This evening, I read (and watched the video for) “The Power of Partnerships” (http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1005&key=189# ) on the Edutopia site, and it blew me away. The article tells of one of the ten schools in New York City that are taking steps to reinvent what it means to go school-- allowing kids who could easily fall through the cracks of our public school systems to have a chance to thrive.
The partnership that drives the program is between the New York City Board of Education and the Children’s Aid Society. Together, they've implemented an in-school health program that provides dental, general, and mental health care for the students at the school. After school programs allow students to participate in everything from programs that help them achieve better in reading and math to programs that allow them to build their own bicycles, or learn to play a stringed instrument. The program is available to children, and to their parents (who can even attend evening classes themselves) six days a week, from seven in the morning to nine at night, all year round.
This article is inspiring to me. Having grown up in an urban area, I saw too many of my childhood friends (some of whom were exceedingly more intelligent than myself) fail to graduate high school, because they didn't have a healthy learning, home, or after school environment. We’re all asking the question, how do we reach these communities, and stop the cycle that is costing our medical schools and teacher’s colleges some of the brightest minds in our nation? How do we address the health problems that many of these children face? How do we expose the brilliance that we know many of these at risk children have in them? Of any of the programs I've seen that have been created to address these issues, the program at IS 218 is by far the most innovative, thoughtful, and inspiring. I would love to have the opportunity to work in this kind of atmosphere—one where teachers are actually given the resources they need to help their children succeed. Anyone interested in teaching in urban schools should take a look at this video.
5 comments:
I enjoyed reading your blog about the artile "The Power of Parnerships". I agree with what you say, that many children fall through the cracks because they don't have a good home environment. It's important that someone sees this and start a program to help with the situation. Especially if it is also available to parents, if the parents are involved with getting more education it will be more important to them that their children recieve a good education. It's also a great idea to provide medical, dental, and general health care to the students because the healthier the child is the more you will see that child at school.
Great summerization of the article!!
This program has more than one thing right. My favorite thing about this program is that it allows for students to learn about what they wan t to learn about (i.e. building a bike). Schools need to get back to educating students and stop gearing everything towards standardized tests. One of the other great things about this program is that it allows and encourages parent involvement. Obviously we can't get parents involved unless they want to, but by providing so many opportunities it makes it harder for parents to find excuses not to be involved in the education of their children.
This video sounds really amazing and I have to agree with you that it is the best plan I have heard of so far. Their program hits on many important issues. They are increasing parental involvement by allowing the parents to become educated which will in turn boost moral in the home. They are also providing medical care to children who are probably typically ill from spending a lot of time on the street and not getting proper nutrition. If a child is unhealthy then they definitely won't do well in school and reach their full potential. The after school programs are also providing a productive and safe environment for the students to excel and find an area that they really enjoy. This seems like a very well thought out and potentially successful program. My only question is where do the school systems get the funding to provide these extra programs and are these medical professionals volunteering their time or are the schools paying the doctors?
I totally agree with Amaya in her opinions about that article. Schools cannot have functioning children if they don't attend to the the children's health and needs. Not all parents are able to take the time out unfortunately or in their busy schedules kids may not have the time to keep themselves healthy. The school needs to step in at that point. Since kids are spending most of their time in school, the schools should take care of the health and fitness of the children; especially if they want to be seen has having good standards and actually having children graduate out of their schools!
I really feel that the school needs to intervene if the child doesn't seem to be getting that proper attention at home. If most of their lives are spent in school in learning education, have it also be for learning how to keep healthy and dealing with any issues they might have.
Schools should think of themselves as probably a shelter where kids can come to, to learn, grow, and feel safe.
I am not the product of an urban environment. I have always lived in the suburbs, but I have traveled and seen enough in my life to understand that not everyone in this world has been granted the same opportunities for success. After reading books such as "The Shame of a Nation," I have become even more aware of the inequality that exists between public schools. Unfortunately, the students who need the most help are often the same group of students who are provided with the fewest resources at school and at home. I think this program is a wonderful step in the right direction. I really like the fact that both the parents and students are being introduced to new possibilities. Programs such as this one are the only way we will ever be able to attack the vicious cycle of poverty and exclusion which affects so many of our inner-city youth.
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