Pressure to Excel Can Create Too Much Tension For Teens

By Mary Niederberger, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When is enough, well, enough?

For teens in the race to try to get into the colleges of their choice, the decision can be excruciating, the process exhausting.  There’s always one more Advanced Placement course to squeeze in, one additional activity or sport to add to the list. And then there’s community service and part-time jobs to consider as well.

“I feel like I should challenge myself as much as possible,” said Marika Countouris, 17, a junior at Woodland Hills High School who is taking three advanced placement courses — English, calculus and U.S. history — and is a member of the marching band, on the swim team and has a lead in the school musical. She also takes private voice and piano lessons and sings with her church choir.

“You never know if you are looking at a college and there could be that one person they are looking at and it’s either you or them and they have that one more activity than you and they get in,” Marika said.

As high-achieving students push themselves further and further, parents, educators, counselors and physicians find themselves questioning: How much is too much?

Balance, not burnout
The issue was the topic of a panel discussion last month at Mt. Lebanon High School, which held a forum called “Striking a Balance: Helping our kids thrive, not just survive.”

The panel included professionals and students who gave their views to an audience of parents and community members.

The point of the discussion was to try to figure out the balancing act between pushing students hard enough to succeed but not so hard that they crack.

The discussion followed an airing last spring by the PTA council of the film “Race to Nowhere,” which depicts the hectic lifestyle of American teens as they strive to be the best in academics, athletics and other areas, while sometimes burning themselves out in the process.

“Do kids need to compete in a complex world, yes. But at what cost? There’s always a balance to be struck,” said Jeff Longo, student assistance program coordinator at North Allegheny Senior High School and a counselor at Outreach Teen & Family Services Inc.

Mr. Longo and other educators said that some students can easily handle multiple advanced classes and activities and athletics. But others cannot — and should not feel the pressure to do so at any cost.

Jennifer Winge, dean of admissions at The College of Wooster and a member of the Mt. Lebanon panel, said she understands the mixed messages teens are getting about college acceptance. She said while most colleges look for students who have succeeded in rigorous academic programs, they aren’t necessarily looking for a laundry list of activities.

“I ask the students what was their most meaningful activity,” Ms. Winge said. “I say tell me about your involvement with that organization.”

However, she noted that the Common Application — a college application used by more than 400 colleges, including the Ivy League and other exclusive colleges — used to have four lines for activities and now has 10 lines.
“There is pressure to fill those spaces,” she said.

Pressure points
Marika said she put the pressure on herself, starting in about eighth grade, when she decided she wanted to major in musical theater in college and wanted to get into a good school. She said her parents sometimes worry about her packed schedule, and she admits that she often feels overwhelmed but said she reminds herself that her extraordinary efforts will pay off.

Jonathan Pletcher, clinical director of adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, said students such as Marika, who are self-motivated, are an exception.

Dr. Pletcher said he sees stressed-out teens daily and he believes the root of the problem lies in the fact that teens are trying to meet expectations set by their parents, peers or society.

“My experience is it’s quite the exception that the teen is motivated themselves and it’s not some outside force,” Dr. Pletcher said. “If not parents, it’s the media, community or other teens who reinforce the message that students need to compete to be the best, not only in academics but in many other areas as well. It may be about winning the dance competition or getting onto that travel basketball team.”

At the Mt. Lebanon panel discussion, high school teachers Tom Jackson and Dan Petrich talked about pressure in the community that compels parents and their children to get involved in numerous activities and to excel in academics.

“It’s hard to live in a community and make independent decisions because you hear parents talking about how many activities their kids are involved with,” said Mr. Petrich, a father of three who lives in Mt. Lebanon.

Emma Pellicano
In addition, he said the wide array of AP classes offered at the high school prompts students to feel pressure to take all of them. “We want to offer courses that are challenging to kids, but if kids feel the obligation to take all of them, no one can sustain that,” he said.

