Hamilton Middle School welcomed Michelle Blatt, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools, and Clinton Burch, Associate Superintendent, on October 15 for a firsthand look at the innovative learning taking place in Katie Tyre's sixth-grade Design and Modeling STEAM classroom.
The visit provided students with an opportunity to showcase projects they have been developing throughout the grading period, including Wooden Cube Puzzle Toy commercials and Wigglebot/Scribblebot engineering challenges. Students shared their work, explained their design process, and demonstrated how they used creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to bring their ideas to life.
Joining the visit were Christie Willis, Superintendent of Wood County Schools; Jeff Kisner, Assistant Superintendent; Dave Pierotti, Principal of Hamilton Middle School; Jenn Miller, Assistant Principal; and Wood County Board of Education members Simon Hargus and Judy Johnson.
One of the most valuable aspects of the projects on display was the opportunity for students to learn through experimentation. As they designed, built, tested, and refined their creations, students discovered that mistakes are not setbacks but opportunities to improve. By making adjustments and observing how those changes affected the outcome, students gained a deeper understanding of the engineering and design process.
The visit also allowed students to practice an important life skill that extends beyond the classroom: communicating their learning to others. By explaining their projects to education leaders and community members, students demonstrated not only what they created, but how they overcame challenges, made decisions, and improved their work along the way.
Experiences like these help students understand that learning is often an ongoing process of trying, evaluating, adapting, and trying again. Whether designing a robot, creating a product advertisement, or solving a future workplace challenge, the ability to learn from mistakes and adjust course is a skill that will serve them well throughout their lives.
For the students in Mrs. Tyre's classroom, the visit was an opportunity to showcase both their projects and the thoughtful learning that takes place behind every design, test, revision, and final product.
