Caroline Ruffridge, Vice Principal with Connections Academy at Springs, shared that she led a breakout session for TK-8 teachers at Springs’ Back to School IGNITE event at Pechanga Resort, exploring “developmentally appropriate, student-driven approaches that can be implemented across elementary and middle school settings.”
She shared “practical strategies for sparking curiosity, encouraging choice, and building student ownership in an online learning environment” and “highlighted routines that promote engagement and self-regulation while connecting student-driven practices to MTSS planning, WIN time optimization, and literacy and math integration.” Teachers were provided with concrete activities and strategies designed to personalize learning and meet the needs of diverse learners, she related.
Breakout participants also include Dr. Vivian Price, Springs’ assistant superintendent of education, and Cynthia Rachel, senior director of education. Caroline continued, “Together, participants explored an engaging LEGO-based activity designed to model who makes decisions, how learning happens, and how people work together. The goal was to create a model representing where educators want to see their learners throughout the upcoming school year.”
Caroline also introduced a Storyboard app as an engaging tool to support students with goal setting and communicating their individual learning paths by using creative storytelling skills. She concluded, “We want our students to take the wheel, be motivated to set individual goals, and learn how to problem solve. When we can ignite intrinsic motivation by offering voice and choice, varied pathways, and authentic problem solving in an online learning environment, our students can and WILL establish healthy routines that empower them to thrive as they drive.”
