Most people might think of their high school biology class when they hear the term “symbiotic relationship.” But Cedarville University’s School of Education and Social Workis reframing the term with its latest initiative,Symbiotica.

Launched Wednesday, Sept. 6, theSymbioticateaching and learning lab gives students who are majoring in middle childhood education the opportunity to use their education by offering instruction in a classroom setting on-campus forfifth- andsixth-gradehomeschool students in the local community. The goal is to provide homeschooled students with instruction from future educators who will, in turn, be provided with valuable teaching opportunities.

Teaching will include the typical classes of a middle childhood student: mathematics, science, socialstudiesand English Language Arts. Cedarville students will provide fully planned lessons and teach with theiruniversityfaculty members present in the classroom.

“What’s so important is that we use methodologies that are appropriate to the classroom and engaging for these children instead of just having the teacher stand and lecture,” said Dr. Ruth Sylvester, professor of education and one of the two founders ofSymbiotica. “We’re challenging them to teach in a more innovative, more engaging way.”

Dr.Lori Ferguson,assistant dean of the School of Education and assistant professor of educationsharesSylvester’s vision for this endeavor. In 2020, they began envisioning ways to enhance the university students’ learning while alsoprovidingclassroom instruction for interested homeschooled families.

This model features the students’ implementation of learning theory and pedagogylearned intheir university classrooms. Then, theuniversitystudents implement their knowledge in theSymbioticaclassroom.

“We chose the nameSymbioticafrom the idea of a symbioticrelationship,“said Ferguson. “Our fifth and sixth graders are benefitting because they’re receiving research-based instruction at the moment, and our middle childhood education students are benefitting because they immediately practice what they've been learning.”

Symbioticahas already met with incoming students to pre-assess each child toplan instruction.

“What’sso exciting aboutSymbioticais that we get to see our students in their element early on,” Sylvesterstated. “Beforethey’refully teaching in their content areas, we get to plan very closely with them.We get to see how excited they are to enact one of their purposes for coming to Cedarville.”

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 5,082 undergraduate, graduate, and dual-enrolled high school students in more than 175 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, such asthe bachelor of arts in primary educationand thebachelor of arts in middle childhood education,high graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and the #4 national ranking by the Wall Street Journal for student engagement. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.