Students on the panel said in most cases they have made the choices that have loaded their schedules and they’ve watched their peers do the same. Pressure from their parents comes into the equation when parents try to manage the students’ progress or performance in the courses and activities they’ve chosen, the students said.

“Parents need to stop freaking out all of the time about everything and save the freakouts for the big stuff,” said Emma Pellicano, a Mt. Lebanon senior, who is taking two AP courses, is a standout on the girls basketball team and plans to attend Allegheny College.

Zeke Kaplan
Emma and classmates Zeke Kaplan and Nate Bateman said one of the biggest stresses for students is the constant attention that parents pay to grades. Online programs allow instant access to grades as soon as they are posted by teachers, and parents often see their children’s grades before the students do.

Zeke, Nate and Emma said parents should not “freak out” about one bad grade but instead give their teens the chance to work their way back to a better overall grade in the course.

Mr. Jackson agreed with the students about online grade posting.

“Kids don’t have time to fix their own problems,” he said. “There’s less places for them to hide.”
The backdrop to the academic pressures are the social pressures students feel to fit in, be considered “cool” and be accepted.

Nate Bateman
Zeke, who is editor-in-chief of the high school literary magazine, said sometimes social pressure is more intense than the academic pressure and sometimes it comes more from parents than peers. He said social pressure causes students to drink or try drugs to fit into a popular crowd.

“I definitely think that if you were desperate to be cool then you could start up the party lifestyle, and I feel as though the parents are in many cases the ones partially to blame,” Zeke said.

Dr. Pletcher and Mr. Longo said they both have seen students who engage in risky behaviors with drugs and alcohol to be accepted into socially popular groups. But they’ve also seen teens who abuse drugs and alcohol to withstand the pressure of their schedules and the expectations they face.

They cited the use by teens of prescription drugs Adderall and Ritalin, which are prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but provide enhanced energy when used by those not diagnosed with the disorder. They’ve also seen teens using alcohol and marijuana as stress relievers.

“Marijuana is alive and well, I can tell you that,” Mr. Longo said.

Take time, step back
Both Mr. Longo and Dr. Pletcher said they believe teaching teens to live a balanced lifestyle will better prepare them for college and life than a hectic lifestyle packed beyond their capabilities. Both suggest parents and students take time to evaluate their schedules and to choose coursework and activities that are meaningful and challenging — but not burdensome.

“There is no manual on this. Parents need to be in tune with their kids,” Mr. Longo said. “They need to learn how to push, but not too much.”

And, they said, parents need to learn to let their children fail. Both the adults and teens on the Mt. Lebanon panel agreed.

“We don’t need to be nagged about things we know we need to do, like college applications and school projects,” Emma said. “Even if it means I have to stay up most of the night to meet a deadline. I’ve learned from that. The next morning isn’t too much fun.”

One mother who has learned to back off is Terri Kisan, a McKeesport mother of seven who, by her own admission, participated in the rat race with her three older children, ages 20, 18 and 17, by encouraging them to take numerous AP courses for which they received college credit, signing them up for competitive swim leagues from an early age through high school and getting them involved in theater arts and music activities.

But with her four younger children, ages 14. 12, 10 and 8, she’s decided to forgo organized sports, instead encouraging them to play outside with neighbors.

“I pushed to have [the older children] tested for the gifted program and I pushed the AP classes and all of the activities,” she said. “Everybody played basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring.” But she started to notice burnout in her children and in her family.

“It just became too much. We were tired. We were up late. We weren’t eating well. So we changed. It was scary at first. I worried that I was depriving them of something,” said Mrs. Kisan, who became a McKeesport Area school director in December.

“The jury is still out, but I think in the end, you get to the same place. You get to wherever you need to be, but I don’t think you have to be busy all day.”

Do You Suspect Your Child Might Have a Disability?

