www.EducationUpdate.com AwardAward Volume XVI, No. 1 • New York City • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010 Winner CUTTING EDGE NEWS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE

Education Initiatives 2010-2011

PRESORTED STANDARD PRESORTED

UPDATE

THE EDUCATION THE

PAID U.S. POSTAGE U.S. 2 Education update ■ FPor arents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

GUEST EDITORIALS The Path of Education Reform Education’s Transformative Power By David Steiner, Ph.D. By Matthew n their important work Goldstein, Ph.D. “Tinkering Toward Utopia,” n June, Sonia Sotomayor, authors Tyack and Cuban the newly appointed U.S. pointed out a persistent his- Supreme Court associate torical pattern in American education justice, addressed gradu- reform — our tendency to swing from ates at Hostos Community College, one polar position to its opposite. The her mother’s alma mater, saying that result, they pointed out, was often the a Hostos education “gave me and my worst of both worlds: one reform move- brother a powerful example of the ment would just be getting underway on value of education and of family. My the ground when it would encounter the family is a testament to the contribu- arrival on the policy stage of its oppo- tions that community colleges make to site, with predictable chaos too often our society.” Looking to the future, she the consequence. told graduates, “You will breathe life Let us try to learn from this history into the dreams of the next generation. so as not to repeat it. Today there is an Together we’re going to make this a important reform movement underway better world.” with the support of unprecedented fed- As a new academic year begins, eral dollars. The entirely sound premise Justice Sotomayor’s words are a timely of this wave of reform is that unless reminder of just how powerful a col- we know how students are doing as lege education is. A rigorous education measured against a high standard of transforms lives and can transform our learning, and unless we hold ourselves collective future. accountable for bringing ever more stu- More and more students understand dents to that standard, we will con- the power of a CUNY education. In tinue to be building educational policy fact, our record enrollments are pro- on guesswork. Thus the unprecedented jected to climb even higher this fall. emphasis on developing national academic stan- lenging intellectual standards based on a demand- Our students know that studying with the univer- improving student performance and graduation dards, on building the databases for analyzing ing, rich, and engaging curriculum that teachers sity’s world-class faculty in innovative academic rates. The university recently appointed Scott student performance, and the push for new poli- will be excited to teach. Teachers are given an programs can make all the difference to their Evenbeck, professor of psychology and dean of cies that hold teachers and principals account- extraordinary responsibility: we should honor personal and professional advancement. University College at Indiana University-Purdue able for students’ academic growth based on that responsibility by recognizing our best teach- Serving a projected 267,000 degree-seeking University at Indianapolis, as the college’s found- annual assessments. ers with professional advancement and, after students is not without its challenges, however. ing president. Evenbeck will lead the implemen- But there is a strong “counter” movement, appropriate efforts to support them, not retain This year, CUNY sustained $84 million in state tation of the college’s design, which includes supported by many teachers, the schools of our weakest teachers in the classroom. Finally, budget cuts to its senior colleges, which have full-time enrollment in the first year, a common education that support them, and a sizable group we should wherever possible embrace common experienced more than $205 million in reduc- first-year curriculum, intensive advisement, a of parents. Skeptical that multiple choice tests sense: the time we provide in this country for tions since 2009, while adding thousands more limited number of majors, and a professional can capture the rich skills and knowledge that learning is simply too short and the length of the students. At our community colleges, where studies component. And to further the university’s children should encounter, persuaded that the summer break is especially destructive for under- enrollment has increased by more than 20 per- efforts to reinvigorate community-college educa- most effective learning often occurs in project privileged students. cent since 2005, base aid per FTE has been cut tion — the fastest-growing segment of higher and team-based environments, and doubtful that I am naturally very pleased that, thanks to fund- by $285, resulting in an operating budget loss education — Eduardo Martí, who has served with mathematical equations based on tests can ever ing from the Race to the Top program, New York of about $20 million. In addition, the state did great distinction as president of Queensborough be an adequate way to measure teacher perfor- state will have important new resources to devote not reach any resolution on the proposed Public Community College, has been appointed CUNY’s mance, there is a profound belief that we are on to education reform. The Board of Regents and Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation vice chancellor for community colleges. the wrong track. What we need is to focus on I are determined to use these resources in ways Act, which recommended a number of tuition Over the coming year, CUNY will also cel- critical thinking, metacognitive skills, and get that will have the most impact. We will not and regulatory adjustments, including differential ebrate two significant milestones: the 40th away from test‑prep. choose between a Scylla or a Charybdis, but tuition rates by campus and program. anniversary of Medgar Evers College and the Often these two positions become further polar- rather work with parents, teachers, principals, CUNY is not alone in trying to manage the per- 10th anniversary of Macaulay Honors College. ized and politicized. At its extreme, the current superintendents, college faculty and our com- ilous combination of declining state budgets and Having grown from an enrollment of 1,000 stu- national reform agenda can sound as if it believes munities to build an outstanding curriculum, to increasing enrollments. Like public colleges and dents in 1970 to more than 7,000 students today, that measuring something is, in itself, the answer provide both the clinical skills and the content universities across the country, the university is and boasting an acclaimed faculty and a host to making education reform happen. But that is to knowledge our teachers need to be effective, to deeply committed to its historic mission of access of new degree programs and facilities, Medgar mistake a thermometer for both a diagnosis and create better assessments grounded on the cur- and quality but faces difficult questions about Evers will fete the college’s rich history and its a treatment. Likewise, the anti-testing anti-data riculum and linked directly to national standards, maintaining that mission in tough economic graduates’ promising futures. Macaulay will also viewpoint risks embodying the view that children and to encourage districts to adopt new models of times. That’s why this fall CUNY will host a salute the achievements of its graduates as it can teach themselves, and that any form of stan- schooling that better serve their diverse popula- national summit of seasoned public higher edu- marks 10 years of building a creative curriculum dardized evaluation is, by definition, “inauthentic.” tions. We will create the data systems we need cation leaders to discuss the pressing issues we that offers students an individual academic pro- For the sake of our P-12 students, we need to tell us how we are doing, data designed to share: shrinking state support for operating bud- gram and global learning opportunities. strongly to resist the temptation to reify these dis- measure real academic achievement. We will gets and financial aid programs; growing depen- Two of the seven CUNY colleges in which tortions. What is wrong is surely not testing per broaden the range of subjects that are given equal dence on tuition, paid by students of limited Macaulay students enroll are joined by new lead- se, but narrow tests in only a couple of subjects support through the K-12 years. We know that means; and increased pressure to develop other ers this fall: President Lisa Staiano-Coico at City that do not probe for real understanding. Building opening the door of learning for each and every funding opportunities. This is clearly a time for College and President Mitchel Wallerstein at on the pioneering work done by Chancellor Klein child in our state is an extraordinary responsibil- bold new approaches to postsecondary education. Baruch College. We welcome them to a commu- in New York City, we should surely give our ity — worthy only of our best thinking and most This kind of enterprising approach is exempli- nity of educators passionately engaged in shaping teachers, parents and students accurate informa- determined efforts. # fied by the continuing development of our new graduates ready to “make this a better world.” # tion about their academic progress, yet be equally Dr. David Steiner is the New York State community college in Manhattan. The college Matthew Goldstein is chancellor of the City sure that we define that progress against chal- Commissioner of Education. will open in 2012 as an innovative model for University of New York. SEP/OCT 2010 ■ FPor arents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 3

Explicit Abundant Reading Instruction +Practice = Success

✔ Earlier Success ✔ Higher Achievement ✔ Motivated Learners for Lifelong Literacy

Call 877-930-3336 for a free evaluation copy.

Vendor #SAD-005 Contract #7000452

10AA_Phonics_EducUp07_ad.indd 1 6/18/10 12:21:03 PM 94687_01 TRIM TRIM 4 10x13 Education update ■ FPor arents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

TRIM TRIM

What’s your EQ? Are you an energy champ, an energy guzzler or an energy snoozer? To  nd out, take the Con Edison Energy Quotient Quiz at conEd.com/EQ or at facebook.com/powerofgreen

Ceiling fans can help Which statement is true? you save energy:

A. microwaves use less than half the power of A. in the summer traditional ovens B. in the winter B. traditional ovens use less than half the power of C. in both summer and winter microwaves

answer: A answer: answer: C answer:

What’s the correct way to handle A good rule of thumb the following safety issues? for air conditioner use is to:

A. report electric power problems A. open windows and online at conEd.com or by cell phone turn off A /C when it’s B. report power problems by calling 70° or cooler outside 1-800-75-CONED B. run your A /C for C. call 1-800-75-CONEDED iiff you see one hour then close steam on New York CCityity streetstreetss windows to trap D. all of the above the cool air C. run your A /C and leave windows closed until cold fall weather returns

answer: D answer: answer: A answer: ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Ad: Inc. York, ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New

TRIM TRIM TRIM TRIM

7 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10012 212/ 219-8400 MECHANICAL FOR: Client: CON EDISON Queens Gazette Job No: Western Queens Gazette Created by: Junko Hino Harlem News Group Canarsie Courier ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Ad: Inc. York, ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New Applications: InDesign Greenline - Monthly Jewish Week Font(s): The Weekly Gleaner Job Description: CE Summer Ceiling fans_2010 Education Update - Monthly Document Name: CE_Summer_CEILING FANS_10X13_BW_10. Queens Ledger (6 Papers) INDD Pelham Weekly Shoreline Pubs - Monthly Trim: 10”w X 13”h New York City Housing Authority - Monthly Date Created: 06/23/10 Mount Vernon Inquirer Date Modified: S.I Business Trends

94687_01.pgs 06.24.2010 16:32 PDFX1a ACED ad 2010:EdUpdate 8/31/10 5:36 PM Page 1 SEP/OCT 2010 ■ FPor arents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 5 A 4,000-Course Buffet? (samples at cuny.edu/continuinged)

CONTINUING EDUCATIONMenu COURSE SOLAR TECHNOLOGY The greatest and other green energy training programs variety of HR ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT continuing & IMPORT AND EXPORT OPERATIONS professional HR COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS education MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS REAL ESTATE PRINCIPLES courses ENTREPRENEURSHIP in NewYork HEALTH CARE INTERPRETATION City AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TV-FILM PRODUCTION MUSIC SCORING FOR FILM FINANCIAL PLANNING NEW MEDIA: WRITING FOR THE WEB ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS CUNY TRANSITION I academic reading/writing andIATIVESpre-college NIT math …and much more!

Visit cuny.edu/continuinged

BARUCH COLLEGE + BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE + BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE + BROOKLYN COLLEGE + CITY COLLEGE + COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND + CUNY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM + HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE + HUNTER COLLEGE + JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE + KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE + LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE + LEHMAN COLLEGE + MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE + NEW YORK CITY COLLEGEOF TECHNOLOGY + QUEENS COLLEGE + QUEENSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE + SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES + YORK COLLEGE 6 spotlight on schools ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010

Letters to the Editor

New York, New York While I haven’t seen her in years, she’s in my heart So You Want To Be A Film Major always and I know she truly is a wonderful lady! To the Editor: Tonya I’m a Media, Culture, and Communications major at NYU and I have been thinking about switching Fremont, New Hampshire over to film. I have a dream about making docu- Dr. Martha Bridge Denckla: An Expert Voice mentaries but I got stuck in my present major. This from Johns Hopkins article has inspired me to change and experience the To the Editor: very thing I love doing. Thanks, Sarah! Those of us who understand child development Working with the 21st Century Eddie and work with children have been feeling like voices in the wilderness for the last few years. Child & Family: Preparing Today’s Loveland, Colorado Thank you to Dr. Denckla for speaking out and Peggy Williams helping to bring some sense back into how we Young Children for the World of To the Editor: approach early childhood education. Peggy is my second cousin. When I was a little Di Karpman girl, and rather afraid of the world, Peggy came the Future to town and brought the circus with her, or so I Flossmoor, Illinois thought at 8 years old. I remember being so young Closing the Opportunity Gap and so little in the midst of the entire big top. We To the Editor: Fourth Annual Conference for Early went early when no one was there yet, and got to Dr. Moss-Lee hits the nail right on the head! stand in one of the rings and look around and see Opportunity, and not achievement, is at the crux Childhood Educators at 92nd Street Y just how big it all was. Peggy came out, with her of the gap between many of our disenfranchised huge beaming smile and took my hand. Knowing youth and their colleagues in more advantaged Fri, Nov 12, 8 am-4:30 pm, $185/person my love for animals she took me back stage and areas. Oftentimes, education workshops, forums, allowed me to meet the animals and watch them be articles and such, refer to yet another “new” for- prepared for the show. Then it was time to watch mulation, curriculum, pedagogy to throw the way Introductory Remarks: Your Children Today the show for real. My dad and I took our seats and of these populations, in hopes of “fixing” a prob- watched. “Where’s Peggy,” I remember thinking, lem. In doing so, they often ignore what works, Ron Taffel “which one is she?” But by this point Peggy was disbanning with the theories and best practices more of a director of sorts and soon made a secret that were quite successful in the first place, as Morning Keynotes appearance walking next to the largest elephant I well as the history that went with it. At times, had ever seen. She was so poised and had no fear we have to go Back to the Basics and Back to 8:15 am -12 pm in her face whatsoever. She led that enormous ani- the Classics (those things that we did that worked Ellen Galinsky & Edward Hallowell CSA “Welcomemal with grace andBack!” trust, and from Ad then on for I knew EDUCATION consistently, time and time UPDATE again, regardless –of Comp2 I wanted to be as strong a woman as Peggy! As the population) in order to create the environment I grew up, I learned of all the amazing things of high expectations and excellence that Dr. Moss Afternoon Lectures, Seminars & Workshops my cousin has done in her life, and again found Lee speaks of. H.E.A.F. is clearly a glowing myself encouraged that, as a woman, there were example of this success model. 1:30-4:30 pm no locked doors! Thanks for your piece on Peggy. Avril Somerville

Here’s a sample of afternoon programs from this year’s conference. For a complete listing, visit www.92Y.org/Conference • How 21st Century Living Impacts Sensory Development in Young Children • Teaching Digital Natives: Using Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom • The Importance of Play • Technology and Brain Development in the Young Child • When Anxious Parents Make Anxious Children: Developing a Healthy Perspective • Understanding the Millennial Mind: Communicating with the New Generation of Parents • Accountability and Purposeful Play: A Panel Discussion • Developing an Effective Partnership with Parents of Children with Special Needs • Assessing the Young Child: Using Evidence to Support Learning in Developmentally Appropriate Ways Great Schools • Encouraging Creative Thinking and Imagination Through Play Begin with • Children and Media: Issues for Teachers Great Leaders. Representing Principals, Register Now! Lydia Bassett Tyner Assistant Principals, Supervisors, Visit www.92Y.org/Conference Principal Education Administrators, PS 119 Bronx City-Funded Day Care Directors or call 212.415.5638. and Assistant Directors. 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street | NYC An agency of UJA-Federation

Ad Size: 5” Wide x 6.75” Deep Prints: 4/C

Advertising Management Job# 7152 ■ 140 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 ■ (718) 624-4067 ■ [email protected] SEP/OCT 2010 ■ FPor arents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 7

The smart choice for your uniform program. Legendary quality. Honest value. A cash- A classic label for back rewards program. And our promise of satisfaction: the student body. Guaranteed. Period.®

When you partner with Lands’ End® for your uniform and dress code needs, you get the power of one of the world’s best- known clothing brands working with you. A full-service program that includes: • Uniform and dress code collections, plus spiritwear and phys-ed products. • Sizes to fit grades K-12, slim to husky. • Superior customer service that ensures your parents will be taken care of. • Lands’ End School Rewards: our program that gives schools cash back. This year we’ve made a commitment to give back $1 million to our partner schools. • Guaranteed. Period.® Lands’ End’s promise of satisfaction. If you’re not satisfied with any item, return it to us at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price. Even items that have been embroidered.

To find out more, call 1-800-741-6311 to talk with an account representative. Or visit landsend.com/ school

LESU37_EdUpdate_10.25x13.25_f_orig prep.indd 1 5/7/10 2:22 PM 8 Special Education ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010

What Leaving No Child Child Mind Institute Can Behind Really Means Be Destination for Kids, By Lynda Katz, Ph.D. Parents, Educators As our government seeks input on reauthoriza- By Harold S. Koplewicz, M.D. tion of the Elementary and Secondary Education ADHD and other disruptive behavior Act, educators need to emphasize the critical It’s always challenging for children to disorders. Dr. Kurtz is one of only importance of arming teachers with not only the navigate through the first several weeks nine master trainers in parent-child freedom to support each child’s learning style, of a new school year. It’s even harder for interaction therapy, which provides but also the knowledge to properly educate stu- kids with learning and psychiatric disor- parents with behavior management dents in America with learning disabilities. ders. The Child Mind Institute is a new skills and techniques for interact- There is logic in the new Common Core organization dedicated to giving those ing more effectively with a child to Standards for English and math, which were children the proper diagnosis, treatment, decrease disruptive behaviors. created by the Council of Chief State School educational resources, and accommoda- As senior director of the insti- Officers and the National Governors Association. tions they need to fulfill their potential. I’m very tute’s Center for ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Such standards can and should be applicable to pleased to announce the opening of our New Disorders, Dr. Kurtz is working with a team students with LD, and we need to most of all sup- of learners to understand the material and dem- York City-based clinical program. of clinical psychologists, which includes Drs. port teachers in helping these students succeed. onstrate their knowledge. This would not only We know our children’s future is shaped by Melanie Fernandez and Samantha Miller, to pro- The National Center for Learning Disabilities benefit students with LD, but also many male their mental health and ability to learn. And vide parent-child interaction therapy and behav- has developed core principles for the reauthoriza- students, minority students and students from low we know that children with learning or psy- ioral therapy for children and teens. Dr. Kurtz is tion to guide discussions related to students with socio‐economic backgrounds who, research has chiatric disorders need both a caring team as also director of the institute’s Selective Mutism learning disabilities. The new law will, I hope, shown, learn differently. well as a treatment plan supported by science. Program. Selective mutism is a social anxiety support these students and help improve gradu- We need to identify struggling learners as early The institute’s mission is to transform mental disorder that impairs a child’s functioning in ation rates by fostering early intervention and as preschool, which means the new law should health care to enable all children to fulfill their school and social situations. effective teaching. include support for professional development for potential. We’re building an integrated, mul- In August, the Child Mind Institute opened As an educator who leads a college devoted teachers so they can improve literacy instruction. tidisciplinary clinical program that facilitates its Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum to students with learning disabilities and who We need to embrace universal design to ensure teamwork among parents, clinicians, and teach- Disorders Program under the direction of Dr. has spent a career studying and following other that all students who struggle have better access ers. Our team of nationally renowned child and Jerome Bubrick, a cognitive and behavioral research in this area, I know that learning disabil- to grade‐level instruction, materials, appropriate adolescent psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychologist known for implementing one of the ities are neurologically based and do not go away. assistive technologies, and appropriate teaching neuropsychologists, and learning specialists are most effective treatment programs in the United While our country has made progress in methods and assessments. providing innovative, evidence-based assess- States for children with obsessive-compulsive improving educational outcomes for these stu- No Child Left Behind did open the way for ments and treatments. Their areas of expertise disorder. In September, Dr. Roy Boorady also dents in recent years, more can and must be improvement by requiring an understanding of include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder joined the institute; he is one of the most respect- done. Of the 13.5 percent of students with LD a student’s current performance in relationship and disruptive behavior disorders; anxiety and ed pediatric psychopharmacologists in the nation. in America’s public schools, nearly half perform to educational standards. Including students with mood disorders, including selective mutism and Dr. Alan Ravitz will join Dr. Boorady as a senior more than three grades below their enrolled grade disabilities in state assessments was a critical first obsessive-compulsive disorder; autism spectrum pediatric psychopharmacologist in October. in math and reading. Tragically, one quarter drop step toward improving student achievement, and disorders; eating disorders; and learning disor- The Child Mind Institute is also home to the out of high school, compared with less than 10 there was an increase in the number of students ders. Learning and Diagnostics Center, which has percent of the general student population. with LD in general education classrooms in Among the Child Mind Institute’s founding one of the best pediatric neuropsychology and Contrary to what the public might think, some states. clinical staff is Dr. Steven Kurtz, one of the learning assessment teams in the nation. Susan improving success for these students does not But No Child Left Behind essentially crippled nation’s leading clinicians in the treatment of continued on page 16 mean relaxing standards. The same standards good teachers, forcing them to teach to tests must apply to all students, including those with rather than addressing individual student needs. learning disabilities. No Child Left Behind We cannot make that same mistake again. allowed states, districts and schools to hide hun- We need national benchmarks for all students. Is your child Dyslexic dreds of thousands of students’ scores. High school graduation with a standard diploma We need to end test accommodations and alter- and college readiness should be goals for ALL or experiencing school failure? nate assessment policies for students with dis- students, not just those who are easiest to teach. # If so, we may be the solution. abilities by creating tests that present the material Dr. Lynda Katz is president of Landmark based on the concept of universal design. This is College, the nation’s premier college for high- not “dumbing down” the material; it is a scien- potential students with learning disabilities and We strive to help children tifically proven method that allows several types ADHD. Originally published by Education Week. not only have the skills needed A Kafkaesque Proposal to learn, but want to learn. By John J. Russell, Ed.D. yet another Kafka-like twist, In an article titled “For City the proposal does not pro- Schools, A Mainstreaming on vide any professional devel- TheSterlingSchool Special Needs,” that appeared opment for the teachers who in the April 29 edition of The will have these special-needs We take our commitment seriously New York Times, Jennifer Medina students in their classes. It reported that in New York City is difficult to imagine how approximately 17 percent of the anyone could consider this a Orton Gillingham trained staff students are classified as needing recipe to improve educational special education services and that outcomes; in fact it sounds Small classes with only 25 percent of these students like a formula for disaster. received a regular diploma last The net effect of these individualized attention year. The Bloomberg administra- recommendations is to give tion’s response to these abysmal local districts and principals Art, music, culinary arts and results is to propose placing these a great deal of discretion in computers for a rich education special-needs students in regular education class- providing special-education services, much as rooms, where an equally appalling 50 percent of districts had 30 years ago before the passage of the general education students graduate. While the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act paying lip service to increasing accountability (IDEA). As deplorable as the current results are and educational opportunity, the Department of for special-education students, the situation was Education’s real motivation is to cut funding to far worse prior to the passage of IDEA in 1975. special education. In the end, the Department of With increasing pressure to reduce budgets, it is NOW AcceptING ADmISSIONS Education would like to dramatically accelerate reasonable to assume that these recommenda- call 718-625-3502 the integration of special education with general tions will result in far fewer funds being avail- WWW.SteRLINGScHOOL.cOm education to save money. able for educating classified students who need Ruth Arberman, This proposal could have been written by Kafka additional support to succeed or for training the Director of the Sterling School himself. The twisted logic of the city’s education regular-education teachers who will have them in department goes something like this. In order to their classrooms. 299 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201 help special-needs students, we will return them These proposals should be of grave concern to to the general education program that failed them every parent and educator committed to having in the first place. This, it is alleged, will give each student reach his or her full potential. # principals and local districts more flexibility in John J. Russell, Ed.D., is head of the Windward how to educate these special-needs students. In School. SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ Special Education 9 A Bright IDEA: Improving Special Fixing Special Education — 12 Education in New York City Schools Steps to Transform a Broken System By Michael Best By Miriam K. Freedman to be. Rather than foment- The Individuals with Disabilities Education The special education law has ing distrust, we need to Act (IDEA) ensures that students with disabilities outlived its purpose. It has accom- build trust among parents, have access to public schools, so that they can be plished its mission. We are now students, and schools, educated with and receive the same educational well into the quagmire of its unin- especially as most parents opportunities as their non-disabled peers. Until tended consequences. Let us cel- are satisfied with their the 1970s, when Congress passed the first version ebrate what works and fix what children’s education (see of what is now IDEA, students with disabilities doesn’t. How do we start? Here’s accompanying piece). were excluded from public schools or sat idly an approach. After years of costly in classrooms, learning little or nothing. Today, What Works: Let us honor the and damaging case-by- school districts across the country devote sub- success of this landmark 1975 law, case litigation, we need stantial resources to providing education and ser- now called the IDEA (Individuals child-centered, not adult- vices to disabled children — and none more than with Disabilities Education Act). centered, resolution inno- New York City, which last year spent roughly A product of the 20th century civil vations, like using an $4.8 billion on special education. rights era, it ended the exclusion of ombudsman, independent But we’re nowhere near where we need to be, children with mental, physical and consultant, etc. in part because of the way schools and courts other disabilities from appropriate • Minimize paperwork have approached IDEA. The law’s mandates per- education services. That was then. that does not directly tain solely to educational inputs (what services Now, across America, more than improve educational out- a child should receive), encouraging schools to six million students with disabili- comes. Educators and focus on compliance with legal requirements ties receive a free appropriate pub- parents focus too much rather than on how best to educate an individual lic education — some 14 percent of all students. effort on documentation, a corrosive, unsustain- child. Furthermore, the courts have tended to The law’s dramatic success is worth celebrating. able system. Let’s do the right thing for students, favor the aspects of the law that allow parents to What Needs a Fix: Beyond its success, let us not just “do the thing right.” sue school districts rather than those that promote acknowledge that this powerful law — the only • Follow research, not dogma. For example: cooperation between parents and schools. Last entitlement program in our schools — spawned (a) Treat inclusion as a means to a good edu- year, in a case called Forest Grove, the Supreme cation, not a “right.” (b) Focus on Court ruled that parents can sue school districts the whole child: strengths and weak- for private school tuition even if the parents have our progress, however, achievement levels for nesses, not just weaknesses. (c) End not tried a public school placement. students with disabilities are nowhere near where the (over)use of “accommodations.” The consequences have little to do with IDEA’s anyone wants them to be. They inflate scores, are unfair, and, goals. Schools often treat children as categories So over the next two years, beginning with sadly, let students and teachers off the or classifications, instead of making adjustments roughly 200 schools this fall, we will phase in hook. (d) Educate children without that will improve their students’ achievement. a plan that will allow the overwhelming major- diagnostic labels. As eligibility gate- And the number of parents who sue to force ity of children with disabilities to attend their keepers, labels are often imprecise, the public to pay for their children to attend zoned schools like other children; give schools inequitable, and unfair. (e) Teach read- private schools for children with disabilities has scheduling and instructional flexibility to design ing. Instead of spending millions to increased dramatically, draining resources from programs to meet the needs of these students; diagnose learning disabilities, teach public schools. create more collaboration with parents; and hold children how to read. Lack of read- Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and schools more accountable for helping children ing skills fuels the growth of learning Chancellor Joel Klein, New York City has meet long-term goals such as high school gradu- disabilities, the IDEA’s largest disabil- emphasized student achievement, resulting in ation, college, or employment. ity category. more children with disabilities meeting standards Despite the trends in IDEA law, New York City • Confront the law’s impact on other on state math and reading tests and in more of will make special education about helping stu- an adversarial system that often focuses on pro- students (at risk, average, advanced) and school them graduating. And, in contrast to lawsuits over dents learn and succeed in the public schools. # cedures and rights, not educational outcomes. It budgets. This one-entitlement system cannot long private school tuition, the number of placements Michael Best is the general counsel of the New has become ever more complex and burdensome endure and serve our nation well. in inclusion settings is at an all-time high. Despite York City Department of Education. for schools and parents. Its due process require- Having succeeded in providing access for all ments pit parents against educators — with- students with disabilities to a free appropriate out any evidence that such conflict and angst public education, we need mission-change. Stop improves student achievement. Compliance costs tinkering around the edges of this input- and often overwhelm school budgets. The law’s rights-driven law and replace it with a 21st centu- Designed With The Best of incentives are backward, focusing on rights, not ry outcome-driven approach. Focus on teaching education; inputs, not outcomes; the needs of the and learning for all students, not on bureaucracy, Intentions: The Fault Line in one, not the many; conflict, not collaboration. procedures, and lawsuits. Finally, allow open and Here’s How! Let us tackle challenges that are honest discussion to enact systemic reform. Our familiar to anyone with experience in America’s students and nation deserve no less. # Support For Special Education public schools by refocusing on the prize: Miriam Kurtzig Freedman, M.A., J.D., is an improved outcomes for all students. “Fixing attorney, author, speaker, and reformer. She is By Jean Johnson Special Education” presents 12 concrete, cre- of counsel to the Boston law firm of Stoneman, Over the past 35 years, the United States has ative, and, yes, controversial proposals, includ- Chandler & Miller, where she represents pub- attempted to close a callous gap in its education ing: lic schools. Her latest book, “Fixing Special system by requiring public schools to teach chil- • Change the parents’ role and end the right to Education — 12 Steps to Transform a Broken dren with special needs, just as they must teach litigate a student’s services. Educators, not law- System,” is available through Amazon or http:// all other students. Current special education poli- yers and judges, should manage educational pro- www.parkplacepubs.com and http://www.school- cies are widely viewed as a major step forward in gramming. Parents should be partners, not law lawpro.com. Contact Miriam at Miriam@school- closing that gap. enforcers, as this adversarial law requires them lawpro.com. Still, there is a worrisome fault line in the per- spectives of the two groups most closely associ- ated with special education: the public school by public schools quite good reviews once their ‘If you weren’t so persistent, I wouldn’t give you superintendents and principals who administer child has been evaluated and placed. More than 8 these services.’ ” it, and the parents of special needs children who in 10 say their child’s special education teachers Right now, the two groups seem enveloped in rely on it. really care about their child “as a person,” and a cloud of suspicion: School leaders are on guard The frustration with special education among 7 in 10 say the teachers know a lot about their fearing unreasonable demands and lawsuits. school leaders is palpable. Public Agenda’s sur- child’s disability and how to work with it. Two- Parents are primed for battle, fearing schools veys show that 8 in 10 superintendents and prin- thirds give their school good or excellent marks won’t help their child unless forced to. There’s cipals believe the “volume and complexity” of for giving their child the help he or she needs. no question that we expect school officials to special education law has gotten worse, 8 in 10 Unfortunately, many parents also feel that getting follow the law, however their criticism of special superintendents believe special education absorbs their children into the right programs can be a education as it currently operates is so intense a disproportionate amount of resources, and battle. Over half say parents need to find out what and broad that it probably warrants more serious nearly 9 in 10 say the law encourages a “sense of help is available on their own: “The school is not attention than it now gets. The question is wheth- entitlement” among parents, making them quick going to volunteer the information.” And 7 in 10 er there are reforms that could address educators’ to threaten to sue. believe “too many special needs children lose frustrations while easing parents’ anxieties about Not surprisingly, parents have a different per- out” because their parents don’t know what they obtaining the services their children deserve. # spective: that of individuals who are deeply are entitled to. One mother reported what seemed Jean Johnson is an executive vice president at worried about their child’s future. Thankfully, to be a fairly typical exchange with a school psy- Public Agenda, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research most parents give the special education provided chologist. “You know what he told me? He said, and citizen engagement organization. 10 Special Education ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010 Charley’s Fund: Coming in November The Power to Change

