Alexa Okerlund

Digital Art/Art Teacher at Quest Academy Jr. High @questjrhs

[Quest Academy @QuestJrHS]

Science class giving students voice & choice in their learning from emerging to mastery! Giving learners agency is one of the pillars of Quest from the Utah PCBL Framework #learneragency #UTpcbl #whyiquest @utcharter

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

It is SO important to provide students with engaging learning opportunities. I try to develop practice assignments (and prove-it’s) that are relatable and seem like they’d be fun to make. This one was a hit! @QuestJrHS #studentengagement #learningisfun #activelearning

[Quest Academy @QuestJrHS]

It’s time for Performance Reviews at Quest! The last week of the quarter our teachers meet with each learner to determine *together* what academic & citizenship grade they’ve earned & set goals for the new quarter! Getting students involved in the process is key to their success!

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Our Mastery Wall is getting greener by the week! In Digital Art, we celebrate mastering standards by receiving and pinning up green ribbons as a visual representation of our achievements. I can’t wait to see what it looks like at the end of the year! #pcbl #WhyIQuest #mastery

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Independent learners take accountability for their learning! When students are consistently asked to learn by doing, they become accustomed to seeking after knowledge and understanding - and they truly master their standards. #WhyIQuest #learningplaylist #pcbl #utahed @QuestJrHS

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

@E_Sheninger @nickiatquest Thank you Eric! It’s always a pleasure having you here.

[Eric Sheninger @E_Sheninger]

Great work by @MrsAlexaOkey as she developed purposeful choice options for her digital art students. I am constantly impressed each time I visit her classroom #disruptivethink #whyiquest #utahPCBL

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

A mini lesson paired with an independent learning choice board is the perfect way to keep learners engaged, solidify learning targets in their brains, and promote learner agency. That’s the Quest way! @QuestJrHS #WhyIQuest #learneragency #voiceandchoice #uted #utahcharters

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

It’s so fun to see students drawing traditionally right next to others designing their work in Adobe Illustrator! On this introductory standard, I gave student’s Choice on how they would like to demonstrate Mastery. #pcbl #voiceandchoice #utahed #utahcharterschools @QuestJrHS

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Student collaboration is a daily ‘norm’ in my art classroom! Whether it’s on a group learning activity, ongoing artwork, or a simple pair-and-share, students enjoy working with their peers. They’re learning curriculum AND life skills AND they’re having fun! @QuestJrHS #utahed

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Students who have choice in how they learn are engaged in their learning!
It is so rewarding to see students enjoying their learning because they chose a method that suits them. #pcbl #voiceandchoice #whyiquest #uted @QuestJrHS

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

I ‘gamified’ our citizenship standards this week, and it was actually so fun! (I mean that is the point, right?) It was cool to see just how many students enjoyed learning that way! @QuestJrHS #whyiquest

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

I LOVED working collaboratively with my friends and fellow teachers at our retreat to establish our vision for next year! We are always learning and improving for our students. #WhyIQuest #NeverStopLearning

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

I am SO proud of these creative kiddos for collaborating so seamlessly on group video projects. Teaching life skills alongside creative ones if so fulfilling! #jrdigitalartists #whyiquest #uted #utahedchat #charterschools @questjrhs @utahcharters @UTpubliced @nickiatquest

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

SO. MUCH. FUN. That’s all I see here & that’s all our learners have in Art 9 here @QuestJrHS when they are presented with choices! I wish I had all these resources to choose from & guidance on different ways to practice skills when I was in school. #WhyIQuest #uted @UTPublicEd

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

I love working at a school where we push for excellence every single day! Nicki is the most driven person I’ve ever met and has such a contagious energy. As a result, our entire school works their best to be their best every day. #whyiquest @nickiatquest

[Quest Academy @QuestJrHS]

KSL5 came to Quest this morning to learn why Quest is different that a traditional school.
https://t.co/wmp45hrqKw
#utahpcbl #whyiquest @UtahCharters @UTPublicEd

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Watching my students collaborate this week has been SO much fun! They’re enjoying their work AND learning both social and technological skills that are relevant in today’s world. #whyiquest #uted #utahedchat #charterschools @questjrhs @utahcharters @UTpubliced

[Alexa Okerlund @MrsAlexaOkey]

Someone asked me this week - do I consider these playlists or choice boards? Well... both? A Playlist that includes Choice. This is what's working for me to encourage student ownership of learning while also completing class work that shows it. #voiceandchoice #pcbl #whyiquest