chances to respond, instead of just a few students answering.”
This lesson showed how simple strategies like movement and music can make learning more engaging and effective. Ms. Herring found a great way to keep her students learning, talking, and having fun along the way, all in just her second-year teaching!
Thank you, Ms. Herring, for creating meaningful and engaging learning experiences for our little lions!