Education News Today For A Better World Tomorrow! third new york citywide Special OF THE Education2004-2005 conference NOBR VEM E 2010

For More Information Visit www.EducationUpdate.com Rachel Gellert and Charley Seckler

By Rachel Gellert two-hour event, publicized through e-mail and In 2004, Tracy and Benjamin Seckler were facebook, raised more than $2,000 for the orga- faced with the most frightening news two par- nization. The colorful store and brand new office ents can hear. Their 4-year-old son Charley was is an excellent example of how hard Tracy and diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Benjy have worked and how far the organization (DMD), a degenerative muscle disease that could has come. put him in a wheelchair by ten years of age and When I first started working for Charley’s take his life by twenty. There is no cure. Fund, it was as the official “high school intern” One can only imagine how the Secklers felt (also known as the babysitter who is around so when they received that devastating news. much we might as well make her do some filing). Heartache, despair, grief, fear — these words I remember sitting on the floor in the Secklers’ can only begin to describe what it must be like home office with Charley’s little sister Maisy on to learn that your child has a fatal diagnosis. my lap, scribbling file names onto manila fold- However, the Secklers are not your average fam- ers and organizing them in one small box. Now, ily. Tracy and Benjy saw hope where most would still the babysitter, but now a “college intern,” I have seen only pain. They saw an opportunity to sit in a real office chair cross-indexing the now- make a difference, a chance to fight. immense filing system and stumbling across the Our vision is bold. When Charley was diagnosed there were a same files I had made four long years ago. Every few organizations raising money to help families day that I work in the office or sit in the front of pay for the immense medical costs of support- the store, I am overwhelmed with how much I We’re building the global center for child mental health care in ing a child with DMD, but there was no fund- love what I do. New York City. Innovation and evidence-based care are at the heart of ing in pursuit of a cure. Within four months Working for Charley’s Fund is certainly emo- our inaugural clinical programs, which offer some of the most exciting of Charley’s diagnosis, the Seckler family had tional, but the organization’s heartfelt mission new treatments for children’s behavioral disorders, particularly ADHD; founded Charley’s Fund, a nonprofit organiza- does not make me want to cry, it makes me want anxiety and mood disorders, including selective mutism (SM), tion whose sole mission is to fund research to fight. Charley’s Fund and the Seckler family obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression; and learning for DMD in order to find a cure or treatment radiate the kind of passion and determination that disorders. Our nationally renowned clinicians include child and adolescent in time to save Charley’s life and the lives of are powerfully contagious. Tracy and Benjy’s psychiatrists, clinical psychologists with expertise in cognitive-behavioral thousands of boys like him. DMD affects one in ability to turn a deadly diagnosis into an $18 mil- every 3,500 boys, meaning that even though it is lion nonprofit organization that will find a cure therapy, pediatric neuropsychologists, and learning specialists. They are gender-specific, DMD is still the most common should be motivation to all people who encounter a caring team providing treatments supported by science. genetic killer of children. In the past six years, something they want to change. With dedication Charley’s Fund has raised an astounding $18 and zeal comes immeasurable opportunity. We We give help, hope, and answers. million in medical research, funded two human live in a world where change is possible and clinical trials and, for the first time in the history often necessary. It should not be easy, but if the To schedule an appointment or learn of this disease, given DMD families true hope Secklers and Charley’s Fund can teach us any- more, call 212.308.3118. for a cure. thing, it is that your situation is what you make I have known Charley and his family for it. If you do not like the cards you are dealt, then The Child Mind Institute is devoted to about four years and I am still inspired daily it is up to you to restack the deck. Both science transforming mental health care for the by what they have accomplished. This summer and my own faith say that a cure for this disease world’s children to enable them we opened a retail store in the front of the new, will be found. The question is how soon, but the larger Charley’s Fund office. The store raises race is on. I believe… # to reach their full potential. money by selling t-shirts, jewelry and other mer- Visit us at http://www.charleysfund.org. chandise adorned with the smiley face logo and Donations can be made online or sent to our Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HaroldKoplewiczMD the words “I believe…,” embodying the founda- store/office at 35 Main Street ‘The Mews’, PO and on Twitter at @DrKoplewicz. tion’s mission of spreading happiness and hope box 83, Stockbridge, MA 01262. in the fight against this deadly disease. Charley’s Rachel Gellert is a sophomore at NYU and a childmindinstitute.com Fund recently had the store’s grand opening. The reporter for Education Update. CMI_Ad_5x6.75_08.24.10.indd 1 8/24/10 5:15:44 PM ed update - vertical-edited_Layout 1 9/10/09 7:43 PM Page 1

Established in 1958 by

Roseed update - vertical-edited_Layout F. & Joseph 1 9/10/09 7:43 PMP. Page Kennedy 1 to serve young children ed update - vertical-edited_Layout 1 9/10/09 7:43 PM Page 1

ed update - vertical-edited_Layout 1 9/10/09 7:43 PM Page 1 SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATIONwith UPDATEdevelopmental ■ Special Education disabilities11 Current Issues in Special Education on College Campuses and related challenges. Compiled by Marissa Schain teacher replied, “The focus should be on WHAT This column will be a regular feature in must be accomplished, not HOW it is accom- Education Update as well as on our Web site. plished.” One teacher wrote, “When developing Visit http://www.EducationUpdate.com to see standards/criteria, whenever possible the focus Established in 1958 by weekly postings of issues in special education on should be on achieving the goal of the activity, college campuses around the nation. rather than the conduct of the activity,” she said. Disabled Students in Secondary Higher • The director of a college in Pennsylvaniaed update - vertical-edited_Layout 1 9/10/09 7:43 PM Page 1 Education [DSSHE] is the name of an online wrote, “I just confirmed that 50one of our incom Years- RoseEstablished F. & &Joseph Counting in 1958P. Kennedy by . . . thread where contributing professors and other ing students has been using a smart pen in high Established in 1958 by educators discuss various concerns and questions school and is very pleased with it. He comes with about students with disabilities. Independent accommodation requests for notes and approval Rose F. & Joseph P. Kennedy skills, social skills and academics are all part to record lectures. He said that he still would Roseto serve F. & Josephyoung P. children Kennedy of an everyday college student’s complex life. like to have notes taken for him but is perceiving Students with disabilities struggle day by day to that if he can take his own notes while recording maintain busy work schedules and compete with with the pen, he can replay the audio and fill in to serve young children the rest of the student body. This thread offers an the gaps himself.” The director said they will be to serve young children outlet for educators to clarify their disabled stu- coaching for ADHD and the coach will monitor with developmental disabilities dents’ needs and help them get a normal college his success levels with this device. “It should be experience. The teachers’ goals are to “empower interesting to see how that goes,”the he wrote. center’swith developmental programs disabilities include: faculty members to level the playing field for all • A blind college student wrote, “I learned with developmental disabilities students by opening up the accommodation to to swing on monkey bars - which I could not and related challenges. everyone in the class.” see well - over asphalt. I learned that if you The following topics were recently discussed fall it hurts, so you try not to fall.n But it’sspecial still andand education relatedrelated challenges.challenges. preschool by various educators: worth swinging.” • Service dogs are a big part of student life when • The director of a college in Texas shared help- living in college independently. Many of the ser- ful hints for assisting deaf students in the class- vice dog policies concern college educators. One room. She wrote that she has many deaf/hard n early intervention teacher wrote, “I would like some input regarding hearing students and they began using CART, a50 50 Years Years & & CountingCounting ...... “helper dogs” for the paralyzed. If a quadriplegic large screen hung above the stage. This screen 50 Years & Counting . . . student, who doesn’t currently have one now, but helps sign language and captioning. n respite services goes through the training and receives one during • The manager of disabilities services at a Established in 1958 by the summer months and would like to bring the Florida college wrote that there is always an dog onto campus into the dorms (where pets are interpreter at the graduations. “During the diplo- not allowed) is this an accommodation which the ma presentation, she only finger spells the stun- familythe center’s support programs include:services institution need extend?” he asked. dent’s name if the student or a family member theRosethe center’s center’s F. & Joseph programs programs P. Kennedy include: include: • Other faculty members are concerned with of the student is a sign language user,” she said. n special education preschool time issues for tests for students with disabilities. • The director of academic n supportmedicaid at a col- service coordination One student with a bone and organ condition lege in Massachusetts wrote, “A faculty mem- n specialn special education education preschoolpreschool called Vater Syndrome and scoliosis needed ber who has a visual impairment approached to serven early young intervention children room accommodations. The professor wrote that me about the need for an electronic text of the n early intervention she has been in a nursing program for two years instructor’s addition of a text she is using for the n earlyn respite interventionn services and she needs help lifting her patients as part of fall.” The faculty member wants to get in touch n respite services a clinical requirement. The student is 21 and she with the publisher for the 2010 book. Other n familyn respite support services services was unable to stand for long amounts of time. contributors in following posts provided sugges- with developmentalmanhattan disabilities She wants to be a pediatric nurse but is concerned tions. “Equality is a misnomer. Equivalency is the nmedicaidn family service support coordination services she cannot complete the program. goal,” added an educator. # n family supportth services • Other educators responded that they don’t Marissa Schain is a senior at Brooklyn College nmedicaid151 East service 67n coordinationStreet know why such a requirement was issued. One and an intern at Education Update. and related challenges. nmedicaidNew serviceYork,manhattann NY coordination 10065 th Sammy and Stevie Goe 151 East n67 Street 212-988-9500Newmanhattan York, NY 10065 th are 5-year-old twins and 151manhattan212-988-9500 East 67 Street 50 YearsNew & York, Counting NY 10065 . . . are starting kindergarten 151 East 67th Street this September in Croton- 212-988-9500BronxBronx New1028 York, East 179 NYth 10065Street th On-Hudson. Good luck 1028 East212-988-9500Bronx,Bronx NY179 10460 Street 718-842-0200th to Stevie and Sammy! the center’sBronx,1028 Eastprograms NY 179 10460Street include: 1071BBronx, EastBronx Tremont NY 10460 Avenue n special10287 18-842-0200educationBronx, 718-842-0200East NY179 10460th Street preschool 718-842-8942 1071BBronx, East TremontNY 10460 Avenue 1071Bn early EastBronx, intervention Tremont NY 10460 Avenue 718-842-0200n 718-842-8942 1071BnBronx,respite www.kenchild.orgEast TremontNY services 10460 Avenue n family718-842-8942Bronx, support NYn 10460 services 718-842-8942 nmedicaid servicewww.kenchild.org coordination

nn www.kenchild.orgwww.kenchild.orgmanhattan 151 East 67th Street New York, NY 10065 212-988-9500

Bronx 1028 East 179th Street Bronx, NY 10460 718-842-0200 1071B East Tremont Avenue Bronx, NY 10460 718-842-8942

n www.kenchild.org 12 spotlight on schools ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010 Mayor Michael Bloomberg Gives Awards to Education Update’s Outstanding Educators

Mayor Michael Bloomberg bestows the Distinguished Leader in Education 2010 Mayor Michael Bloomberg presents the Distinguished Leader in Education award award to Chancellor Joel Klein of the NYC Dept. of Education to Ann Tisch, Founder, Young Women’s Leadership Network

By Joan Baum, Ph.D. smiled: the city’s 27 percent held against the t was hardly awards as usual this June state’s 5 percent. “We’re going in the right direc- at Education Update’s Eighth Annual tion,” he said; “the parents know,” though, “we Outstanding Educators of the Year can do better.” To those who bring up the slower breakfast ceremony at the Harvard progress of the urban poor, largely minorities, the Club. For one, the lineup of Distinguished Leaders mayor cited Joel Klein’s remark that “that may in Education receiving plaques this year was par- be the way it is but that’s not the way it’s going ticularly stellar: New York City Mayor Michael to be!” Bloomberg presented awards to New York City Ann Tisch dedicated her award to her husband Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Ann Tisch, and professional partner, Andrew Tisch, and to all founder and president of the Young Women’s the women in all the Young Women’s Leadership Leadership Network, and District of Columbia Network schools they established nine years ago, Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. For starting with the flagship school in East Harlem, another, the ceremony this year was dedicated a project for single-sex public education that now by the Education Update publisher and awards- can be found in over 90 schools around the coun- founder, Dr. Pola Rosen, to her father, Abraham try. An outstanding statistic: their graduation and Auerbach, a “great and much loved teacher” who college-bound rate is 100 percent. died just two days prior to the event and was Chancellor Rhee, also the founder of the inno- Dr. Maritza MacDonald, AMNH & Dr. her lifelong mentor. The event also boasted an vative New Teacher Project in 1997, was regret- Adam Weil, Dir., Lands’ End & Joannie David Steiner, NYS Ed. Commissioner unusual number of outstanding guests, among tably unable to attend the ceremony because of Danielides, Pres., Danielides Comms. them Dr. David Steiner, the New York State jury service. Education Commissioner. While Commissioner The Outstanding Administrators who received Steiner recently praised Dr. Rosen for “galvaniz- certificates included Rose Fairweather-Clunie ing the education, corporate and philanthropic (IN-Tech Academy, Bronx, District 10); Martin communities” to come together and pay hom- Fiasconaro (Brooklyn Studio Secondary School, age to excellent educators, the mayor applauded District 21); Barbara Freeman (P.S./I.S. 161, Education Update for providing over a decade of Manhattan, District 5); Betty Gonzalez-Soto (P.S./ excellent cutting edge news in education. “If you M.S. 211, Bronx, District 12); Robert Marchi (P.S. want to know what’s happening in education, read 17, Brooklyn, District 14); Shirley Matthews (H.S. Education Update,” he stated. for Environmental Studies, Manhattan, District 2); The 2010 awards, given to 12 outstanding Dr. Peter McFarlane (P.S./I.S. 180, Manhattan, administrators and 11 outstanding teachers, took District 3); Dr. Ramon Namnun (H.S. of World place against what Chancellor Klein acknowl- Cultures, Bronx, District 12); Mary Padilla (P.S. edged as a “time of tough economic challenge.” 5, Bronx, District 7); Nancy Sing-Bock (P.S. 51, All the more reason, he said, to celebrate the Manhattan, District 2); John Quattrochi (P.S./I.S. achievements of New York City’s 1.1 million 43, Queens, District 2); and Louise Verdemare- public school youngsters and to continue to lobby Alfano (P.S. 112, Brooklyn, District 20). for making education a “priority.” He made a The Outstanding Teacher honorees were: special point of saluting not just the honorees, Sarah Benko (Democracy Prep Charter School, but “the profession” itself. The product of Astoria Manhattan, District 5); Suzette Dyer (Urban Landmark College (L-R) Michael Luciani, William Dinger, President, William H. public schools himself, the chancellor said he was Assembly School for Law and Justice, Brooklyn, Dean & Paul Petritis, Director testifying personally to “the power of education to District 13); Courtney Fenner (The Young Women’s Sadlier, Inc. & Chancellor Joel Klein transform lives.” As a symbol of putting educa- Leadership School of East Harlem, Manhattan, tion above politics, Ernest Logan, president of the District 4) Roberto Garcia (H.S. for Media and Council of Supervisors and Administrators, shared Communications, Manhattan, District 6); Melissa the podium and presented awards to several out- Giannone (51st Ave. Academy, Elmhurst, District standing administrators. 24/Region CFN3); Matt R. Greenawalt (William Let the numbers speak, Chancellor Klein said. W. Niles, Bronx, District 10); Frances Losardo The progress made in the last few years, espe- (P.S. 11, Staten Island, District 31); Siobhan cially in English and math, was impressive, data McNulty (Robert Kennedy P.S. 169, Manhattan, the mayor cited in his keynote address, but not District 75); Marie Montvilo (Hungerford/P721R, before he paid memorial tribute to the 100-year- Staten Island, District 75R721); Geraldine Riley old Abraham Auerbach and mentioned that his (Sheepshead Bay H.S., Brooklyn, District 22); and own mother, whom he speaks to every day, is Soon Young Kwon (Queens H.S. for the Sciences 101. A keen Scrabble player, he noted that she at York College, Queens, District 28). recently advised him to play so he could learn to Sponsors of this much-anticipated annual includ- spell better. ed Lands’ End, Con Edison, Landmark College, Despite the doomsayers, the mayor pointed out The McGraw-Hill Companies, Grace Outreach, that graduation rates improved 27 percent over the The City University of New York, the Council last five years. Yes, figures can be slippery, but the of School Supervisors and Administrators, The New York City rate stands in sharp contrast to the New York Times, and a host of academic and (L-R) Dr. Alan Kadish, Pres., Touro CUNY Deputy COO Burt Sacks and 3 percent rate for the state, and “all the kids take business organizations and individuals whose College; Chancellor Klein; Dr. Anthony Chancellor Joel Klein the same test.” To those who ask how the city did extended congratulations appear in the attractive Polemeni, Dean, Touro College against other large cities in the state, the mayor program journal. # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ spotlight on schools 13 Lowering the High School Dropout Rate By Sybil Maimin classroom-based college-planning curriculum. As high school dropout rates reach 50 per- Graduating students must be “college‑ready.” cent in low-income communities and the global At a gala celebration of the program, “A Night economy becomes increasingly competitive, of Visionaries,” Miriam Nightengale, principal College Summit, a national nonprofit that strives of New York’s High School for Law, Advocacy to reverse dropout trends by empowering high & Community Justice, was given an award for school students in poorer areas to aspire to col- transforming her school and achieving dramatic lege, is showing success in dramatically improv- results through implementation of the College ing graduation numbers. Its program in New York Summit strategy. Assigned to a failing high City has spread from two schools in 2005 to 46 school (“two-thirds of the children were still in schools and 6,000 students currently. It strives ninth grade”) as the third principal in three years, to create a college-going culture in high schools she created a very strong support system starting through a required year-long course on college/ in ninth grade that included heavy personalized postsecondary planning for all seniors, profes- teacher and guidance counselor involvement, a sional development of college-going expertise full academic program, and high expectations. for all teachers and counselors, the training of College was the goal for all students, and work a select group of influential seniors to encour- ranged from establishing relationships in ninth age peers to “think college,” and monthly data grade that would culminate in college recommen- (L-R) Miriam Nightengale, Principal, High School for Law, Advocacy & tracking of progress indicators such as completed dations to writing applications in twelfth grade. Community Justice, with Nicholas M. Florio, Principal, Deloitte Financial applications and financial aid forms and higher The graduation rate has jumped from 30 percent Advisory Services, and Christie Mitchell, Program Manager, College education enrollments. The argument that the when she arrived to 74.6 percent this year. Still, Summit New York program’s premise is unrealistic because some some students accepted into college do not enroll. students are “not college material” is countered “We are working on this,” explains this can-do all the way through … The goal isn’t just getting college … At the end, you realize you’ve really by studies that show that the same level of skills principal. Nightengale wants her students who kids to college. The goal is college success and had an impact.” Deloitte’s Jo Ann Hernandez in reading and math is needed for entry-level jobs enroll in college to complete their higher educa- completion for kids so they can lead productive did a volunteer workshop at West Virginia State as for college. The college-ready culture appears tion and urges them to keep in touch. Some come lives in a rapidly changing world.” University, where local students “were in shock to encourage more students to remain in school back and encourage and advise current high Deloitte & Touche, the global accounting firm, that a New Yorker would come down to help and graduate by conveying to students that the school students. is a major supporter of College Summit, reflect- them.” She reports, “It is intense and emotional. purpose of high school is to prepare for college New York City’s Department of Education sup- ing a corporate culture that supports and encour- It is not about writing a check, but about hands- and career. ports College Summit aspirations. In remarks at ages volunteerism and service. Several hun- on action that will make a difference in young Changing a school’s culture is critical. All stu- the celebration, Gregg Betheil, executive director dred employees participate in four-day College people’s futures … It’s not so much your writing dents, not just high-performers, must be included, of the new Office of Post Secondary Pathways Summit summer workshops, often on college skills, but the chance to connect with someone and teacher expectations of students must be & Planning, spoke of doubling the number of campuses, where they help students write col- who wants to help.” The positive impact of raised. College counselors, together with teachers young adults who graduate with employment lege essays, prepare applications, and develop Deloitte volunteers who helped her with college trained to be college-positive and college-savvy, potential. “Our job is to make sure that when job-readiness skills. Irene Kiraithe, a volunteer choices and applications was expressed by Jelissa must engage all students. A cohort of college- current eighth-graders graduate, the question is and Deloitte manager of ethics and compliance, Thomas, a senior at Brooklyn Preparatory High thinking influential peers, called “Peer Leaders,” not whether they go to college. We must help get spoke of intense twelve-hour days and “one of School in Williamsburg. “I was unsure, but they must be trained as models for their classmates. them there.” He spoke of the “scary numbers” in the best experiences I’ve ever had … Kids tell gave me support and pushed me so I now plan to Skills in the college application process must be city colleges where only 28 percent graduate in you really personal stuff. For the first time some- attend college.” She will be the first in her family taught, monitored, and measured with a detailed four years. “We must make sure we look at things one tells them they have the potential to go to to do so. #

MARYMOUNT SCHOOL

NEW YORK Education Update

congratulates Upper School Open House Marsha Frances Tuesday, October 19, 2010 Program begins at 6:00 p.m. sharp and ends at 8:00 p.m. academic panel, school tour, extracurricular fair on joining RSVP is essential! Sloane Square NYC 212.744.4486 x435 as Executive Vice President, Residential Real Estate Broker 212.327.3112 [email protected] Discover Marymount

1026 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10028 www.marymountnyc.org 14 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

The Importance of Poster Session Marks End of 2010 Marine Education Summer Science Outreach Program By Meghan Marrero This summer’s disastrous oil spill For High School Students in the Gulf of Mexico has brought the ocean and ocean-related issues For some high school students, summer is a dents, as well as K-12 teachers, to the rigors of to the forefront of our collective time for travel, camping and lying on the beach. basic research by matching them with laborato- consciousness. Unfortunately, most But for others, it’s the perfect opportunity to study ries and mentors for two summers. Americans do not know much about an HIV coreceptor or a nuclear pore protein. “It’s like a taste of what it’s like to be a research our blue planet’s most significant The 55 students in this summer’s Rockefeller scientist,” says Ted Scovell, the program’s direc- feature or adequately understand its University Science Outreach Program, worked tor. “It’s an intense program — you’re doing this complex processes. As a nation we side-by-side with faculty members, postdocs and seven hours a day, surrounded by scientists, and are ocean illiterate, and in the 21st grad students in the effort to unravel some of the it becomes your life. It’s also a very different century ocean illiteracy is problem- most challenging problems in biology today. experience from high school lab science in that atic. As voters, we are asked to make At a poster presentation, the students presented you’re not just answering a question you prob- decisions about offshore drilling, their findings on everything from particle physics ably already know the answer to, or reinforcing alternative energy resources, coastal to how testosterone affects early song learning in some idea. You’re looking into something that development, climate change and zebra finches. nobody has ever looked into before.” more. But how can we make good Among some of their notable accomplish- “Most people go their whole lives without dis- decisions without adequate back- ments: covering anything new about the world, but these ground knowledge? • Conducting a chemical synthesis and biological students have done so before they are able to rent The ocean covers over 70 percent analysis of an inhibitor of Staphylococcal viru- a car,” Scovell says. of Earth’s surface, is home to a wide lence Founded in 1992, the program has graduated diversity of living things, provides • Performing an analysis of “The Odyssey” based 761 students and 101 teachers, and an estimated most of our oxygen, and is a major on high-frequency and high-entropy words 10 percent of students go on to place in the Intel influence on weather and climate. Earth is habit- marine careers and more. Today’s students are • Studying the effects of acute progesterone Science Talent Search and other prestigious sci- able due to the ocean’s tremendous heat-holding counting on our inspiration and information. application on currents of hypothalamic neurons ence fairs. Scovell, himself an Outreach alum- capacity. Without it, our planet would be subject • “Marinate” your curriculum. The ocean is a • Investigating how the thorax color of Aedes nus, is a former science teacher from Friends to enormous temperature fluctuations, with which naturally interdisciplinary context for learning. aegypti mosquitoes relates to host-seek- Seminary in Manhattan. In addition to selecting humans could not cope. How about a unit on maritime history or stories ing behavior students and teachers for the program each In addition to its critical role in the functioning from the sea? In science, consider marine food • Analyzing whether water in a leaf is drawn to year, he teaches a number of classes and helps of the Earth System, the ocean has been a crucial webs, light penetration to the depths, or an engi- the entire leaf or only to parts of it where light guide the students as they work to complete component in the development of human civiliza- neering design challenge to solve today’s soci- is shining their research projects and prepare their findings tions. We have relied upon its waters for food and etal problems. • Conducting a study of what happens to inflam- for presentation. medicine, transportation and trade. The ocean is a • Take it outside. We are all part of a watershed, mation linked to obesity when a person goes on Applications to the university’s Summer place for relaxation and inspiration. We vacation and almost all watersheds on Earth lead to the a diet Science Outreach Program are accepted each fall at the beach and read books and buy paintings that ocean. Involve students in water quality monitor- Rockefeller’s Science Outreach Program intro- until mid-January. For more information, visit tell tales of its moods and depths. ing, watershed assessments, and debris surveys, duces academically promising high school stu- http://www.rockefeller.edu/outreach. # These and other ideas underscore the importance helping them to understand their own impacts on of the ocean in our everyday lives, yet it is largely the ocean. ignored in our schools. Most teachers are unpre- Most importantly, remember that the ocean director of curriculum at U.S. Satellite Laboratory cation at Teachers College, Columbia University, pared to teach about marine science topics, and affects us every day, probably more than Inc., and is co-author of a new high school marine where she now teaches methods and oceanogra- administrators do not view the ocean, which is not we know. # science textbook. After studying biology and phy courses to pre- and in-service teachers. Her particularly prevalent on state exams, as worthy Meghan Marrero, Ed.D. is president of the New marine science at Cornell University, she pursued research interests include improving ocean literacy subject matter. Besides its central role in many of York State Marine Education Association and the her master’s and doctoral degrees in science edu- of teachers and students. today’s societal issues, students are inherently interested in the ocean. They are excited about studying its inhabitants and exploring the mysteries of its depths. Even in York Preparatory School 2010, scientists estimate that only 40 West 68th Street 5 percent of the ocean has been New York, NY 10023 explored. This statistic means that for today’s students, the career www.yorkprep.org possibilities related to the ocean are endless. Here are some ways to get “An Intimate Place to Learn started on incorporating the ocean into your school’s curriculum, and in the Heart of a Great City” ultimately improving the ocean literacy of students: • Join the New York State Marine Dear Parents: Education Association. NYSMEA works to bring the wonders of You are cordially invited to attend one of our the ocean into our classrooms and OPEN HOUSES at York Preparatory School. everyday experiences. Join now, visit our Web site, and follow us on Facebook or Twitter to learn $$$ Thursday, September 30th 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM more about this amazing network $$$ Wednesday, October 6th 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM of people and to gain access to les- $$$ Wednesday, October 13th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM son plans, field trip destinations, job, grant and internship opportu- $$$ Tuesday, October 19th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM nities, and much more. NYSMEA $$$ Wednesday, October 27th 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM holds monthly enrichment activi- $$$ Thursday, November 4th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM ties (e.g., behind-the-scenes tours $$$ Wednesday, November 10th 9:30 AM – 11:00 PM at local aquaria, build-your-own $$$ Tuesday, November 16th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM ROV workshops, seal-watching $$$ Tuesday, November 30th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM cruises, and more) throughout the tri-state area, as well as an annual $$$ Tuesday, January 11th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM conference that focuses on ocean- $$$ Tuesday, January 25th 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM based instruction. Visit us at http:// www.nysmea.org. RSVP to the Admissions Office at: • Get professional development. A simple Internet search will lead 212-362-0400 ext. 133 or [email protected] you to hundreds of opportunities, including hands-on and online York Prep is a coeducational college preparatory school for grades 6-12. workshops, online webinars, data sets, ocean-based literature, 95452_0v3 TRIM TRIM 10x13SEP/OCT 2010 ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 15

