نگاهی به مدلرس فضا باز -open space schools--- لبوالفضل بختیاری
نگاهی به مدارس فضا باز -open space schools
http://www.jstor.org/pss/2112093
http://www.ci.frostburg.md.us/bespta.htm
http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/36/c0/9f.pdf
Open-Space Schools
are in Style for Parent Volunteers
BEALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
THE BEALL-A-BRATION
Celebrating greater parental involvement in our schools
Guest Reader Program Now Parent Run
By Dana Severance
Think back, if you will, to your days in grammar school. It's the end of the school day, and you are beginning to get restless. "Attention, class", says the teacher. "Today, we have a very special guest who has come to spend some time with us, and this very special person has brought along some favorite books to share". The students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades at Beall Elementary hear those words every week, thanks to the Guest Reader Program, and the very special person could be you.
The Guest Reader Program is an opportunity for parents and other family members to spend a few minutes reading to the students in their child's class. One day a week in each of the grades, one Guest Reader comes to the classroom from about 2:45 PM until about 3:05 PM to read one or two books to the combined classes for the grade.
The program was developed and coordinated for a number of years by Mrs. Marsha Miller, Title I Reading Specialist at the time. This year, in the absence of Title I funding, the program is being coordinated on a volunteer basis by Patrice Deprey. Ms. Deprey believes that the program is an ideal opportunity for parents to send a signal to their child that they value education. The child gets the message that parents want to be involved in what goes on in the classroom. Studies show that kids whose parents are involved in school do better academically, and this is one way for parents to send a positive message about school to their kids. The children whose parents come in as Guest Readers also get the thrill of presenting their parent with a certificate of thanks and a gift certificate to Denny's Restaurant.
The feedback that Ms. Deprey has received from parents who took part in the program in the Fall has been very positive. Parents find it nice to see all of the children from their child's grade, and they get a small taste of what it is like to be a teacher. The support and welcome that the parents receive from the teachers is also wonderful. Some parents worry about how to pick the books that they will read; Ms. Deprey points out that the teacher and Mrs. Jill Bell, Media Center Director , are happy to help select books. Ms. Deprey adds that the greatest success comes when the Guest Reader reads a couple of books along a common theme. Parents coming in February and March have the opportunity to select books that reflect Black History Month or Women's History Month, for example.
So far, Ms. Deprey has had no trouble filling the weekly time slots for each grade, but indicates that there are plenty of slots open in the coming months; parents who were Guest Readers in the Fall can also sign up for a slot in the Spring. Any family members who would like to take part in the Guest Reader Program may contact Ms. Deprey through the school at 301-689-3636. As always, little ones are welcome to join the class too. And, as you think back to your days in elementary school, remember: when you have finished reading, maybe the teacher will let you clap the erasers!
Open-Space Schools are in Style for Parent Volunteers!
An open-space school has many benefits. These modern buildings have layouts designed to bring out the best in students, teachers, and parents. Spacious classrooms lend themselves to projects beyond the traditional worksheet method of education. Teachers choosing to work at open-space schools are glad to have other adults hear and observe them interrelate with the kids.
An open-space school is literally built around the pursuit of knowledge. At Beall, the Media Center is the heart of the school. A large expanse brimming with books and computers, this central haven of learning is meant to inspire every person working and learning in the building.
At a traditional school, the library is often an afterthought crammed into a cramped classroom. Isolated from the rest of the school, it is ignored by children until library day. Because of the lack of space, computers are often tucked away in some remote area. There is little room for books.
For example, traditional Frost Elementary has only 4,36l volumes in the library, while the more modern Beall has 9,170 volumes (and growing!)
But perhaps the most important benefit is this: An open-space school naturally inspires and lends itself to parental involvement. It is easy to feel like an intruder in a traditional school. These buildings are chopped up into many small classrooms, each sporting a door which is usually closed! A parent can't just break in to see what the kids are doing! Parents of children lucky enough to attend an open-space school easily blend into the daily routine. As they run errands, they see classes in action. Moving quietly through, they observe children at work without becoming a distraction.
A parent volunteering in a closed door building, will see only what is happening in the small area to which he is assigned and will feel uncomfortable going into other areas. But in an open-space school, parents who regularly help out learn about a wide range of activities and programs. Without even trying, they easily come to understand the philosophy and workings of the school.
A parent who shelves books in the Beall Elementary Media Center, for example, can glimpse what is happening in the Art Room, and will see groups of children walking through as they make their way to the cafeteria, or the Music room, the gym, etc.
In these days of massive budget cuts, parents are needed in schools more than ever. Because open- space schools are so easy to volunteer in, they are coming back into style.
Find out for yourself! If you have your days free, make plans to volunteer once a week at Beall Elementary--the Open-Space School with the Open Door.
Dr. Seuss Needs a Facelift.
Have you looked at our Media Center books lately? Most of them are ancient relics unloaded on Beall from schools closed long ago. Our books show their age in two ways.
They are tattered, with crumbling bindings in many cases. Many have missing or torn pages.
More importantly, our books are just out-of-date. Recent years have seen an explosion in the quantity and quality of children's books. With new printing processes, the art work in children's books is breathtaking. Pictures in modern kids' books are often so nice, one could frame them.
Children's books from recent decades are eye-catching enough to make a child want to pick up a book and READ !!! But Beall has very few books from recent decades. Our forty and fifty year old books are tired stories illustrated with simple two-color pictures. And the selection is pitiful. We have no Magic School Bus books. Our sports collection has nothing on athletes that have inspired our children in recent Olympics. Dr. Seuss books are in shreds. Many non-fiction books are too old to be useful. How can we turn this situation around? Our entire Media Center budget is only $1,200.00 per year, and only a fraction of that is available for fabulous new books.
(Expensive projector bulbs and magazines must be bought first). So if we are to have books fresh enough to entice children to read, parents must provide them! We need cash donations and books in good condition (nothing older than 1980 please! ) And we hope to start a Birthday Book Campaign in the Spring.
We also need help shelving books. Stop by the Media Center any Thursday morning to lend a hand! Or call Jill Bell (689-3636) or Windy Sawczyn (689-6505) with any ideas you may have.
