Allen Reel

Rather than offering direct answers, she guides students by responding to their questions with questions of her own, skillfully leading them toward their own "aha" moments. 

Allen is intentional about aligning her work with homeroom units of inquiry, which requires both thoughtful planning and ongoing collaboration. The shark dissection perfectly supported fourth grade's exploration of systems—as students studied human body systems and government systems in the classroom, Allen immersed them in a study of the ocean ecosystem, using the dissection to compare a shark's internal systems to those of a human.

This kind of deep, connected learning stays with students long after they leave The Collaboratory. In third grade homeroom classes, students recently engaged in an electricity provocation, using batteries, wires, and other materials to construct working inventions that demonstrated their understanding. One student, busy building a spinning lighthouse with a working light, suddenly exclaimed, "Let's build a simple machine like Mrs. Reel taught us last year!" Another added, "She taught us that pulleys make work easier—maybe we can use one here!"

It's clear that when students enter Allen's space, they know they're stepping into a place where expectations are high—for questioning, exploring, and reflecting. The lessons they carry forward aren't just about circuits or shark anatomy; they've internalized a way of thinking that asks "How?" and "Why?" and "What if?" These are the tools that will serve them as lifelong learners.