Ridge Street School, Newark NJ
In a Newark, N.J., K - 8 school built in 1912, residing in a financially challenged, primarily Latino neighborhood, sits the Ridge Street School where Lynn, Ahmes, Ravit, Yvette and I visited today. As a visitor opens the door to the school one is met by an officer who sits in the hall and proudly and warmly greets those who enter. The positive school climate immediately connects the visitor to the accelerating educational journey the students and teachers share. The walls are lined with student artifacts and hopeful notes, framed by examples of Taxonomy are readily visible. Rich vocabulary and a thirst for knowledge which seems to be unquenchable for students and adults alike, is standard procedure in this slightly frayed, but proudly kept early 1900 school building.
We were there to complete a promise we had made to Matt Lichten and his 7th grade class during the "Go! Put Your Strengths Out There," NUA book celebration late last year held at the campus of Rutgers University. In Matt's class we witnessed the integration of science, writing, psychology and neuroscience. Imagination, creativity, analytical and critical thinking were the themes. Every hand shot up with each question led by the teacher and student presenters. Every step of the way Matt guided the students with intervention prodding -- enabling deep reflection and substantiation. The students embraced feedback because of the hard work it forced -- the quiet and yet confident reflections were shared by all in the class. The intelligence and inner beauty of the students radiated warmly for the visitors. It was if the cold winter day was made warmer by the students minds and eager hands of instructional engagement -- looking to create a brighter future horizon for their families. Each student participated, each student was eager to show their commitment to learning. The mental images students created, wrote and spoke enabled, as Matt has written, interpretation and deep thinking through the senses. Examples of student writing shared and read today follows:
"...this visualization can become a reality if you decide to implement a random search policy which might protect us from the guns and shame of fear. Brilliant is the solitary notion that fixated itself and revolved around my intellect when I heard of the random search policy needed to protect those in our neighborhood from those who carry guns in our schools."
"...So here I am in 1968 going nuts because I am sitting here with someone who changed the world. Who is the person you might be asking? Well one guess. That's right you guessed it. I am sitting face to face with Martin Luther King Jr. I know you may be thinking how did I get to meet the one and only MLK? Well it started on September 28, 2008, I had been working on a school project I thought I could make a time machine then I could definitely meet my hero. Everyone doubted me and I must admit I felt a little hurt but that didn't stop me. One week later my master piece was complete. I had built the ultimate creation...when I arrived I saw two separate water fountains. One said for Blacks Only and the other for Whites Only...And there drinking from a dirty water fountain was a man with a black suit, wispy mustache, dark hair and an intentionality which suggested strength of will."
"...It was a cool breezy Sunday morning like all others, mom in the kitchen cooking a sensational breakfast, dad on a business trip and me just awaking. The iridescent sun shone through my translucent window like usual and the oak tree that stood tall by my house swayed back and forth as if it were dancing with the breeze."
As Sir Kenneth Robinson has written, "Education takes us into a future we can't grasp...we can't predict what the world will look like five years from now." Living with unpredictability is not all that bad when life is built on a foundation of intellectual character developed by education as we saw today in Newark. When we can support classrooms such as Matt's there no better way to write us all better life stories.
Most travelers who speed down I-95 to destinations south, on seeing signs for Newark, rarely take the exits which would lead them to one of America's grittiest cities -- a city with huge financial challenges and underutilized and underperforming students and citizens. Led by a dynamic Mayor, superintendent and committed citizens, Matt's class and many others in Newark, stand as a beacon of hope and a challenge to those in wealthier school systems to witness an education which, in many circumstances, outstrips that which occurs in wealthy suburban school districts. Thirty plus students in a 7th grade classroom attests to the potential of urban education. When focused on instruction guided by cognitive neuroscience and high expectations, aided by committed and highly skilled educators, poverty does not have to be destiny. And the voices of neoconservative social scientists such as Charles Murray, who believe social demography is destiny will be, in time, muted.
