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If your idea of crafty doesn’t include washi tape—or you’re saying what the heck is washi tape—then you’ve probably seen that classroom or bulletin board that makes you say, “why didn’t I think of that?” MEA members are full of creative ideas to get students engaged in learning at all levels. So if you’re a few Crayolas short of that perfect pack of 64—feel free to “borrow” some ideas from your colleagues to help you create a cool classroom.
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Be an OWL Teacher: Melissa Knight, Massabesic EA Grade: 5 School: Line Elementary, RSU 57
Melissa received a small stuffed owl at an MEA meeting and literally took off with the owl theme turning the word owl into a motivator for students, calling them Original Willing Learners “hoooo” soar.
The owl theme goes beyond the posters and decorations, Melissa creates her lesson plans to include owls and even calls her classroom newsletter the Parliament Press, because a group of owls is called a parliament.
The owl mascot has his own passport and email address. When the owl travels to other countries with Melissa or her friends and family he emails stories about where he’s been and what he is learning. 12
Maine Educator • September 2015
“My students live vicariously through the owl because many of these kids haven't been to a lot of different places and I hope they aspire to go somewhere and see a lot,” said Melissa.
“We started looking at the performance-based piece—I used the owl as something unifying that they could identity with no matter where they are from,” said Melissa.