TRIM TRIM

What’s your EQ? Are you an energy champ, an energy guzzler or an energy snoozer? To  nd out, take the Con Edison Energy Quotient Quiz at conEd.com/EQ or at facebook.com/powerofgreen

The Smart Grid will help all New Yorkers Chargers for cell phones, MP3 players and become energy champs because it will: PDAs use energy:

A. allow us to charge A. only when charging electric cars B. even when the devices B. incorporate wind and are not connected to solar energy sources the chargers

C. turn your appliances C. even when they’re not on and off when you’re plugged into the wall away from home

D. all of the above

answer: B answer: answer: D answer: answer: B answer:

How much more effi cient are What should you do if you smell gas? compact fl uorescent bulbs than regular incandescent bulbs? A. leave the area immediately, then call Con Edison at A. they last twice as long 1-800-75-CONED and use half as much B. do not use electrical energy devices, including B. they last  ve times as
ashlights long and use 60% C. all of the above less energy

C. they last ten times as long and use 75%

less energy

answer: C answer: answer: C answer: ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Ad: Inc. York, ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New

TRIM TRIM TRIM

TRIM 7 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10012 212/ 219-8400 MECHANICAL FOR: Client: CON EDISON Queens Gazette Job No: Western Queens Gazette Created by: HudsonYards Harlem News Group Canarsie Courier Applications: InDesign Greenline - Monthly Jewish Week

©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. Ad: Arnell Ad: Inc. York, ©2010 Consolidated Edison Company of New Font(s): The Weekly Gleaner Job Description: CE Summer CR3_2010 Education Update - Monthly Document Name: CE_Summer_CR3_10X13_BW_10.INDD Queens Ledger (6 Papers) Trim: 10”w X 13”h Pelham Weekly Shoreline Pubs - Monthly Date Created: 07/13/10 New York City Housing Authority - Monthly Date Modified: Mount Vernon Inquirer S.I Business Trends

95452_0v3.pgs 07.15.2010 11:17 PDFX1a 16 spotlight on schools ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010

Pearson Launches New Curriculum Material Purchasing System Closing the Opportunity Gap Pearson, the education services and technology ing on this new purchasing feature,” said Valerie V. By Dr. Danielle Moss-Lee company, announced recently that it has worked Wilson, Newark Public Schools’ chief financial with Newark Public Schools to integrated their officer/school business administrator. “We thank I hate the term “achievement gap.” Words have respective purchasing systems, making it one of the Pearson for believing in us and our joint venture. power, and I think “achievement gap” fails to first joint ventures of this kind in the nation. The Their staff has worked well with our team to achieve provide the context necessary for transformation new set up links Newark’s 75 schools straight to our goal of having the new feature up and running for all our children. The educational disparities Pearson’s online ordering platform. Through this within a year.” we see are the result of our inability to create the innovative collaboration, Newark’s educators can Explaining the differences between the old and context within which children can realize their order learning products and programs utilizing the new systems, Joyce Lee, Newark Public Schools’ potential. The so-called “achievement gap” is district’s contracted prices to reduce costs. director of purchasing, said: “By teaming up with not about the pervasive failure of young people. The new cost-efficient, paperless feature went Pearson’s capabilities, ordering becomes easier, and It is a result of institutional, systemic, and col- online in April and is the equivalent of a person we are expediting delivery and reducing costs by lective community failure; it’s about declining ordering books via the Internet, but with school bud- eliminating the need for the district to maintain online community engagement; it’s about our looking get limits and purchasing codes in place to prevent catalogues and mail out price lists. In addition, the for new things and not looking to what is already mistakes. Pearson anticipates additional system- system eliminates typing errors, eliminates the time working. The educational disparities facing so to-system connections will be made with other involved for a buyer or school staff to obtain quotes. many of our young people today are the result of school districts to achieve similar savings throughout It eliminates postage and mail handling because pur- an opportunity gap. the country. chase orders are transmitted to the vendor’s ordering Professor Theresa Perry of Simmons College Peter Cohen, Pearson’s CEO of K-12 Curriculum, system the same day they are approved. Schools can tells the story of a rural grandmother who sums said, “By joining forces with one of the leading see item availability at the time the order is created, up the so-called “achievement gap” this way: “If school districts in the nation, we have streamlined and they automatically receive e-mail confirmations the corn doesn’t grow, nobody asks what’s wrong Let me talk about the Harlem Educational processes to lower schools’ costs of doing business from Pearson when orders are received and shipped. with the corn.” If the corn does not grow, we Activities Fund for a moment. 100 percent of our in an era of tight budgets. Through this system, we’re This reduces the amount of time spent on the phone wonder about the weather conditions. If the corn high school students graduate on time. 98 to 100 harnessing technology to ensure Newark’s learn- following up on deliveries.” does not grow, we wonder about the soil. If the percent of those students — depending on the ers have their materials in a timely, cost-effective The Newark Public Schools District is the largest corn does not grow, we wonder if the pesticides cohort — will matriculate at a four-year college manner. And, we’re confident that other districts and one of the oldest school systems in New Jersey. we sprayed inhibited crops’ growth. If the corn or university in the fall immediately follow- throughout the nation can benefit from a similar The district serves approximately 40,000 students does not grow, we look at the farmer. However, ing high school graduation. 95 percent of those system-to-system connection.” in 75 schools ranging from Pre-K to twelfth grade, if we subscribe to the existence of an “achieve- students will graduate with an undergraduate “As New Jersey’s largest school district, Newark and employs approximately 7,500 staff within the ment gap”, we are saying that our children do not degree within six years. And, here’s the magic: Public Schools is saving time and money by embark- schools and central office. # achieve because there is something fundamen- while only 9 percent of the American population tally wrong with them. The language we choose has a master’s degree or more, 35 percent of needs to reflect the heart of the disparity — a HEAF college graduates have gone on to obtain Child Mind Inst. disparity that has everything to do with access, a graduate or professional degree. They are pre- continued from page 8 of the Child Mind Institute and join us in build- opportunity, and the lack of public and communi- dominantly low-income students who attend non- Schwartz, senior director of the center, has over ing our organization, the first global institution ty will to transform outcomes for all our children. charter public schools in neighborhoods across 30 years’ experience working with the inde- dedicated exclusively to child mental health. The truth is that student achievement and the New York City. pendent school system, public school system, We can unite to spread a very positive, hope- things that drive it are more complex than the The opportunity gaps experienced by many and special education providers. Senior pediatric ful message — that kids with psychiatric and business models of some social entrepreneurs of our disenfranchised youth hinge on one basic neuropsychologists at the center also include Drs. learning disorders are just as gifted, intelligent, would have us believe. Here is what the research question. What is our national will to overcome Matthew Cruger and Dominic Auciello. and capable as anyone else — and we can truly says that we choose to ignore: the educational disparities that we have systemi- The institute is currently rebuilding its Web site transform child mental health care. Many of our • Achievement gaps are widest in segregated cally worked to recreate after nearly closing the in order to provide parents and teachers across the kids desperately need tools (early, effective treat- school systems. so-called “achievement gap” in 1986? We know nation with a content-rich, interactive destination ments) to overcome their challenges. Together • Family and community stability — driven by how to educate young people. We do it at HEAF for information and resources on child mental we can give them and their families hope, help, the availability of adequate employment oppor- — right in the center of Harlem — every day. health. The new site will launch in November. and answers. # tunities, housing, quality health care, municipal We don’t need more studies. We don’t need more I hope that all caring adults — and especially Dr. Harold Koplewicz is the president of the services, strength of local institutions — matters. new curriculum guides. We don’t need a self- parents and teachers — will embrace the mission Child Mind Institute. • Experienced, well-trained, committed school aggrandizing political agenda where some seek and classroom leaders who feel supported and to be stars in the liberation stories of others. We valued matter. need the will to take what we know and invest • One size does not fit all. Teacher accountabil- our energy, expertise, focus, and human and ity, charter schools, and community-based col- financial resources in what works. lege success programs, like HEAF, are a proven The most important thing we do is frame strategy for ensuring students are adequately the discourse on achievement for our students. prepared for college graduation, not The Answer. HEAF says: This is your community, and this is • Our individual and collective biases around the world, and there is value in both. You have race, class and culture matter. Pervasive cultural a right to choose your own path — to reject the stereotypes that reinforce images of low achieve- society’s fractured view of what it means to be ment and low aspirations not only impact our young, black, Latino, gay, poor, etc. — and to children and their motivation, but these images create a reality for yourself that reflects your also impact the people and institutions charged spirit, your values, and your interests. We tell with their education. them that education is a tool of personal trans- None of this is new. Maslow’s Hierarchy of formation. It will deepen your understanding of Needs says that before you can truly address yourself and the world around you. It will set you higher-level education, you must address basic free. And, they achieve. # physical needs and the social and emotional need Dr. Danielle Moss-Lee is the president and to feel competent and included. Sadly, we rarely CEO of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund. organize our schools and institutions that way.

Preschool (212) 229-9340 247 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011 Accepting applications for the 2010 school year. Limited spaces • Open year round 8 am-6 pm daily available for • Part time & full time 2010 • Licensed by NYC Dept. of Health • established 1993

NAEYC Accredited Celebrating 16 Years SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ spotlight on schools 17

Students at the Kennedy School CAREERS Celebrate Their Own Newspaper Cesar Parra: By Marissa Schain Getting published in a newspaper isn’t easy, Equestrian Professional but don’t ask the students of Robert Kennedy School, who have been publishing their work since the sixth grade. Eight students at P.S. 169M got to celebrate their publishing and personal achievements, which were displayed in the latest issue of Education Update, at a launch ceremony held recently at the school. Parents, teachers, and other local members of the community came out in support of the students, who received awards for their achieve- ments in journalism. Included were psychol- ogists and psychiatrists from the Counseling Center, housed in the school and affiliated with Principal Susan Finn also spoke at the ceremo- Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Several ny. “As a principal, you always want to raise the sponsors at the ceremony included Barnes & bar for your kids, and they really put their heart Cesar Parra rides dressage Noble, Best Buy, Citibank, Le Pain Quotidien, into it.” Marsha Steinberg, assistant principal of Horses being groomed champion Olympia Staples, and Starbucks. The manager of Best P.S. 169M, delivered opening remarks. Buy offered gift cards, while Citibank provided Over the course of the journalism initiative, the gift bags with school supplies for all the students. students took several trips to destinations around Le Pain Quotidien provided delicious food for New York City, including the Animal Medical the event. Center, a visit with Chancellor Joel Klein at the Students were awarded with certificates for Tweed Courthouse, and an education publisher, completing one year of the Middle School the McGraw-Hill Companies, to learn about the Journalism Initiative, which gave students the trajectory of a book from the time it is created to opportunity to gain invaluable experience out- its arrival on a school desk. side of their classroom on 88th Street and Felipe Pau, a student in the class who wrote Lexington Avenue. an article for their completed newspaper, which Education Update’s publishers, Dr. Pola Rosen they named Kennedy Kids News, was very and Adam Sugerman, who founded the journal- grateful for the opportunity to participate. “I got ism initiative, worked closely with the charis- to express myself in the newspaper articles. It matic class to give them a greater insight of New made me a better writer. Thank you, Dr. Rosen,” Wendy Simons rides her horse 3-4 times York City and the journalism field. Pau said. a week and truly loves him Ken Simons rides his horse frequently Siobhan McNulty, the class’s teacher, made a Zain Adams, another student, wrote, “When I By Adam Sugerman few remarks during the ceremony. “These stu- opened that newspaper and saw my face, I felt Stephens College in Missouri, have equestrian dents really worked hard to improve their writing famous. My class and I loved being in the news- What is the fastest growing sport in the world? programs. The top programs, though, according and really did their best for Education Update,” paper.” If you answered soccer, you would have been to Parra, are in Germany at the world-renowned McNulty said. Richard Henkin, the school’s guidance coun- incorrect. Ditto for basketball, rugby, cricket, equestrian academies in Cologne and Warendorf. “Perhaps most importantly, the journalism ini- selor, said he is very proud to see his students wrestling, ice hockey, baseball, and football. In Germany, the first level of professional rider tiative has cultivated a sense of pride in their improve so much over one year, and commu- Here’s a clue: It is one of the three equestrian is called a “bereiter.” But after 3 to 4 more years writing from the moment they saw their own nicated yet another grateful comment from a events at the Summer Olympics. The answer: of training, the student becomes a Master Rider. writing in print,” added McNulty in a piece she student. “I just spoke to Felipe. He said today dressage. Never heard of it? Emanating from the An accomplished rider can make about $35,000- wrote in the last issue of Education Update. was the best day of his life.” # French language, the word dressage translates to 40,000 per year, but the big money is in sales and “training” in English. But training is only one in the training of horses. part of dressage. Dressage is a sport that is simi- Parra and members of his team compete at FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT’S DESK lar to ballet, with the rider and the horse working different locations around the world, and assis- together, showing off the horse’s training, athlet- tant coaches, groomers, caretakers, babysitters ic ability, obedience and balance in performing and others must also travel. The team’s horse Letting the Small Things Go masterful maneuvers, such as a pirouette. travels with a passport and documentation with Dressage dates back to ancient Greece. Until proof of vaccinations. A staff member provides By Dr. Carole G. Hankin World War I, Europe’s most powerful militar- comfort for the horses, brushes them twice daily, with Brian Sutch ies relied on highly trained horses and riders and rides with them every day. Tendons have to The start of a new school year presents a vari- to form the backbone of the cavalry. A strong be bound for protection, and the protection is ety of exciting opportunities for your child. As cavalry was similar to superior materiel, and removed during the show. Parra stresses that a with any new situation, however, there are also armies allocated vast resources to their horses winning team may not have the most talented challenges to be met, and these can be stressful and riders. Numerically inferior forces equipped horse and rider, but that a well-organized team for the child if he or she doesn’t receive support with expert horses and riders could overwhelm can make all the difference. Even the most and guidance along the way. It’s important for a larger army of foot soldiers. New technology detail-oriented team can encounter challenges. parents to distinguish between real obstacles and has rendered troops and horseback obsolete, For example, on the day of the actual competi- the “small stuff,” the little things that your child but the art of expert riders lives on. Today, the tion, the trainer might notice that the horse is can learn to manage easily with your help. How sport of dressage enjoys particular popular- in a dour mood or is having an off day (as can do we know the difference? A good guideline is ity in Europe, specifically Germany, Denmark, occur with any athlete). The trainer deals with to ask yourself whether the challenge your child England, Holland and Sweden. the problem by comforting the horse. is facing is likely to produce long-term problems In America, dressage is quickly gaining riders In dressage, a rider’s attire is traditional. It if the situation continues, or whether it’s simply and fans. A pioneer in the U.S. is Colombian- even looks like it’s from a previous century, from a matter of short-term disappointment that may born dentist Dr. Cesar Parra. Parra has been a different continent, and from a very high social resolve itself in time. Significant struggles with riding most of his life. While many teenagers class (like the medieval fox hunts). But each academic or social issues are among the “big happy, and we care deeply about every issue that learn to drive a car at 16 years of age, Parra’s piece of uniform, saddlery, and equipment has things” that may require intervention. affects their emotional well-being. When they’re grandfather gave him a thoroughbred. After its specific use. Similar to the martial arts, riders If you’re concerned about your child’s ability upset, it’s natural for us to want to “fix” things. having left his dentistry practices in the Andean are classified, and this determines a few articles to handle a situation, make an appointment with But our frustration or anxiety over these smaller city of Tolima and in Boston, Parra now con- of clothing. In lower-level competitions, riders your child’s teacher and be prepared with a list of matters can actually have the exact opposite centrates on dressage. To help finance his team, wear a jacket. At the upper level, a rider’s attire issues you think may be causing your child ten- effect. When a parent reacts with negativity, the Parra maintains facilities in New Jersey and includes top hat and tails. sion. On the other hand, when children are disap- child will be more inclined to experience the Florida where he and his team take care of and Parra works with many breeds of horses, but pointed because they didn’t get the teacher they situation as a problem rather than an obstacle to train other people’s horses. As a businessman, geldings are easiest to ride. He buys 3-year-old wanted, the lunch period of their choice, or the overcome. When these issues arise, talk with your his primary challenges are to keep his clients horses and trains them for 5 to 6 years. By then, same bus stop as their friends, these are matters child and point out as many good things as you (horses and humans alike) happy, providing he knows if he has a champion-caliber horse. that, with a little encouragement, they can learn can about the situation. Set the example in your a superior customer service, and keeping the He also sometimes sells horses that he raises to to accept. Your child may not be in the same class own behavior by not allowing insignificant mat- horses healthy. Not only does he employ veteri- loving families. with his or her friends, but that can provide an ters to become more important than they really narians, he also hires riders, groomers and other At the next Summer Olympics, watch for the opportunity to meet new people and make some are. Disappointments are a fact of life, but let- experts. Present employees come from Germany, equestrian events. Who knows? Perhaps repre- new friends. In fact, little obstacles often present ting go of the little things will help make the big Sweden, Holland, Japan, Israel, Argentina, senting the U.S. team will be Dr. Cesar Parra! # excellent opportunities to help your children take issues more manageable. # Colombia and the U.S. Many employees are Adam Sugerman is co-publisher of Education an optimistic outlook and become more resilient. Dr. Carole Hankin is the superintendent of college graduates. In the U.S. a few colleges, Update and publisher of his own imprint, As parents, we all want our children to be Syosset schools, Long Island, N.Y. such as Centenary College in New Jersey and Palmiche Press. 18

www.EDUCATIONUPDATE.com | SEP/OCT 2010  Education Initiatives 2010-2011  Pres. James L. Muyskens Pres. Lisa Staiano-Coico QU C Eens OLLEGE TCHE I Y COLLEGE OF NEW YORK Queens College — with more than 20,000 I came to City College because of its unique students who come to our campus from over 160 history and special mission — to provide a nations — is committed to making sure our stu- world-class education for what President Webster dents graduate with an understanding of cultures called “the children of the whole people.” In and nationalities other than their own. As part of the few short weeks that I have been here, I am this commitment, we have been expanding our enormously energized by the talented students global education initiatives by revising our cur- and faculty that I have found, all dedicated to this riculum and offering an Education Abroad pro- core value. gram that allows students to take credit-bearing I believe very strongly that diversity at CCNY courses almost anywhere in the world. is not an accident of our history or our location: Starting this semester, Queens College will there is no true excellence without diversity. focus each year on the history, art, and contri- More than other students, ours are truly prepared butions of a different nation. This fall we will to succeed in a global society, because they have begin with our celebration of the Year of China. taken classes with and learned from men and We invite you to take part in the festivities when women from every corner of the world. We are we offer a full day of Year of China events throughout the fall and spring semesters. what the world looks like — and the challenges for this year is to expand our many partner- on October 5, which will include lectures, art This year also marks the 35th anniversary of the 21st century will be met by the men and ships with the institutions of this vibrant and exhibits, and concerts by the Shanghai String of the college’s Evening Readings program, women who have the knowledge, the sympathy, diverse community. Quartet and our Aaron Copland School of Music which will include a centennial celebration on and the confidence to operate in that world. In this context I am pleased to announce faculty. Both concerts will feature our MacArthur March 22 of the work of Czeslaw Milosz, who While we continue to attract outstanding stu- a new initiative, The President’s Community “Genius” Award-winning graduate Bright Sheng. is considered one of the greatest writers of the dents from across the country and across the Scholars, a program benefiting outstanding high China-themed performances, lectures, work- 20th century. Other international writers who globe, we will not forget that we stand right here school graduates residing in the Harlem/Northern shops, art exhibitions, and more will continue continued on page 20 in historic Harlem. One of my strategic priorities continued on page 20

Pres. Jeremy Travis Pres. Marcia V. Keizs J OHN AY COL. OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE YR O K COLLEGE John Jay College of Criminal Justice welcomed The Freshman Experience is becoming a its first ever all-baccalaureate freshman class. Of brand new experience at York College. This the more than 2,000 enrolled freshmen, a record fall the college’s freshman year initiative will 85 percent attended the two-day orientation pro- include WOW Week (Week of Welcome) to gram along with 433 of their parents. Preliminary give new students a positive slice of college data indicates a record-breaking increase of 24 life as they integrate into the college com- percent in baccalaureate freshmen enrollment munity. over 2009. Since the 2006 decision to phase According to Michel Hodge, acting assis- out associate degree admissions, the college has tant vice president for enrollment manage- aggressively recruited baccalaureate students and ment, WOW Week was born of “Spirit Day,” strengthened its academic programs. launched last spring to promote a stronger At the same time, almost 1,200 transfer students sense of college spirit among students. enrolled at the college representing a projected 5 “WOW Week is about a sense of tradition percent increase in transfer students. Four hun- and college culture in the community,” says comedy concert in the college’s Performing dred eighty new graduate students enrolled at Hodge. “Students get a chance to meet their Arts Center, featuring college-circuit comedian the college. Our transfer orientation — with 376 City University of New York system. These new peers and people across the campus. The ques- Reese Waters and a social mixer. students — and our graduate orientation — with students, whether they be freshmen, transfer stu- tion was, ‘how can we get people together so There is also the shared experience of the 217 students — also set new records. dents or graduate students, all will benefit from we’ve expanded it to WOW in fall and Spirit assigned freshman reader, “Outcasts United,” “This is a historic moment for the college. With our improved student services, renowned faculty in spring.’” by Warren St. John. It is the story of a group of the enrollment of the first ever all-baccalaureate scholars and re-imagined academic programs,” Bracketed by the annual York Fest cel- refugees and their coach who help to create a class, the college has reached a pivotal milestone said President Jeremy Travis. ebration (September 11) and Fall Convocation, town where everyone is somehow different but in its transformation into a senior college in the continued on page 20 WOW Week celebrations will also include a yet the same in all the ways that matter. #