By Janet Mainz, Clonlara Educational Advisor

“What do I do now?” This is the question many parents and guardians ask themselves when they suspect their child has a disability. The path from identifying the signs of a potential problem, to the evaluation, and to diagnosis can be a scary and uncertain one. Parents are often unsure what to do when they suspect their child has a disability. There are resources and places parents can turn to for support and information. First, it is important to remember that you are not alone. According to Wikipedia (n.d.), of the estimated 6.5 billion people counted in the 2004 census, almost 100 million of those people are considered disabled (“Disability,” para. 56). If you suspect your child has a disability, there are several steps you can take to ensure they are properly evaluated. This article will explore two possible avenues on how to get your child assessed for disabilities. The first is the public school system or “public agency,” and the second is through a private entity.

It is important to remember that even though your child is homeschooled, they are still entitled to services, including evaluation through their public school district where your child’s private school resides. If you are considering using your local school district, you will need to contact them to request an evaluation. Generally the special education director for the school district can direct you to the appropriate professional on staff to answer your questions. According to IDEA, the Individual with Disability Education Act of 2004 (section 300.301), a parent, child, or public agency may make a request for an initial evaluation to determine if the child has a disability. The evaluation must take place within 60 days of receiving parental consent to the evaluation. The initial evaluation must include the procedures for determining if the child has a disability and the educational needs of the child (U.S. Department of Education, n.d). It is important to note that accepting the public school’s help in diagnosing your child does not mean you have to enroll your child or accept any other services from the public schools. Moreover, it is wise to copy all documentation and correspondences that occur between the public agency and yourself. The policies involved in requesting an initial evaluation varies within school districts.

Equally important, there are circumstances when a family requests an independent initial evaluation. One reason is that a family would like to remain independent from the public schools. Requesting an independent education evaluation can be obtained in two ways. First, according to IDEA (section 300.502), the parent or guardian can request the public school district to provide information about where the family can obtain an independent education evaluation. It is important to note, however, that the public agency is allowed to ask why the family would rather havean independent evaluation rather than use the public agency. The family may decline to answer, without affecting their right to receive the information from the public agency (U.S. Department of Education, n.d). The public school may or may not be required to pay for an independent education evaluation. Please reference the law for the specific circumstances when the public agency is responsible for paying for the educational evaluation. Second, a parent or guardian can circumvent the public school entirely and seek out professionals who are approved to diagnose disabilities. Depending on the reasons for concern, there are a variety of professionals a parent or guardian can turn to for an evaluation. These professionals include, but are not limited to, an audiologist, an occupational therapist, a clinical psychologist, an educational psychologist, a school psychologist, a psychiatrist, a speech-language pathologist, or a physician. Sometimes it might be necessary for the child to see more than one professional for an appropriate diagnosis.

Furthermore, the evaluation procedures will vary in length and complexity, depending on the type of concerns in question, the opinion of the evaluator, and the child’s performance in their homeschool environment or community. Also, according to greatschools.org, it is important to note that one assessment is not enough to diagnose a student with an impairment (“Special Education Evaluation: An Overview,” n.d., para.10). Multiple measures are often used to appropriately evaluate all the skills and deficits of a child. Likewise, no single measure can access the multitude of skills and deficits a child might possess. A thorough explanation of the assessments given, and why they were chosen, should be outlined to the parent or guardian. The professional shall provide a detailed report of assessment results, including the determination outcome; that is, do they meet the federal requirements for a diagnosis in an area of special education?

Also, keep in mind that whether or not you go through the public schools or seek an independent evaluation, it is important that the assessments administered seek to explain the reasons why you are referring your child in the first place. Consequently, if you suspect your child of having a hearing loss, an evaluator will most likely not administer “The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration.” Likewise, it is important to choose an evaluator qualified to diagnose children with the type of disability you believe they have. For example, a clinical psychologist can diagnose a person with attention deficit disorder, but an audiologist is often the professional to turn to if you believe your child has an auditory processing disorder, a type of learning disability. Above all, the professional you select for your evaluation should listen to your concerns and provide you with information on who would be the most qualified professional to diagnose your child.
Following the completion of the evaluation, your child will or will not be given a diagnosis. If you do not agree with the diagnosis or the lack thereof, you are free to seek additional opinions or testing, depending on the findings. Most importantly, the information obtained can be used to tailor your child’s education and can provide a clearer picture on how best to educate and serve your child’s educational, mental, physical, and emotional needs.