Visit Newark's//NUA Striving Reader (SR) schools and you will see why, based on third party DOE evaluation (embargoed), this initiative, building on the ongoing work of the school, remains one of the highest performing SR school projects in the nation. The outstanding school-based leaders such as Ridge's principal Mr. Garruto, and the vice-principal Mrs. Verde lead with hope and determination. Dr. Janey and his administrative team should be proud.
Thank You,
Eric Cooper
www.nuatc.org
We were there to complete a promise we had made to Matt Lichten and his 7th grade class during the "Go! Put Your Strengths Out There," NUA book celebration late last year held at the campus of Rutgers University. In Matt's class we witnessed the integration of science, writing, psychology and neuroscience. Imagination, creativity, analytical and critical thinking were the themes. Every hand shot up with each question led by the teacher and student presenters. Every step of the way Matt guided the students with intervention prodding -- enabling deep reflection and substantiation. The students embraced feedback because of the hard work it forced -- the quiet and yet confident reflections were shared by all in the class. The intelligence and inner beauty of the students radiated warmly for the visitors. It was if the cold winter day was made warmer by the students minds and eager hands of instructional engagement -- looking to create a brighter future horizon for their families. Each student participated, each student was eager to show their commitment to learning. The mental images students created, wrote and spoke enabled, as Matt has written, interpretation and deep thinking through the senses. Examples of student writing shared and read today follows:
"...this visualization can become a reality if you decide to implement a random search policy which might protect us from the guns and shame of fear. Brilliant is the solitary notion that fixated itself and revolved around my intellect when I heard of the random search policy needed to protect those in our neighborhood from those who carry guns in our schools."
"...So here I am in 1968 going nuts because I am sitting here with someone who changed the world. Who is the person you might be asking? Well one guess. That's right you guessed it. I am sitting face to face with Martin Luther King Jr. I know you may be thinking how did I get to meet the one and only MLK? Well it started on September 28, 2008, I had been working on a school project I thought I could make a time machine then I could definitely meet my hero. Everyone doubted me and I must admit I felt a little hurt but that didn't stop me. One week later my master piece was complete. I had built the ultimate creation...when I arrived I saw two separate water fountains. One said for Blacks Only and the other for Whites Only...And there drinking from a dirty water fountain was a man with a black suit, wispy mustache, dark hair and an intentionality which suggested strength of will."
"...It was a cool breezy Sunday morning like all others, mom in the kitchen cooking a sensational breakfast, dad on a business trip and me just awaking. The iridescent sun shone through my translucent window like usual and the oak tree that stood tall by my house swayed back and forth as if it were dancing with the breeze."
As Sir Kenneth Robinson has written, "Education takes us into a future we can't grasp...we can't predict what the world will look like five years from now." Living with unpredictability is not all that bad when life is built on a foundation of intellectual character developed by education as we saw today in Newark. When we can support classrooms such as Matt's there no better way to write us all better life stories.
Most travelers who speed down I-95 to destinations south, on seeing signs for Newark, rarely take the exits which would lead them to one of America's grittiest cities -- a city with huge financial challenges and underutilized and underperforming students and citizens. Led by a dynamic Mayor, superintendent and committed citizens, Matt's class and many others in Newark, stand as a beacon of hope and a challenge to those in wealthier school systems to witness an education which, in many circumstances, outstrips that which occurs in wealthy suburban school districts. Thirty plus students in a 7th grade classroom attests to the potential of urban education. When focused on instruction guided by cognitive neuroscience and high expectations, aided by committed and highly skilled educators, poverty does not have to be destiny. And the voices of neoconservative social scientists such as Charles Murray, who believe social demography is destiny will be, in time, muted.
Visit Newark's//NUA Striving Reader (SR) schools and you will see why, based on third party DOE evaluation (embargoed), this initiative, building on the ongoing work of the school, remains one of the highest performing SR school projects in the nation. The outstanding school-based leaders such as Ridge's principal Mr. Garruto, and the vice-principal Mrs. Verde lead with hope and determination. Dr. Janey and his administrative team should be proud.
Thank You,
Eric Cooper
www.nuatc.org
posted by Eric J. Cooper at 6:56 AM
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