Pres. Mitchel Wallerstein Dean Jerrold Ross BR A UCH COLLEGE ST . JOHN’S UNIVERSITY The School of Public Affairs at Baruch College recently announced its receipt of a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary SHO SinceC higherO educationL OinstitutionsF E are,D andUC willA TION Education (FIPSE) that will enable student and continue to be, the major source of teachers and faculty exchanges among the School of Public school leaders it is incumbent upon us to create Affairs and seven partnering institutions in new initiatives that lead to change (for the better). Canada, Mexico and the U.S. At St. John’s University we consistently respond The grant was awarded as part of FIPSE’s to the needs of the field, guided not only by prin- North American Mobility Program and will pro- cipals, superintendents and great teachers, but by vide approximately $159,000 to the School of our efforts in the field to address the compelling Public Affairs over a three-year period. The uni- issues of our time. fying theme of the grant is the role of civil society This year we have introduced internships for organizations in sustainable community develop- undergraduates based in leading not-for-profit ment. The award is designed to help participating organizations that serve children and their fami- institutions align their curricula on civil society lies. This, in addition to placements in schools and support the exchange of students and faculty to internationalize our curricula, something the early in their freshmen year, will produce a cadre interested in the role of non-governmental orga- School of Public Affairs is committed to doing.” of teachers knowledgeable about the influence nizations in civic culture. Baruch College is the Varying levels of civic engagement in the U.S., and impact of social, cultural, judicial and medi- U.S. lead, with the University of South Florida Canada and Mexico will allow both students and cal agencies devoted to children and their fami- In response to the unparalleled difficulties fac- as the second U.S. partner. Canada’s Carleton faculty to study and compare “what policy envi- lies’ special needs. The students’ work in some of ing young people and their families, St. John’s University is the overall lead. ronments look like in other nations,” he added. the city’s finest organizations will also result in a has set out to forge a national curriculum on Commenting on the FIPSE grant, Dean David Under the terms of the FIPSE grant, a total of truly “richer” curriculum adaptable to whatever financial literacy, collecting and systematizing S. Birdsell termed it “a splendid opportunity continued on page 20 change the times require. continued on page 20 19

  www com Education Initiatives 2010-2011 SEP/OCT 2010 | .EDUCATIONUPDATE. Landmark College A Talk with Under Honors U.S. Under Secretary of Education Secretary of Education Martha Kanter by Joan Baum, Ph.D. artha anter t was serendipitous that Education M K Update caught up with the incredibly busy Dr. Martha Kanter, the U.S. Under Secretary of Education, on the very day last month that front-page news announced the winners of the second round of federal Race to the Top funds. In this second phase of the national competition (a third round is awaiting Congressional approval), New York is one of 11 winning states, receiving $696 million in federal aid. Most of the winning states are on the Eastern Seaboard and have large urban school systems, Of course, Kanter is delighted that what the media is calling President Obama’s signature education initiative has received strong legisla- President Lynda Katz Steve Moschetta David Cole tive support at a tough economic time. That the quality of the applications, set by the Race to individual strategies and widely regarded best here’s a famous phrase found Education, has put education in reach of the Top review panel, was so high and that the methodological practices. on the desks of teachers every- a nation with increasingly diverse needs. focus of the competition — updating policies and Kanter, who attended Brandeis, went on to where — a simple summation Her top priority is to expand availability processes for improving teacher evaluations and earn a master’s in education from Harvard and of their daily purpose. It says, of higher education, stating that, “The tru- student data tracking systems and turning around to concentrate on special education, starting the simply, “To teach is to touch a life forever.” est measure of society’s worth is whether or eliminating failing schools — also brought out first learning disabilities program at San Jose Landmark College President Lynda Katz it offers [all] Americans the opportunity to some fine responses from the under secretary. City College in 1977. In 1988 she received a exemplifies this axiom, as does her choice fulfill their dreams. We hope their dreams “It’s all about achievement.” doctorate in education from the University of San to honor Dr. Martha Kanter, who recently will include a college education.” For Kanter, who brings to her new position Francisco and moved into community college received a Doctor of Humane Letters at Two Landmark alumni, Steve Moschetta, a rich and varied career in education as both work, doing policy analysis and research. She the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the an attorney specializing in maritime law, teacher and administrator, the competition chal- eventually became president of De Anza College founding of Landmark College. A haven and David Cole, the founder of Project lenged states to commit to ways of addressing in Cupertino, Calif., then served as chancellor and model education for learning disabled Eye to Eye, who completed his studies post diverse student populations and learning styles of the Foothill-De Anza Community College students, Landmark has helped many stu- Landmark at Brown University and is now while also committing to build and enhance District in Los Altos Hills. When she first started dents find self-confidence, fulfilling careers a successful sculptor, both exemplify the policies that all states should have in common, teaching, she recalls, students were a pretty and enriched lives. success of the college, receiving Landmark particularly those having to do with standards for homogeneous group. Now there is “enormous Dr. Kanter, the U.S. Under Secretary of Laureate honors at the convocation. # teacher preparation and student achievement in diversity” in preparation and language acquisi- English and math. tion. Teacher preparation, including certification Though winning states such as New York are and evaluation, must reflect different and alterna- still holding conversations with teachers’ unions tive ways of trying to reach all students. Most and management organizations to reconcile dif- teachers, she says, will improve after they’ve resident ennifer aab ferent, even polarizing, ways of addressing com- been in the system for a few years. “We must P J R mon concerns, Dr. Kanter is hopeful that new close the achievement gap.” HU C Nter OLLEGE emphases already apparent in some professional It is imperative to get out the word about what The upcoming year at Hunter College will be development programs, for example, will receive evidence-based research already indicates are defined by the growth of our health and pub- wider distribution and appreciation as each state promising ideas, such as those publicized by the lic service fields — no small challenge given disburses the winning monies to various locales. American Education Research Association. She Hunter’s unparalleled history as New York’s She is especially eager to see theory brought sees her role as under secretary as a “convening” leading producer of nurses, social workers, edu- more into the classroom and to have more one. Let’s indeed race to the top, but publish and cators, and others dedicated to the well-being of teachers motivated to share and adopt effective publicize everything. # our city and community. But we are more than up for the task, and in fact are already at the start of a new era that will surpass even our own previ- ous heights. Just last month, we celebrated the “topping Dean Mary Brabeck out” of the new Hunter College Complex in East Harlem, which will house the Lois V. and Samuel N YU SteinHARDT SCHOOL OF J. Silberman School of Social Work, the CUNY leading national and world figures. Many more School of Public Health at Hunter College, and public programs are in the works; please check the library of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. the Web site (http://www.roosevelthouseinstitute. CULEThe academicTU Ryear 2010-11, ED is. going& HUto be aM AN DEVELOPMENT The building, which will open next fall, will allow org) for updates. busy one for the Steinhardt School of Culture, us to expand the reach of these institutions and The institute serves primarily, however, as a Education, and Human Development at NYU. have a tremendous positive impact on the vulner- center for faculty research and, best of all, for stu- Our holistic education model — coupled with our able, rapidly changing East Harlem community. dent learning. Our new undergraduate programs commitment to preparing high quality teachers, The School of Social Work has already launched in public policy and human rights are exceed- principals, and allied professionals in occupa- innovative partnerships with local social service ingly popular, and collaborative, interdisciplinary tional therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, and organizations, and the new Ph.D. granting School projects with the School of Public Health, the counseling — leads us to develop strong and of Public Health is set to tackle the urban health School of Social Work, and many other depart- diverse partnerships. We collaborate with col- crises (such as diabetes, obesity and asthma) that ments and schools have already made Roosevelt leagues in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to disproportionately threaten minority populations House an irreplaceable part of Hunter’s aca- prepare teachers with deep content knowledge; like that in East Harlem. demic landscape. in K-12 schools to provide a clinically based In the meantime, perhaps nothing has so rap- Path-breaking initiatives like these are taking teacher education program; in our health profes- idly accelerated Hunter’s role in the public sphere place all across Hunter College, from new pro- sions to remove the “out-of-classroom” barriers as the recent re-opening of Roosevelt House, grams at our Schools of Nursing and Education to learning and development; and in the arts the New York home of Franklin and Eleanor to a major physical and technological library to cultivate the aesthetic development of all enhancing our capacity for excellent STEM edu- Roosevelt that has been part of Hunter College renovation. It was no surprise, therefore, when students. Through our Center for Research on cation. The work in the Dr. Charlotte K. Frank since 1942. In the short few months since we The Princeton Review ranked Hunter #2 among Teaching and Learning, we continue to build Science Education Resource Room links teach- completed its restoration, the House, now the “Best Value” public colleges nationwide. We are the systems that allow us to study the “value ers to scientists and conducts research on teach- site of the new Roosevelt House Public Policy committed to continuing to set the standard for added” our professional preparation programs ing and learning science and mathematics. We Institute at Hunter College, has hosted talks by public higher education — and to making the offer our students. received a major gift from Cisco Systems to use President Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and other 2010-11 school year our best yet. # This year we are deliberately focusing on continued on page 20 20 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

School Nurses Keeping Students Ready to Learn By Kenny Lull has expanded to help keep our nation’s students Does your school have a school nurse? If not, healthy, in school, and ready to learn. It is difficult would you know what to do in case of an emer- for teachers to focus on their lesson plans when gency? health needs arise without a school nurse present. Most schools (75.1 percent) have a school NASN believes every child deserves a school nurse working either full- or part-time. That nurse every day, all day. As children head back to leaves 24.9 percent of schools with none. Who is school, school nurses are hard at work ensuring administering medications, meeting immunization students are current on required and recommended compliance, assessing health needs and handling vaccinations, performing risk assessments for emergencies in your school? obesity, mental health and substance abuse, and The National Association of School Nurses crafting health and emergency plans for chronic recommends a full-time school nurse RN in every conditions such as asthma, seizures, diabetes and building per 750 well children; only 12 states and anaphylaxis to reduce absenteeism and 9-1-1 the District of Columbia meet that recommended calls. Secretaries, teachers or paraeducators put ratio, according to the NASN 2009 Ratio Ruler themselves and students at risk when trying to (available at http://www.nasn.org). Disparities administer care to students. exist even within states due to budget constraints, Both children and school staff benefit from the enrollment and priorities. The average school expertise of a school nurse. A significant propor- nurse serves 1,121 students over 2.2 schools. Are tion of health care in the United States is provided your students fortunate enough to have a full-time daily in schools. Many of the children school school nurse in your school? nurses see are not served by the traditional health The school nurse’s role includes assessing stu- care system. School nurses connect students and dent health status and making referrals, identifying families to their state CHIP programs. Almost vision/hearing problems which impact learning, half of school districts bill Medicaid for services delivering emergency care, administering medi- provides. School nurses help many of the school cation and vaccines, performing and educating children who live every day in the margins of on health care procedures, disaster preparedness society to connect to a medical home. The school and containing epidemics, health counseling and nurse provides the only health care accessible to wellness programs for students and staff, mental some school age children. health of students, and much more. As children Acting as a safety net for our nation’s most frag- today face more complex and life-threatening ile children, school nurses promote mechanisms health problems requiring care in school, includ- to assist families in locating resources for medical ing multiple disabilities requiring ventilators, cen- home, health insurance, and case management for drug discount cards for uninsured or underinsured plans to care for students with chronic needs or in tral lines and IVs, the role of the school nurse chronically ill children, such as free prescription children and their families (available at http:// the case of an emergency. www.nasn.org). Every child deserves a school nurse, and NASN believes every teacher deserves a school every teacher deserves a school nurse all day, immigrants who move between NAFTA coun- nurse every day, all day. Having a full-time school every day. # Pres. Wallerstein tries, in particular Mexican immigrants to the U.S nurse is a sound investment in school health, Kenny Lull is the Manager of Communications continued from page 18 and Canada.” positively influencing student attendance, which at the National Association of School Nurses. 58 students from the eight participating universi- The FIPSE grant will create a tri-lateral part- influences achievement, graduation and school NASN has more than 15,000 members dedicated ties will embark on semester-long internships nership with the long-term goal of fostering an funding. Having a full-time school nurse RN in to advancing school nursing practice. For more abroad. In addition, the consortium partners will international team of trained professionals able to every building, every day allows teachers to spend information about school nursing, visit http:// create a new course on sustainable community develop and teach sustainable community devel- their time teaching rather than disrupting lesson www.nasn.org. development and the role of civil society. The opment in a way that is responsive to local social course will combine research, training, and cur- conditions and needs while also maintaining a riculum development, using shared resources, broader cross-cultural perspective. The FIPSE col- tools and reading lists. The course will be multi- laborative includes the following North American Dean Mary Brabeck Finally, as NYU takes a leadership role in disciplinary and open to students at all participat- colleges and universities: Carleton University, continued from page 19 developing our Global Network University, ing institutions whether or not they are selected University of Victoria, and Cape Breton technology to connect our work with schools and witnessed by the impressive inaugural class as program interns. University (Canada); Benemerita Universidad colleagues to study the preparation of STEM entering NYU Abu Dhabi this September, we Additionally, according to Professor John Casey Autonoma de Puebla, Universidad Autonoma de teachers. This year our Education Policy Series are exploring ways for our aspiring profes- of the School of Public Affairs, author of the proj- Tamaulipas, Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores will focus on STEM education and will bring sionals in education, the arts, and health to ect proposal, sustainable community development de Monterrey (Mexico); and Baruch College and together experts on the relationship between become global citizens and to learn to work is “a key issue in supporting the integration of the University of South Florida (USA). # STEM learning and economic success; we effectively with diverse communities in New will discuss programs successfully improving York and our increasingly organically con- STEM education. nected world. # contribution to the amelioration of this vola- Dean Jerrold Ross tile issue. continued from page 18 Finally, our highest priority is to expand the Pres. Staiano-Coico the best approaches recommended by banks, program of collecting and analyzing data based continued from page 18 and Mathematics, are very interested in sci- investment houses, and state and national depart- upon the measurable outcomes of the research ence and engineering. One scholar spent four ments responsible for creating education and and practice upon which all our registered pro- Manhattan community. Each scholar will receive years on the City College campus at the High finance policies and practices. grams are based, and which best describe the a merit-based $5,000 scholarship, renewable School for Math, Science and Engineering, At the doctoral level we have created what successes of exemplary teachers. each year for five years, and will be required to and has entered our unique seven-year B.S./ may well be the first cohort of students who These are but a few examples of achievable perform community service. M.D. program at the Sophie Davis School are producing research, each focusing on one change that can help to raise standards of teacher The five President’s Community Scholars in for Biomedical Education. We believe that aspect of high national need. The initial studies and student performance across all grade levels, our first cohort have just begun their freshman our investment in them will be returned many are examining problems of black males from the and in all disciplines, especially at this juncture year. Four of them, from Frederick Douglas times over, both to the college and to the com- perspective of teachers and administrators from when the traditional quantitative measures we Academy and the Manhattan Center for Science munity. # elementary school through college, a unique employ are being subjected to intense criticism. #

Pres. James Muyskens come from. And now it literally is home to 500 baccalaureate programs. To learn more about of them, thanks to our first residence hall, The Pres. Jeremy Travis the CUNY Justice Academy, visit http://www. continued from page 18 Summit. Last year when it first opened its doors, continued from page 18 cuny.edu/academics/programs/notable/justice- will be featured this season include Peter Carey The Summit was an instant hit — and this year it Through the CUNY Justice Academy, John academy.html. (Australia), Edwidge Danticat (Haiti), and Ian is filled to capacity. Jay has also expanded access to its programs Over the last three years, John Jay has intro- McEwan (England). As we place great emphasis on student satisfac- for students who complete an associate degree duced many new liberal arts undergraduate Queens College has always attracted excel- tion, we are proud that once again Queens College at another CUNY community college. The joint majors including Economics, English, Global lent faculty from the U.S. and around the globe. was named one of the country’s best undergraduate degree programs in criminal justice, forensic History and Gender Studies with additional Indeed, this year we were honored that six of institutions in The Princeton Review’s 2011 guide, science and forensic financial analysis that the majors under consideration. In addition, the our young faculty received National Science The Best 373 Colleges. Among the words of praise college created in the six CUNY community significant increase in full-time faculty, student Foundation Faculty Early Career Development we received from students were: “Great education colleges registered 1,611 freshmen this fall. The research opportunities, and the overall commit- Awards. All of these exceptionally promising sci- at an affordable price,” “personable, intelligent Justice Academy ensures that students who com- ment to provide a high quality education, has entists were hired in the last five years. We also professors,” and “amazing diversity.” It’s gratify- plete associate degrees in criminal justice-related made John Jay an attractive choice for students strive to make our campus a home-away-from- ing to know that our students have such positive majors are guaranteed admission to John Jay’s and their families. # home for all of our students, no matter where they things to say about their experience with us. # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ COLLEGES & GRADuate Schools 21

Posamentier Sets the Bar High for Mercy College President Mercy College School of Education Discusses New School Year By Merri Rosenberg by Sybil Maimin Second place doesn’t cut it for Mercy College’s To speak to Kimberly R. Cline, the president Alfred S. Posamentier. The newly appointed dean of Mercy College, at the end of summer is to of Mercy’s School of Education — so new, in feel the excitement and anticipation associated fact, that he was still setting up his bookshelves with “back to school” and the beginning of a new and organizing his office this past Monday when academic year. Repeating a favorite saying (of I stopped in to interview him — is unapologetic an unknown author), “You can do anything you about his ambitions for the department. want, as long as you care enough,” she speaks of “I’m leaving a position where I did everything the challenges always expected at colleges (“very we could do there,” said Posamentier, who spent complex institutions”) and the need to be con- 41 years at City College, including 10 years as stantly prepared. The economic downturn has not the dean for the school of education. During his hurt the college’s enrollment; the incoming full- tenure, The City College School of Education time freshman class is more than 1,100 students, was first in New York state’s ranking of educa- up from 832 last year. tion schools, an impressive improvement from In response to the challenging employment its position in the cellar when Posamentier came market, Mercy College has restructured its career on board. services department so that students learn job- And he’s just as confident that he can achieve seeking skills early on. Freshmen begin building the same results at Mercy, where he’s responsible resumes, practice interviewing techniques, and for 1,900 graduate and undergraduate students. engage with PACT (Personalized Achievement “I had so much fun doing this at City,” said While Posamentier is nationally recognized for Contract) mentors throughout their four years at Posamentier. “I want to make [Mercy College] his scholarship and leadership in mathematics the college. “Companies look for candid, smart, the top school of education in the area. The education, he’s also well aware of the broader articulate people who know more than others,” sibility to higher education and college attain- faculty I’ve met so far is very impressive, with issues in education, recognizing the global need advised the wise president. “We integrate work ment,” states Cline. Mercy College students will great qualifications.” for teachers — no matter what their subject — skills from the freshman to the senior years so also be involved with the community through So what does it mean, at least to Dr. Posamentier, to engage with their students’ parents. “It’s not that they are ready.” She also notes that chal- tutoring and mentoring local high school youth. to raise the bar as high as possible at Mercy? “It rocket science,” he said. “Kids who get support lenging employment prospects might signal an Additional new programs include a graduate obviously means producing first rate teachers at home do better; teachers have to learn how to opportunity to “receive more education and earn PACT funded by the Department of Education, and supervisors,” he said. “It means providing work with parents.” a master’s.” a leadership center, and a boot camp for new the immediate community, in the Bronx and Posamentier believes his experience helps Cline has been at Mercy College for over two teachers. Exciting new academic plans include Westchester, with the services we can provide. him see the long view about educational issues years and is very proud of her institution. A pri- a degree program in international relations and They provide our teacher candidates with a real and trends. vate, not-for-profit college based in Dobbs Ferry, diplomacy that is being developed in collabora- setting in which to prepare for their careers.” Regarding his specific area or expertise, mathe- N.Y. with branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, tion with the United Nations. Ambassadors, past There are other ways he’d like to engage the matics education, he said, “The problems in math White Plains and Yorktown Heights, the col- and present, will review curricula and, together community with Mercy’s education school. For stem back as far as you can see. There’s always a lege boasts 10,000 students and hopes to grow with other experts, teach about world affairs. example, at City College, Posamentier offered shortage of math teachers.” to 11,600. Of particular pride to the president is Technology is an area for growth and innovation a high school math program on Saturdays, that Still, he cautioned that: “You can’t make math the college’s demographic mix, many of whom and is constantly being upgraded. Cline explains involved several hundred students. “I’d like to do teachers overnight. One of the things I’ve learned are the first in their families to attend college. Mercy College was a pioneer in online learning, that here as well,” he said. over lots of years is that the fast track to educa- “I would say we are the most diverse college an option that “can be terrific or awful. It’s about There are other goals Posamentier has for tion [certification] needs to be done with tender, in the country,” she exclaims. Mercy College the quality of education the student is receiving.” the school. He’d like to add “an international loving care. Whenever compromises are made, is ranked among the top colleges for Hispanics Programs are being brought online with quality dimension to the school — there’s a tremendous there are long-term implications.” by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and in mind. interest in Europe in American education — and And after all these years, Posamentier himself, Universities and is a federally designated Mercy College offers liberal arts and profes- draw much closer ties with other Mercy College a born and bred Manhattanite who now lives Hispanic Serving Institution. sional education within its schools of Business, departments,” he said. “That’s absolutely essen- in northern New Jersey, hasn’t lost any of that PACT, a program begun in 2009 with 50 stu- Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal tial.” Faculty development is also something first-day-of-school enthusiasm. “I’m very excited dents and set to reach well over 1,000 this year, Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. It has Posamentier would like to enhance, possibly with about the prospect of making change,” he said. # is another source of great pride. PACT assigns more than 90 graduate and undergraduate pro- a “seminar series for staff.” Reprinted with permission from Patch.com participants a designated mentor for the four- grams including the Corporate and Homeland year college period. Mentors serve as a student’s Security degree, the first in the nation. It boasts champion if issues arise, a figure who helps a stu- an honors program as well as supplemental aca- dent navigate the college years. Cline sees PACT demic programs and support services for those College Students Work on as a unique and powerful concept she hopes to from disadvantaged backgrounds. It offers gifted spread to other colleges. and talented students advanced work in math, Community Projects Building on the success of PACT, Mercy science, and health science research to enhance College is opening a center this year that will prospects for M.D. and Ph.D. programs. by Rebecca Mushtare help parents of high school students (including To successfully preside over the complex With the overwhelming nature of going to col- those not planning to attend Mercy College) world of Mercy College, top leadership skills lege in New York City, the financial burdens they understand the complicated college application are needed. President Cline makes no secret of bear and constant digital signals buzzing in their landscape, including financial aid. It is part of the her penchant for books about leadership, includ- pockets, it’s no wonder student focus on educa- Mercy College mission. “We want to be engaged ing Collins’ “Good to Great.” Her reading habits tion is often weak. in the community to solve the issue of acces- seem to have served her well. # It’s disheartening to find students emphasizing memorization, regurgitation and technical skills. With so many responsibilities, many students to “we.” Students discover that their choices have and adapt to unexpected “real-life” complica- zero in on short-term goals, like passing a test, an effect beyond themselves. tions. rather than on long-term goals, like using what This approach is not for every project or every • Start with existing relationships. Check with they learn outside of the classroom. faculty member or every course, but when a good the service learning, community outreach or vol- I am determined to encourage my students to match is found, the results are fruitful. Aligning unteer office on campus first for strong relation- value deeper learning. I want abstract concepts the goals of a course with the mission of an ships that already exist and have been built on to come alive for them. For example, in my organization is key to a successful project. For mutual trust. introductory Web design class, I ask students to example, engineering students could collaborate • Help students negotiate unstructured prob- implement concepts like usability, information throughout the semester with the organization to on playground designs, video students could lems. Many students see the world in dichoto- hierarchy and design elements to reinforce the define concrete goals. By the end of the semester, collaborate on PSAs, accounting students could mies; help them negotiate the nuance and com- mission and goals of a Web site. In the traditional the organization had three design choices, and contribute to tax services for low income people, plexity that fills the world outside the bounds of classroom, students tend to “shift” what the mis- my students developed skills in collaboration, or students could learn about the aging process by a textbook. sion and goals of their projects are to force their oral communication, compromise, profession- working in nursing homes. With funding decreas- • Scaffold larger projects. Break large projects aesthetic and organizational choices to align. alism, and dealing with all of the unexpected ing for community-based organizations that pro- into steps. Overwhelming students will not help To make such assignments “real,” I began things that arise in “real” projects, like miscom- vide many of the services local communities need to engage them. Project management and time experimenting with community-based learning, a munication, time, clarity and complexity of ideas, and depend on, colleges can fill the void. management become important issues to discuss. pedagogical model in which faculty and students revisions, and changing priorities and needs. Getting started on a community project is • Help students identify, accept, learn from, work with community organizations to address Students collectively recognized the importance always the hardest part. Below are a few things and act on constructive criticism. Understand a community need while meeting the learning of each of their strengths and the room each of to consider: that these are projects the students are passionate goals of a course. them had for improvement. • Does the project make sense? You must be about and have committed themselves to. # My students recently designed a Web site for Community-based learning raises the stakes of willing to collaborate to develop a project that Rebecca Mushtare is an assistant professor of an organization that did not have funds or staff learning because it has an impact on the commu- equally supports your educational mission and communication arts at Marymount Manhattan to create one. In this model students worked nity. It shifts the educational experience from “I” fills a community need, and you must be flexible College. 22 COLLEGES & GRADuate Schools ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010

TEACHERS COLLEGE: CAHN FELLOWS PROGRAM The Cahn Fellows Program recently celebrated the outgoing cohort with its annual Leadership Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University. The experienced and aspiring principals who participated in the 15-month fellowship shared findings from their year-long challenge projects with an audience of more than 225 people. Principals presented in hour-long concurrent sessions on topics ranging from using technology to engage students and teachers to addressing the needs of SIFE (students with interrupted formal education). The objectives of the event are to share best practices and celebrate exemplary principals. The program encourages educators to attend and make connections that they can apply to their own school settings. Technology and Art Enrichment Addressing Teacher Retention at Converging Together The Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science

Brian O’Connell Mitch Pinsky

By Rich Monetti and create interactive presentations that they Brian O’Connell of Scholars’ Academy, later utilize in the classroom. 27Q323 in Queens, and Mitch Pinsky of P.S. Streamlining teacher efficiency, it doesn’t hurt 115 in Brooklyn were recently recognized by either when students can pick up some of the the Cahn Fellows Program for exemplary per- load as they are put into a teaching mindset Roony Vizcaino formance in challenges that would seem to be through the instruction of dance teachers like situated at opposite ends of the educational spec- Staci Ciarletta. “Providing the basic steps and By Rich Monetti trum (and the brain): technology and art. But giving them the tools to think, move and create, Sticking with that sentiment, Mr. Vizcaino there’s a lot more convergence than one would they take ownership of what they’ve learned and Anyone involved in the hiring of teachers recognized the importance of formally upping think in raising the level of student achievement then reteach it to the class,” says the P.S. 115 knows full well how much time and effort is put the ante on letting all the work-related stress through the use of technology and an immersion faculty member. in to recruiting and attracting promising young hang loose. “It’s important to just get together in art enrichment. Again, that ability can follow them through teachers. In New York City, the same people are and throw down with a camping trip or a friendly “How do you use technology today to get the building, as does the chance to make the also aware of the possibility of being hit with a square off at the bowling alley,” he says. smarter tomorrow,” asks O’Connell as part of crossover from art to other subjects. For instance statistic such as the following: “We lost 33 per- Fun and games aside, the real work began with his Cahn challenge. At the opening of school, studying artwork from various periods, it cent of our hires last year,” says Roony Vizcaino, a closer look at the special education department, Scholars’ Academy organized a team of student becomes an extension and reinforcement of what dean of the Urban Assembly School for Applied where the majority of changeover was occur- reps to podcast the morning announcements in they are learning down the hall in history class. Math and Science. Presenting on behalf of Ken ring. It was arrived upon that the collaborative the diverse native languages of its students. “We That plays directly into Pinsky’s premise on Baum, a 2009 Cahn Fellow, the administration team-teaching approach of putting 10 special post it on the Internet,” he says, where parents, art enrichment and the challenge his school realized that effective recruiting means little if education students in classes of 28 was not the students and teachers can all view it. took on to prove it. “It’s my firm belief that resources are not intelligently allocated to retain appropriate ratio. Furthermore, the synergy was That beginning can tie quite nicely to the enrichment activities promote student growth,” that same potential as the school year unfolds. also wrong — even with two teachers in each instruction that a theater teacher like Annie he says. AMS, as the school is known, began with the room. “First of all,” Mr. Vizcaino says, “you have Sugarman engages in. “Making theater part of Much less invested in the infrastructure of structure of teacher meetings. Cutting out all the to have two teachers that get along, and in New their everyday lives, the poise of being on stage educational theory but with more at stake in conversation on, “what that kid did today,” les- York City, that itself is a challenge.” Additionally, can easily translate to their future professional practice, Robin, a P.S. 115 parent, has seen the son plans took front and center this year. What the workload usually got divided along the lines lives in any field. Otherwise, when making a change in her sons. Involved in music, dance and worked today, what didn’t, and what are we of instructional and behavioral. “It wasn’t equal,” speech or doing a podcast, they’ll be able to playwriting, they are much more willing to go going to do tomorrow, said Mr. Vizcaino of their he says, “and coupling that with high turnover, say with confidence, ‘Here’s what I have, I the extra mile and take the learning to a higher new baseline. the curriculum could more easily be lost to the own it, and that’s what is,’” says the P.S. 115 level outside the classroom. Of course, when lesson plans only get their lack of continuity.” faculty member. Another P.S. 115 teacher, Pat Gill, also sees final touches on the Q-train, new teachers can Taking into account over 100 significant inci- Of course, if that speech details the proven similar stretching that exceeds the limits of a easily wilt under the demands they face as stu- dents, AMS instituted Reduced Class Staff and link between composing music notes and dif- classroom. “They become inventive problem dent teachers. You get out of work, go to school, Support, a policy that distributed the special-ed ferentiating your calculus, it would be a shame if solvers and develop a more global perspective finally get home and now you have to come up students more thinly throughout each grade, the math whizzes missed it. Using Google Docs, that leaps out and off the pages of the textbook.” with a lesson, he says. In response, AMS put while still providing the one-on-one attention that says O’Connell, is an efficient way to communi- As for comprehensive data-driven results, a veteran teacher in charge of team meetings, is needed. As a by-product, the special-ed student cate in the building without overloading limited Pinsky says that’s still in the works, but in the where lessons could be discussed and developed saw less of his peers in the classroom, and the computer resources. interim he points to the evidence that is already during the school day. Additionally, the team competition for attention among them naturally Similarly, Edline.net allows parents to stay in accessible. “There’s a ton of data out there,” leader sat in on student teacher classrooms so diminished. Resultantly, he believes this help will the loop and make sure kids keep up with a cur- he says, “and P.S. 115 is part of the collect- later meetings consisted of discourse that was translate into fewer incidents. riculum that, hopefully, stimulates them across ing process that the Department of Education appropriately relevant to coming up with plans. Ultimately, the actual results on teacher reten- their corpus callosum. “Parents can follow their is undertaking.” As for the larger grade-level meetings, AMS cut tion have obviously not revealed themselves yet, children’s progress throughout the year and keep Shifting back one last time, O’Connell takes them back to once a month. These meetings now but Mr. Vizcaino credits advice he took from abreast of events and necessary information,” both a direct approach and a delegated one in his consist less of raising problems than of bringing Cahn Fellows with giving him the ability to put she says. efforts to bring the future to Scholars’ Academy. solutions. Having the agenda laid out a week aside the old model of generating solutions and At the same time, keeping the kids creative “You don’t have to know everything, but you in advance, their Rapid Solution Response had attaining the necessary focus to implement it. helps when teachers don’t have to sacrifice their have to develop an awareness of what’s out there teachers doing just that rather than waiting to be “One can lead with no more than a questioning own imagination to the time-consuming process that focuses and empowers your staff to initiate assigned modification strategies. hand,” he relayed. of calculating grades, charts and trends. Easy implementation,” he says. On the other hand, But no matter how well teachers adapt to their Sitting today with a set of answers from those Grade Pro makes grade processing simpler with- he defers on the same autonomy to make sure new environment, they likely carry a large gap queries, Mr. Vizcaino believes teacher surveys out a hassle. he doesn’t become an island of his own author- in regard to the politics of education. “There are indicate that this September will be different, but But the most important timesaving tool and cre- ity. “You have to get out, go to meetings and numerous things they don’t understand so we not he’d rather point elsewhere for what’s in store. ativity-enhancing technology is the Smartboard, interface with other schools to learn about how only explain the things happening in the school, “With a whole lot of smiles in our building, I which Scholars’ Academy has implemented they are using different tools,” he says. And that but it helps develop a good deal of collegiality feel we are going to retain most of our teachers,” throughout the building. Teachers train in groups completed the circle of this discussion. # among staff,” he says. he concludes. # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ COLLEGES & GRADuate Schools 23