For many parents, finding out that their child has a disability can be devastating. The steps to diagnosis can seem daunting and confusing to many. Parents or guardians should remember that many other parents are in the same predicament, and that there are many supports and services available to walk them through this process. IDEA is the federal law protecting students with disabilities. Individual states have mandates in addition to the federal laws. Check on your state government’s website for their special education rules and regulations. A list of support agencies and a link to the IDEA legislation follow this article.

Resources
Disability. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disability
Great Schools Staff. (n.d.). Special Education Evaluation: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/legal-rights/666-special-education-evaluation-an-overview.gs?page=1
U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/
Special Education Support and Advocacy Groups:
1.) http://www.wrightslaw.com/
2.) http://www.children

What’s Happening at Clonlara School? Our Upcoming Events:

2012 Winter Writing Contest, sponsored by Clonlara School and New Point Learning Center

Writing Workshop: February 4th, 10am – 2pm at New Point Learning Center

Entry Deadline: February 17th at 5pm

Grades 7-12. Creative writing, research writing, poetry and ACT response categories.  A valuable writing workshop will be offered and prize packages for all seven categories.   For more details visit our writing contest page.

Garage Sale – sponsored by Progessive Education Consortium, hosted by Clonlara School

February 11, 2012, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Fund raising event!  Help the Progressive Education Consortium raise funds for their student members to attend a field trip together.  We are hoping that our students can attend the NCACS conference in the spring, or maybe camp together.

Open House

February 16, 2012, 6:00-7:30pm

Visit our campus to learn about how we can help your student thrive in our progressive and unique academic environment. You can tour our facility, meet with our teachers and get answers to your specific questions about your student.  We will also have visual arts on display and a dance demonstration.

“Play Again” Film Screening and Discussion – sponsored by Progressive Education Consortium, hosted by Clonlara School

March 1, 2012, 6:00-8:30pm

Join us for the PEC sponsored film screening and discussion about the film Play Again from Bullfrog Communities.  6:00 arrival and tours, movie will start promptly at 6:30.

PEC Lecture Series, “Interactive Metronome Improves Focus” – sponsored by Progressive Education Consortium, hosted by Clonlara School

March 14, 2012, 6:00-7:30pm

Join us for an Interactive Metronome presentation and free hands-on participation.  Paul Sikorski, from Michigan Peak Performance, will be here with a power point presentation, research studies, and the actual metronome.

Open House

May 8, 2012, 6:00-7:30pm

Visit our campus to learn about how we can help your student thrive in our progressive and unique academic environment. You can tour our facility, meet with our teachers and get answers to your specific questions about your student.

Community Service Enchances our Student’s Learning

Many high school programs incorporate community service projects within their curriculum.  More and more high schools are relying on these types of activities to add a hands-on look at the outside world.   Clonlara School is no different, although we have made it a requirement and started doing community service at the inception of our high school program in 1983.  Per Pat Montgomery, our founder, “It has always been a part of both the campus and the home based curriculum for older kids.”   Each high school head teacher has run the program differently.  Currently students have to meet a 45 hour, per year, requirement.  During the year we do several things as a group, and then students will supplement their hours by doing service within the community that they have arranged on their own.  So far in this school year our students have worked at Sunseed Farm, which is a local CSA farm and they have participated in Operation Good Cheer.  Independently we have students who volunteer at PetCo, a local public school library, in their places of worship, various other places and work on project right here that benefit our school.

