Arts Integrated And Learning Styles Go Hand-In-Hand In Oklahoma City Schools By Patricia Hawke

Many people understand the importance of exposure to the arts. We love art; it is a necessary part of our society. In fact, for every culture and every society, art in some form or another is critical to how we live. For many, many years, arts programs have been cut in Oklahoma City Schools in efforts to divert funds to “more pressing” subject areas like reading and mathematics. While these are indeed necessary subjects for Oklahoma City Schools students to master, including an arts education in a student’s learning experiences can do nothing but improve their time attending Oklahoma City Schools, as well as contribute to the amount of success they see as a whole.

Most Oklahoma City Public Schools concentrate on teaching students in three ways; by showing them how to do things, by telling them the information they need, or by giving them opportunities to try things themselves (also known as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles).

There are, in fact, many learning styles as identified by Howard Gardner, psychologist and noted pedagogical theorist:

- Linguistic – “word-smart”
- Interpersonal – “people smart”
- Bodily-kinesthetic – “body smart”
- Logical-mathematical – “math smart”
- Naturalist – “nature smart”
- Spatial – “picture smart”
- Musical – “music smart”
- Intrapersonal – “self smart”

More than ever, schools are realizing the importance of addressing all of these learning styles. Students attending certain Oklahoma City Schools are reaping the benefits of the commitment to providing educational experiences via these learning styles.

In efforts to give more and more students an education that addresses their specific learning style(s), some Oklahoma City Schools are integrating the arts into their programs. Following an “A+” model originally begun in North Carolina, Oklahoma City Schools are instituting their own arts integration programs. Originally a project of the DaVinci Institute, it is currently administered by the University of Central Oklahoma.

The model being used by Oklahoma City Schools looks at 8 different areas to improve arts integration in their schools:

1) Arts;
2) Curriculum;
3) Multiple intelligences;
4) Experiential learning;
5) Enriched assessment;
6) Collaboration;
7) Infrastructure; and
8) Climate

For teachers employed with Oklahoma City Schools, the program has been a godsend. All educators strive to “light the spark” and desperately want to reach all - 100% - of their students. For the instructional staff, of the Oklahoma City Schools using this model, discovering how to appeal to the different ways children learn has been exactly what they have been looking for.

Another impressive aspect of the program is the Oklahoma City Schools professional development that goes along with it. Instead of giving newly trained teaches the manual with the expectation that they follow the model, the A+ model provides extensive and ongoing training and support to all teachers new to the program. Oklahoma City Schools’ teachers focus on learning to work together, using research-based practices to establish curriculum that includes interdisciplinary themes that foster arts integration across classes as well as use Gardner’s various learning styles.

Clearly, Oklahoma City Schools are working to improve learning, one style at a time.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=187449&ca=Education

New York City Schools Include Charters By Patricia Hawke

There have been many instances over the past 20 years or so where people have been so unhappy about the schools that they have decided to step up and do something about it. In response to this discontent, charter schools have been formed. For many New York City Schools families, charters appear to be the way to go.

Virtually anyone concerned with the state of New York City Schools can open a charter school. Parents, teachers, principals (whether they are from public New York City Schools or private ones), community leaders, philanthropists and nonprofit organizations are all examples of the types of folks who open charter schools in response to a perceived lack in quality public education.

But what is a charter school, anyway? Most people have heard about them, but are unclear or confused as to what they are, exactly. Charter schools are created by a contract (or “charter”) with the New York City Schools system. They are held to the same standards as more traditional public schools, but operate with a greater autonomy than regular schools within the system. The purpose of the charter school is to offer new resources, personnel and ideas to education, as well as to give the families of New York City Public Schools a greater choice.

Charter schools are under the umbrella of the New York City Schools district, and are held directly accountable for meeting specific student performance goals. If the charter school fails to meet these criteria, their charter can be revoked or not renewed. In return for these higher standards, these schools are exempt from New York City Schools regulations such as curriculum development, staffing, and budget.

There are 6 reasons why numbering charter schools among the options for families with children attending New York City Schools is a good idea. Charter schools have unique educational goals that are innovative and desirable:

- Charter schools within the districts of New York City Schools are responsible for increasing the learning opportunities and achievement of all students, most especially high-risk students – ones in danger of dropping out or who have a low reading ability, for example.

- These special New York City Schools also encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods. Within the confines of the traditional public school classroom, teachers have fewer options with how they go about their jobs. Simple issues such as class size or available resources can considerably tie their hands.

- Charter schools obviously provide a greater amount of choice for parents and students of New York City Schools.

- Also, charter schools can provide motivated educators with the means to pursue their beliefs and ideas.