TEACHERS COLLEGE: CAHN FELLOWS PROGRAM The Habits of the Mind at PS 152 2010 Cahn Fellows By Rich Monetti Cahn Fellow Dr. Rhonda Farkas of P.S. 152 in Gettysburg Experience Brooklyn would not be the first to suggest that arriving at an answer is not as important as the questions that got you there, but it’s definitely something that can get lost in the infrastructure of any learning institution. With that in mind, READER’S DIGEST her staff begins where it ends in asking the most by David J. Kahn ([email protected]) important question of all in implementing its new initiative, Habits of the Mind. “What is next?” she says. “That’s our mantra.” ACROSS DOWN 26 “Gandhi” extras The principal’s office at P.S. 152, the School of Science and Technology, does not serve as an 1 Unimportant workers 1 New England food fishes 28 March Madness org. 5 (L-R) Dr. RhondaREADER’S Farkas DIGEST autocratic entity; decision-making comes from Get the ball rolling 2 Old Greek coin 29 Allegory inspired by the Book of shared ideas with people in mind. From this & Theresa Modica ([email protected]) 10 The Crimsonby David Tide, J.to Kahnfans by Bill Fiorelli Genesis model, leadership emerges at all levels. 3 Epic that won a Pulitzer in 1937 dinner was Professor Allen Guelzo’s presenta- 14 Instrument similar to a Defining the challenge, Habits of the Mind first they produce a tool or method to solve an exist- The 42010 Cahn’ F“ellows reported” for duty tion, 30“LincolnWhen and repeated, Leadership a— lively the Road dance to the heckelphone Melville s Omoo and others acknowledges the importance of problem-posing.ACROSS ing situation, she says.DOWN this summer526 “Gandhi to embark” extras on their mission to Emancipation35 Hot Proclamation.” Professor Guelzo, “Modeling a questioning attitude and posing Accelerating15 International the cycle, court P.S. 152site, aspires with “The” to Gettysburg,___ Pa. Tzu under (small the charge dog) of “General” an excellent speaker, framed for us in great detail 1 Unimportant workers 1 28 37 complex questions in hopes of unearthing the leave 16studentsFrom free some to let distancegoNew and England take risks.food fishes “We Krista 6Dunbar,LevyMarch directorMadness org.of the Cahn Fellows the role ofWord Lincoln’s with leadership talk or hairs in the writing of 5 Get the ball rolling 38 necessary data,” she says, “a good habit of the have 17equippedStory our about teachers2 anOld adventurerGreekwith thecoin linguistic in Program,729 BeforeandAllegory “Colonel” inspirednow Robinby the BookWalker. of After a this powerfulLike document. some humor mind is knowing how to act intelligently10 when skills and meta-cognitive maps for modeling few minutes on the bus it became apparent that The high point of our trip was reliving the The Crimson Tide, to fansarmor 3 Genesis 41 Moderately slow, to Toscanini the answer is not readily apparent.” questions that intentionallyEpic challenge that won a students’Pulitzer in 1937the three8 Deadmissing end, fellows metaphorically were not “deserters” events of July 1, 2, and 3 through visits to the bat- 14 Instrument similar to19 a In addition, P.S. 152 contends that if students intellect andSecular imagination.”4 ’ “ ” but would30 joinWhen the repeated, troop in a Gettysburg.lively dance A portion tlefield.43 TheThe oppressive silver screen July heat we experienced heckelphone Melville s Omoo and others 9 They help you drive better can make sense of their source material and then In keeping20 Poirot, up with for theone challenge themselves, of Maxwell’s35 Hot 1993 film “Gettysburg” viewed was nothing49 compared to that of the soldiers who 15 5 ___ Tzu (small dog) 10 Nonsense Mo. M.L.K. Jr. was born reinforce what they’ve just learned, theInternational effects courtteachers site,21 must withSneers “The” look bothat inward and out. “Believe during the bus ride served as an introduction marched numerous miles in full uniform, often 16 6 1137 Word with talk or hairs 50 Not widely seen will be pronounced. “They become deeper,From more some distanceyou are23 creative,Little but don’tLevy stop there. Seek out to the greatNarrative battle of set1863 in and World set the War stage I for without sufficient water. In addition to lining reflective thinkers,” she says, which17 will keep new experiences and be open to new sources of our experience.38 Like some humor up in51 troopWorld formation Wide andWeb receiving protocol: hands-on Abbr. Story about an adventurer24 Yale in student7 Before now 12 Satire about the folks of Gopher them well ahead of any curveballs that armorthe state information.” It follows then to break old habits Upon41 arrival at Gettysburg we met our guides instruction52 in shooting a cannon, we were all tests may throw at them. and create27 See a bridge 59-Down between8 Dead interests end, metaphorically that seem John ZervasPrairie,Moderately and MinnesotaSue slow, Boardman. to Toscanini Throughout given confederateShipshape soldier identities in our reen- 19 Secular 43 The second key challenge is engendering cre- unrelated.28 PlaywrightAs a result, 9 SimonFarkasThey help says, you drivethere’s better a our visit13 theyCircleThe proved silver parts screen to be most informative and actment53 ofBreather the final battle. It was unanimously ativity, imagination and innovation.20 Poirot,“Taking for onegreater chance of cross-fertilization in combin- provided insight to the three-day battle and the agreed that we all require additional fence climb- 30 “Let’s go” 1849WesternMo. M.L.K. NativeJr. was born American 54 Give off someone else’s original idea, deconstructing it, ing two or more things10 thatNonsense have not been com- individual leadership styles of the commanding ing practice. How fascinating it was to learn the 21 Sneers at 31 and then reconstructing a new idea is the basis for bined before.Colorful salamander11 officers.2250 The___Not three widelyNast principle seen Publications factors of commu- fate of57 each “So of thethere! soldiers” we portrayed. Visits to 23 Little Narrative set in World War I innovative knowledge building,” says Farkas of Finally,32 returningJazz devotees to the beginning provides the nication,2451 initiative, and empowerment proved to the Evergreen58 and National Cemeteries coupled 24 12 Satire about the folks of Gopher GiveWorld offWide Web protocol: Abbr. Comic Philips the teacher leader role. The impact on creativityYale student only 33path “to___ the Timesfuture you” (Dickens are looking novel) for as a be crucial to the battle’s outcome. In addition with tales of the citizens of Gettysburg concluded is apparent when teachers see students27 volun- professional. “Forget aboutPrairie, how muchMinnesota you know to the25 museum52YarnShipshape wenarrated viewed mostlyPhilippoteaux’s by the awesea- our visit59 toWith this 27-Across,historic shrine. change The personal for a les- See 59-Down 34 Those who change locks? tarily employing strategies that generate28 ideas for because if you believe13 youCircle know parts it, you’re not some cyclorama,53captainBreather which Marlow depicted in great detail sons we carrysawbuck from our Gettysburg experience are Playwright Simon 36 Smoking tip? a new task. Additionally, students innovate30 “ when’ ” going to grow,” she concludes.18 # Pickett’s54 charge. A highlight of the evening’s as unique as the school communities we lead. # Let s go 37 Tale inspiredWestern in part Native by the American 1755 Give off 31 Colorful salamander Lisbon earthquake22 ___ Nast Publications 157 “So 2 there! 3” 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 32 Jazz devotees 39 2007 Presidential24 Give off Medal of 58 Comic Philips READER’S33 “___ Times” (Dickens DIGEST novel)Freedom winner Harper 14 15 16 25 Yarn narrated mostly by the sea 59 With 27-Across, change for a by David 34J.Those Kahn who change([email protected])40 locks?Perfume from petals READER’S DIGEST READER’Scaptain Marlow DIGEST 17 sawbuck 18 19 David J. Kahn has been dazzling crossword36 puzzleSmoking fans with tip? his creations42 Notfor many quite years. closed Almost 150 of his puzzles have by David J. Kahn ([email protected])by David J. Kahn ([email protected]) appeared in the New York Times, with many others37 Talein the inspired Los Angeles in part Times43 by, thetheBend New 1755 York Sun and other newspapers and maga- 20 21 22 zines. His books include Baseball Crosswords, Sit & Solve Hard Crosswords and Sit & Solve Movie Crosswords. Lisbon earthquake 44 “I can’t believe1 2 it!” 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS ACROSS39DOWN2007 Presidential Medal45 Likeof Albee’sDOWN26 Alice “Gandhi” extras 26 “Gandhi” extras23 24 25 26 27 14 15 16 1 1 Freedom winner Harper46 ___-bitty Unimportant workers Unimportant1 New England workers food fishes 1 28NewMarch England Madness food fishes org. 2828March 29 Madness org. 30 31 5 540 Perfume from petals47 T-men Get the ball rolling Get2 Old the Greek ball rolling coin 2 2917OldAllegory Greek coin inspired 18by the Book of 29 Allegory inspired19 by the Book of 1042 Not quite closed 48 10 The Crimson Tide, to fans The Crimson Tide, to fans Middle of3 summer?Genesis 32Genesis 33 34 35 433 Epic that won a Pulitzer in 1937 Epic that won a Pulitzer in 1937 READER’S DIGEST 14 Instrument similar to a 14 InstrumentBend similar to a49 “Shall We Dance?20 ” actress, 21 22 4 ’ “ ” 4 30 When’ repeated,“ ” a lively dance 30 When repeated, a lively dance heckelphone 44heckelphone “MelvilleI can’t believes Omoo it!” and othersfamiliarly Melville s Omoo and others 36 by David J. Kahn37 ([email protected]) 38 39 5 35 Hot 23 24 2535 26Hot 27 15 International court site, with “The” 1545International5 Like___ Albee’sTzu (small court Alice dog)site,50 withEmulate “The” Lady___ TzuMacbeth? (small dog) 37 3740 41 42 43 16 1646From6 ___-bittyLevy some distance 52 Mexican 6snackLevyWord with talk or hairs Word with talk or hairs From some distance 28 29 ACROSS 30 DOWN31 26 “Gandhi” extras 47 55 38 38 17 Story about an adventurer in 17 Story7 T-menBefore about now an adventurer Courtin call7 afterBeforeLike deuce nowsome1 humor Like 44some humor 45 46 56 Unimportant workers 1 New England food fishes 28 March Madness org. armor 48armorMiddle of summer? Saga revolving8 4132 Moderately around slow, a birthday to Toscanini33 41 Moderately34 slow, to Toscanini35 8 Dead end, metaphorically Dead end,5 metaphoricallyGet the ball rolling 2 29 19 Secular 1949Secular “Shall We Dance?” actress,present 43 47 Old Greek coin 48 Allegory inspired49 by the Book of 9 9 43TheyThe help silver10 youThe screen drive Crimson better Tide, to fans The silver screen 20 They help you drive60 betterMusical with36 the song “Over37 the 38 3 39 Genesis 20 Poirot, for one Poirot,familiarly for one 49 49 Epic that won a Pulitzer in 1937 10 Nonsense Moon” 10 NonsenseMo. M.L.K.14 Instrument Jr. was born similar to a 50Mo. M.L.K. Jr. was born 51 30 52 53 54 21 Sneers at 2150SneersEmulate at Lady Macbeth? 4 Melville’s “Omoo” and others When repeated, a lively dance 61 5040 Not widelyheckelphone seen41 42 50 Not widely seen43 23 235211 MexicanNarrative snack set in World WarLike I Kate11 inNarrative act V set in World War I 35 Hot Little Little 15 International court site, with55 “The” 5 ___ Tzu (small dog)56 57 58 59 5512 62 All: Prefix12 51 WorldREADER’S Wide Web protocol:DIGEST Abbr. 51 World Wide Web protocol: Abbr. 24 Yale student 24 YaleCourtSatire student call about after the deuce folks of Gopher Satire44 about16 the folks of Gopher45 6 46 37 Word with talk or hairs 63 German author52 notedFrom for some his distance 52 Levy 27 See 59-Down 2756SeeSagaPrairie, 59-Down revolving Minnesota around a birthday byPrairie, DavidShipshape Minnesota J. Kahn ([email protected])60Shipshape 61 38 62 children’s books 17 Story about an adventurer in 7 Before now Like some humor 28 Playwright Simon 28 13PlaywrightpresentCircle parts Simon 13 53CircleBreather47 parts 48 53 Breather49 64 Bogus armor 63 8 64 41 Moderately slow, to Toscanini65 30 “ ’ ” 306018 “ Musical’ ” with the song “Over the 18 54 54 Dead end, metaphorically Let s go ACROSSLetWesterns go Native American65 DOWNWesternGive off19NativeSecular American 26Give “ off ” 43 Moon” U.S.A.F. N.C.O.50 51 Gandhi52 9 extrasThey help you53 drive 54 better The silver screen 31 Colorful salamander 31 22Colorful salamander 22 57___ “ Nast20 Publications” 57 “So there!” 611 Unimportant___ Nast Publications workers 1 NewSo Englandthere!Poirot, food for fishes one 28 March Madness org. 49 Mo. M.L.K. Jr. was born 32 32 JazzREADER’SLike devotees Kate in act VDIGEST 10 Nonsense Jazz devotees 245 GetGive the off ball rolling 24 5855GiveComic off 21 PhilipsSneers at 56 57 5858 59Comic Philips 33 “ ” 3362 “ All: Prefix” 2 Old Greek coin 29 Allegory11 inspired by the Book of 50 Not widely seen ___ Times (Dickens novel) by10 David___ Times J. Kahn(Dickens ([email protected]) novel) 25 23 Little 59 Narrative set in World War I 6325 TheGermanYarn Crimson narrated author Tide, mostly noted to fansforby thehis sea 593YarnWith narrated 27-Across, mostly change by the forsea a WithGenesis 27-Across, change for a 51 34 Those who change locks? 34 Those who change locks? 60 Epic that24 won a Pulitzer61 in 1937 12 Satire62 about the folks of Gopher World Wide Web protocol: Abbr. 14 Instrumentchildrencaptain’ sMarlow books similar to a captainsawbuck MarlowYale student 30sawbuck 36 Smoking tip? 36 Smoking tip? 4 Melville27’s “Omoo” and others When repeated,Prairie, a Minnesotalively dance 52 Shipshape ACROSS DOWN64 heckelphone 2663 “ ” See 59-Down64 65 37 37 Bogus Gandhi extras 35 Hot Tale inspired in part by the 1755 15TaleInternational inspired in courtpart by site, the with 1755 “The” 5 ___ Tzu28 (smallPlaywright dog) Simon 13 Circle parts 53 Breather 1 Unimportant workers 165NewU.S.A.F. England N.C.O. food fishes 28 March Madness org. Lisbon earthquake 16Lisbon1 2 earthquake 3 4 5 6 71 86 2 9 330“ 4 10’ 11”5 12 6 13 7 837 9Word with1810 talk 11or hairs 12 13 54 5 Get the ball rolling From some distance Levy Let s go Western Native American Give off 39 2007 Presidential Medal of 392 2007Old Greek Presidential coin Medal of 29 Allegory inspired by the Book of 38 10 17 Story about an adventurer in 7 Before31 nowColorful salamander Like some22 ___ humor Nast Publications 57 “So there!” TheFreedom Crimson winner Tide, to Harper fans 3 Freedom14 winner Harper 15 14 Genesis 16 15 16 Epicarmor that won a Pulitzer in 1937 32 Jazz devotees 41 Moderately slow, to Toscanini 14 Instrument similarFor to a puzzle40 answers 8VIDeadS end,IT metaphorically 24 Give off 58 Comic Philips 40 Perfume from petals 419Perfume’ from“ petals” 30 When repeated, a lively dance heckelphone Melville17Seculars Omoo and18 others 17 33 “___19 18Times” (Dickens novel)43 The silver19 screen 42 Not quite closed 42 Not quite closed 35 9 They help you drive better 25 Yarn narrated mostly by the sea 59 With 27-Across, change for a 520___Poirot, Tzu (smallfor one dog) Hot 34 Those who change locks? 15 Internationalwww court. site,E ducationwith “The” 43 Update.com/puzzle10 49 Mo. M.L.K.captain Jr. was Marlow born sawbuck 43 Bend 21Bend20 3720 Nonsense21 22 21 22 16 From some distance 6 LevySneers at Word with36 talkSmoking or hairs tip? 44 “I can’t believe it!” 44 “I can’t believe it!” 11 50 Not widely seen 17 23 Little 38 LikeNarrative some37 humor setTale in inspired World War in part I by the 1755 45Story about an adventurer in 457 Before now23 24 25 2623 27 24 25 2651 27 Like Albee’s Alice 24Like Albee’s Alice 12 Satire aboutLisbon the folks earthquake of Gopher World Wide1 Web 2 protocol: 3 4 Abbr. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 armor 8 Yale student 41 Moderately slow, to Toscanini 46 ___-bitty 46 ___-bittyDead end, metaphorically Prairie,39 Minnesota 52 Shipshape 19 Secular 2728See 29 59-Down 30 4328 29 31 2007 Presidential30 Medal of 31 47 479 The silver screen 14 15 16 T-men 28T-menThey help you drive better 13 Circle partsFreedom winner Harper 53 Breather 20 Poirot, for one Playwright Simon 49 48 Middle of summer? 4810 Middle of summer? 32 Mo. M.L.K. Jr. was born33 34 35 21 30Nonsense32 “Let’s go” 33 18 Western4034 NativePerfume American from petals35 54 Give off 49Sneers “ at ” 49 “ ” 50 17 18 19 Shall We Dance? actress, 1131NarrativeShall We set Dance? in Worldactress, War I Not widely42 seenNot quite closed 23 Little Colorful salamander 3622 ___ Nast Publications37 5738 “So there!” 39 familiarly familiarly36 37 51 World38 Wide43 Web protocol:39 Abbr. 24 Yale student 1232SatireJazz about devotees the folks of Gopher 24 Bend 58 20 21 22 50 Emulate Lady Macbeth? 50 Emulate Lady Macbeth? Give off44 “ ’ ” Comic Philips 27 33Prairie,40 “___ TimesMinnesota” (Dickens41 novel)42 5240 Shipshape 41I 43can t believe 42it! 43 52See 59-Down 52 Mexican snack 25 Yarn narrated mostly by the sea 59 With 27-Across, change for a Mexican snack 1334 53 45 Like Albee’s Alice 23 24 25 26 27 28 Playwright Simon 55 CircleThose parts who change locks? Breathercaptain Marlow sawbuck 55 Court call after deuce Court 44call after deuce 45 44 46 46 45 46 30 “Let’s go” 1836 Smoking tip? 54 ___-bitty 56 Saga revolving around a birthday 56 SagaWestern revolving Native aroundAmerican a birthday Give off 28 29 30 31 31 37 Tale inspired in part by the 1755 47 T-men Colorfulpresent salamander 22 present___ Nast47 Publications 48 57 “So47 there!49” 48 49 32 Lisbon earthquake 1 248 3Middle 4 of summer?5 6 7 8 9 32 10 11 12 13 33 34 35 60JazzMusical devotees with the song “Over the 6024 MusicalGive off with the song “Over the 58 Comic Philips 39 2007 Presidential Medal of 49 “Shall We Dance?” actress, 33 “___Moon Times” ” (Dickens novel) Moon50 ” 51 50 52 5153 54 52 53 54 25 YarnFreedom narrated winner mostly Harper by the sea 59 14With 27-Across,familiarly change for15 a 36 16 37 38 39 34 61ThoseLike who Kate change in act Vlocks? 61 Like Kate in act V 40captain55Perfume Marlow from petals 56 57 5855 59sawbuck50 Emulate Lady56 Macbeth? 57 58 59 36 62SmokingAll: Prefix tip? 62 All: Prefix 17 18 40 19 41 42 43 42 Not quite closed 52 Mexican snack 37 63TaleGerman inspired author in part noted by the for 1755 his 63 German author noted for his 60 61 62 4360Bend 61 55 Court62 call after deuce Lisbonchildren earthquake’s books 1children 2 3’s books 4 5 6 7 820 9 10 11 12 13 21 22 44 45 46 44 “I can’t believe it!” 56 Saga revolving around a birthday 39 642007Bogus Presidential Medal of 64 Bogus63 64 63 65 64 65 1445 15 2316present 24 25 26 27 47 48 49 65Freedom winner Harper 65 Like Albee’s Alice U.S.A.F. N.C.O. U.S.A.F. N.C.O. 60 “ 40 Perfume from petals 46 ___-bitty Musical with the song Over the 17 18 28 29 19Moon” 30 3150 51 52 53 54 42 Not quite closed 47 T-men 61 Like Kate in act V 43 Bend 2048 Middle of summer? 3221 22 33 3455 35 56 57 58 59 62 All: Prefix 44 “I can’t believe it!” 49 “Shall We Dance?” actress, 36 63 German37 author noted for his 38 39 45 Like Albee’s Alice familiarly23 24 25 26 27 60 61 62 50 children’s books 46 ___-bitty Emulate Lady Macbeth? 2852 29 30 40 31 64 Bogus41 42 63 43 64 65 47 T-men Mexican snack 55 65 U.S.A.F. N.C.O. 48 Middle of summer? 32 Court call after deuce33 4434 35 45 46 56 49 “Shall We Dance?” actress, Saga revolving around a birthday familiarly 36 present 37 38 47 39 48 49 60 “ 50 Emulate Lady Macbeth? Musical with the song Over the 40 Moon” 41 42 50 43 51 52 53 54 52 Mexican snack 61 Like Kate in act V 55 Court call after deuce 44 45 55 46 56 57 58 59 62 All: Prefix 56 Saga revolving around a birthday 63 present German47 author noted for his48 60 49 61 62 children’s books 60 Musical with the song “Over the 64 63 64 65 Moon” 50 Bogus 51 52 53 54 65 61 Like Kate in act V U.S.A.F. N.C.O. 55 56 57 58 59 62 All: Prefix 63 German author noted for his 60 61 62 children’s books 64 Bogus 63 64 65 65 U.S.A.F. N.C.O. 24 Mu sic, art & Dance ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010 Scott Noppe-Brandon Creates, The Muller Technique Inspires, Encourages Teachers Introduces East to West By Joan Baum, Ph.D. at Lincoln Center Jennifer Muller, the award-winning artistic director of a world-renowned dance company, The Works, has the distinction of having a sig- nature style named after her. The eponymous Muller Technique, informed by early reading in Asian philosophy, is central to her 12-member company’s mission — multidisciplinary per- formances and education programs — and it continues to influence her direction as an original choreographer. The I’s have it — Muller is inno- vative, imaginative, impassioned. The company’s studio on West 24th Street may not be large, but its accomplishments are. Just recently, Muller Technique was designated by Tanzplan Berlin as one of only seven unique con- temporary dance teaching styles in the world. To date, Muller has led workshops and performance demonstrations in over 30 states, 40 countries on four continents, and is a familiar presence on the New York dance scene. Theaters in the city where the company regularly appears include The Joyce, New Victory, City Center, Citigroup, Roundabout Theatre and Kaye Playhouse, as well Jennifer Muller Scott Noppe-Brandon as numerous community outreach venues such as botanical gardens, museums, bookstores and they leave as “better dancers,” having a stronger tourist areas. technique, more range and control, and being A poised, highly articulate woman of enthusi- more energetic, better able to visualize energy asm and focus, Muller began dancing profession- flow and its effect on body structure and align- ally at 15 with the Pearl Lang Dance Company, ment. They feel, they report, a more “intimate” then went on to become Principal Dancer with relationship with their bodies, down to the most the José Limon Company — a time coincident “miniscule” parts, and they sense that what they with her graduation from The Juilliard School. have learned and experienced could be applied to After nine years with Limon, she became asso- any dance style. ciate artistic director of the Louis Falco Dance The Scholarship/Apprentice Program is just Company for seven years and, after founding her one of several education ventures associated company in 1974, she started collaborating with with The Works. Developed primarily, though well-known artists in various disciplines (includ- not exclusively, for professionally oriented young ing opera), among them Keith Haring, Keith adults, many participants stay on for years, and Jarrett and Yoko Ono. She founded The Works 36 every member of The Works (mostly women, years ago, eager to apply and promote what she but some men) has gone through the program. felt was essential to dance that was being ignored The Works also runs “HATCH,” fall and spring or undervalued. mentoring sessions designed mainly for emerg- Typically, dancers study “vertical” technique, ing choreographers who receive audience feed- but when Muller toured the Far East with Limon back from drop-in visitors. “HATCHED,” the at the age of 18 she starting reading Asian philos- next level, similarly conceived, accommodates ophy and soon became “ravenous” to know more longer works. about ways to incorporate its concepts and lore In addition to Muller’s busy schedule, she into the discipline of dance. Specifically, Eastern superintends two arts awareness programs for philosophy applied to dance, for her, came to school children. The 18-year-old “Faces of mean “relaxing” tension in the legs for a plié, Wonder,” for grades K through 6, introduces for example, rather than sustaining that tension Bronx and Manhattan youngsters to expressive by way of muscular control. The relaxing would contemporary dance, often for the first time, come largely from visualization, an important and culminates with a full performance (lights part of Eastern philosophy that would become an and costumes) at Hostos Community College. important part of Muller Technique. In regard to The 9-year-old “Imagine That!” consists of mul- the plié, the technique asks students to imagine tiple sessions in classrooms, most recently for their legs as roots that extend to under the floor. fourth-graders (a different school each year) that This “deeper grounding” generates new energy, teaches nonverbal communication skills, encour- By Marissa Schain songs, and poems to coincide with their theme. which in turn generates “higher ups” — “polari- ages youngsters to express themselves more Vicki Angel, teaching artist and education For example, Angel provided lyrics to Mozart. ties of energy.” Energy is now concentrated in clearly through body language and the delight mentor, is spending her summer in New York “This research shows how [the teachers] can the abdomen, not the legs, and, only after, flows in exploring their imaginations. Toward the end City teaching arts-based seminars and cur- juxtapose two ideas,” she said. “We try to jux- to the extremities. of the year students take situations from their ricula to teachers from around the country. tapose the two elements, which is kind of some- Muller acknowledges that the technique after own lives and construct nonverbal movies. The Angel is educating other teachers about music thing that Bill T. Jones did,” she said. all these years is still considered “unusual” in the confidence-building effects of both arts aware- and Abraham Lincoln in ways they have never Prior to choreographing the show, Jones dis- dance world, difficult to master and taking years ness programs, Muller says, get youngsters to seen before. Her seminar is part of “Imaginative tributed questions to his cast of dancers. He to perfect, as members of her own company well believe in themselves and learn how to work with Learning: Across Lessons, Semesters, and included questions about what they thought of know. She believes, however, that the rewards others in teams. Too much instruction in schools Years,” a series of programs presented by Abraham Lincoln. He then took the text and of staying with the training are worth the effort is still rote, she observes, engendering in students the Lincoln Center Institute this summer at incorporated it into his dance pieces. personally and professionally. Those who study “ennui and distrust.” How wonderful for children the Juilliard School, which brings together Angel had Jones’ piece in mind while con- in the Scholarship/Apprentice Program say that to recognize that they each have “validity.” # hundreds of teachers of all different grades structing her curriculum, including the teaching and levels. theories of John Dewey: teaching by doing. In one classroom, six small groups of teachers “One resonant theme throughout Bill T. Jones’ vocabulary and other teaching core concepts. development for business leadership.” worked together in order to deconstruct a per- work is building up and tearing down,” which In other active classrooms, the pedagogy dis- Noppe-Brandon said he is trying to find the formance by Bill T. Jones. Then they will create Angel also incorporated into her curriculum. cussions included the term co-learning. “It’s not bridge between accountability and sustainabil- classroom lessons for their students during the “It was about building up inspiration,” she said. about only teaching but also learning together,” ity. “Constructivists say accountability has been year using tools they learn through creative and Teachers worked with music of the time Angel explained. the demise. This is what is wrong with the city artistic means. period, interviews, as well as resonant themes “These imagination conversations are tak- and school system,” he said. “We’ve been doing The Lincoln Center Institute sponsored these throughout the seminar. Angel chose some of ing off in certain states and in all different great work but it was not reaching people. Now weeklong workshops, which will conclude with Lincoln’s favorite songs for the teachers to countries,” said Scott Noppe-Brandon, director we’re starting to stay by having these imagina- the performance of Bill T. Jones’ work, called listen to as well as poetry inspired by Abraham of Lincoln Center Institute. “Businesses want tion conversations.” “Fondly Do We Hope, Fervently Do We Pray.” Lincoln. “They embody creative meaning by thinkers and doers; it can be taught and devel- One participating teacher concluded, “Ever Before attending the performance, which is making connections,” Angel said. oped in our classrooms,” he said. since you showed me that piece of information, based around Abraham Lincoln’s era, Angel The teachers also learned how to activate con- “There is plenty of room for imagination in I can’t wait to search for interesting arts-based presented the groups of teachers with images, textual information. They worked on movement education,” he continued, “It’s needed in youth things for my students.” # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ Mu sic, art & Dance 25