Pictures of our students in action at Operation Good Cheer:

One parent spoke about the value of students doing community service activities versus participating in food drives or collection activities.  Not that she thought those activities didn’t have merit, but she felt that the students getting out in the community really opens their eyes to what others face, while they are living a life filled with cell phones, game consoles and rides to and from school daily.   Plus she felt the value when they are actually doing the work versus a parent buying a bag a groceries for the student to donate was of greater value.  Thankfully, this parent is very active in helping our teachers arrange different activities for our students to participate in.

Edutopia thought the question of community service being a part of high school was a valuable enough question to ask – http://www.edutopia.org/poll-schools-require-community-service.  It seems, as of this writing, that 44% of respondents (out of over 1600) felt there was value in a high school incorporating community service.  There is strong evidence that community service for students is valuable.  We see some of those benefit here in our building when our students return with smiles on their faces and pride in their steps.  They indeed do feel good about themselves and the work they have given – whether it’s from their heart or because we say they have too.  Participating in community is a learned skill, and reinforced skill.  If we teach students to do and/or reinforce what families are doing in their own way at home, then it begins to be a part of a student’s thinking.  Never being exposed the opportunity doesn’t mean students don’t want to or see the value in volunteering, it simply means they may never have been given the chance.  And obviously, the benefits are not just for the students.

For over 25 years our high school program has found success in having community service as part of our programs.  That will continue and who knows where it may lead one of our young students.

Student Responses to RSA Animate – Changing Education Paradigms

Fabulous!!!!   Most of us have probably seen this, but someone gave me the great idea of, “get your student’s response.”  So today, we showed this video to a group of about 12 high school students and asked for their response.   These students are in a small, private setting.  In a multi-age, progressive learning environment.   Every student on our campus has an individualized plan that meets their learning needs, styles and interests.  Most of the students chose to respond in short format and/or with a drawing – although that does not mean their response was any less “right” than the students who chose to turn in a written response.  So…..

Watch the video and then see what our kids think.

VIDEO:  http://comment.rsablogs.org.uk/2010/10/14/rsa-animate-changing-education-paradigms/

RESPONSES:

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Written Responses:

I believe public-school-style teaching is often difficult and sometimes impossible for someone to learn by. There is no individual attention or instructions. Kids are treated as if thousands of them can learn in the exact same way. Here at Clonlara, they understand kids all learn differently. The teachers work hard to find new ways to motivate us to learn. Here we get individual attention. We aren’t handed a text book and we don’t have boring packets of questions shoved down our throats. What we do is look at the credit we needs and choose what we want to learn in each needed subject. The school is completely our own. Personalizing schooling is key. And that’s what Clonlara does.
–Lisa

At Clonlara, we are snowflake kids

All children are not the same. Just like snowflakes, each child is different. In public school, people are treated like cattle. We all start school when we are about 5. School is where we start to “learn”, yet what we are taught in public school is how to memorize things in a book and answer questions when the “correct” answers are in the back – and DONT LOOK!!! But here at Clonlara, we are all doing something different and individual. Our classes are tailored to our learning styles. Most of us here don’t take standardized tests, but we all do projects to show how much we have learned – not just memorized.
–Bennett

These responses summarize that our students seem to feel that have a little bit more freedom here than in other environments (mostly they compared to public school).  We try to teach that with freedom there comes responsibility and accountability.  We try to teach there is consequences to your choices.

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK!!!  Either about the video or our student’s thoughts.   To see more of our student’s work visit their blog at http://clonlarathoughtz.wordpress.com/.

Clonlara School Agrees With Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds Of Minds

By Marie Schutt

An inspirational figure for many, Temple Grandin and her work have much to teach us about the true spectrum of learning ability. Listed in the TIME 2010 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Temple is an inventor, a PhD holder, a professor, a consultant, and a bestselling author. She is also an advocate for neurodiversity and for people with autism, and is herself a person with high-functioning autism. Her work with livestock animals is world-renowned, and she has won several awards and honors for her humane livestock facility designs and her insights into animal behavior.

