Ursuline Academy unveiled dual-taught classes this past school year, including Engineering Design Innovation, taught by Rachel Clark, science faculty, and Danny Poellot, computer science faculty.

Each time a dual-taught class meets, both teachers are in the classroom. Students see the 21st-century skills of collaboration, creativity, and communication in action. And with the freedom to follow a creative format, teachers find new pathways for educating the whole student.

Projects can become more innovative. In Engineering Design Innovation, for example, coursework combines computer science, science, and math. Over this past year, students learned how to design and build artificial limbs for pets.

In dual-taught classes, each teacher plays to his or her strength, and the unique collaboration offers a one-of-a-kind benefit for every kind of student.

“There are students who might not be as good in math and science, but because they're creative thinkers, they're doing really well as problem solvers. We give them real-world problems. You might fail the first time, but you know what? It's OK. You know this doesn't work. Now, try something else.”

Rachel Clark, Science Teacher