Benson Students and the Arts 

 

Exposing primary students to the arts is something that is taken seriously at Benson Primary School. Beginning in preschool, students participate in a number of activities and events related to art, music, physical education and literary art.

 

In preschool and kindergarten, students experience the feeling of singing for family and friends at their grade level winter programs which are filled with the sounds of the season. First grade students present an "Informance" to family and friends displaying much of what they have learned via the first grade music curriculum. Second grade students perform a winter "play" for all to see. This includes speaking parts for select students and singing parts for all students.

 

First and second grade students explore art appreciation with Mr. Whitney, the K-5th grade art teacher. Currently, first graders are completing a fabric based project in which they are learning to weave and stitch. They are also learning appliqué techniques. Second graders are using clay to learn about the pinch pot technique and how to use the score/slip method to attach several bodies of clay together. Additionally, first and second graders will soon begin work on murals which will be silently auctioned off at the April Celebration of Learning.

 

Physical fitness is important for all age groups. Preschool students are instructed in physical education activities by their classroom teacher while kindergarten through second grade students receive instruction from Karen Engel, physical education teacher at Benson and Franzen.. Currently, students are using hula hoops to strengthen their locomotor movements as well as their balance and coordination. In March, students will participate in Jump Rope for Heart, which will raise funds for the American Heart Association.

 

Reading is big at Benson and Mrs. Reuter helps build enthusiasm for reading and the literary arts via her Media Center activities. Students in preschool have been learning about creatures which live in the sea and have created their own fish made from geometric shapes. Kindergarteners listened to Tikki Tikki Tembo and learned the meaning of their own first name. They then graphed and compared the length of their first names and also practiced syllabication. First graders listened to the story, Bunny Money and then made their own wallets and paper money. They also learned that a mole rat is not just a character in Mo Willems book, but is an actual creature living in Africa. Second graders combined non-fiction resources with the fictional Iktomi series written by Paul Goble to learn about the Plains Native Americans. The students learned the many uses for buffalo hides and constructed teepees made from flour tortillas. Additionally, all Benson students are participating in Pennies for Patients, which raises funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Illinois.

 

While reading, writing and arithmetic will always be of utmost importance, District 10 continues to support a well-rounded school experience for all students. 

 

 

 Reponse to Intervention

 

Creating a strong academic foundation for all students remains top priority for faculty and staff at Benson Primary School. Reaching students where they are at instructionally requires a team effort and the use of differentiated materials. Through the implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI), primary students are assessed via a universal screening instrument to determine their instructional level. This means that all students are given the same test to determine what they know and what they have yet to master. Once this is determined, students are instructed in both whole group instruction and small group instruction. For those students who need additional support, the small group instruction may occur multiple times per week with the students' progress being monitored on a weekly or biweekly basis. This cycle continues throughout the school year in an effort to meet the child at his/her instructional level with additional support being offered as an opportunity to increase his/her skill level in an academic area. Implementation of RtI has caused our primary school to use certified and support staff in new and innovative ways. All staff members take responsibility for assisting with instruction. This looks different at various grade levels but may include having the physical education teacher introduce high frequency words for students to break apart while completing their exercise circuit, or having the special education staff work with small groups of regular education students to offer interventions in various academic areas. While the primary building is well underway with the implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI), we still have work to do. In an effort to fully implement the Social Emotional Learning Standards and support the behavioral side of Response to Intervention (RtI), the primary building will be exploring components of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to create consistent school wide behavior expectations for all students so that they are available and equipped to learn all that the primary school has to offer.