In a TED talk from last year titled “The World Needs All Kinds Of Minds”, Dr. Grandin discusses the immense value of the ideas that can be produced by a diverse array of thinkers. She notes that the autism spectrum is “a continuum of traits”, and asks, “When does a nerd turn into Asperger, which is just mild autism?” She discusses at length the different kinds of learners, ranging from visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, “music and math minds”, and verbal minds, “who know every fact about everything”. When listening to Temple Grandin speak or when reading one of her books, one becomes increasingly aware of the wide world of possibilities beyond what we are taught is “normal”.

In a previous blog post, we discussed multiple intelligences and learning styles, which have always been an integral part of Clonlara School’s educational philosophy. Learners whose needs don’t conform to traditional public school teaching methods are at the mercy of their instructors, and Dr. Grandin is an excellent example of the kind of success that these students can enjoy if they are given the support that they need. In the video, she talks about her high school science teacher, Mr. Carlock, who gave her special challenges and motivated her to pursue her interests in science, reminding us that “you’ve got to show kids interesting stuff.” Education is not just about bringing the student to the material; it is about bringing the material to the student, engaging them and facilitating their learning.

If this sounds too idealistic or too difficult to implement, let us remind you of something. Merriam-Webster defines the word innovation as:

“1 : the introduction of something new
2 :  a new idea, method, or device”

Just think of the products, theories, technologies, and policies—the likes of which we may never have seen before—that we could have if every student were able to learn in a way that made the most sense to him or her. True innovation happens when ideas come from anywhere and everywhere. By embracing the unique talents and capabilities of each student, we embrace the potential of a whole generation of students and future contributors to society.

At Clonlara School, we consider it our goal to nurture the spark that every child is born with. We welcome learners of all abilities, needs, and backgrounds. Temple Grandin’s success and wide popularity reaffirm our belief that we can all benefit from an educational approach that brings the “interesting stuff” to each learner. In the words of Dr. Grandin: “Now, the thing is, the world is going to need all of the different kinds of minds to work together. We’ve got to work on developing all these kinds of minds.”

Alternative Education Students ARE Getting into Top Colleges

It’s college application season, and we know it is more than possible for students educated outside of the public school system to get into great colleges and it’s worth examining what’s needed to make that happen. Those of us in alternative education are a resourceful bunch, and we know that there’s more than one way to skin a cat (or produce a well-rounded student). That’s a good thing, because it will take a little savvy to navigate the college application and acceptance process.

We should first point out that colleges each have their own guidelines and policies regarding homeschool and alternative education students. For this reason, the process of putting together application materials is a little more demanding for alternatively educated students, because they don’t have the same materials provided to them that public school students do. Some universities require extra paperwork and even extra test scores or reference letters; others don’t ask for anything more than what a “traditional” student would provide. As far as the baseline requirements for acceptance go, these vary by state and by school, but generally speaking students need:

•    Three or four years of study in the core academic subjects (Math, English, Science, Social Science)
•    At least two years of a foreign language
•    Community service hours
•    Activities or extracurriculars that indicate a special interest or ability in some area

(College Guide has a very informative list of thirty colleges and their application requirements for homeschooled students.)

So how do alternative education students (particularly homeschoolers) prove that they meet their dream college’s requirements? Where public school students have transcripts generated for them by their high schools, alt. ed. students are left to their own devices to compose a comprehensive record of their accomplishments. Some homeschoolers dual-enroll with public schools and graduate with a diploma and/or a transcript from that school. Many alternative schools (like Clonlara School) provide transcripts or some other kind of academic record for their students, whether they plan to go to college or not—these kinds of records are also required to apply for many jobs and volunteer opportunities.