Lincoln Center Institute Expands Artistic Director of Mint Initiatives for Imagination, Theater Unearths Theatrical Creativity and Innovation in Schools Gems To Wide Acclaim

A teacher, Jean, and other educators take part in an arts-based seminar at the Juilliard School

By Joan Baum, Ph.D. with suspended animation in trauma patients. Jonathan Bank It was just a year ago that PBS engaged In leaving his “comfort zone” for a totally new Scott Noppe-Brandon, executive director of the field, he yielded to risk. Now, with the aid of a By Joan Baum, Ph.D. Lincoln Center Institute, in conversation about MacArthur grant, he is exploring further. Next Bank says his selections have strong plot-driven the institute’s desire to bring more imagina- year Imagination Conversations will hold a sum- The sentiment, “I haven’t heard of it, so it can’t lines and, unlike most revivals, pique audience tion, creativity and innovation into public school mit in the city, with the goal of issuing a public be good,” too often a judgment by the academic interest because no one knows how the dramas curricula and into the pedagogy of schools of policy statement. community, upsets Jonathan Bank, who says he’s will end. education. Since then, Noppe-Brandon reports Implicit in linking innovation and creativity “battling successfully” against it, and counters A writer, translator, editor, actor and articulate continuing evidence that Lincoln Center Institute with the empirical world of fact and reason is with, “Not everything that is good is known.” scholar, with a finely honed sense of irony, Bank programs are effective in enhancing the value of a desire to bridge the tension typically between Bank trusts his own judgment, however, and, to gets a bit upset also when people keep asking the arts and in generating a new appreciation of them and to recognize that the workplace needs gauge from audience and media response to the him where he finds his lost or forgotten plays. creativity in curricular content and methodology both. That means that the arts aren’t added onto forgotten or unknown works he puts on at Mint Finding a forgotten play is not the challenge, he — a move that is “essential for the future of the a curriculum, but offer imaginative modes that — not to mention Drama Desk nominations — says — it’s there on someone’s shelf, just pull it American workplace.” can be adopted by any discipline on the premise he’s been hitting the mark. Often the reason a down. Rather, the challenge is “recognizing” a Though the schools with which the institute that an entire school and all children can benefit. play has been obscure, he says, has nothing to do fine theater piece. has been partnering have basically been public These ideas, Noppe-Brandon, points out, owe with its intrinsic merit. Bank modestly explains his interest in Mint’s schools in the metropolitan area, all within a much to the work of John Dewey and to Noppe- In his 14th year at the 100-seat theater on West mission as an understanding of his own strategic 30-mile radius of each other (over 100 schools, Brandon’s own mentor and “soul mate,” Maxine 43rd Street, Bank, who has an MFA from Case limits as a director. Much of what now constitutes including 11 “focus” schools that involve the Greene, who since 1975 has been Lincoln Center Western Reserve University and directs many theater off as well as on Broadway has little to entire institution), this fall, the institute will be Institute’s “philosopher in residence.” of the plays he discovers, would seem to have do with mounting revivals of well-known plays. working with New Visions in creating 18 char- Noppe-Brandon himself underwent a trans- impeccable taste in selecting “well made plays To be effective, a director has to find an unusual ter schools in the city over the next five years. formation several years ago, if by accident. He that tell a good story.” The current production, angle to distinguish his or her work from prede- Acknowledging that charter schools do not enjoy recalls that he had never seen an arts performance Irish playwright Teresa Deevey’s (1894-1963) cessors’, a goal that often leads to gimmickry or universal support, Noppe-Brandon nonetheless until he was 16 and that his early academic inter- “Wife To James Whelan,” is, he says, particu- clever flash. This de facto requirement is neither says, “We need to be part of a discussion” with ests — entomology and horticulture, improving larly fine. He also notes this past spring’s pro- Bank’s expertise nor concern. all kinds of schools. Only then will “we be able the environment to make a better world — did duction of Jules Romain’s “Doctor Knock,” or Surprisingly, it might seem, Mint does not to push education forward.” He notes that one not include content or methodology from the “The Triumph of Medicine,” as indicative of the (yet?) attract educators or college teachers. of the institute’s more successful partnerships arts. By chance, however, he found himself in kind of unknown plays in a language other than College students would seem to be the ideal is with Scarsdale, NY, where it’s assumed that an expanded art course taught by a professor of English he’d also like to put on. audience, Bank reflects, but they don’t have the a high-level, creative curriculum already exists. theater, dance and the visual arts. Would he join The stated mission of Mint (the origin of background or experience of most of the theater- But in point of fact Scarsdale educators think that the Renaissance and Baroque Dance Co.? Could name, when the theater had another purpose, is goers who show up at Mint. Mint plays are not on the “capacity for imaginative learning” still has anything have been further from his education unknown) is to resurrect plays that have “lain on the syllabus. Schools, meanwhile, have to make a way to go. and experience? But could anything be so intui- the shelf more than 41 years”: lost or little-known plans well into the future, and Mint, which puts Also this fall, Lincoln Center Institute is broad- tively right?! Shortly after, he was asked to inter- works by known authors not readily associated on three plays a year, keeps its announcements ening its series of Imagination Conversations view for Lincoln Center Institute (funded by the with the theater — A.A. Milne, Hemingway, close to the chest. In one of his not untypical — talks with leaders from all walks of life across Carnegie Corporation in the mid 1970s), a posi- Edith Wharton, Thomas Wolfe, Harley Granville- ironic asides, Bank lets on as to why. He often the U.S., professionals who have themselves tion he has “proudly” held for the past 14 years. Barker, J.M. Barrie, Susan Glaspell, for example has to field what he calls the deadly theater- changed their thinking and work processes by But isn’t the institute’s concept just another — and also unknown works by unknown authors. lobby question, “What’s next?” If he says what opening up to imagination, creativity, and inno- way to describe thinking outside the box? No. This mission makes Mint unique. Mint “commits it is, what does that mean? No one has heard of vation. Too much talk about imagination has “We want students and teachers to think inside to bringing new vitality to worthy but neglected it. Silence. But silence not necessarily before or remained in the abstract. Noppe-Brandon would the box as well.” Lincoln Center Institute does plays” by way of excavating “buried theatrical after a performance. Bank notes that Mint offers “demystify” it, show, for example, 28-and-a-half not look to replace one concept with another, but treasures, reclaiming them for our time through “enrichment events” — explanatory talks, Q-and- practical ways imagination, creativity and inno- to value them equally. Standard assessments are research, dramaturgy, production, publication and As, whereby an invited expert will give a brief vation can be introduced, whether to students important. There are multiple layers in learning, a variety of enrichment programs.” Mint’s Web talk about the current production. The talks not K-12, dancers trying out for a Broadway show, or complexities of answers. Students should see that site also notes the company’s “keen interest in uncommonly spark interest in Mint audiences a Marine drill sergeant. Anyone can be imagina- even mistakes can teach, an idea that is known timeless but timely plays that make us feel and to come back to see the play again. At a special tive. (Why 28-and-a-half? Well, why not — it’s a as the “fail well concept.” The arts can go a long think about the moral quality of our lives and the discount, no less. # catchy phrase.) Noppe-Brandon cites the example way to ensuring that imagination, creativity and world in which we live.” The aim is “to use the Mint Theater Company is at 311 West 43rd of an oncologist, grief stricken over the loss innovation belong to the scientist and the sculp- engaging power of the theater to excite, provoke, Street. http://www.minttheater.org. Note: Tickets of his young child, who decided to experiment tor alike. # influence and inspire audiences and artist alike.” cost only $25 to all those under 30! 26 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

LAW & EDUCATION Education Update Mailing Address: Searches of Government ar dopts 695 Park Avenue, Ste. E1509 B A New York, NY 10065 Email: [email protected] Policy to www.EducationUpdate.com Employees’ Electronic Devices Tel: 212-650-3552 Fax: 212-410-0591 By Martha McCarthy, Ph.D. Help Juvenile PUBLISHERS: The United States Supreme Court recently Pola Rosen, Ed.D., Adam Sugerman, M.A. delivered a significant decision in Ontario v. Quon, holding that a public employer could read Offenders ADVISORY COUNCIL: employees’ text messages on a government- The American Bar Association recently passed Mary Brabeck, Dean, NYU Steinhardt issued pager. In this case, the city of Ontario, a resolution urging federal, state, territorial and School of Culture, Ed., and Human Dev.; Dr. Christine Cea, NYS Board of Regents; Shelia Calif. issued pagers to police officers, including local governments to limit the collateral conse- Evans-Tranumn, Assoc. Comm. of Education Quon. The contract with the provider included a quences imposed on citizens as a result of contact Emeritus, NYS; Charlotte K. Frank, Ph.D., character limit on text messages, and the city had with the juvenile justice system. Sr. VP, McGraw-Hill; Joan Freilich, Ph.D., to pay a surcharge if any employee exceeded the Americans across the country find themselves Trustee, Barnard College & College of New monthly character allowance. The city alerted being denied opportunities to progress in society Rochelle; Andrew Gardner, Technology employees that it reserved the right to monitor after they have been involved with the juve- Teacher & Advisor, The School at Columbia U.; their text messages, similar to e-mail on city nile justice system. The ABA has singled out Cynthia Greenleaf, Ph.D., Sr. Assoc., Heidrick computers, and that employees have no expec- employment and education opportunities as two & Struggles; Augusta S. Kappner, Ph.D., tation of privacy or confidentiality when using areas that have the greatest impact relative to President Emerita, Bank St. College; Harold city equipment. integrating and succeeding in society. The policy, Koplewicz, M.D., Founder & President, The Child Study Center Foundation; Ernest Logan, Quon exceeded the character limit for sev- adopted recently at the association’s Midyear Pres., CSA; Cecilia McCarton, M.D., Dir., The eral months, and he agreed to pay the extra fees Meeting in Orlando, Fla., urges lawmakers to McCarton Center; Michael Mulgrew, Pres., himself. After he continued to exceed the limit be reviewed. The Court concluded that the city’s prevent schools and employers from denying UFT; Eric Nadelstern, Deputy Chancellor for for additional months, city officials decided to actions were reasonable and did not violate the opportunities based solely on a mistake that was School Support and Instruction, NYC Dept. investigate whether the character limits should Fourth Amendment. made as a juvenile. of Education; Alfred S. Posamentier, Ph.D., be raised to avoid employees incurring expenses The Supreme Court’s holding is not surprising, The chair of the ABA’s Juvenile Justice Distinguished Lecturer, NY City College of for work-related text messages. The city thus given the circumstances of this case. However, it Committee, Lawrence Wojcik, commented on Tech. - CUNY & Prof. Emeritus & Former Dean, contacted the pager provider and obtained tran- is noteworthy that the Court declined to establish the resolution, stating, “Court-involved children CCNY - CUNY; Jerrold Ross, Dean, School of scripts of Quon’s and another employee’s text general principles governing electronic privacy face numerous obstacles imposed by law that Education, St. John’s University; David Steiner, messages for two months in which each of them issues beyond the narrow facts of this case, voic- adversely impact their attempts to successfully Ph.D., Commissioner of Education, NYS; Adam had exceeded the character limit. This revealed ing reluctance to set a precedent that might be return to their communities. In adopting this Sugerman, Publisher, Palmiche Press that most of the text messages sent and received difficult to apply. The Court recognized that rapid policy, the ABA is urging the business, education ASSOCIATE EDITORS: on Quon’s pager during work hours were not changes in the technological landscape have cre- and government sectors to refrain from placing Heather Rosen, Rob Wertheimer work-related, and some were sexually explicit. ated uncertainty in workplace norms as well as additional barriers that are not mandated by law SPECIAL EDITOR: Following an investigation by the internal affairs in the law’s treatment of such norms. Thus, the in the path of these children. The policy embraces Barbara Lowin unit, Quon was disciplined for violating the Court concluded that it would not be prudent the idea that the best way to help such children ASSISTANT EDITOR: police department’s rules. to articulate broad standards to apply to gov- is to encourage their return to the community by Daniel Lewis Quon alleged that the city’s action abridged the ernment-supplied communication devices. This offering them every opportunity to succeed.” Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unrea- decision disappointed those who were hoping the The policy is available on the ABA’s Criminal GUEST COLUMNISTS: sonable searches. The Ninth Circuit Court of Court would illuminate constitutional principles Justice Web site at http://new.abanet.org/sections/ Michael Best; Mary Brabeck, Ph.D.; Miriam Freedman, Ph.D.; Bill Fiorelli; Ellen Galinsky; Appeals agreed with Quon, but the Supreme relating to electronic privacy in the workplace. criminaljustice/Pages/default.aspx # Rachel Gellert; Matthew Goldstein, Ph.D.; Jean Court reversed, holding that the city’s review It left employers and employees in government Johnson; Lynda Katz, Ph.D.; Harold Koplewicz, of employees’ text messages on a city-issued agencies, including school districts, without clear M.D.; Kenny Lull; David Maimin; Meghan pager was constitutionally reasonable. The Court guidance regarding the law governing electronic Visit Us On The Web Marrero, Ed.D; Martha McCarthy, Ph.D.; Danielle concluded that the city had a legitimate interest expression, which means more litigation can Moss-Lee, Ed.D.; Rebecca Mushtare, M.F.A.; in assessing whether the contractual character be expected. # Alfred Posamentier, Ph.D.; Jerrold Ross, Ph.D.; limitation was too low. Moreover, all employees Martha McCarthy is Chancellor’s Professor www.EducationUpdate.com John J. Russell, Ph.D.; David Steiner, Ph.D. had been warned that their pagers were to be used and Chair of Educational Leadership & Policy SENIOR REPORTERS: for work purposes and that the transcripts could Studies at Indiana University. 2 million hits Joan Baum, Ph.D., Sybil Maimin, Martha McCarthy, Ph.D., Emily Sherwood, Ph.D., per month Lisa Winkler ill liminating orporal STAFF WRITERS: B E C on our newly Jan Aaron, McCarton Ackerman, Jacob Appel, J.D., Judith Aquino, Adam Bloch, Alberto Punishment In Schools updated and Cepeda, Dorothy Davis, Steven Frank, Gillian Granoff, Richard Kagan, Drew Kushnir, archived Web site Marylenna Mantas, Rich Monetti, Katerzyna Introduced In House Nikhamina, Yuridia Peña, Joy Resmovits, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) recently no federal ban on the use of corporal punishment Marisa Suescun introduced the Ending Corporal Punishment in against students, despite evidence that the prac- BOOK REVIEWERS: Schools Act, a bill that would eliminate the use tice injures students and hinders achievement in In This Issue Harris Healy III, Merri Rosenberg, Selene Vasquez of corporal punishment in public and private the classroom. The ACLU, along with dozens of Guest Editorial ...... 2 schools that serve students receiving federal coalition partners, sent a letter to Rep. McCarthy MEDICAL EDITOR: services. The American Civil Liberties Union voicing strong support for the bill. Letters to the Editor ...... 6 Herman Rosen, M.D. strongly supports the bill, and urges Congress to In addition to banning corporal punishment in Special Education...... 8-11 MODERN LANGUAGE EDITOR: swiftly pass the legislation. public and private schools that receive federal Colleges & Grad Schools . . .12, 13, 21 Adam Sugerman, M.A. “Children have the right to learn in a safe, sup- funds, the bill also establishes a grant program for MOVIE & THEATER REVIEWS: portive environment that allows them to reach school-wide positive behavior supports, an evi- Medical Update...... 14 Jan Aaron their full academic potential; the Ending Corporal dence-based approach to school discipline which Music, Art & Dance...... 16-17 MUSIC EDITOR: Punishment in Schools Act will help create allows schools to proactively target potentially COVER STORY ...... 18-19 the kind of classrooms they need,” said Laura problematic behavior and develop approaches Irving M. Spitz W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington that can improve school climate and academic Law and Education ...... 13 SPORTS EDITOR: Legislative Office. “The American Civil Liberties outcomes by reducing school discipline referrals. Education Update Awards. . . . 22 Richard Kagan Union has fought long and hard to make corporal “By adopting positive behavior supports and Spotlight on Schools...... 24-30 ART DIRECTOR: punishment in schools a thing of the past, and we abandoning ineffective and brutal discipline, Neil Schuldiner Careers ...... 28 urge Congress to finally put an end to this cruel schools can create environments that encourage CROSSWORD: and outdated form of punishment and swiftly act academic success rather than hinder it,” said Movies...... 31 David J. Kahn to pass this bill.” Deborah J. Vagins, ACLU Legislative Counsel. Books ...... 32-33 Corporal punishment is a legal form of dis- “It’s time that Congress step in to end this arcane INTERN: Giovanny Pinto (Hunter College ’10) cipline in 20 states, and according to U.S. and destructive practice so that our schools can Crossword...... 34 Education Update is published bimonthly by Education Department of Education data, it is dispropor- be places where students and educators interact SAT...... 35 Update, Inc. All material is copyrighted and may not be printed tionately used against African-American students in positive ways that foster students’ growth without express consent of the publisher. and students with disabilities. There is currently and dignity.” # POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: ducation pdate Education Update; 695 Park Avenue, Ste. E1509; ADVERTISE ON www.EducationUpdate.com E U New York, NY 10065-5024. is an independent Subscription: Annual $30. Choose an animated or stationary online banner ad newspaper. Copyright © 2010 Education Update Call (212) 650-3552 for rates New York City • SEP/OCT 2010  • 27

