5 Ways Sayre is Innovating in the Classroom

Collaborating like aerospace engineers, Sayre fifth graders in science class took on a hands-on challenge this fall: building paper rockets and seeing if they could fly. As they worked in teams, students dove into the engineering design process, meticulously crafting devices of different lengths and structures. 

Their tools: Construction paper, scissors, tape, pencils, rulers, and iPads. Their mission: To rigorously test and prove how the physical architecture of a rocket dramatically impacts its flight performance. Their finale: After designing and building their creations, the students tested the devices, translating textbook theory into innovation.

At Sayre School, we believe innovation is about pioneering new and better ways to nurture curiosity and deepen understanding. This focus on innovative thinking, in addition to using the latest technology, drives our faculty. Our dedicated teachers continually evolve their methods to ensure that every student develops the critical skills needed for a complex, ever-changing world, placing skills application and active development at the core of learning.

Here are five ways our teachers are bringing innovation to life across our divisions.

1: Project-Based Learning 

In the Lower School, Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a cornerstone of our curriculum. PBL connects subjects such as science, math, and writing within thematic areas, inviting students to apply knowledge in creative ways and fostering critical thinking and collaboration. 

This fall, second graders studied insects in the classroom and at the Sayre Athletic Center, a site for outdoor learning as well as sports. Then, to culminate the unit, they gathered in our Innovation Room, where they crafted butterflies, dragonflies, bumblebees, and more with construction paper and glue. By applying classroom and field knowledge to creative pursuits, students brought their learning to life.

2: Intentional technology integration 

Sayre’s technology program is designed to foster digital fluency from the Lower School through graduation. We move beyond simple tool use, helping students not only increase their proficiency but also understand the underlying principles of current technology. Students learn to acquire and critique information efficiently, share content effectively, and creatively apply their knowledge across all subject areas.

This commitment is supported by our structured device program. The Lower School uses shared iPads to enhance learning; our Middle School features a school-provided 1:1 iPad program; and the Upper School maintains a 1:1 device program, with families purchasing either laptops or iPads with school guidance. 

Software on individual devices and on interactive white boards are an integral part of technology at Sayre. 3D modeling software like Tinkercad improves design thinking, while virtual and augmented reality (AR) helps students visualize complex concepts in STEM subjects, history, and art. 

Using AR applications, for example, Middle School students can instantly transform flat, colored drawings into 3D interactive models by scanning the images with their iPads. This creative process blends traditional art with digital literacy, enhancing engagement and developing students’ spatial reasoning skills.

3: Peer Support

At Sayre, we believe in the power of peer support, whether it’s students of the same age or different. One beloved tradition in our Lower School is our Buddies program, which pairs older elementary students with younger classmates. 

Together, these buddies collaborate on engaging assignments that our teachers design for specific learning outcomes. Older students reinforce their knowledge by teaching, and younger students gain confidence and exposure to advanced concepts. By building connections across grade levels, the program enables students to learn from one another in fun and meaningful ways. 

4: Integrating STEAM and Design Thinking

Our commitment to innovation is evident in the integration of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and design thinking in classrooms. Teachers emphasize a process of iteration, creation, and experimentation of user-focused solutions.

Students in sixth grade science class this fall studied the causes and effects of concussions on athletes. Then, they applied this knowledge to designing helmets that could protect hard-boiled eggs, which represented human brains. Working in groups, the sixth graders used cups, plastic jars, cotton balls, balloons, and even a tissue paper parachute to protect their eggs. Then they dropped and rolled the eggs within their protective devices to see if the eggs cracked, representing a concussion. 

5: Global Awareness and Service Learning

As part of our commitment to building character, Sayre teachers educate students to become global citizens starting in the Lower School. Through study-abroad experiences, service-learning projects, world history instruction, and language studies, students learn about different cultures and become aware of their place in the world. 

In the Upper School, our Global Studies Initiative challenges students to four years of in-depth study. Students in the cohort may earn a Distinction in Global Studies on their diploma, which requires language courses, global studies, and an intensive cultural connection experience, such as traveling, hosting an exchange student, or performing community service with an organization such as Kentucky Refugee Ministries. To culminate their learning, students engage in a long-term project and presentation to their peers and the parent community, demonstrating their research, analysis, and understanding of complex global issues.

By embracing these innovative methods, Sayre teachers are creating an engaged, dynamic, and future-ready environment where every student is encouraged to think critically, collaborate effectively, and ultimately, make their mark on the world.