New York City Schools strive to offer its students the best possible education, and the choice of attending a charter school is one way to do so. Charter schools can offer their children a wider variety of opportunities.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=187447&ca=Education

A Storm In A Teacup At Miami Dade Public Schools By Patricia Hawke

Controversy over Book Ban Rattles Miami Schools

Miami Dade Public schools have been rocked by allegations of throwing aside civil liberties in favor of pleasing parts of the local populace. First came the unnecessary controversy over an innocuous children’s book that portrayed life in Cuba from a child’s perspective. The book “A Visit to Cuba” was not a prescribed textbook for young children in Miami schools, rather it was part of the school library. A young Cuban American girl bought the book home and showed it to her father; a Cuban dissident and political prisoner who was upset at the soft picture the book portrayed of life under Castro. He immediately notified the Miami Dade public schools’ authorities who proceed to place the book under a ban. Miami’s strong Cuban American population supported the ban on the book in Miami schools’ arguing that reading the book could create the wrong impression in young children’s minds about the reality of life in Cuba. The American Civil Liberties jumped into the fray and filed a lawsuit against the ban calling it unconstitutional.

Book Ban – A Knee-Jerk Reaction by Miami Schools?

A few weeks later another book found itself at the center of a storm in Miami Dade Public schools. This time it was Cuban Kids, a children’s book that portrayed a couple of Cuban children on the cover dressed in what seem to be Scout uniforms- but are reportedly uniforms of the young revolutionaries, ( a group that all school children in Cuba are required to be members of). Parents of Cuban American children in Miami schools say the book gives young children the impression that the lives of Cuban children is the same as the lives of American children. They argue that young impressionable minds are not able to filter party mouthpiece rhetoric from fact and risk being brainwashed by books like these that do not portray the true picture of life under Castro for students in Miami schools.

The argument seems a little too simplistic. Civil liberties activists and critics of the book ban agree that it would be hypocritical for a country that claims to uphold democratic ideals the way ours does, to allow react with a knee-jerk response to the contents of a book. What, they ask, would be the difference between Castro’s Cuba and the land of the free if the simple decision of whether or not to read a book is taken away from its citizens? While parents of Cuban American children in Miami Dade Public schools, many of them having arrived at this country after extended stays in Cuban prisons, do have a point in being concerned about the impression that their children and others will receive through these books-they don’t need to be. In a situation like this keeping the lines of communication between parents and children open can go a long way to help children separate the grain from the chaff and come away with a true picture of the ground reality in the Communist nation. Banning a book, any book is not the solution.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=187440&ca=Education

Metro Nashville Public Schools Promote Unconventional Role Models By Patricia Hawke

A Step in the Right Direction at Nashville Schools

We’re all familiar with the kinds of students who are projected to be potential leaders in high schools – the debate team member, the math club geek, the student council president. These are the stereotypical American leaders of tomorrow; lucky enough to have their special abilities recognized while they are still in school. But what of the other less visible role models? The kid with a stammer who has a lot to say if he could only get the words out clearly enough, the teenage mom with unlimited potential, even the kid at the back row who spends more time in detention than in class?

You’d cringe at the thought of these students being portrayed as leaders and nobody would blame you. In a groundbreaking new program, Nashville schools believe that this exact group of “low on achievement but high on potential” students has the capabilities to make an impact on society. So confident are Metro Nashville schools that these students, if given a gentle nudge, can make equal or greater contributions to society that they are partnering with local community organizations to promote this belief.

Identifying Role Models at Metro Nashville Public Schools

Alignment Nashville, a group that aims to bring together Nashville schools and local community organizations like the YMCA, and Hands on Nashville, wants to create a more organized framework for co-operation between these bodies. Earlier well intentioned attempts to coordinate Nashville schools and voluntary organizations fizzled because of the unsystematic nature of the efforts. This time around the focus is on going beyond words to actual implementation. The organization has launched a couple of programs at two Metro Nashville Public Schools targeting students who possess leadership capabilities but are currently frittering away these abilities in other pursuits. In other words it aims to draw out the potential of at-risk teens who might not have otherwise had a shot at any roles in the school system, leave alone positions of leadership.

Creating Unlikely Leaders at Nashville Schools

This heartening initiative to empower students in Metro Nashville Public Schools who have been marginalized and draw them into leadership roles in the system works in a surprisingly simple manner. Staff is asked to nominate students they feel are currently on the fringes of the school, but could blossom given the right opportunities.

The program then aims to target these students through reading programs, discussions, maintaining journals, enhancing problem solving and team work abilities. Students are encouraged to communicate successfully and respect diversity. Although it’s still too early to gauge the success of this program, authorities at Metro Nashville Public Schools say changes are already visible. Students in the programs are already assuming positions in school bodies and clubs and even at other local organizations. In the long run, Nashville schools expect this commendable program to lead to fewer dropouts, decreased school fights and an overall enhanced school environment for all.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=187439&ca=Education