DISD students stay focused, engaged

Whether it’s exploration and discovery at Camp James Ray, time spent with family at annual book fairs, interactive projects with community partners, or simply relaxing and studying with classmates, Denison ISD educators make it a priority to actively engage students in daily learning.

Research has long shown that hands-on involvement in learning improves student focus, paves the way for meaningful and sequential learning experiences, and stimulates critical thinking skills – all which result in higher levels of student success.

An engaged learning environment also sharpens social skills by increasing student interaction with peers and teachers, giving students opportunities to experience diversity, allowing students to share knowledge and discuss issues, and providing students with frequent and much-needed feedback.

“Our goals, as educators and mentors, are to stimulate our students to be excited about learning, to motivate them to want to come to school every day…and to inspire them to become life-long learners who are also people of strong character,” said DISD Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Kirkbride. “We incorporate new and exciting curriculum and methodology every year through intense staff development sessions for our teachers and staff…but we also look to our past experiences and traditions that have helped our students grow academically and personally, year after year. We are, and will continue to be, student-centered and community-minded in everything we do.”

Science experiments at Camp James Ray engage B. McDaniel students in many valuable hours of engaged and interactive learning. “Our goals, as educators and mentors, are to stimulate our students to be excited about learning, to motivate them to want to come to school every day…and to inspire them to become life-long learners who are also people of strong character,” said DISD Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Kirkbride.

Second graders in Haleigh Drake’s class at Hyde Park Elementary sharpen academic and social skills while working and studying together on classroom laptops.

Young students at Lamar Elementary work together in small groups to help each other solve basic math and geometry problems.

There was something for everyone at this year’s hugely successful Mayes Elementary Book Fair, where students and families shopped from a wide array of titles covering everything from adventure, sports and mysteries to animals, comics, famous heroes and inspirational stories.