It is with great pleasure that the Bonham faculty and staff welcome a team of individuals from Central Office and the University of Texas at El Paso to our campus.  Tim Holt, Marsha Lawler, Erline Gordon, Rebecca Soltero, Dr. Bill Robertson, and Dr. Carolyn Awalt are in the process of assisting Bonham Elementary with the development and implementation of a problem-based learning model.

Weekly training and planning sessions have begun and will continue throughout the school year.  Approximately one third of the teachers are on the writing team to develop learning units.  These units will be field tested during the second semester of the school year.

The remainder of the teachers and staff are currently enrolled in Stargate, an on-line course for problem-based learning.  Additional Stargate courses will be taken including integration of technology into the curriculum.  This campus is very excited about having the opportunity to participate in this innovative program.

About Us

Located in a small neighborhood community named Cielo Vista, Bonham Elementary serves approximately 250 students utilizing 53 teachers and staff personnel.

Bonham Elementary is referred to as a model school rather than as a magnet school.  The model school concept represents teaching concepts and methods we hope other school districts will emulate and propagate.  The magnet school concept represents teaching methods that attract students from without into a central campus.  A teaching concept used in this model school is Problem-based Learning (PBL).

Problem-based Learning

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to learn to learn.  Students work cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real-world problems. These problems are used to engage students' curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter.  PBL prepares students to think critically and analytically, and to find and use appropriate learning resources. -- Barbara Duch
  
Technology plays an important role as a research and delivery tool.  Databases that are accessible via the Internet will be used for research and discovery.  Software (PowerPoint, Word, etc.) and student web page will be used as delivery methods for presenting ideas and real-world solutions.

The Writing Team

The writing team has begun the first steps in writing their first problem-based learning activity. The group has been divided into three teams.  Mary Reser, the computer lab instructor, will be a resource to each of the teams.  The theme for the first problem-based learning activity is:

Our Goal

We will create a model campus that others will want to emulate.  Visit us often and review the Bonham Model of the El Paso Independent School District - Nothing Less than Success.