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The wheels on the bus may go round and round, but the words read left to right. The MISD Transportation Department provides bus-seat vocabulary slip-covers in a creative way to reach and teach students to and from school.
The project, Vocabulary in Motion - Thinking Inside the Bus, is provided through a $10,000 “Think Big” grant from the MISD Education Foundation. The grant funds were used to purchase 900 slipcovers prepared especially for this program. Each slipcover has a trio of vocabulary words and definitions screen-printed on the area immediately in front of seated bus riders. Each trio was selected from the academic vocabulary words that students need to master for success at all grade levels. Twelve of the words/definitions came from the Larry Bell series on advancing student comprehension of standardized tests. While instructions will be passive, with these words directly in their view, students will likely read out of sheer curiosity and available time (while riding the bus).
The intent of the Vocabulary in Motion process is to get the kids to use some of their bus riding time productively. The initial thinking for this project was for mathematical problems. However, since vocabulary and reading is such an important and basic facet of the education experience, using vocabulary words and approved definitions became the obvious better decision. Seat covers are moved periodically by the bus driver to help ensure that students are exposed to the other word sets.
“Each regular route bus driver was trained on the intent of the program and what is expected of them as well as their students,” said Director of Transportation, Charles Stone. “We expect that our drivers will monitor the placement of seat covers relative to their students’ activities and responses. Besides providing a safe and pleasant scheduled service ride to and from school, the dedicated bus drivers and staff are always looking to impact the life and attitude of our students.”
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