Each school or family takes a different approach to this task, but it is widely accepted that the transcript or academic record should be as detailed as possible. In the “Tips for Home Schooled Students” section on its website, Princeton University states that “The more you can document for us and describe what you have done during your high school years, academically and otherwise, the better.” All academic work, extracurricular activities, professional pursuits, community service, tutoring, special projects, and any other activities that have contributed to the student’s learning should be included. One homeschooling mom kept track of all of the books her children read in the course of their high school home educations.

While homeschooled and alternative education students generally don’t run into any issues writing their essays that public school students wouldn’t, there is one other aspect of the college application that can present a special challenge: the reference letter. This isn’t too troublesome for students who go to alternative schools, but it can be a little tricky for homeschoolers, since their teachers are often their parents, and a parent’s letter could seem too biased. Collegeboard.com recommends asking “at least one unrelated adult who knows you well to write a recommendation — the leader of a club you are a member of, an employer or the manager of a volunteer program.” Coaches, tutors, outside instructors, orchestra conductors: these are all great people for writing reference letters.

Though public school students receive many supports from their schools during the college application process, alternatively-educated students are fully capable of putting together remarkable applications and getting into the country’s greatest universities.

Students Find Out, Without Realizing, Math can be Fun

Math can be fun!  At least that is what many of us saw and experienced in our commons room this week.  “Math games make learning math fun.  When we are having fun, we are more open to learning.  When we are having, fun, we want to keep doing whatever we are doing,” Greg at learning-with-math-games.com has to say.

Our head math teacher, TJ, brought a hands-on activity to teach estimating.  Many times our teachers hear ‘crickets’ , that silence we are met with when a new concept is introduced.  Often we get the ‘this is dumb’ exhale when our students don’t want to engage in an activity.  But this week we saw several packages of disposable cups bring an entire math class alive.

Often there is a struggle to offer a hands-on activity that multiple skill level students can all engage in all at once.  But TJ hit a homerun when he taught estimating with disposable cups.   The class began by students suggesting the different ways they could come up with to stack the cups to estimate the teacher’s height.  Each suggestion was given a name, for example the “Sam Method” which Sam suggested.  Students were then divided into method groups and they began experimenting to find:

1) if the stacking method would even work; and

2) if their estimated guess of the number of cups was even close to the teacher’s actual height.

Visit our Flickr Account – click on Sets and then Stacking Cups

There was teamwork, laughing and math skills all being taught in a cooperative method.  Ideas were exchanged and patience was exercised.  Before long, class was over and not one complaint had been heard.

One basis for the lesson was that estimation is a real life skill that we all use.  Sometimes foundations are skipped, or not referred back to as we plough through a book.  TJ thought it was an important enough skill to devote an entire teaching hour to a group of high school students.  Scholastic supports his choice by sighting estimation as a fundamental that is necessary.

There is also merit in having a teacher just want students to have a good time while revisiting a skill that might seem pretty basic.  Educators know, parents too, that keeping kids engaged is the best way to make the lessons memorable.  How many of our students will relate their cup stacking activity in the future???

Marian makes math fun for our younger students when she invites the older students in to play math games.  Nothing engages a student more than having a buddy.  This gives our older students a chance to mentor too.

Bonding in the Rain

by Martha Rhodes

Building on the article “What Clonlara Students Learn Outside the Classroom,” let’s look at what happens when Clonlara students use the out-of-doors as a classroom………………………..

The first week of school our entire student body, and staff, attended an all school camping trip.  This year we went to Friend’s Lake in Chelsea, Michigan.  Imagine the benefit of taking 30 kids camping in the pouring rain (which it rained both days we were gone), complaining the entire time, sleeping on the floor in wood cabins, cooking over an open fire, and having no indoor plumbing.   At the time the trip was planned it sounded like a good idea – everyone but me, the principal, was to attend.  As the trip got closer the staff thought it would be good for the students to see me in a different environment than school, but I argued my son (who attends the school) wouldn’t get the full benefit from his mother being present.  To no avail…………I got out voted.