Dr. Joseph Fins: Harvard Bioscience Novel Bioreactor A Leader in Brain Research Helps Grow First Functional Lung By Joan Baum, Ph.D. Dr. Joseph J. Fins, newly elected president for Successful Transplant of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (he assumes the position in 2011), Harvard Bioscience, a global developer, he needed to regenerate the lung. We believe is in the forefront of one of the most timely manufacturer and marketer of a broad range Dr. Ott was the first doctor to achieve trans- and controversial emerging medical fields. An of specialized products used to advance life plantation of a regenerated lung and that this internationally known, award-winning scholar, science research and regenerative medicine, achievement marks a milestone in the develop- author, researcher, who is also on the board of announced recently that its Harvard Apparatus ment of the field of regenerative medicine.” many prestigious institutions, research centers / Hugo Sachs Elektronik business has collabo- Mr. Green continued, “Our Harvard and leading medical and philosophical journals, rated with Dr. Harald Ott and Massachusetts Apparatus business was founded at Harvard Dr. Fins notes that the American Society for General Hospital to design and manufacture Medical School over 100 years ago to develop Bioethics and Humanities, which was founded a novel bioreactor that was used to grow a tools to advance life science research. We are only a dozen years ago, represents a significant functional lung. The lung was subsequent- now building on our technologies in cell, tissue interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary trend in ly transplanted into a rat. The paper, titled and organ research to create new tools that will medical education. “Regeneration and orthotopic transplantation be needed by researchers and clinicians in the For him, personally — as chief of the Division of a bioartificial lung,” was published online in new field of regenerative medicine. of Medical Ethics in the Department of Public Nature Medicine. We believe these new tools will play a crucial Health and Medicine (incorporating medicine, “We congratulate Dr. Harald Ott and enabling role as regenerative medicine contin- public health and psychiatry) at Weill Cornell Massachusetts General Hospital for achieving ues to advance.” Medical College and director of medical ethics at this major advance in the field of regenera- In addition to the lung regeneration bio- New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell tive medicine,” said David Green, president of reactor, Harvard Bioscience also makes and Medical Center — the new appointment offers a Harvard Bioscience. He continued, “For nearly sells what it believes is the world’s first rich opportunity to broaden and deepen his explo- two years we have been collaborating with Dr. commercially available bioreactor for tubular ration of ethical policy issues involved especially Ott and Massachusetts General Hospital to organ regeneration that has been used for a in brain injury and disorders of consciousness develop the sophisticated and novel bioreactor human transplant of a bronchus. # cases, his specialty. It also allows him to refine his work in palliative care. The goal remains: to “improve patient care, enrich medical education stimulation” for Parkinson’s, an area of psycho- and inform health policy.” surgery that many fear could create part-human, The consolidation by the American Society part-mechanical “cyborgs.” for Bioethics and Humanities of the interests of Much of the excitement of the work Dr. Fins three existing associations (the Society for Health and his colleagues are doing centers on evaluat- and Human Values, the Society for Bioethics ing mental states. Take people who are thought Consultation, and the American Association of to be in a coma. Behavioral evidence suggests Bioethics) suggests that the 12-year-old organi- that they are in a “minimally conscious state,” zation has the potential to educate new profes- but neurological treatment might bring about a sionals on a wider number of issues and concerns response — even speech (Dr. Fins has been quot- at the juncture of biology, medicine, technology ed on such cases as recently as in a major piece and the humanities, among them abortion, organ in a February issue of The New York Times). donation, euthanasia, health care rationing and What if such patients are living in nursing homes, the allocation of scarce health care resources. “misdiagnosed,” having been declared to be in a Dedicated to promoting an exchange of ideas “vegetative” state when they’re not? Such cases and fostering professional policy development raise not only ethical issues, but are “game- and “collegiality among people engaged in all changers” for states and the country, politically of the endeavors related to clinical and academic and economically. To those who say that deep bioethics and the health-related humanities,” the brain stimulation is expensive, Dr. Fins replies society’s activities include education, research, yes, but it may well prove less expensive than and discussion among professionals (“healthy nursing home costs, emotional costs to families, dialogue”) and between them and the general and the cost of technological interventions that public. In considering bioethics and humani- don’t work. ties together, an area that has traditionally been Of course, others will and do disagree, just as associated with philosophy, Dr. Fins hopes that they do about physician-assisted suicide, but Dr. disciplines typically perceived as “dichotomous” Fins points out that patients sometimes don’t will be perceived in new, creative ways that will receive proper palliative care. He hopes that enhance policy issues while avoiding “dumbing “pluralism,” a diversity of opinion, will win over down” and “platitudes” in published research. flat-out ideological determination that denies Interdisciplinary approaches are hardly new other possibilities (as the final decision in the for Dr. Fins, who praises his own broad-based Terri Schiavo case proved, “rebuking,” finally, undergraduate liberal arts education at Wesleyan those who for seven years kept the issue going University with providing him with a strong through a hierarchy of courts). Full, informed and appreciation of the benefits of cross-disciplinary courteous debate is, Dr. Fins believes, the most pollination. The author of a forthcoming book practical as well as the most desirable direction on C.P. Snow, the father of the two cultures of bioethics and the humanities can take. # science and humanities, Dr. Fins suggests that bioethics may be “a third culture,” a bridge that would ensure the continuation of democratic society by constituting a kind of policy platform VISIT for patients’ civil rights. To participate as intel- ligent citizens, he says, we must be literate in the www.EducationUpdate.com sciences and the humanities, and bioethics could be the “vector” for “multiple” questions about how we live, how we die. Bioethics and humani- to read interviews of ties could “coalesce” a vast number of interests Medical School Deans in NYC and talents to address proposed treatments for brain disease, like, for example, “deep brain 28 BOOK REVIEWS ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SEP/OCT 2010 Learning From Grandparents: Logos Bookstore’s Recommendations By H. Harris Healy, III, Award-Winning Author Sharon President, Logos Bookstore 1575 York Avenue (Between 83rd and 84th Sts.) New York, NY 10028 Lovejoy Points a Way (212) 517-7292 Fax (212) 517-7197 www.logosbookstorenyc.com As summer winds down and many people come back to either school, college or back to the regu- The Professor’s House lar work routine, a good book to read on the go by Willa Cather from place to place is The Professor’s House by (Vintage Books, $14) Willa Cather. Focusing for most of the novel on Professor Godfrey St. Peter, his reactions to his Literary agent Richard Curtis returns to Logos daughters and their husbands, his wife and others, to lead the Sacred Texts Group in its study of Cather creates for the reader the life and thoughts the Book of Acts and the Talmud, Monday, of a university professor as he lives his life and September 13, 2010. Children’s Story Time with pursues his scholarship as well as bringing to life Lilly begins again, Monday, September 13, at 11 his family and others, like the servant, Augusta, a.m. and will continue every Monday. who cross his path. Yet there is a surprise turn September and October are the time of year for in the novel through one of Professor St. Peter’s celebration of Rosh Hashanah and Halloween. students, Tom Outland, who, though not present Come to Logos Bookstore for greeting cards, at the time of the narrative of the book, has left books and gift items for those celebrations. See the professor a memoir of his, Outland’s, time you in September. in New Mexico, living on a mesa there. Willa Cather has created a complex atmospheric novel Upcoming Events At Logos making real two very different environments and • Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 7 p.m., how this coupled with Professor St. Peter’s admi- KYTV Reading Group will discuss The ration for Tom Outland and contemplation of his, Professor’s House By Willa Cather. St. Peter’s, own childhood cause an awakening • Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7 p.m., The in the professor to new thoughts in his middle Sacred Texts Group led by literary agent Richard age and eventual resolution of his thoughts and Curtis will start its discussion of the Book of Acts feelings to his present life. and continue its discussion of The Talmud. This wonderful book will be discussed by • Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at 7 p.m., KYTV the Kill Your TV Reading Group (KYTV) on Reading Group will discuss The Island At The Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars one of whom was a botanist and educator, and Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at the store. Center Of The World by Russell Shorto. by Sharon Lovejoy to pass on to her own grandchildren (she has KYTV Reading Group will discuss The Island • Children’s Story Time led by Lilly is every (Workman Publishing, $14.95) four) and to mentors of children everywhere lore At The Center Of The World by Russell Shorto Monday at 11 a.m. starting September 13, 2010. that was imparted to her with a sense of wonder, on Wednesday, October 6, 2010. As KYTV Transit: 4, 5, 6 Subways to Lexington Ave. magic and joy. celebrates 12 years in October, we will be and 86 St., M86 Bus (86th St.), M79 Bus (79th By Joan Baum, Ph.D. All well and good, city sophisticates might learning about New Amsterdam 401 years after St.), M31 Bus (York Ave.), M15 Bus (1st and say, but what’s in it for urban kids, especially its founding. 2nd Aves.) It seems odd, maybe even unsettling, to note immigrants, and what does playing in the natural that a not-insignificant number of grandpar- world have to do with the acquisition of basic ents today never knew their own grandparents. skills — and education in general — especially Children of first- or second-generation immi- in areas where ethnic and minority populations grants, many of today’s grandparents know about predominate and children have limited exposure It takes more than an apple to reach today’s teachers. their parents’ parents only by word of mouth or to the natural world? Page 96, Sharon Lovejoy from old photos of strangers they’ve never met. says with a laugh. And there, in one of her book’s It takes... Perhaps that’s why many of today’s grandparents many boxed-up items, “The Power of the Table,” are so fiercely devoted to their grandchildren, readers learn of a study done by researchers at wanting to give them what they themselves never Harvard and Vanderbilt on why some children are had. Ironically, though, many grandparents these able to read at an early age and others fall behind. days are finding themselves in parental roles, It was found that “shared mealtimes, where actual New York Teacher doing out of necessity what they would otherwise give-and-take conversations occur,” were crucial The most widely-circulated bi-weekly have provided out of love alone. as a “strong predictor of how a child’s language Many parents today, especially single, low- skills and literacy will develop.” (The particular in the field of education in the income mothers, are overwhelmed by demands starters Lovejoy suggests are superb.) Inference? United States. NYSUTNew REPRESENTS MORE THAN 600,000 PROFESSIONALS York IN EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE Teacher of work or life’s challenges. If they are fortunate, Adults should talk to children at the dinner table grandparents live nearby and are able to assume about their day, keep a dictionary nearby and The official publication of the New Audacity parental roles, or if they don’t live nearby, are savor, with them, words as well as food. Which is York State United Teachers. to MAY 7, 2009 nonetheless willing to do what they can long- not to slight the joys of quiet: “I have learned that Lead distance to close geographical gaps by way of silence can be as deep and instructive as conver- Read by 600,000 professionals in constant assertions of affection and support. In sation,” Lovejoy writes, a valuable observation education and health care. AFT launches short, mothers and fathers, particularly in urban for today’s over-programmed, media-bombarded Innovation Fund to inspire America, rely increasingly on, or default to, youngsters, many of whom have a hard time An alert, perceptive and excellence, grandparents, particularly grandmothers, to guide learning how to evoke their own thoughts and create influential audience. change children through childhood into a world of learn- trust their imagination. Page 3 ing filled with wonder and love. Teachers know City grannies — and other adults — take heart: how important grandparents can be. It is a plea- “Bringing the Outdoors In” is an important part Union challenges sure, therefore, to recommend a new book about of the book. Children can grow plants from kitch- midyear state New York budget cuts “grandma’s bag of tricks,” a collection of 130 en leftovers, make and decorate food, and create Page 3 CHECK OUT Health officials: NYSUT’s new Take no chances Career activities that can engage young minds outdoors ethnic dinners, replete with flag decorations, with swine flu Center Page 4 How to negotiate WWW.NYSUT.ORG Page 5 a contract in a TEACHERNYSUT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 600,000 PROFESSIONALS downturn economy and in and provide the bonding so necessary for menus and definitions of ingredients. There’s IN EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE • NOVEMBER 20, 2008 Page 9 ESF professors aim for ultimate energy the generations. efficiency by 2015 nothing like food to teach about other cultures. Page 14 Union raises red flag when school district misuses stimulus Award-winning author Sharon Lovejoy’s new Many inside activities also turn on a passion chil- Page 4 paperback, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars, is a dren have for the miniature world. Lilliput rules, SETTING A delight to look at as well as read. Drawing on her Lovejoy points out, for both boys and girls — early training and college studies in art as well small villages, little constructs, insect kingdoms. NEW as on a life-long love of botany and natural sci- Lovejoy is the recipient of the Key to the City COURSE ence, Lovejoy moved, well, naturally into docent of Indianapolis and the Gold Leaf Award from the Page 10 To make your media plan the work for museums and botanical institutions. Santa Clara Department of Education for her con- Teaching apple of a teacher’s eye, call migrant children She also started a unique herb and garden shop tributions to education, and her publications have reaps rewards in California. Soon, her texts and illustrations been reprinted in English and Spanish. Her book Pages 14-16 (800) 448-4237 or 25 terrific tips were featured in books and national magazines, proves the truth of an old Chinese proverb that she for new teachers [email protected] and she found herself a frequent guest on radio quotes (two of her grandchildren are Asian): “Tell Page 23 Visiting nurses New York Teacher and television shows (a full list of publications, me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. travel a map of healing appearances and awards can be found at http:// Involve me and I’ll understand.” Schoolteachers, Page 26 800 Troy-Schenectady Road www.sharonlovejoy.com). At the heart of all she school librarians and those who home school www.nysut.org did — and still does — is a deeply touching and their kids will find in Toad Cottages & Shooting Latham, New York 12210 impassioned desire to honor her grandparents, Stars an age-appropriate treasure trove. # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ BOOK REVIEWS 29 Review of UNEQUAL FORTUNES: Camilla Trinchieri Talks Snapshots from the South Bronx About Her Latest Book and the Importance of Reading UNEQUAL FORTUNES: When Levine was a child, only 6 percent of Snapshots from the South Bronx the children in his neighborhood lived in single- by Arthur Levine and Laura Scheiber parent families. For the Dominican young men Published by Teachers College Press, New York. 2010: 170 pp. — Leonel Disla, Juan Carlos Reyes and Carlos Pilarte — whose stories contrast so sharply By Merri Rosenberg with Levine, 46 percent of the households in their South Bronx “village” were headed by Many of us (especially, I suspect, those of us single women. In Levine’s era, doctors, dentists, who grew up in the somewhat grittier neighbor- accountants and schoolteachers also lived in the hoods of New York City), are tempted to return to community, serving as unofficial mentors and our childhood homes to see what’s remained the role models. For these Dominican young men, same, what’s changed, and measure the distance their streets were absent of any role models aside we’ve traveled. from gang members or drug dealers. It’s a world Arthur Levine, former president of Teachers of no jobs, no ambitions, and no sense of a future College, did just that. Working with Laura that could in any way be different from an intoler- Scheiber, a Ph.D. student at Teachers College, the able present. Social mobility is stunted. two of them returned to Levine’s apartment build- For Leo, whose tragic story is the counterpoint ing and block in the South Bronx to understand how the neighborhood of his childhood and teen- age years enabled him to achieve his version of the American Dream — and how, in the 40 years since he lived there, it failed so miserably for the young residents liv- ing there now. When Levine grew up in the South Bronx, mostly among the offspring of other Jewish immigrants and Catholics, By Joan Baum, Ph.D. there was a clear advertising. Of her “tightwad” boss in advertis- sense that educa- “Ciao!” Camilla Trinchieri thanks readers for ing, who wouldn’t give her a raise, she remarks tion offered the best stopping by her Web site. She hopes they’re book that she was tempted to put aside the research way to escape pov- lovers. She’s not pushing, though she wouldn’t she was doing on a book loosely based on her erty and deprivation mind if there were interest in her own work. She mother’s life, and “kill” him. On paper, of course. and land squarely wants people to read more, young people in par- Sharp, direct, with a dry sense of humor, in the middle class. ticular, and especially if they think they’d like to Trinchieri does not offer up expected or anticipat- As he writes, “The be writers: “Books are precious things that enrich ed answers — about her own work, the work of few Jewish kids our lives.” Schools present too little in the way others or the writing life. Over the years she has who failed to com- of engaging reading or inspiring assignments to been writing two kinds of books: mystery novels plete high school or prompt writing. Kids are self-absorbed, so what! under the name Camilla T. Crespi and biographi- attend college were Build on that fact and get them to access their cal fiction based on family history. She describes known to everyone. emotions. Who in your family is important to “Finding Alice,” which takes place in Prague and … The parents of you, and why? “Writing is something that makes Rome, as a “love letter to the mother I never had” these children were you feel better.” She thinks Kindle will help — (her mother succumbed to mental illness during universally pitied.” “it’s a gadget.” the war). It was published earlier this year in Italy Further, he explains, Love of reading and writing should begin to fine reviews. “Despite the differ- in grammar school, if not at home. College The genres reinforce one another. “Finding ences among the is too late. Trinchieri teaches at a college in Alice” was rewarding but difficult to write. The people living on Florence that attracts American college juniors mysteries, which were a lot of fun, also engaged Creston Avenue, on their year abroad. Flaubert? Henry James? her in research and drew on her clear-eyed assess- there was at least one fundamental commonality to Levine’s, the bleak narrative of poor schooling Silence. “Surely, you’ve got to have heard of Jane ment of the field. Though she believes that the — a belief in the power of education and a com- (not helped by attending four schools in as many Austen.” One hand, only one hand, goes up. heart of a good mystery is its exploration of emo- mitment to the American Dream.” years), a lack of adult guidance and role models, She likes to read authors who write beautifully tions, she knows the industry is “market oriented” For Levine, who went on to the Bronx High and an inability to see school as anything other — who evidence good prose and psychologi- — how much money will this book make? Kids School of Science, Brandeis, and graduate school, than a boring warehouse, predictably leads to cal depth. Good books “excite” her, make her a are already tainted. She recalls speaking to a 5th- education was the foundation of his success, and what one would expect: gang involvement, dan- better writer. Trinchieri is an advocate of MFA grade class — a good idea, most kids don’t know his career. Currently president of the Woodrow gerous encounters with the police, and premature programs that turn on discussions of the craft of what writers look like — and was horrified when Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, Levine sexual relationships that trap both parties. other writers: “how did he/she pull it off?” Such one 5th-grader asked: How much money do you has also taught on the faculty of the Harvard In this South Bronx, which is isolated linguisti- programs can “open your eyes.” The drawback is make? (Her answer was that such a consideration Graduate School of Education, been president cally, racially, economically and educationally, for the novelist. Most workshops are designed for doesn’t motivate her, or most writers.) of Bradford College and a senior fellow at the Levine and Scheiber observe that “what would the short story. No program, however, can teach Mysteries have resolutions, a not-inconsequen- Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher still be missing from the boys’ lives is the belief someone how to write. And no writing confer- tial thing in our scary, ambiguous world, but Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Arthur and his friends shared that all things were ence can get you “in.” Agents are critical, and the well-written traditional mystery is hard to Advancement of Teaching. The power of edu- possible and they had in their hands the means to you might meet some at a conference, but the get published because grit and gore, sex and cation to transform people’s lives is a bedrock achieve them.” main benefit is mingling with peers. Writing is a sadism rule, not just in the print world (usually belief for Levine. Despite the mostly grim narrative that Leo’s lonely activity; it’s nice to know you’re not alone. the province of male authors) but on TV, where Unfortunately, the South Bronx “village” that story exemplifies, there are glimmers of hope. Born in Prague, the child of an Italian diplomat reality shows have set a standard for violence. nurtured Levine and his friends and propelled Both Juan Carlos and Carlos manage to find a and a Czech mother, Camilla Trinchieri, who Publishers want brutality along with something them onwards and upwards into the American way out of the South Bronx to a larger world. came to this country when she was 12, returned to topical and exotica. She’s given the protagonist middle class had vanished by the time the young The essential question for Levine and Scheiber is Italy, after having been graduated from Barnard. of her mystery series a rest now “because she men that Levine and Scheiber profile in this book how to provide similar experiences and opportu- She worked on some high-profile films as a dub- and I have settled into our new lives.” In writing emerge on the scene. What had been an aspira- nities for more youngsters to emulate Juan Carlos ber, producer and director in the Italian movie “Finding Alice,” however, she shows how new tional, working-class (or even lower-middle-class) and Carlos. industry, but she came back to the states in 1980, life grows out of reconciliation with the old. Her neighborhood in Levine’s day had become a sym- This is a compelling and worthwhile book, espe- wanting to write. She sold De Cecco pasta in personal essay on writing is well worth a visit: bol as the residence of a permanent underclass. cially for those who teach in inner-city schools. # Little Italy, did some translating, and worked in http://www. camillatrinchieri.com. # 30 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010

MOVIES Vicki Abeles: Passionate Advocate for Combating Student Stress and Transforming Our Schools

By Joan Baum, Ph.D. Los Angeles, and then, For the very reason that it can — and should — fter observing her own children strain- starting September 30, be shown in a setting where large numbers of ing over study, and hearing how some for another week in people come together, Abeles says. It matters if youngsters, so driven and pressure hundreds of theaters, students and adults see that they are not alone in cooked to achieve, made themselves schools and institu- being disturbed at and frustrated by the degree ill — one even committed suicide — corporate tions across the coun- to which academic pressure can adversely affect attorney and loving mom Vicki Abeles decided try in time for National student performance. Thus, “Race to Nowhere” she had to do something to bring more aware- Child Health Day. is not a DVD; the presence of community is ness of this “national epidemic” to the fore The goal is to bring essential. The best venues are theaters, school and, through wide discussion, generate action large groups of people auditoriums, gyms, and institutions open to at a policy level. She began from her base in together to watch the the public. California, but her efforts at reform are now film, to build a com- Though Abeles says she has always been going global in the form of an impressive edu- munity of interested interested in issues facing children, women cation documentary, which she produced and and affected students and families, “Race to Nowhere” was clearly directed. It’s called, cleverly enough, “Race and adults, and ask: motivated by concern for her own children, 13, to Nowhere.” “How do we define 11 and 8 at the time. They appear in the film The terrible irony, her research showed, was achievement? How for approximately five minutes because they that the more kids stayed up all hours doing can we make choic- inspired it. Now, three years after beginning homework and exhausting themselves with after- es that support the work on production, and with the premiere of school programs designed for resumes; the more healthy development the film having taken place last fall at the Mill they and their parents and teachers obsessed of young people? How Valley Film Festival in Marin County, Calif., over tests, and the more competitive high-stakes can we end the race calls for screening are streaming in. Nine states learning, with its inevitable concomitant — to nowhere?” How can have already had over 70 screenings, and she’s cheating — came to define school systems, the we preserve the love already received over 1,000 requests for this fall. less likely it was that many of these very same of learning kids once The inquiries come from both urban and subur- youngsters would succeed in college — and life. had, one teacher asks ban school districts, including inner-city schools. By succeed, she means being happy and creative dismayingly in the To date, 25 countries have also asked to show it. individuals, imaginative and critically intelli- film. Youngsters tend Student stress “is a global issue.” gent professionals able to work independently to say things are fine, Though Q-and-A is not a formal part of screen- and collaboratively. when in fact they’re ings, facilitators are on hand to lead discussions. 2010, Ms. Abeles notes, is the “year of the edu- not, and parents, She herself still tries to attend most events. A cation documentary,” and one of the distinguish- anxious that relaxed concise FAQ distributed at events has been aug- ing features of “Race to Nowhere,” a production homework or study mented by a 200-page facilitators’ training guide of the company she founded, Reel Link Films, standards in their chil- for use by school counselors, psychologists, is that it was made without a massive budget. dren’s schools might parents and educators. Nicely timed for the start of the school year, the mean falling behind in For information on the future of “Race to 85-minute film will be shown for one week start- the competition, may Nowhere,” go to http://www.racetonowhere.com ing September 10 at the Independent Film Center be unwilling to speak for a trailer and screening schedule. As for in New York City and at Laemmie’s Sunset 5 in up, to make the first Abeles’ own future, she says that while she is move. Abeles reports, still concentrating on “changing the mind set” however, that at a typi- of those who view school success as a “race” to cal screening, the number of parents showing up the top, she is also investigating related issues, is phenomenal. such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Laughter And Tears: ‘The Concert’ Why use film for getting out the message? promising therapies being offered to address it. # By Jan Aaron

mid the clutter of summer spe- cial effects films, director Radu Fall 2010 Mihaileanu’s “The Concert” offers the movie-goer a witty and genu- inely touching story. The film makes fun of Sundays at JASA old-style communists, Yiddish ingenuity, and the Open House Russian underworld. Sunday, September 12 Thirty years ago Andrei Filipov (Alexei 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Guskov) was the conductor of the famous John Jay College Bolshoi Orchestra, until he was dismissed for 899 Tenth Avenue (58-59 St.) refusing to fire the Jewish musicians as part of Classes September 19 – Brezhnev’s anti-Semitic degrees. (The real-life December 19 Bolshoi conductor, Evgeny Svetlanov, was forced For additional information Sundays atJASA out during the early ’60s for failing to fire Jewish and catalog, please contact Sara Tornay at (212) 273-5304 musicians in the Bolshoi orchestra.) A recovering A Program of Sunday or [email protected] alcoholic, Andrei now works in a deeply degrad- Activities for Older Adults ing job as a janitor at the Bolshoi while his wife Actress Melanie Laurent plays a violin runs a business of providing extras for the vulgar virtuoso in “The Concert.” Institute for Senior Action lavish weddings and funerals of the Russian rich Thursdays and powerful. his secret longing to see Paris, despite his con- October 7 – December 16 When he accidentally intercepts a fax inviting tinuous quoting of Party beliefs. 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. the orchestra to perform in Paris at the Theatre du Milhaileanu uses two styles to depict the East Hudson Guild Elliot Center Chatelet, he hatches a plan to fulfill his dream. and West. A fixed camera shows the French chic, 441 W. 26 St. He will unite his old musicians (now all work- but reserved; the Russians, shot mainly with a For more information or an JASA Institute for ing at menial jobs) and they’ll pretend to be the handheld camera, are animated but in outdated application, please contact famed orchestra to play Tchaikovsky’s “Concerto attire and rundown surroundings. Bola Aribidesi at (212) 273-5261 for Violin and Orchestra.” His one odd demand “The Concert” loses some of its charm with or [email protected] Senior is that the famous French violinist Anne-Marie too many subplots. But a key scene between All adults 55+ are invited to apply. Jacquet (Melanie Laurent) accompany them, for Andre and Anne-Marie hits just the right note Action mysterious reasons. and captures the difference between the long lost There is funny banter between the clashing dreams of the Eastern bloc and the freer, more Learn,ThenAct! personalities of Andre and his best friend, and flexible West. first cellist, Sacha (Dmitry Nazarov), and Ivan The film’s emotional ending is beautiful and Gavrilov (Valeri Barinov), the party official is accompanied by the Tchaikovsky concerto, responsible for their downfall. He immediately evoking both tears and laughter. So go! Enjoy! accepts the job as their fake manager because of (In Russian and French with English subtitles). # SEP/OCT 2010 ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 31 City Wrestlers Compete In Mayor’s Cup Tournament By Richard Kagan hundreds of youngsters from middle school to An outstanding citywide wrestling event took high school competing in the event. “Every kid place recently at the 369th Regiment Armory in here is a winner, every single kid, whether they Harlem. Upon entering the main floor, you could win or lose today,” said coach Eddie McColgan hear the yelps, claps, and clamor of hundreds of of the Petrides team from Staten Island. young wrestlers who were in qualifying rounds The competition on this day was to whittle of the Mayor’s Cup, an important meet for those down the large number of wrestlers vying for a interested in the sport of wrestling. This meet title match, which was scheduled to be held the had the feel of a wrestling fair, with coaches, next day. New York City wrestlers and coaches wrestlers, teams of wrestlers, and parents milling look forward to the Mayor’s Cup all season. “I about. In one corner a vendor was selling T-shirts, think this meet is doing better things every year,” and another setup had training sessions where said wrestling coach Ned Campbell of James you could improve your wrestling techniques. Madison High School. “This is a big weekend The Mayor’s Cup has become an annual intra- every year. This is a weekend my wrestlers have city event in which top wrestlers from all across to put on their calendar right away.” Campbell the city can compete against each other. The stressed that just to pick the wrestlers to come tournament is the result of the efforts of a number to the tournament is an acknowledgment. “[It] of groups who make up the growing wrestling means I think you can place in the top 8,” said community in the city. The New York City Campbell. Sports Commission, the Metropolitan Wrestling The day really belongs to the wrestlers, some Association, the Beat the Streets program, and of whom are new to the sport and are learning the Public School Athletic League are among the the ropes. One wrestler, Michael Williams of sponsoring participants. the Frederick Douglass Academy in Harlem, is What makes this event so special is to see the a middle-school student. He said a gym teacher

