Alternatives to public education offered

With increasing competition from charter schools, homeschooling and other options available to parents, public schools have begun to offer creative alternatives to in education.

The follow is a recap of what the local school districts in Ventura County are doing to spice up traditional education.

Oak Park

For the last several years the Oak Park Unified School District has encouraged teachers to use a method known as differential instruction.

Clifford Moore, assistant superintendent of education, said instead of trying to reach the average student at the risk of losing the interest of higheror lower-achieving children, the teachers place students in specialized learning groups. The process requires teachers to continually assess their students’ abilities and accommodate them accordingly.

As the teacher evaluates each student’s abilities during the year, the kids are grouped with those at a similar learning level.

But, says Moore, “It’s a much tougher challenge for teachers.”

Conejo Valley

About 140 students are enrolled in the Open Classroom program at Conejo Elementary School in Thousand Oaks.

The 15-year-old program is based on creative learning and freedom for teachers to adjust to each child’s learning style. Children of different grade levels are paired together in six classrooms: kindergarteners with first-graders, second with third-graders, and fourth-, fifth and sixth-graders together.

The students learn in small groups at their own level and pace. The goal is to produce independent life-learners.

Bob Iezza, school principal, is proud of the program.

“In a very short time, I was absolutely impressed with the teachers,” he said.

The open classroom concept, Iezza said, enables a stronger nurturing environment versus that of traditional classrooms. It teaches youngsters to express themselves in intimate groups, something that can benefit them later in their teen years when their feelings can be confusing and intense, he said.

Jon Baker’s 8-year-old daughter is in the program. He cited an example of the program’s flexibility: When a teacher felt the usual math curriculum wasn’t meeting the needs of her new students, she chose another textbook.

“That’s the beauty of this system,” Baker said. “They get to know the kids and can adapt.”

The creative learning environment also impressed Rose Ann Witt. She said a project last year on European immigration brought history to life for her daughter, Jordana. The classroom “became” Ellis Island and the children became immigrants, made passports and assembled travel bags for the journey to America.

“It really gave her a sense of what an immigrant would feel and think as they go through this process,” Witt said. “It gives meaning and relevance to this (lesson). It sticks with them.”

During January and February, the school hosts tours for parents who want to see open classrooms in action.

Veronica Darrah of Moorpark recently took the tour. Impressed with the multi-age learning groups and strong parent participation, she wants to enroll her 5-year-old daughter if a transfer is okayed.

“As a former teacher, I see how important it is for parents to be involved,” Darrah said.

Moorpark

Moorpark children have the option of attending one of four themed-elementary schools. The curricula are traditional in content, but the approach is theme-based. For example, school work—essays, projects, math and science— is centered on the school’s specialty.

At Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology (FAST), the theme is obvious but not necessarily so with the others. At Walnut Canyon Elementary, performing arts are the focus, taking advantage of Moorpark College resources. At Campus Canyon Elementary and at Peach Hill Academy, the goal is to build a core knowledge of subjects that remain relevant and don’t become outdated.

“We think what it does is gives parents the option of sending their children where they have an interest,” said Anna Merriman, assistant superintendent.

Simi Valley

There’s a waiting list to get into the district’s two fundamental schools—Hollow Hills and Vista Elementary.

Here, students are held to a high level of accountability and so are their parents. Students must follow a strict dress code and parents must sign every piece of homework and attend back-to-school nights and all parent-teacher conferences. One parent said the dress code helps children focus on school and not on the latest fashions.