Our SASSA in the Classroom program (est. 2015) works with K-12 teachers to create hands-on, inquiry-based modules that are presented in their classrooms by college students. We craft content to meet the specific needs of the teachers and students with whom we collaborate. Students, teachers, and parents love these customized learning experiences!
One goal of this adaptable program is to show how science can solve social problems and how social needs drive scientific endeavors. K-12 teachers who express a particular need for their curriculum and classrooms spark the genesis of most modules. SASSA in the Classroom finds collegiate researchers whose background dovetails with those needs and together the researchers, SASSAk12, and the K-12 teachers work to develop a module to meet the needs of the students. We make instructions and materials (or how to access the materials) for the modules available to other teachers who may wish to implement them in their classrooms.
SASSA in the Classroom embodies the heart of our organization’s values. K-12 teachers and collegiate researchers collaborate to develop our interdisciplinary modules. By design, K-12 students using these modules have the opportunity to apply their own knowledge and experiences to reach an answer. Their voices are heard and fuel discussions. They are also not told that including diverse people and ideas is important. They see it in the form of collegiate role models representing the spectrum of gender, age, nationality, sexual orientation, and disciplinary backgrounds all working together as a team.
The flexibility of SASSA in the Classroom means we can reach students who may not have access to hands-on learning opportunities or those who struggle in mainstream school settings. We design and modify curricula to appeal to students with different needs while fulfilling curriculum requirements.
Are you a teacher, school administrator, or parent who is interested in customized classroom experiences or getting SASSA in the Classroom’s modules into your curriculum? Please contact us today for a consultation!