
We are thrilled to be able to continue our work with Side x Side. Over the past four years, the working relationship between them and PPS has deepened. I am amazed at the quality of the work our teachers, Side by Side working artists, and, above all, our Portland Public Schools students have been engaged in. I’m grateful that we will be able to share our experiences with other districts as we continue to work together to educate the whole student.
I really wanted to thank you for bringing something to [my daughter’s] classroom that has brought her alive and inspired her and made school feel like a place that is right for her. She doesn’t get to feel that way very often.
More than other school activities, while working on the Side x Side project, [my daughter] would come home and share with us in detail what she had learned, who her team was, and who the guest artists/teachers were, demonstrating real pride in the outcome. The positive energy among the students, the classroom teachers, the guest artists, and the family members at the open presentation is exactly the motivation that will keep students engaged and interested.
I am feeling more comfortable because you guys are making my class a big family.
I think they’ve definitely become proud of their work. I’ve seen kids stepping up to take ownership of what they’ve done, the knowledge they’ve retained because of it. Their exposure to content wasn’t just stories I’ve told, books I’ve read. It involved field trips. It involved them getting their hands active with their learning.
If my child got nothing more out of his fourth-grade experience than the Side x Side physical theater program, I would be a very happy parent. He came alive during the project and he remembers so vividly all of the details of the American Revolution. I’ve never before seen him engage so completely with his learning!
I have been so impressed by the Side x Side project at Reiche School. The hands-on nature of the Moving Oceans unit, working with professionals in their fields, made the learning relevant, exciting, and inspiring to my daughter. This experience has inspired her to want to be a marine biologist when she grows up!
In the beginning, it was really hard to collaborate and work in groups to create our film but in the end I loved the project because Side x Side helped me learn about myself and learn about my classmates.
It is imperative that we equip our students with the skills necessary to compete in the 21st century, and Side x Side recognizes that critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration are at the top of the list.