Every high school student has sat in a class where the teacher lectures in front of a slidedeck for the entire period. You look around the room and see someone asleep, someone staring off into space, and someone doodling in their notebook. 

 

Traditional lectures were the norm in schools, but now many teachers are deviating from this orthodox approach to teaching. Many teachers are embracing interactive learning. 

 

“I really try to be creative in my lectures, to make the kids give the information back to me, and be engaged in my lesson,” said Christin Moenning, AP Psychology teacher. 

 

In an interactive classroom, students are engaging in hands-on activities, class discussions, and problem-solving. Instead of listening, students are applying their knowledge. Students can build critical thinking and collaborative skills that enhance memory retention.

 

Not only does interactive learning increase memory retention, but it also aligns with real-world scenarios, which better equips students for the real world.

 

For example, having a project instead of a test. A project is more likely to make sense in the context of everyday life, and students can clearly see the real-world impacts of what they are learning. 

 

One class at Leesville that employs this interactive teaching style is Project Management. Through project-based learning, students learn to plan, execute, monitor, control, and close a project in authentic situations. This course presents an excellent opportunity for students to learn the foundational time management and scope management skills

 

Nora Arnold, senior, said, “We got to do a lot of cool projects. We would work in groups, trying to figure out solutions together…It was really teamwork forced, and I think that was really beneficial.” 

 

Leesville also offers classes like Fashion and Textiles and Foods and Nutrition, which have a focus on teaching life skills. In these classes, students learn basic cooking and sewing skills. Instead of lecturing, teachers allow students to work through various sewing projects and practice cooking skills. 

 

Lyla Carpetto, senior, said, “I enjoyed being able to create something I was proud of… I got to show off and practice the skills I was taught.”

 

In math and science classes, it is especially beneficial for students to receive hands-on learning. 

 

Gabrial Argao, AP Physics teacher, said, “In Physics, it is really important to have hands-on lessons because Physics applies to everything, it’s not just theoretical.”

 

Zachary Wise, senior, said, “The labs were super helpful because you could see how everything actually worked.”

 

AP Physics is loaded with extremely in-depth content that can’t be explained with a simple PowerPoint lecture. 

 

“Mr. Argao is also a great lecturer; he would give a lot of examples and demonstrations for us to understand concepts,” said Wise.

 

“There has been a lot of research done about how people learn, and they are finding more and more that people learn best by talking through their thinking,” said Moenning.

 

Moenning goes on to say that in her classroom, she tries to implement active participation into her lectures and make students collaborate with the class. 

 

Overall, interactive learning allows students to actively participate in their education rather than passively listening. Whether through group projects, labs, or hands-on life skills classes, students can apply what they learn in thoughtful ways.