
OAK Specials
Spotlight on: GameDay!
Each month, we'll be sending a specials newsletter that spotlights one of our amazing specials classes. This month, learn more about GAMEDAY!
I’m guessing your child has come home talking about their “game” teacher and “GameDay”. You might be wondering, “What is GameDay?” I’m Mrs. Staton, the GameDay teacher and I’m excited to tell you more about it. GameDay is a math and reading enrichment special for ALL students. You read that right! All students at Oakhurst get math and reading enrichment twice a week. Incredible right?!?!?!
Ok, maybe you are still wondering, “How can this help my child who is struggling because the curriculum is too challenging?” Or maybe you are wondering, “How can this help my child who is struggling because the curriculum is not challenging enough?”. The magic is in the games! I create experiences that go along with the curriculum your child is learning in their classroom but takes that learning and turns it into play.
That might mean one week we are creating “dream” stories, or “sleepwalking” trick words, or the next we are subtracting through shopping for imaginary goods at “Staton’s 5 & dime” or we might even be reading while learning to karaoke a song about turkeys! To quote Fred Rogers, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
GameDay gives students unique opportunities to learn because the games are both engaging AND tied to concepts they are working on in class. It gives children opportunities to access math and reading in a new way that allows for personal creativity and growth in intellectual concepts without the pressure of learning in a traditional classroom setting. It can be the lightbulb moment for those kids who are having trouble figuring out new material and it can be that creative spark to keep those who might know the material engaged and eager to take that learning and apply it in a more meaningful or complex way.
I am grateful for this opportunity to keep your kids engaged, laughing and learning this year.
Interested in seeing more? Here is a link to the video presentation I gave to the CSD School Board about GameDay. Game On! https://drive.google.com/file/d/10yNfnv9r845XY7zU3F76-kfYi-qZiuNr/view?usp=sharing
Oakhurst Elementary School
Email: eguerrieri@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/oakhurst
Location: 175 Mead Road, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4470