Geology Joe, thanks for giving us your view on the helpfulness of these programs to help both inner city youth and suburban youth as well. You see it as positive and can imagine it made a difference for many. I agree that it would be fun to follow-up on some of these people, 20 years later.
One facet of Dr. Cala's program I like is the building of a caring community for both. And it would also include 40% of teachers from Inner-City schools. All teachers will apply and will be interviewed. Their acceptance and practice of the learning principals Dr. Cala advocates here will make a great deal of difference in excitement about learning that even many suburban schools do not have.
Geology Joe, that's not only exciting, but it brings a lot of hope and will benefit all!
I really appreciate hearing from you.
One school that I went to had a program that brought inner city kids (Boston) to school with us. The Met-Kids, were bused in and out every day.
Looking back on it, I see that program as a HUGE benefit to them. I wonder now, 20 years later how much it helped and where they are today.
Bill, thanks so much for enriching this discussion. We are lighting many fires! I'm glad you're leading with the torch.
Karen, yes, Bill has modeled this school on several that were evaluated by educational experts and achieved high results. The components he sees are all that I believe in. Though the government tried to address some of these problems through "No Child Left Behind," there were too many gaps and it overly relied on testing. When teachers began "teaching to the test," learning began to take a different shape. Unfortunately for many students, it began to focus on short term memory.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Karen. The fight against poverty has so many fronts. I was inspired to see that so many bloggers provided answers in so many areas.
Jackie, how exciting that you're sharing this vision with a friend in London. Who knows, maybe we will see a similarity to a Metro School in London. Jackie, when kids get out of the inner city and actually experience something vastly different in the suburbs and it becomes part of their life since it is their new school, it changes what they think they can accomplish. Since the learning is stimulating and about them in a "humane" school, learning is so different -- especially when it's not about short term memory.
Thanks Robyn for the wonderful support for this project.
Keep the fire burning!
Bill
Robyn, thank you so much for sharing Bill Cala's work. So many do not understand the gaps in education and the foundational flaw that schools are not teaching children to think, critically reason and solve problems. The track record of schools that do it differently validates that there is a better way to equip kids for the future. I hope that Bill's vision gains the financial support needed to become a reality.
This is a wonderful post Robyn. I have sent a link to a friend in London. He and I were talking about this this morning. My experience of working with young people in schools is that - when they are challenged to work in a different way from the "short term memory" learning ( I love that description..will use it from now on)- they produce work and results that they had never imagined. The joy for me is to help them realise that and understand where that might take them.
I am inspired by Bill Cala's work and grateful to you for highlighting it.
Thanks, Ellen, I'm glad Bill is putting forth the energy it takes to move his vision to action. It's a very exciting project and brings hope for rejuvenated learning and assessment in schools. I tuned in to Bill Cala's work during my doctoral program, since his vision is very closely aligned to my own. What a privilege to see this Metro School taking shape at first stages. I hope the State Education Department approves it soon.
Robyn, the exciting part about this blog is that some of us believe, with Dr. Bill Cala, that poverty can be diminished through rejuvenated learning and assessment approaches! What an exciting movement - to think the kids who deserve it most - will meet higher motivation and achievement - because people cared and broken systems stepped aside to make way for experts who can tap the amazing talents of impoverished youth. It could turn Rochester on its head with wonder! Thanks for this update that pulls pieces of Bill vision together in ways we can see and support!
Brad, as I've visited my friends and I see how differently each of us is doing something so vastly different to fight poverty, I'm so encouraged. I so believe in Bill Cala's foundational principals for this school and his amazing ideas to de-concentate poverty so that all can benefit from cultural and intellectual riches. It's a joy to see this project launched and to support it.
If there were anything I would add to Bill's list it would be to put an artist's pencil or brush in the hand of each student, too. I'm sure that's on is mind as well.
Thanks for your heart centered in social justice - so richly expressed in your cartoon and post for Blog Action Day.
Robyn, Thank you for this very informative post on a topic I knew nothing about. This approach to education makes so much sense it deserves a chance. I hope we get that chance soon, before we reach the point of no return.
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