Friday, June 25, 2010
Community and Curriculum
I have noticed throughout all the reading that one of the suggestions is to incorporate the community in many aspects of the middle school. There are always complaints of people who do not have children attending public school that they are paying too much for sub par results. We all feel burden by the testing that must be completed and when it the results are not satisfactory it is even more of an importance. How can we involve communities more with what we have in our curriculum? Service learning projects to help the community are an obvious answer but has anyone invited the community into your school to see what transpires over the course of a day? My elementary school use to do a "Tax Payer Appreciation Day" in April every year. We invited every resident of the town and showcased some top work from each grade as well as provided snacks and a tour. It normally was a big success, but because of testing obligations and financial restraints I think they have stopped.
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Excellent point. Only 18% of communities (taxpayers!) have a direct contact with schools by having kids attending. That leaves a huge number of people getting information (or misinformation) about the school from secondary sources.
ReplyDeleteSome middle schools make a clear effort to invite the public into the school all year long for events and activities...just as a way to keep the lines of communication open.
I bet there are some senior citizens who would love to exercise with all of you several mornings a week...or be able to come into the school to walk the stairs or hallways for exercise...or even tutor some students. Or be invited to basketball games, concerts, plays, etc.
Lots of ways to get the public into our schools so they can see the good work you are doing.