Sometimes the most meaningful learning moments are the ones that unfold organically, and last week, Saklan’s third graders experienced one of those magical surprises.
What began as a simple vocabulary exercise quickly evolved into a joyful, student-led experience filled with creativity, collaboration, and enthusiasm for learning. As part of the lesson, students were invited to bring new vocabulary words to life by creating short skits. Almost immediately, the classroom buzzed with excitement. Laughter, brainstorming, and endless “What if we…?” moments filled the air as students worked together to imagine scenes and assign roles.
The excitement didn’t end when the lesson was over. Students proudly shared that they continued inventing skits during recess, eager to keep the momentum going.
By Friday, the class had fully taken ownership of the experience. During recess, they collaboratively planned one large skit as a whole group, listening carefully to one another’s ideas and working through challenges together. Later, during quiet time, students independently chose to design and build props, thoughtfully negotiating materials and responsibilities.
This was authentic, student-driven learning at its best: hands-on, deeply engaging, and shaped entirely by student curiosity and agency.
The experience became even more meaningful when the third graders invited their first-grade buddies to be the audience. Watching the students perform with confidence and pride—and seeing every child shine—was a powerful snapshot of teamwork, leadership, and social-emotional growth in action. One student summed it up perfectly, exclaiming, “We should do this every day!”
Moments like these are a joyful reminder of what’s possible when students lead the way.
#SaklanStudentAgency #SaklanHandsOn
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