Jefferson students Emily Morris, Sa’Mari Spencer, Colin Bell and Sebastian Gibbs work with JPS Board of Education members Nina Karbacka, John Panebianco, and Patrick Slagle on sewing a button during a demonstration.

Jefferson Middle School students recently had the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education in stitches — literally.

Students in Sara Patterson’s Family and Consumer Sciences class demonstrated some of their new skills during a school board meeting in February, teaching school board members how to sew a four-hole button. Students even had the chance to film and produce instructional videos to assist the board members.

“FACS provides students skills for life,” said Patterson. “This includes counting money, personal finances, being resourceful, career exploration, leadership, cooking and baking science, measurement, cooperative teamwork, sewing, creative thinking, and problem solving.”

Patterson is one of roughly a dozen JPS teachers who have been piloting personalized learning in their classrooms during the 2023-24 school year thanks to the assistance of Education Elements.

Personalizing learning is an instructional approach that empowers students to build ownership of their learning, a student-centered approach to learning that calls on educators to be responsive to the needs of their students.

The principles of personalized learning, then, is a perfect match for the work students do in FACS, Patterson believes.

“The goal of personalized learning is to give students ownership of their education,” she said. “That ownership is centered around the ‘Core Four’ of personalized learning, which is reflecting and goal setting, targeted instruction, flexible path and pace, and creativity and collaboration.”

That final element proves to be one of the most pivotal for students in FACS.

“Students need more opportunities to collaborate with peers because they need to expand communication and teamwork skills essential in society and the workplace,” Patterson said.

Jeff Kresge and Jason Kathman, JPS technology integration specialists, have helped shepherd the personalized learning pilot program across the district.

“When students take ownership of the learning process, they are more engaged, more involved, and it’s better for learning,” said Kathman.

The ultimate goal is to help students feel valued. If they do, the possibilities are limitless, Kresge believes.

“When we all think back to a lesson, we don’t think back to necessarily the content but that particular moment that hit for you,” Kresge said. “If we can make that a common occurrence across Jamestown Public Schools, our kids will come out with more of a rich education and a memory of ‘Oh yeah, I was able to remember that one particular thing because it hit me right where I was. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Patterson agrees.

“The foundation for all learning is supported by a nurturing learning environment,” she said. “That’s what I’ve tried to build in FACS class at Jefferson Middle School, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have shared that mission with our board of education.”