Until Next Time…

At this point last year I was eagerly anticipating the start of my program at Bank Street. Now, here I am in the middle, wondering where the time went and already using my education out in the world!

While at times my whirlwind schedule may have left me exasperated, I am grateful for the immense variety in my life. It affords a richness to my experiences which I do not think I would be able to attain outside of Bank Street.

I have had professors here that, while gently pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, continually show me that I am on the right path and inspire me with the way they continue on their paths. At Bank Street, I am continually impressed with the professors I work with who humbly admit to not knowing everything, and embrace that uncertainty while using knowledge that they have discovered is effective through experimentation.

Not only have professors been limitless sources of inspiration, but so have the children I have worked with in classrooms, school groups, and after-school groups with the Abrons Arts Center where I have been interning (and where I now work, woohoo!). I have had the pleasure of working with students who surprise me with what they are capable of. Every child I have worked with has added to my motivation to continue to be an educator. Teachers who consider whole students as they develop as complex individuals are needed now more than ever in every type of school, and I am confident that with what I am learning at Bank Street, that I can change lives.

I am the type of person who could easily stay in school forever – I love learning – and I think that is a testament to my learning experiences, including now in graduate school. I truly believe that when you have a successful and meaningful learning experience, it radiates throughout your life and encourages further exploration. After taking Child Development and Early Elementary Curriculum, I am now very interested in learning as much as I can about their development.

Before I put the cart before the horse, I do still have several classes to take this summer and in the fall. If you recognize me from this blog and see me around Bank Street, please say hi! Stay tuned for future student bloggers, as well as more from this intrepid trailblazer – I may still be contributing to this space as a Student Ambassador in the future.

Thanks, Sara!

We launched this blog last September and could not have done it without our blogger, Sara Nowak. We hope her insights have given you an idea of what Bank Street students go through, and we will occasionally hear from her next year as she closes out her time at Bank Street.

 

Before Sara posts her final blog of the academic year tomorrow morning, we wanted to show our gratitude for her! Thank you so much, Sara! 

What’s for Lunch?

In my Early Elementary Curriculum course, I am writing a curriculum for second graders focused on where the food in their school neighborhood comes from. I think studies like this are crucial to introduce children to the food system that they are born into as consumers. It is vital to build understanding in children that they are members of this system and that they have choices.

An initial step in creating this awareness is taking children on a neighborhood walk to analyze what is available and how food establishments differ. Actually stepping into stores and restaurants to look at the food they sell, how they sell it, and who sells it is the next step. Workers in stores and restaurants can be surprisingly keen on talking to children about their work.

When children begin to experience how many people are involved in the delivery chain from where food originates until it gets to their plate, they can realize the importance of every person in the system, including themselves. In addition to visiting shops in the school neighborhood, my curriculum will also include a trip to a farm sanctuary, where city children will have a chance to interact with rescued farm animals, in an attempt to bridge any disconnect between their meat choices and where they come from.

In addition to awareness of food sources, another main goal of this curriculum is building confidence in students so that they are empowered to question elements of the food system. Having the confidence to ask questions and to use research skills in the quest of information is crucial in developing a thinking, active consumer. When children have the knowledge to research food, food labels and food systems, they are then equipped to make healthier choices. With the internet today it is easier than ever to research ingredients and terms on packaging. The children will also take part in activities such as gardening, to understand how things grow, and cooking, to culminate their growing confidence in working with food.

There is also great opportunity in any curriculum involving food for science lessons. I will be including one on digestion and nutrition. There is also loads of math in cooking from measuring and temperature, as well as in shopping when working with a budget or understanding value.

As if that weren’t enough, there is also great potential in a food curriculum for building connections between cultures. In my curriculum, students’ families will be invited in to share recipes, food traditions and even health tips related to food.

If we want to empower children to become active citizens who question, what better place is there to start than their plate?