Ben Villaret of Monsignor Farrell High School gains the upper hand on Joe Halkius Sonia Galarza, of Townsend Harris High School in the finals of the 152-pound weight class. recently started the wrestling program at his that, after having been involved in the sport for Champion of Juvenile Justice school and that he joined this past year. He said about 50 years, was “heartwarming.” he was getting used to it and wanted to see how Beat the Streets, a nonprofit program, is mak- By Giovanny Pinto options when they leave,” said Galarza. he matched up against opponents in his 120- ing a difference in this year’s meet. Brian Griffin, Sonia Galarza is one of those people so adept Galarza has pursued and succeeded in getting pound weight class. the program’s president and executive director, and dedicated to her job that even when she isn’t the New York Knicks, the New York Red Bulls, Williams brought a 7-1 record into the meet. said his program is structured to have kids use at work her mind and heart are always nearby. the New York Giants, professional wrestlers, the “I’m hoping I’ll get first place and do my best,” wrestling as a way to go to college. “The lessons Like the time she lost her clothes at her local screenwriter for the film “Moulin Rouge,” and he said. “I think I’m ready.” you learn on the mat carry over to the classroom,” laundromat: On a trek downstairs to reclaim what the Puerto Rican Travel Theater, among others, John Welch, the president of the Metropolitan said Griffin. Beat the Streets stresses good aca- was hers among a heap of clothes, she found to come in and speak to the kids. She has also Wrestling Association, has been around the mats demics, proper health, and nutrition. “Active chil- tons of men’s white dress shirts piled in one worked with the department of education to for many years. He was a member of the 1964 dren is what we are looking for,” said Griffin. His corner, this being one of the staples of menswear bring physical education and basketball tourna- U.S. Olympic men’s wrestling team. “That’s program now reaches 150 schools and involves in her Jewish community of ments, with John Jay College to where you either win or learn a lot. I learned a over 5,000 students. Griffin said his group works Midwood. She asked the clerk partner with Olympic swimmer lot.” Welch worked on the New Jersey Executive closely with the PSAL. “We work hand in hand. what was to become of them. Jane Katz to give swimming Committee in wrestling for 12 years. He was also It’s a great partnership.” They were either to be discard- lessons, and with the Summer involved with the 1992 U.S. Olympic wrestling Michael Polo, 17, a junior at Aviation High ed or donated. She came back Youth Program to come in and team. Last year at the Mayor’s Cup, a parent School in Queens, won his match and felt pretty the following Sunday with a sign kids up so that when they came up to him and said, “This is the best thing good about the outcome. “It’s a pride and privi- truck to cart away more then are released they are enrolled my kid ever did.” He said that for him to hear lege to be at an event like this,” said Polo. # 500 clean dress shirts. for a job. And the shirts? They were Another important aspect of to be given to the people she Galarza’s work is with the fami- helps in her life’s work as lies. By getting them involved Secular Jewish Education Option By David Maimin director of programs for the they can make all the difference. performance by the City Congregation chorus of New York City Department of She holds fairs that inform them It’s an ongoing debate! Can a child be given show tunes by Jewish composers and lyricists. Juvenile Justice. She gave the Sonia Galarza about all the programs in com- a meaningful Jewish education without refer- Friday night Shabbat services also offer intel- shirts to young men going to munities that can both benefit ence to a deity? To those who know The City lectual enrichment. Coming up: “Perspectives in court. The look contributed to some kids’ favor- kids and the parents. She also encourages them Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, a vibrant, Jewish Humor and Folklore,” “The Meaning of able decisions, keeping them out of detention. to show up to the kids’ hearings, which can New York-based community of secular Jews, the Sabbath to Secular and Cultural Jews,” “Jews Galarza says this is her ultimate goal: to get the make the difference between the child being the answer is a resounding “yes.” Youngsters in and Rock and Roll,” and “The Three Moses: kids out and keep them out. “I tell these kids, ‘I held in detention or being released. Galarza’s the congregation’s biweekly Sunday KidSchool Maimonides, Mendelssohn, and Montefiore.” don’t want to see you back here, I don’t want you own family played a major role in her upbring- develop strong bonds to their heritage as they The very beautiful High Holiday Services include to graduate to Riker’s (Island), and I don’t want ing: her mother, sisters, but more importantly study its history, culture, traditions, values, and moving reflections and commentary by members to see you six feet under,’” says Galarza of her her grandmother, Arroyo Roman. Galarza grew symbols. Jewish literature, ancient and modern, as well as readings and music. message to kids. “The reality is we have lost kids. up on the Lower East Side when drugs were is examined, with critical thinking encouraged. Established almost 20 years ago, The City Kids in gangs.” rampant among people her age, and her grand- Holiday preparations, music, art, and story-telling Congregation is part of an older national and Galarza was honored for her work earlier this mother taught her right from wrong. “I was from contribute joy and fun. The City Congregation’s international movement (communities on five year as the recipient of a 2010 Sloan Public the ghetto, I hung out with those kids. I didn’t highly regarded two-year Bar/Bat Mitzvah pro- continents including ones in Israel and the for- Service Award. The award was presented by the do what they did, but we played pool, handball, gram takes young teens through a mentored, mer Soviet Union). While most members live Fund for the City of New York and recognizes we hung out. And I lost a lot of those friends to personal journey of research, learning, and self- in Manhattan and Brooklyn, others come from outstanding civil servants. drugs,” emphasized Galarza. discovery. Investigation of family history reveals throughout the metropolitan area, including New Galarza has been with the Department of Scott Trent, one of Galarza’s colleagues, Jewish roots and connections. Understanding tze- Jersey, Westchester, and Long Island. Diverse in Juvenile Justice for over 25 years. She is in believes this is part of her success. “The kids dakah (charity) helps shape personal values. Role their backgrounds, they embrace a human-cen- charge of recreation, programming, religion, resonate with her because they see she really models are identified and community service tered philosophy that celebrates Jewish culture and life transitions. Before that she was a case cares about them and she is real.” performed. In-depth research papers on Jewish- and identity as well as humanistic values. Reason manager and also worked in aftercare. She has In Galarza’s line of work, the kids she helps go related subjects are written and presented at Bar/ rather than faith is seen as the source of truth. found that the main keys to success are creative through a revolving door, one which she hopes Bat Mitzvah services. Topics have included: Critical thinking is encouraged. programming that keeps the kids engaged, and to never see them go through again. And, after Noah and the Flood Myths, Children’s Art and As a young, growing congregation, The City bringing in outside guests who come to encour- being noted in several New York City news out- Poetry at Terezin, Development of Hebrew as a Congregation relies on rented space for its pro- age the kids. She then ties in a program in the lets for the Sloan Award, someone came back. Modern Language, and New York Jewish Delis. grams. Guests are always welcome. Sunday community that the kids live in so that when they Anthony McFadden, now 40, for whom The proud Bar/Bat Mitzvah service and celebra- School and Adult Perspectives are at SAJ, 15 are released they will have something to do. For Galarza had been case manager in 1986, wrote tion is a testament to the power of a secular, West 86th St., Shabbat Services at the 14th St. example, she had someone from Bike New York, her an e-mail. “As a 16-year-old kid I never for- cultural Jewish education. Y, 344 East 14th St., and High Holidays at the an organization whose mission is to promote and got the encouraging words you told me. Although Adults also have educational opportuni- majestic Desmond Tutu Center, 180 10th Ave encourage bicycling and bicycle safety through I did not escape the system right away, I am now ties at The City Congregation. Held concur- (20th St.). Visit Fall Open Houses (15 West 86th education, public events, and collaboration with the criminal court justice coordinator for The Doe rently with children’s Sunday classes, Adult St.) Sept. 12, Sept. 26, Oct. 3 at 1:30 pm for community and government organizations, come Fund and will be graduating New York Technical Perspectives offers lectures, panels, and dis- program overview and class visitation (child- in and give a lesson on bike safety and mainte- College later this year.” cussions. Upcoming programs include “Talking care available). Learn more about Humanistic nance. Afterward, she gave the kids information Her mind always at work, Galarza has plans for About the Holocaust to Our Children,” “Jews Judaism and The City Congregation and see full on bike trails and tours around the city. “I’m McFadden to come in and speak at some of the and Journalism,” “Secular Jews and Spirituality,” calendar at www.citycongregation.org. Phone: in the business of planting seeds, to give them detention centers. # Global Hunger and Our Responsibility,” and a 212-213‑1002. # 32 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010 A Call for Alternate Paths to School of One: A More Active Teacher Certification Approach to Learning By Dr. John J. Russell In May 2008, Mark McQuillan, the Connecticut Commissioner of Education, issued a memo- Yuridia Pena Yuridia randum outlining the requirements for early childhood and elementary education certification that the State Board of Education had recently enacted. As of July 1, 2009, in order to obtain certification in either of these critical areas, teachers in Connecticut have to demonstrate their knowledge of foundations of reading develop- ment, development of reading comprehension, and reading assessment and instruction. Teachers applying for these certifications in Connecticut are now required to pass tests in each of these disciplines. In order to pass the test of reading development, teachers have to dem- onstrate their understanding of phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print and the alphabetic principle, the role of phonics in pro- moting reading development, and word analysis about language and pervasive conceptual weak- skills and strategies. For the section on develop- nesses in the very skills that are needed for direct, ment of reading comprehension, teachers must systematic, language-focused reading instruc- display their understanding of vocabulary devel- tion, such as the abilities to count phonemes opment, how to apply reading comprehension and to identify phonic relationships.” In what skills and strategies to imaginative/literary texts can only be considered an understatement, Joshi and informational/expository texts. For the test on (September, 2009) summarized his findings: “It (L-R) Joel Rose, CEO, School of One; Joel Klein, New York City Schools Chancellor; reading assessment and instruction, teachers need would seem … that we need to turn our atten- Dominick D’Angelo, Principal, I.S. 228; Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida; and to show that they understand formal and informal tion to improving teacher education and teacher methods of assessing reading development and development at the early grade levels by provid- Christian Lazado, I.S. 228 6th-grade student multiple approaches to reading instruction. ing intensive instruction on the linguistic features By Yuridia PeÑa Connecticut’s actions were newsworthy of the English language.” even though these instructional competencies Based on these studies and the poor perfor- At I.S. 228 in Brooklyn, a large classroom is were contained in the recommendations of the mance on the Connecticut certification test, it is filled with boisterous middle-schoolers, some Pena Yuridia National Reading Panel (2000) that were pub- clear pre-service teachers are not getting the con- sitting, others standing, huddled by tables and lished years earlier. The reason that the change to tent they need to be effective teachers of reading. desks, busily working in groups independently Connecticut’s certification was still noteworthy Unfortunately, that is only part of the problem. or with a tutor. This is how students participating is depressingly simple. Despite the preponder- Remarkably, Joshi and his colleagues also found in the School of One pilot program are learn- ance of scientific evidence demonstrating the that many instructors who teach reading are not ing math. effectiveness of instruction delivered by teachers themselves equipped to teach pre-service teachers This spring, the school received a special well-informed in these areas, few states have about the structure of language. In Joshi’s study visit from Jeb Bush, the former governor of made significant changes to their certification the Survey of Language Constructs Related to Florida, who was eager to see the new 21st-cen- Thomas Ingram, teacher, leads a math requirements in response to the recommendations Literacy Acquisition was administered to 78 col- tury classroom, designed by the New York City lesson to a small group of 6th-graders at of the National Reading Panel. As a result of the lege and university instructors who were respon- Department of Education, in action. “Do you like I.S. 228 in Brooklyn failure of states and schools to require teachers sible for teaching reading education classes to this more than regular school?” asked Schools to be knowledgeable of evidence-based reading prospective reading teachers. Of the instructors, Chancellor Joel Klein as he roamed around the progress. “It shows you how each kid is doing,” instruction practices, up to 40 percent of students 68 had doctoral degrees and 10 were working on room with the former governor. While some said Blair Heiser, math coach at I.S. 339 in the in the United States are struggling or failing their doctoral degrees; all had previously taught students nodded yes, others were too engaged Bronx. I.S. 339 was one of three schools chosen readers (Lyon, 1998). To the casual observer, the in elementary schools. They came from 30 dif- to answer. for the pilot program, which started in January root causes of this disastrous disconnect between ferent colleges from the southwest United States. School of One transforms the traditional teach- 2010, along with I.S. 228 and M.S. 131 in scientific knowledge and actual practice are not Their scores on the various domains tested were: ing model — one teacher instructing a group of Manhattan (which hosted the pilot in 2009 as a at all obvious, but the very troubling results are: phonology 78.97 percent, phonics 56.47 percent, students — into each student experiencing mul- summer program). Next fall these schools will be 8 million American students in grades 4 to 12 are morphology 34.36 percent, and comprehension tiple modalities, including a variation of teacher- experiencing the School of One model through- not fluent readers (U.S. Department of Education, 57.5 percent. led lessons, one-on-one tutoring, virtual tutors, out their school day. 2001), and 3,000 students drop out of high school Given this worrisome condition of traditional and independent learning. “To see kids excited is So what’s next for the School of One? Rose every day because of poor reading and writing teacher preparation programs, states are now phenomenal,” said Klein. said there is a possibility the model will be skills (Partnership for Reading, 2003). turning to alternate paths to master’s degrees The architect of this innovative model is Joel offered in other subjects in the future. “We really Inadequate certification requirements are only and certification. The New York State Board of Rose, who joined the department of education want to make sure we get math right and study part of the problem. Teacher preparation pro- Regents recently approved a pilot program that in 2006 and has been involved in education for it and make sure we get the right results; once grams simply do not sufficiently prepare new will allow alternative organizations to create their more than 14 years. “We thought the middle we feel like we have the right infrastructure and teachers. In the Journal of Learning Disabilities own master’s degree programs (New York Times, school grades were the most appropriate grades results we will begin to explore other subjects.” (2009), Louisa Moats cites research by Walsh, May 14, 2010). Organizations like Windward to begin to pilot this,” he said. The initiative Students participating in the pilot program Glaser and Dunne-Wilcox (2006) in which they School applaud this initiative. At Windward, was named one of Time magazine’s “50 Best have seen academic improvements, including found that: “Courses provided in teacher licens- we have long recognized the deficits that smart, Inventions for 2009.” those with special needs. “I think we are getting ing programs are often insufficient in content and conscientious teachers bring with them simply Technology plays an imperative role in this some of the best results from students who have design to enable the students to learn the subject because they did not receive proper training at model. Students receive “play lists” that shows IEPs, because we are individualizing instruction matter and apply it to the teaching of reading.” their colleges and universities. To address this them their lesson schedules. Students have pro- for their particular learning styles and on their Moats’ observations are confirmed by an analysis problem, Windward created the Teacher Training files set up where they and their teachers can particular level,” said Rose. of the results of the Connecticut certification test Institute (WTTI) in 1988. The WTTI is dedicated track their progress. Virtual instruction on laptops Rose hopes to add this program to about 10 in which “about one in three test-takers in teacher to providing the type of training that enables offer students math games specifically designed schools by the fall of 2011 and hopes to one day preparation programs at colleges and universi- professionals to have the expertise needed to to their level. see this initiative nationwide. “The most impor- ties across the state have failed the exam since teach children of all abilities in both mainstream While students have a fun learning experience tant thing to think about is how innovation has the state began using it last year as a licensing and remedial classrooms. It offers professional with a subject that might have been challenging become synonymous with educational improve- requirement” (The Connecticut Mirror, February development based on the most current, scien- before, teachers are then able to follow students’ ment in this city,” said Klein. # 10, 2010), and failure rates exceeded 40 percent tifically validated research in child development, at some of the state’s largest teacher prepara- learning theory and pedagogy. WTTI courses, these courses, teachers new to Windward are ers leave with the skills and competencies that tion programs. workshops and lectures translate this research typically required to work under the direct super- consistently place 90 percent of them at or above Joshi et al. writing in the Journal of Learning into practical classroom applications. In spring vision of a master teacher for two years. This their grade level peers on standardized tests. Disabilities (September, 2009) confirmed the 2007, Windward Teacher Training Institute commitment to professional development con- Connecticut has taken the first step in a long deficiencies in teacher education programs, stat- became an accredited IMSLEC training center, tinues throughout a teacher’s career at Windward overdue reform of the teacher certification pro- ing: “The National Council on Teacher Quality enabling the WTTI to offer national certification where each Friday afternoon is devoted to pro- cess; the New York State Board of Regents’ (Walsh, Glaser and Wilcox, 2006) concluded that in Multisensory Structured Language Education. fessional development. Windward’s program for recent approval of alternate paths to master’s many schools of education may not be teaching Before a teacher is given full teaching respon- professional development is consistent with the degrees is also laudable. Windward has a proven their pre-service teachers the basic knowledge sibility at Windward, the teacher must complete recommendations of the National Reading Panel program of professional development that makes required to teach literacy skills.” An earlier study courses in scientifically validated strategies for (2000) and produces results that are in stark con- it well positioned to support these much-need- (Moats and Lyon, 1996) also demonstrated that teaching reading, writing and language that are trast to national data. At Windward, students who ed changes. # teachers have “insufficiently developed concepts offered by the WTTI. In addition to completing come to the school as struggling readers and writ- Dr. John J. Russell is head of Windward School. SEP/OCT 2010 ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 33

The DEAN’S COLUMN The Play’s The Thing by Jerrold Ross, Ph.D. 2. Now using 17, the “The play’s the thing A Power Loop sum of the squares of the In which to catch the conscience of the King.” digits is: 12 + 72 =1 +49 — Hamlet By Alfred Posamentier, Ph.D. = 50. Can you imagine that a number is equal to the 3. Now using 50, the In a few short words Shakespeare captures sum of the cubes of its digits? Take the time to sum of the squares of the the power of drama over mere words. Rather explain exactly what this means. This should digits is: 52 + 02 = 25. than confrontation with the man who murdered begin to “set them up” for this most unusual 4. Now using 25, the his father, Hamlet uses the symbols of drama to phenomenon. By the way, this is true for only sum of the squares of the illustrate his emotions and conflicts. five numbers. Below are these five most unusual digits is: 22 + 52 = 4 + The implications for classrooms today, includ- numbers. 25 =29. ing those that are designed to prepare teachers, is 1 à 13 = 1 5. Now using 29, the sum of the squares of the enormous. Those who promulgate “cooperative 153 à 13 + 53 +33= 1 + 125 + 27 = 153 digits is: 22 + 92 = 85. learning” as a successful strategy to produce 370 à 33 +73 + 03= 27 + 343 + 0 = 370 6. Now using 85, the sum of the squares of the learning forget that such learning should really 371 à 33 + 73 + 13 = 27 + 343 + 1 = 371 digits is: 82 + 52 = 64 + 25 = 89. become a form of “play” — that it is this attribute 407 à 43 +03+73 = 64 + 0 +343 = 407 7. Now using 89, the sum of the squares of the which transforms learning beyond dull routine. If Students should take a moment to appreciate digits is: 82 + 92 = 64 + 81 = 145. teachers really understood cooperative learning these spectacular results and take note that these 8. Now using 145, the sum of the squares of the at its best, they would see the clear resemblance are the only such numbers for which this is true. digits is:12+42+52 = 1+16+25 = 42. of children’s responses within the group to the Taking sums of the powers of the digits of 9. Now using 42, the sum of the squares of the interaction of theatrical ensembles. The actions have already been admonished by the great a number leads to interesting results. We can digits is: 42+22 = 16 + 4 = 20. they create take the players beyond the dull practitioners of these fields that “we don’t need extend this procedure to get a lovely (and not to 10. Now using 20, the sum of the squares of the routine of factual acquisition to a truly higher more engineers, we need those who can think.” mention, surprising) technique you can use to digits is: 22+02 = 4. order of thinking and of sharing thought. They And we are at the mercy of those who have have students familiarize themselves with powers 11. Now using 4, the sum of the squares of the have at their heart the planned lesson of provid- already forgotten the pointed and poignant words of numbers and at the same time try to get to a digits is: 42=16. ing children with the opportunity to work things included in the national committee report on startling conclusion. 12. Now using 16, the sum of the squares of the out, each in his or her own style, emotionally 9/11, which referred to that event as “a failure Have them select any number and then find digits is: 12 +62 = 1 + 36 = 37. and cognitively. of imagination.” the sum of the cubes of the digits, just as we 13. Now using 37, the sum of the squares of the Moreover, play is the best way to guide chil- Need we be reminded that play as one of the did above. Of course, for any other number than digits is:32 + 72 = 9 + 49 = 58. dren to connecting their thoughts. At its best it is most important ingredients in the classroom those above, they will have reached a new num- 14. Now using 58, the sum of the squares of the the acting out of formal and informal interperson- needs to be reinforced by play in children’s the- ber. They should then repeat this process with digits is: 52 + 82 = 25 + 64 = 89. al games wherein each move creates new rela- ater, in moving to music, in physical education, each succeeding sum until they get into a “loop.” Notice that the sum, 89, that we just got in step tionships critical to thinking about relationships and in dance as it spells out a story. As just one A loop can be easily recognized. When they reach 14 is the same as in step 6, and so a repetition in every discipline and field. “Acting out,” when example, introduction to the song is best accom- a number that they already reached earlier, then will now begin after step 14. This indicates that allowed to flourish, enables children to probe plished as children come to understand, through they are in a loop. This will become clearer with we would continue in a loop. deeper meanings as another way of acquiring the the lyrics — the story — what the music itself is an example. Students may want to experiment with the skill of searching for understandings well below all about. At the height of musical performance, Let’s begin with the number 352 and find the sums of the powers of the digits of any number the surface of just mechanical problem‑solving. professional artists, too, learn this in the Master sum of the cubes of the digits. and see what interesting results it may lead to. Nothing is worse than seeing children sitting Classes of Maria Callas, illustrating the aria, and The sum of the cubes of the digits of 352 is: They should be encouraged to look for patterns together without teachers creating within them Barbara Cook, the great songs of musical theater. 33 + 53 +23 = 27 + 125 +8 =160. of loops, and perhaps determine the extent of a the excitement of such groups working at the Their message to students has been to forget Now we use this sum, 160, and repeat the loop based on the nature of the original number. transformation of facts into ideas and ideas into the mere production of sound and work toward process: In any case, this intriguing unit can be fun just tangible outcomes. telling the story — the great drama of the text. The sum of the cubes of the digits of 160 is: as it is presented here or it can be a source for Play can bring to life the drama of learning Their charge is to lead the audience to imagine 13+ 63+03 = 1 + 216 + 0 = 217. further investigation by interested students. We about different historical periods. Play can cre- the story, each in his or her own way. It is the Again repeat the process with 217: need to bring more of these “spectacular” math ate imaginative responses to mathematics, as in same as teachers must sustain the interest and The sum of the cubes of the digits of 217 is: wonders to our students! # the kindergarten activity of guessing what shape the imagination of children. Authentic play in the 23+ 13 + 73 = 8 +1 +343 = 352. Dr. Alfred Posamentier is dean of the School of or form is in a sealed box by the way it reacts regular classroom achieves its ultimate outcome Surprise! This is the same number (352) we Education and professor of mathematics educa- to being held and shaken. Play can bridge the as children are enabled to enliven their learning started with. tion at Mercy College. He is also author of over gap between cultures, societies, and languages within experiences in the free, but developmen- You might think it would have been easier to 45 Mathematics books, including: Mathematical as children explore with one another the many tally appropriate, learning environment achieved begin by taking squares. You are in for a surprise. Amazements and Surprises (Prometheus, ways they react to different stimuli. Play can by structured ways to use play. Let’s try this with the number 123. 2009) Math Wonders to Inspire Teachers and transform learning language beyond chalkboard The complexity of play in too many of today’s Beginning with 123, the sum of the squares of Students (ASCD, 2003), and The Fabulous word-recognition or repetition, or to merely the schools has moved teachers further and further the digits is: 12 + 22 +32 = 1 + 4 + 9 =14. Fibonacci Numbers (Prometheus, 2007), and dull recitation of duller stories. away from understanding its utility, and school 1. Now using 14, the sum of the squares of the member of the New York State Mathematics Perhaps most important, play can change leaders further still from being able to articulate digits is: 12 + 42 =1 +16 =17. Standards Committee. behavior and is the only way to receive and initi- how the overall education of our children is gen- ate the new child into the social group called a uinely affected by enabling our children to profit class. Games and imaginative ways to engage from freeing their minds to absorb new ideas in Prepping for the SAT: the child with the rest of the class can do more to a manner authentic to children. Play is viewed as help set the stage not just for acceptance, but for a diversion from real learning. When our educa- Practice Makes Perfect learning, than any other strategy. tional leaders wake up to the fact that children Play is the best way to free the imagination are children and need to behave as children while By Frances Kweller, J.D. helps you determine what kind of material you of the child and to keep that imagination alive learning, we will no longer need to worry about Though the SAT may seem intimidating at first, should focus your efforts on in order to minimize while he or she progresses through the grades. this nation’s educational achievement among the the test is absolutely learnable. There are thou- the amount of questions you get wrong on the In the latest education craze to focus (almost other nations of the world. # sands of students who do well enough to get into real exam. From there, students can move on to to the exclusion of everything else) on science, Dr. Jerrold Ross is Dean of The School of the school of their dreams. How do these students taking full, timed practice tests to simulate the technology, engineering and mathematics, we Education at St. John’s University. do it? It all comes down to practice. testing environment. Given the basic skills necessary for doing well Over time, smart students will build up stamina on the SAT, it is clear that early practice truly and get used to the grind of the SAT. This will does make perfect. Studies show that students lead to prolonged elite performance throughout SUBSCRIBE to

www.EducationupdatE.com Awardaward Volume XII, No. 1 • New York City • SEPTEMBER 2006 who begin studying for the SAT early are more the test. Students who practice efficiently rarely Winner FoR PaRENTS, EduCaToRS & STudENTS Back-to-School 2006 likely to get a top score. This makes sense as feel the “crash” of energy toward the middle or ducation pdate well, since the ins and outs of the SAT are rela- latter end of the exam. Take the initiative and E U tively easy to learn. It is a test designed to trick practice a little bit every day (yes, it is manage- students from start to finish. With more practice, able!). There are many ways to prepare for the kids have a greater chance at learning those little SAT, from vocabulary study to math practice. No Only $30 Per Year tricks that most students fall for year after year. matter what strategy your child employs, he or As students get more comfortable with the timing she will benefit from consistent practice. Starting and challenges of the SAT, they begin to see pat- early and building long-term familiarity with the Subscribe terns in the questions that they failed to realize at material is the secret to high scores. Research first glance. Taking untimed practice tests to learn shows this is the best way to unlock all potential Online the question types is always a good idea. Drilling and open doors to elite universities. # with various problems will teach a student to rec- Frances Kweller, J.D. is the founder of Kweller ii) ognize mistakes and correct them. Recognizing Prep Tutoring and Educational Services, Intense (part At: u.s. postage paid VooRHees , NJ p PRSRT STD. patterns in the types of mistakes you are making Prep for Intense Kids. Please visit http://www. ermit No.500 SPECIAL EDUCATION www.EducationUpdate.com/subscriptions is an essential step toward allowing yourself to KwellerPrep.com for more or e-mail info@ see what you are getting wrong and why. This KwellerPrep.com 34 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010 The New York Botanical Garden Launches Online Tool for Students Interested in Starting a School Garden? The New York Botanical Garden recently ment their visits to the Haupt Conservatory by launched a new online educational resource that exploring 64 of the plants showcased there in Join us Monday, October 11 (Columbus Day), for brings the wonder of the Botanical Garden’s more detail at home. The site is also intended to Enid A. Haupt Conservatory — the largest provide families unable to visit the conservatory info sessions on starting a garden on your school Victorian-style glasshouse in America, which with a rewarding educational experience. Plant grounds. Bring your family to enjoy The Edible Garden displays plants in diverse natural habitats from Hunters enables users to experience the diverse tropical rain forests to arid deserts — into plant life displayed in the conservatory, such exhibition, see celebrity cooking demonstrations, chat homes and classrooms around the world. Plant as: the Palms of the Americas Gallery, which Hunters is a new, Web-based tool that provides includes the largest collection of New World with Children’s Education staff, and participate in a virtual exploration of the Haupt Conservatory palms under glass; the Lowland Tropical Rain gardening workshops. and serves as a dynamic online educational Forest Gallery and the Upland Tropical Rain resource in plant science. Created with sup- Forest Gallery, which feature plant specimens port from the Verizon Foundation, this free used to treat human illnesses and illustrate the FREE for teachers, 20% discount for family members tool is now accessible for family and class- ethno-botanical study of how plants and people room learning on the Botanical Garden’s Web relate; the Deserts of the Americas and Deserts To RSVP, call 718.817.8157. site at: http://www.nybg.org/planthunters and of Africa Galleries, which house plants such as on Verizon Thinkfinity, http://www.thinkfinity. cacti, agave, boojum trees and aloes that have org, a comprehensive educational Web site that adapted to dry and challenging climates; as provides thousands of free educational resources well as plants adapted to life in the water in the for teachers, parents and students. In this United Aquatic Plants and Vines Gallery. New school catalog now available! Nations-declared “Year of Biodiversity,” Plant Plant Hunters combines digital illustrations and Hunters provides an important new resource for interactive games with expert-developed plant K-8 science education. science content as an engaging way to teach Year-round tours, programs, “The New York Botanical Garden developed users about the world’s plants. The site allows and activities for Pre-K through Plant Hunters as a way to extend the reach of its users to navigate the diverse desert and tropical Children’s Education programs and resources to galleries of the conservatory, watch videos with 8th-grade students and teachers a global audience,” said Gregory Long, presi- Botanical Garden scientists, listen to descrip- dent of The New York Botanical Garden. “This tions about each gallery in the conservatory, engaging new tool will help students and fami- discover each plant’s origin and biome, and play Learn more at nybg.org/edu lies everywhere discover the beauty and impor- seven different Plant Challenges. Children can tance of the world’s biodiversity by making the advance from a “Beginning Biologist” to a “Cool rich collections and wealth of information con- Conservationist,” and finally to a “Professional tained in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory avail- Plant Hunter” as they navigate the site. Kids can able across the country and around the world.” record their success by printing an official score- “Through the use of online technology chil- card. Both teachers and parents can integrate the dren from across the country can virtually expe- Plant Hunters site into classroom and home-based rience the wonders of The New York Botanical learning by visiting the Classroom Resources Garden,” said Verizon Foundation President page, which features downloadable classroom Patrick Gaston. “We are proud to partner with materials and activities that align with New York The MetLife Healthy Families Program is made possible through the generous support of the Botanical Garden on this valuable proj- State and National Science Standards. # . ect and add it to the ever growing number of More information about the Garden’s Children resources available on Verizon Thinkfinity.” Education programs can be found online at: Through Plant Hunters, families can supple- www.nybg.org/edu/.

ScriptwritingScriptwriting VideoVideo Production Production Slide Kits Slide Kits ScriptwritingEducationalEducational VideoMedical ProductionMedical Corporate CorporateSlide Kits Educational Medical Corporate SEP/OCT 2010 ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ Education update 35 Keeping the Fire In Children’s Eyes Burning Brightly By Ellen Galinsky understand, and to master everything. The fire in on challenges.” Years ago, as the first step in a study we were their eyes is burning brightly. All of these life skills are based, in one way or planning on children and learning, I travelled I have spent years to try to reconcile these two another, in the prefrontal cortex of the brain and around the country talking to children. I inter- images: of too many older children turned off to involve what child development researchers call viewed groups of children from the sixth through learning and of young children who can’t stop executive functions of the brain. It has become the twelfth grades, asking them about their experi- learning. My question was: “What happens to clear to me that we won’t be able to effectively ences in learning — at home, in their neighbor- that fire in children’s eyes, and what can we do to address the achievement gap in this country unless hoods, in school, in church, anywhere. Despite the rekindle that fire if it has dimmed?” we help all children gain life skills. fact that these children came from very different Almost 10 years ago, my colleagues at New What, then, can we do to keep the fire in chil- backgrounds and communities, they told me very Screen Concepts and I began interviewing and dren’s eyes burning brightly, to keep them engaged similar stories. filming more than 85 leading researchers who focus in learning? There are many ways that I detail in Most of the children described learning as “learn- on early childhood development and neuroscience, my book, “Mind in the Making,” but if I had to ing stuff,” as the acquisition of facts, figures, and and I have read more than a thousand studies. choose just one, I would wish that all of us — concepts. The learning experiences they described From my immersion in child development and teachers, principals, parents, grandparents, other were primarily imposed, and their motivation was workforce research, I could see that a primary focus family members, friends and neighbors — search primarily extrinsic rather than also being intrinsic. by the University of Indiana of more than 81,000 on educational content and information neglects for and find what really interests the children in I heard little connection to learning in the children high school students. “Learning” was far down the development of skills. I could also see that cer- our lives and to do one thing every day to promote I interviewed. Even worse, I found that there was on the list of reasons they go to school, with the tain skills have the most powerful short-term and and extend this interest, keeping them engaged in little, if any, fire in their eyes when they talked most frequently cited reasons being to get a degree, long-term effects on children’s development. This learning more about it. If we all did this, just think about learning. because it is the law, and to see friends. This lack became the focus of my inquiry: determining which of what a difference it would make! # There is no question that there are learning prob- of engagement in learning is a huge problem for skills studies have found have the most positive Ellen Galinsky is president and co-founder of the lems in this country. We are all too familiar with young people themselves, for their future employ- effects on children now and in the future. Based Families and Work Institute, and author of “Mind the problem of dropout rates, but I was seeing a dif- ers, and for our society as a whole. on empirical evidence, I identified seven skills, in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills ferent but equally disturbing kind of dropout. It is The second image I had was a very different kind which I call life skills because of their powerful Every Child Needs.” For more information about clear that children don’t have to drop out of school of image. It was an image of babies and young potential to help children thrive socially, emotion- the seven essential life skills and the national Mind to drop out of learning, which is the case for far too children. They are voracious learners, absolutely ally, and intellectually over their lives. They include in the Making initiative, please visit http://www. many of them as evidenced by a study conducted unrelenting, in their attempts to see, to touch, to such skills as “focus and self control” and “taking mindinthemaking.org.

Columbia Scholars Prep SAT* in a Day Boot Camp Feel unprepared for the SAT?

• Learn to Tackle the SAT* exam • Learn from the Best How to Ace the TEST • Intense SAT* Prep Designed Especially for the Busy Student Who Seeks a Top SAT* Course • Learn Everything You Need to Perfect Your Score • Advanced, fast paced, successful strategies • Taught by SAT* Test Experts Who Scored in the Top 1% Books and Materials and Lunch will be provided Boot Camp Dates: Sunday, October 3, just in time for the Oct 9 SAT* and Oct 13 PSAT (10 am to 6 pm) Additional Boot Camp: Sun Oct 31, in time for Nov 6, 7 (10 am to 6 pm)

All Boot Campers Can Stay for an extra 2 hours at no extra cost

Discount for Early Registration $50 off Pay by credit card or check: $349

Call (212) 650-3552

* SAT is a registered trademark of the college board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this product. Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ SEP/OCT 2010 15171 Landmark Ad v1_Layout 1 8/30/10 8:41 AM Page 1

Spend a Saturday at Landmark College. (What you learn may surprise you.)

Saturday Open Houses 2010: October 23 • November 20 2011: February 12 • March 5 April 16 • May 7 • June 18

To Learn More & Register, Contact: E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 802-387-6718 Web: www.landmark.edu

America’s leading college for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD Putney, Vermont