When I presented at the Teacher’s Convention on Friday February 11, I was asked by several participants about where I taught. As well, several people indicated in their feedback they wanted to know more about my school. I am always pleased to share about the best teaching assignment one could ask for.
For the past 11 years, I have had the good fortune to co-create learning with a wonderful group of students, families, and colleagues. I teach in an alternative, progressive Grades 1 – 9 environment where shared responsibility for each others’ learning and continuous learning are cornerstones. Parents, students, and educators share and contribute to an ongoing vision and, as a result, have created a unique school model.
We have three multi-grade classrooms with students attending on a part-time basis, with some of the learning being delivered through a home school component. Elementary students attend every Tuesday and Thursday and receive instruction in Social Studies, Science, Music, Health, Art, and Phys Ed. While at home, their parents deliver instruction in Math and English Language Arts, and complement the Music, Health, Art and Phys Ed. Junior High students attend the same days as the younger students plus every other Monday. While at school, they receive instruction in Social Studies, Science, English Language Arts, and a variety of complementary courses. Math is taught at home.
Parents are active participants in both the home and school components, and provide in-class assistance about once per month, receive teachers for visits and, with teacher guidance, select resources. While in the classroom, the parents are asked to contribute in meaningful ways to the learning of their children. They participate in direct instruction, help with planning and delivery of complementary courses, and provide wonderful insight into the lives and learning of their children.
This educational enterprise serves as an example of a learning organization (Senge, 2006) where all participants share a common vision instilled by a passion for the learning of children and adults in a unique school model where everyone learns and grows together.
I CAME BACK TO YOUR BEGINING—MINE TOO! MT BLOG ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE THIS, BUT I WAS DOCKED A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR A SECURITY INFRACTION. SO—-YOU AND I GO WAY BACK TO HERE!
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IN BINGHAMTON, NY I WAS SUB TEACHING AND THERE WERE ONE, MAYBE TWO SCHOOLS LIKE YOURS—I GOTTO SUB IN ONE—ONCE! MATBE I WASN’T FLEXIBLE ENOUFG FOR THEM? THIS WAS THE GREAT HOPE—AT LEAST FOR THE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS. IT NEVER REACHED DOWN INTO THE INNER CITY, DID IT, EXCEPT IB A FEW EXPERIMENTAK AND LATER—CHARTER SCHOOLS-? PROBABLY MANY UPPER LEVEL PRIVATE SCHOOLS CAN AFFORD THIS SAME MODEL, RIGHT?
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GREAT TO MEET YOU BACK HERE AGAIN! I HAVEN’T GOTTEN TO ALL OF YOURS YET! AND NOW WE’RE BOTH RETIRED! 😀
After you shared the last post, I said to myself “I need to get and blog on a more regular basis.” Being retired is busier than many people think it is with focusing, as much as we can, on things of interest to us rather than getting up and working for someone.
BLOGGING IS MY MAJOR ACTIVITY NOW, IT BEING BOTH A BLESSING AND A CURSE===IT’S PRETTY MUCH ALL I DO, BESIDES WORKING ON THE MODEL TRAINS—LOSING FEMALE FRIENDS LEFT AND RIGHT! 😀