The bonding that happened in the rain really was amazing.  Being outside of the classroom really was a different experience.   I saw students who would normally not interact with each other help get a fire started, help each other cook dinner, and try things to keep themselves busy in the rain that some may not have attempted in another situation.  Everyone laughed, including me.   I saw students having great conversations with each other and with the staff.   And I got to see my staff in a totally different light.   I’m not sure any of us learned much about the ABCs and we didn’t take any academic books, but we learned how to get along, we learned about each other, we learned how to be a little more tolerant, we learned a few new things, and we learned that we could ‘do it.’

I really do have the most amazing staff and students in Ann Arbor!!!  I have a new appreciation for the staff and how they do their jobs – a whole new perspective and respect.

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As it turned out, there wasn’t enough room for me to spend the night (plus I had to go home to let the dog out) but I returned early the next morning with coffee for the staff and all was forgiven.   Going into the trip I kept thinking of ways to get out of it, but afterwards I’m really glad that my staff insisted.  It was truly an eye opening experience.  Wonder where we will go next year????

What’s Happening At Clonlara School? Our Upcoming Events:

Family Math Night, September 27 6-8pm

Co-sponsored by Mathnasium here in Ann Arbor, our Family Math Night event is all about exploring math in ways that are fun and rewarding, and it’s open to the public. At our campus from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, games and activities that test kids’ logic and math skills will be available for ages K-8^th grade. Children can learn to balance risk and reward in the game “Playing the Odds”, work on their multiplication skills at our multiplication game table, and test out their logical thinking with the game “Nine Squares”, which requires them to strategically fit nine numbers within nine squares. Want to encourage a love of math and learning in your student? Join us at Family Math Night!

 

“Is The Writing On The Chalkboard? Does Your Child Need An Academic Change?”, October 11, 6pm-7:30pm

Is your student already frustrated, distracted, or struggling at school? School doesn’t have to be difficult or frustrating—in fact, it should never be! Come learn about your many options at our school-wide open house on Tuesday, October 11^th at 6:00pm to 7:30pm, where Clonlara advisors and enrollment specialists for both the Campus and the Home-based programs will be available. The event will be an open forum with access to all of our K-12 Campus teachers, and is all about exploration. Clonlara School’s programs have a place for every kind of student—whether you’re interested in full campus enrollment, full home enrollment, blended scheduling, dual enrollment between our home and campus programs, or dual enrollment with another public or private school, we have something for your learner, no matter how old he or she is.

We want everyone to know that no matter where you are in your education, if you are struggling, there are options—many of them. If your current educational choice isn’t the right fit for your student, come see what Clonlara has to offer. Our students’ curricula are completely tailored to their individual strengths and interests, and our educational programs are designed to give students and their families control. Even though school has already started, it’s not too late to come see what Clonlara is all about and to learn how we can help turn things around.

 

Pint Size Heroes Blood Drive, October 14, 1:00pm-6:45pm

On Friday, 10/14, we invite the community at large, and our parents, to join our students in the Pint Size Heroes blood drive as volunteers and, for those eligible, as donors. Individuals who are 16 years old may donate blood with a signed consent form, which can be obtained from our Campus Administrator, Martha Rhodes. Students who are older than seventeen are able to donate without parental consent, but should still discuss this with their parents. We have sent home the parent letters for the event in the past two weeks’ newsletters. Parents, friends and community members can sign up for their donation appointment at www.redcrossblood.org using the sponsor ‘clonlara’. We highly encourage everyone, mostly parents, to donate because we need 31 donations in order for each of our Campus students to be named Pint Sized Heroes.

This event will provide not only the opportunity to help save a life, but also an opportunity to learn about an important medical service. Students will learn about the many benefits of giving blood at an assembly given by the Red Cross beforehand: they will learn about blood and how it is used as a medicine, how blood is given and received, and what American Red Cross Blood Services does. To learn more about this community service project, take a look at their website.