Eagle Elementary Launches Imagination Station

From Medford Schools: New to Eagle Elementary School this year is an “imagination station” where students can explore and engage with unique educational lessons and experiences.

When Principal Erin Skahill and teachers decided to create the imagination station they thought very carefully about its design, purpose, and functionality.

“We don’t want it to look or feel like a classroom,” said Skahill. “We want the students to be able to take off their shoes to get comfortable. We want students to learn to think, remember, and solve problems. To gain an understanding of size, shape, and texture.”

Principal Skahill worked with teachers so that children are able to be creative while developing their own imaginations and to learn the skills of negotiation, problem solving, sharing, and working within groups.

Very few visits to the imagination station are teacher directed. This is an opportunity for students to decide what they want to do!

“The imagination station is a place where students think outside of the box to show what they know,” said Cristel Champlin, a teacher at Eagle. “Having the imagination station also allows students to get out of the standard classroom to let their energy out and learn while acting like kids. It has dramatically decreased the amount of negative behaviors we see at Eagle.”

Teachers sometimes will ask students to model what they have learned in class. They make settings for stories, and re-enact those stories.

“The imagination station offers our students an opportunity to use their creativity while developing their imagination and interacting socially,” added Mary Jones, a teacher at Eagle. “The imagination station provides physical exercise which in itself has cognitive benefits. Research shows that students pay more attention to academics after they've had an unstructured break in which they are free to play.”

There are a number of rooms and projects like this around the school district. We will be profiling the many educational initiatives in all buildings throughout the school year, so check back every day to see our new and unique social content. #GoPatMed

Image Via Medford Schools