Bethany Christian Middle School students have additional learning opportunities in 2010-11 with the creation of an individualized enrichment learning program. This new program enhances Bethany’s ability to individualize instruction and enrich learners across all levels of the learning spectrum, from high ability to remedial.

Leading this program are two experienced teachers with master’s level education: Linda Hochstetler and Eliza Stoltzfus. The enrichment team works in conjunction with classroom teachers and curriculum rather than on a pull-out basis. The program is not a tutoring session for existing assignments, but provides instructional activities and projects that enrich the classroom’s lesson or assigned project. Stoltzfus says, “We are passionate about enriching the already active and engaging learning environment at Bethany and want children to see success as well as meet new challenges.”

The program is designed to help all students focus on an area of need or special interest. Thus while some students may work with the enrichment team in science, others may work in another area such as social studies or language arts. The team works with each student based on that student’s interests, needs, and ability. Hochstetler says, “We want to ensure that ultimately each student is never done learning.”

Students have been excited about this new opportunity as shown by the Logical Lunch sign-up lists that fill up quickly--and prompting teachers to find creative ways to allow all an opportunity to participate. During Logical Lunch, students bring their trays to the Enrichment classroom where they can work on that day's logic problem while they eat. Students may also come to the enrichment room during their study hall period where they earn points in additional learning activities: RU Serious, Geography Pearls, 3-on-3, Crosswords/Sudokus, Dig It! Projects, Bonus board, and the Study Blitz. Hochstetler says, "The students come and have fun because they're playing games; I have fun knowing that I'm helping them learn while they have fun."