Innovations give education a new twist

Innovations give
education a new twist

Beyond reading, writing and arithmetic, outside the everyday activity of the classroom––local educators say they’re finding creative new ways to teach.

Children at White Oak Elementary School in Westlake Village, for example, have learned about the history of United States immigration by acting and dressing in the roles of newcomers from foreign lands.

The school’s "Ellis Island" project won the Innovation in Education Award given last year by Las Virgenes Unified School District.

This year, six new programs were honored by LVUSD for their innovative approach to education, including a program at Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills called "Famous Americans in History." Similar to Ellis Island, the Sumac program asks students to relive the past through essays, art , costumes and role-playing.

The school’s 110 third-graders chose among their heroes Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, and Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.

The students culminated their learning with a powerful performance in front of teachers and parents.

"It was a five-handkerchief performance," said Karen Hansen, Sumac principal. "It was a real tear-jerker."

Another award-winning program–this one at Lupin Hill Elementary School in Calabasas–is called "On Tour Musicals" and it integrates music with social studies.

The Innovation in Education awards are in their sixth year at Las Virgenes school district. Past recipients have included programs such as "Dolphin Decoders" at Bay Laurel Elementary School, "Kites in Flight" at Lindero Canyon Middle School and "Spirit Alive" at Calabasas High School.

"The Innovation in Education award was designed to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the teachers and staff in Las Virgenes as they use their talents to create and implement programs that are beyond the every day scope of duty," said Stephen Henke, assistant superintendent.

"Just narrowing it down to the number we did was difficult," said Superintendent John Fitzpatrick.

Not all of the activities focus on curriculum. The "Lunch Club" program honored this year at Lindero encourages students to participate in various clubs during lunch.

"Some kids have a hard time staying at lunch," said Lindero Assistant Principal Abbe Shorr. "They needed an escape and we needed to find these clubs."

The idea for the Lunch Club came about as a way to alleviate lunchtime crowding at the Agoura Hills middle school. Instead of reporting to the cafeteria, students are invited to join one of many on-campus clubs and eat their lunch while enjoying chess, puzzles, math or film in the classroom.

"We asked the teachers to give up their lunch period to give kids a safe harbor," said Ron Kaiser, Lindero principal.

More than 30 teachers opened their doors and responded, Kaiser said.

The "Ambassadors" program at Agoura High offers older students the opportunity to serve their community. Among their projects this year, the students collected more than 900 toys for children who lost parents in the Sept. 11 tragedy.

"It’s a wonderful way for students not elected to leadership positions to share their desire to help the community," said Sara Richards, who directs the Ambassadors club with Debi Poppen.

One school decided to make technology its goal. Teachers at Bay Laurel Elementary School in Calabasas developed a new technology curriculum and created special applications making it easier for students to use computers in their class work.

Chaparral Elementary School in Calabasas was chosen for the innovation award because of its program, "Schools Attuned."

"What are we attuned to?" asked Keith Tomes, the Chaparral principal. "We are attuned to the minds of children and how they think and how they work."

Chaparral parent Pamela McCrory pitched the idea to Tomes and the Chaparral Parent-Faculty Club responded by giving teachers a $17,000 grant to receive the Schools Attuned training.

Schools Attuned is a professional service developed by renowned pediatrician Mel Levine that helps teachers recognize and understand the vast learning differences among students.

"To treat everyone the same is to treat them unequally," said Levine, whose North Carolina clinic for learning difficulties has received worldwide attention. "We are making a plea for the understanding of diversity, for greater flexibility in education and parenting, so that every child can find success in his or her own way."

More Chaparral teachers will learn the Schools Attuned method during training sessions this summer.

Rick Goldman is the local program coordinator.

Nationally, more than 9,000 schools have taken part in the Schools Attuned training, including Cal State University Northridge, which recently received a $7 million program grant from Walt Disney executive Michael Eisner.