Richmond County School System

Even though Strawbees is new to the district, Dr. Chaundra is already seeing progress across multiple areas. In gifted programs, students that fall under special education to ESL students. Initial implementation with teachers could sometimes be a bit of a struggle, but Dr. Chaundra found that when other teachers that were very comfortable with Strawbees pitched in, the mindset changed.

“We’ve had so many teachers now come and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I really love it’. The kids love it. And that’s my ultimate goal. I work to make life easier for the teachers and learning more attainable for the students.” 

After implementation in August 2024, even after a hurricane and a few professional development sessions, some of the teachers who had been hesitant about new things quickly came around. And now, pretty much every single teacher is onboard. Now students can engage in Richmond County across multiple content areas while working with just one tool. Dr. Chaundra cited research that shows that when content is taught in an interdisciplinary format, students tend to have greater academic achievement – and they have fun.

“When the students know the Strawbees are coming out, there’s excitement. It’s fun but they’re still learning.”

Rhonda has also seen real impacts in her classroom especially with students who can sometimes struggle in other subjects. Because the approach with Strawbees is hands-on there are opportunities Rhonda sees for students to not only shine but to find potential career paths that they may not have known existed.

“They struggle in their regular classrooms but they like to come to my classroom because they get to do something hands-on. With the Strawbees, they get to see that they could build or design something as a career and then I can easily tell them, ‘This is why you need to get through high school’. Giving them that idea of why they need to try harder to be successful in school and realizing that they can do something with their hands inspires them”.

Dr. Chaundra found many reasons to love Strawbees and wants to get it in every classroom in Richmond County. Science teachers are usually the ones who approach her and want to learn more about Strawbees but Dr. Chaundra is keen to get STEAM into any subject and at any level. She says that if a kindergarten student can begin with Strawbees building shapes, by the time they get to middle school, they have had a chance to get involved in a design process.

“We have to let our students experience beyond the textbook and with Strawbees we have teachers where they just say, ‘All right. I’m challenging you to build’. And it teaches team building. There’s so many things you can allow your students to experience and use with just straws.”

Then, by the time they really get into fourth and fifth grade, they are problem solvers with enhanced critical thinking skills. And because, Dr. Chaundra says, you can use it to differentiate instruction, it can be applied to remediation or enrichment – or almost anything possible. And that leads onto building 21st century skills in the next generation.

“Right now what we need is an uptick in vocational skills and trades. Strawbees can lead students to various areas that are hands-on, tactile, problem solving and critical thinking.”

Time will tell how the implementation of Strawbees will affect students in Richmond County year on year, but Dr. Chaundra remains optimistic about how Strawbees allows her to reach all different types of students.

“I just enjoy providing opportunities for our students. I’m not against textbooks, but sometimes it just doesn’t click. Reading it versus doing it or being able to read it and then do it or visa versa. If a child is a visual learner, it speaks to that as well. If you have an auditory learner, I feel like having the opportunity or to see it done enhances every type of learning profile. There’s so many things that can allow your students to experience just using straws.”