TMBR

Mike Klonsky became attracted to the modern day small schools movement when he was exposed to the ideas and actions of the leaders of the movement in the 1960’s.  As a teacher, he helped create some of the first charter schools in Chicago.  Today he is one of the champions of the small school vision that is embodied by the Chicago small schools movement, pioneered by Chicago’s first African American mayor, Harold Washington, in the 1980s.  We discuss the history of the movement, which was motivated by attempting to create the type of school that works best for children, how we should gauge student results, what we’ve accomplished with testing policies, team teaching, how to change teaching, and charter schools.  Mike runs a yahoo listserv that is a think tank for small schools professionals called [email protected].  Mike is firmly committed to equity and social change for the benefit of all children

The High School for Independent Learning of Albany and Piedmont California addresses the learning requirements of those students where a typical learning environment has not been successful. This school seeks to enable these students to be successful and enjoy learning, perhaps for the first time in their lives. The student body also includes youth who have work or practice requirements that preclude going to regular school. We talk with Shary Nunan, the Co-Director of the school, who tells us how the school got its start and how the needs of its students are addressed. Teaching a less traveled way.

Heddi Craft is an educator. She has taught school on most levels K-6 and has been a consultant for the Curriculum Leadership Institute. After moving to Santa Cruz, California, and beginning to raise a family she noticed how quickly her son learned the lessons from his $12-20 puzzles. Looking around for a better solution than purchasing more learning tools at the pace of her son’s voracious appetite, she founded the Educational Resource Center of Santa Cruz, a membership based lending library of educational toys, games, and learning materials. In conversation with Senior Dad, Stan Goldberg, she shares her ideas of “No Child Left Behind”, homework, teacher retraining and actions for parents. Heddi Craft reaching children differently

For some reason the issue of inclusion seems to invoke strong passions. Everyone views it differently. Add in the prescription for a least restrictive environment, and wow that gets everyone really churning. You can just see everyone in the room tighten their backs as they set their positions in stone. Walking blindly into this loaded mine field, Senior Dad Stan Goldberg meets educator Paula Kluth, a fifteen year veteran of special education. Paula has helped schools and school districts transition from exclusion to inclusion. She has held workshops to broaden the understanding of both parents and educators on the benefits of inclusion. The discussion moves through the hot topics and then on to some common ground when discussing the positive benefits of inclusion (it’s not just that it can be less expensive for a school district).

Paula Kluth- Everyone is Included

A while ago I went to a School Site Council meeting at the school my daughter attends. At that meeting all the parents participated in a first grade math lesson based on the teaching methods of Marilyn Burns. The parents were read a story and then had to solve a problem based on the information in the story. We were seated at tables and each table became its own work group. Each group addressed the solution in its own way. The experience taught us all on many different levels. It was comforting as a parent to see the gentle, caring method that was being used with our children. After experiencing this (three cheers to the school staff for presenting it) I was eager to chat with Marilyn to learn what the mind that created this method was thinking about education today. This interview was that encounter. Marilyn Burns- How did you solve that?

There is much discussion about the best way to educate children. Many education educators provide techniques for not only teaching to the middle. These are valuable techniques for trying to modify a design flaw in our educational system. Teaching to the middle frequently winds up being beneficial to no one. And what about special education? The terminology alone may set up a false promise. It’s not always so special and in many cases the education falls far short of a learner’s potential.

Differentiated education is being viewed by many as a direction that must be assessed. We need to evaluate if this method of educating the whole child has merit—every child at their own pace—intriguing. How can a teacher manage so many different educational paces? We know that every child is different, that not everyone learns the same way, or at the same speed. We already make a differentiated education plan for 10% -12% of our student population that has been identified as having extra needs. That process is cumbersome, very adversarial, and definitely not something we would want to replicate. But if every child was given the help that they needed, at their own pace, it could revolutionize special education and shift it to the norm.

The Chugach school district of Alaska has been using a differentiated education system since 1992 and every child has their own education plan. There was a major paradigm shift as the district disconnected time and learning and every child learns at their own pace. It is a small school district and faces some unusual challenges. They found that one of the central components to success was the teaching of local values and ethics as a component of the curriculum. I was fortunate to speak with three superintendents who have experienced this system to learn what they did and why.

Roger Sampson was the superintendent of the Chugach school district and is now the President of the Education Commission of the States. Roger talks to me about the background that motivated him to try such a bold and creative change to his schools system’s teaching methods. Roger also speaks to the issues they encountered and what their results were, both good and bad.

