Linn-Mar High launching early childhood class as part of its project-based learning program

MARION — Linn-Mar High School’s project-based learning program Venture Academics is launching a new class for students interested in exploring careers in education and child development.

As part of the program, students will work directly with 3-year-old children two mornings a week in a supported, supervised learning environment to help them learn more about skills needed to be teachers and child specialists.

The program in Venture Academics will be called Exploring Education, and students in it all will undergo background checks.

The part of the class open to 3-year-old children, for families inside and outside the Linn-Mar district, is called Venture Early Explorers. There is no cost to participate, but families must apply and register. The district is looking for 14 3-year-olds to help the high school students in this class.

Interactions with the 3-year-olds will be under the supervision of Linn-Mar and Kirkwood Community College teacher Laura Vaske. Before working with kids, the high school students will learn about confidentiality — including no cellphone use in the classroom — and child safety.

The Exploring Education class begins Tuesday, and Venture Early Explorers begins Jan. 21. Venture Early Explorers is not a preschool or day care. It will be held Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:15 to 11:45 a.m. in the former Learning Resource Center building adjacent to the high school at 2999 10th St. in Marion.

Families with 3-year-old children who would be interested in participating can learn more and register online at linnmar.k12.ia.us.

Vaske said the class is a part of the Linn-Mar district’s ongoing efforts to encourage more interest in teaching among students.

Pathway to teacher career

“We have a teacher shortage in America, in Iowa, at Linn-Mar. We’re trying to create pathways that give students advanced credits and real, quality experiences,” Vaske said.

Students who take Exploring Education will graduate high school with nine college credits. Through Kirkwood Community College, they will have college credit in three classes: Child Development, Exploring Teaching and Behavior Management, Vaske said.

The class is taught in a three-hour block daily over one semester.

“I’m excited to see the high school students have that spark for teaching,” Vaske said. “The little kids, they fill your cup up. They are happy and excited and positive. I think right now, there’s so much negative talk around teaching and education. I can’t wait for this experience to erase that in the minds of these students.”

Once a student completes Exploring Education and graduates from high school, they can apply for a paraeducator generalist certification, which enables them to work in a classroom as a paraeducator.

High school students in Exploring Education will learn how to support children in social development and school readiness skills. The students will plan and lead lessons and activities designed to foster young children’s social skills, early literacy skills and math readiness.

Venture Early Explorers is different from Little Lions, the district’s preschool program. Little Lions supports 4-year-old children at several district elementary buildings and is funded by the state’s preschool statewide voluntary preschool program funding. Little Lions provides a half-day of preschool programming and is a fully inclusive learning opportunity supported by fully-licensed teachers.

Activities led by high school students for the 3-year-olds will include:

The Venture Early Explorers classroom has been outfitted with “tons of toys, games” and science, technology, engineering and math activities, said Elyssa McDowell, Venture coordinator. “It’s a happy, fun space for these high school students to work in with the littles,” she said.

“A lot of times, students interested in education don’t have the opportunity to get hands-on immersive experiences until they student teach in college,” McDowell said. “To have these experiences now as highs schoolers to feel if it’s a good fit as a future career is such a great experience. Even if you discover you don’t really like it, that gives you time to explore different avenues rather than putting a lot of time or money into a degree or program you didn’t have a chance to try.”

Students in Exploring Education will be required to have at least 10 hours of field experience. They could be placed in an elementary, middle or high school to gain that experience with a cooperating teacher in the Linn-Mar Community School District, Vaske said.

“Similar training opportunities exist at the college level,” Linn-Mar district Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer said in a statement. “We wanted to replicate that learning experience for our high school students. We are excited to provide them with this one-of-a-kind learning opportunity while earning college credits and gaining hands-on experience.”

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Using ‘real world’ skills

Venture Academics was started in 2021 as a way to give students the ability to learn and use real-world skills such as leadership, accountability and teamwork on projects they are passionate about, while earning high school credit.

The program offers several learning tracks, including classes in Applied Marketing, Behavioral Science, Biology, Biomedical Science, Civics, Creative Writing, Digital Design and Communication, Earth Science and an entrepreneurship-focused course.

Instead of individual 45-minute classes, students enrolled in a Venture track take a set of classes in a three-hour period. For example, a student in the government and law track will take a government class, law class and college writing class that will conclude in a project.

Students still have the option of taking classes in the traditional setting as single courses. Project-based students demonstrate proficiency and earn course credits by completing projects and giving presentations instead of taking a test.

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