Spring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thumbsucker

Recently, I watched Thumbsucker, a brilliant film by Mike Mills. This story focuses on a teenage boy who is struggling to stop sucking his thumb in times of stress. Based on a novel of the same name, by Walter Kirn, the tale isn’t neatly wrapped up in a conclusion. On the contrary, the message I derived from the film and the novel is that in order to cope with much of life’s stress, we have to learn to let go and live without conclusions.

As the various characters in this film show, this can be a struggle for people of every age. As much as adults, including teachers, may want to help children and teens find ways to cope with their problems, we have to accept that we may not have the answer. Sometimes it seems, just sending the message that you want to help and are willing to accept a person, problems and all, can be more important than offering a neat solution.

A Day in the Life…

On a recent jam-packed class day, my Seminar in Museum Education class was held at MoMA! The theme of the day was learning about accessibility - opening learning to all – a topic crucial for every area of education.

My friend and I opted to walk from Columbus Circle to MoMA, to take in some of the bustling 9AM city life….

and get some delicious Swedish coffee at Fika! They make a mean soy latte.

After a thorough synopsis of MoMA’s extended efforts to reach all types of patrons, we headed to the galleries. First, with a partner, we took turns closing our eyes and explaining one painting to each other. This is a practice often used to assist blind visitors in experiencing art. I chose to describe Magritte’s “Empire of Light II”.

Then came the once in a lifetime opportunity to actually touch art! Supervised by staff and armed with plastic gloves, my classmates and I were able to touch a Boccioni sculpture called “Development of a Bottle in Space,” and a Picasso called “Woman’s Head,” or “Fernande” (as pictured).

Everyone scurried back to Bank Street afterwards, to meet a guest speaker Ellen Rubin, an accessibility consultant (and Bank Street alum!). Listening to her perspective of accessibility was invaluable, for Ellen herself is blind. Her personal experiences combined with her museum and education background (she in fact has degrees both in Museum Education and Special Education from Bank Street), gave us, I felt, a realistic overview of what needs to be done to make a museum truly accessible. And I loved her sense of humor!

Ellen brought along a number of books in braille, mostly what she felt were great examples of extending certain topics to the blind, including astronomy. She also brought a book that she said was a poor example – an alphabet book  that used small objects to demonstrate a word per letter, but often in a convoluted way (a rubber band for elastic? Would a child get that connection?).

Just another day in the life of Bank Street Sara!

Principals Institute Featured on NYCDOE “Leadership Pathways” Website

The New York City Department of Education’s Division of Academics, Performance and Support (DAPS) Office of Leadership has just launched its new Leadership Pathways website, with Bank Street College’s own Principals Institute featured prominently on its database of Leadership Development Opportunities.

The Leadership Pathways site was created by the DOE to support and advance the growth of current and future leaders in its system.  The website provides details on a range of leadership development opportunities and offers an overview of resources available to support school and building leaders. The programs listed on the site provide professional development experiences and opportunities for new, aspiring, and experienced school leaders. The Leadership Pathways site is a great, new online resource for the development and recognition of our school leaders.

The Principals Institute at Bank Street College is a Leadership Program designed for educators in New York City public schools aiming to focus on the challenges of urban education, effective strategies for educating diverse learners, and the “nuts and bolts” of NYC school leadership. The program has a strong focus on instructional leadership, incorporating special education leadership, and includes an intensive advisory and internship component. The Principals Institute takes place in a cohort format over 18 months and leads to a Master of Education (36 credits) or Master of Science in Education (39 credits). Students who complete all degree requirements successfully are recommended for New York State School Building Leader (SBL) certification. There is also an opportunity for New York State School District Leader (SDL) certification as part of an additional 5-credit program.

For more information on the New York City Department of Education’s Leadership Pathway database and to view Bank Street College’s Leadership Pathway listing, click here. To learn more about the Principals Institute, click here.

(This article was originally published on bankstreet.edu on March 12, 2013.)