There is much discussion about the best way to educate children. Many education educators provide techniques for not only teaching to the middle. These are valuable techniques for trying to modify a design flaw in our educational system. Teaching to the middle frequently winds up being beneficial to no one. And what about special education? The terminology alone may set up a false promise. It’s not always so special and in many cases the education falls far short of a learner’s potential.

Differentiated education is being viewed by many as a direction that must be assessed. We need to evaluate if this method of educating the whole child has merit—every child at their own pace—intriguing. How can a teacher manage so many different educational paces? We know that every child is different, that not everyone learns the same way, or at the same speed. We already make a differentiated education plan for 10% -12% of our student population that has been identified as having extra needs. That process is cumbersome, very adversarial, and definitely not something we would want to replicate. But if every child was given the help that they needed, at their own pace, it could revolutionize special education and shift it to the norm.

The Chugach school district of Alaska has been using a differentiated education system since 1992 and every child has their own education plan. There was a major paradigm shift as the district disconnected time and learning and every child learns at their own pace. It is a small school district and faces some unusual challenges. They found that one of the central components to success was the teaching of local values and ethics as a component of the curriculum. I was fortunate to speak with three superintendents who have experienced this system to learn what they did and why.

Bob Crumley is currently the superintendent of the Chugach school district. He was head teacher when the school district first started the differentiated education system. In a video interview, Bob talks about how the process got started and how it works, the effects on students in a school district that never had a student go on to college. He shares the effects on the community, the school staff.

There is much discussion about the best way to educate children. Many education educators provide techniques for not only teaching to the middle. These are valuable techniques for trying to modify a design flaw in our educational system. Teaching to the middle frequently winds up being beneficial to no one. And what about special education? The terminology alone may set up a false promise. It’s not always so special and in many cases the education falls far short of a learner’s potential.

Differentiated education is being viewed by many as a direction that must be assessed. We need to evaluate if this method of educating the whole child has merit—every child at their own pace—intriguing. How can a teacher manage so many different educational paces? We know that every child is different, that not everyone learns the same way, or at the same speed. We already make a differentiated education plan for 10% -12% of our student population that has been identified as having extra needs. That process is cumbersome, very adversarial, and definitely not something we would want to replicate. But if every child was given the help that they needed, at their own pace, it could revolutionize special education and shift it to the norm.

The Chugach school district of Alaska has been using a differentiated education system since 1992 and every child has their own education plan. There was a major paradigm shift as the district disconnected time and learning and every child learns at their own pace. It is a small school district and faces some unusual challenges. They found that one of the central components to success was the teaching of local values and ethics as a component of the curriculum. I was fortunate to speak with three superintendents who have experienced this system to learn what they did and why.

Steve Atwater is superintendent of the Lake and Peninsula School District in Alaska. He decided to try using the Chugach system after viewing their results and believing that it might be a way to aid his school district be more effective in preparing the student for life. In a candid, far reaching audio interview Steve answers all questions about the genesis of the system in his district and how they established local values. We discuss the process of setting up the education method in a school district and where extra care is needed. Can the lessons learned in Alaska be applied to other school district environments including large urban districts? Are we asking too much from our teachers?

The small school movement and the charter school movement are definitely forces that are having increasing impact on public schools. It is hard to find a more out-spoken advocate for both of these movements as Joe Nathan. He was active in the formulation of small charter schools at the beginning of the modern-day small-schools movement. He is the Director of the University of Minnesota Center for School Change. The center features and promotes charter schools. This is Joe’s first visit to a Senior Dad Briefing Room, and we discuss his background, beliefs, and define areas of agreement and disagreement. Some of Joe’s ideas are controversial and are hotly debated by national leaders of the small school movement and by opponents of the charter school movement. Joe Nathan- What type of change do you want?

A few years ago when I was investigating different methods of teaching children I encountered a teaching method that was gentle yet effective. A small widespread school district in Alaska had adopted a method of teaching where every child learned at their own pace. The method had some elements of the Glasser system which includes a heavy reliance upon choice. The method that was used in Alaska, which I called the Chugach method after the school district that originated it, was a definite paradigm shift. It changed the factory model of education where time is the constant and learning is the variable to a model where learning is the constant and time is the variable. I spoke with Bob Crumley the superintendent of the district and learned about the program. In the ensuing years I have spoken to many people about this method of teaching. I have to confess after this period of time I am still in enamored with the method. Bob Crumley joins me again and we discuss his districts use of this IEP for all and everyone at their own pace method of teaching.