reading response 2

.pdf

School

SUNY Westchester Community College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

103

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

pdf

Pages

2

Uploaded by BrigadierUniverse25352

Report
Both The Prospect School and Central Park East schools o ff ered exceptional alternative education opportunities that went beyond traditional teaching methods. The Prospect School focused not only on optimizing students' education but also on empowering teachers to deliver the best education possible. Central Park East School took a similar approach by involving parents to foster a safe and successful learning environment. While both schools had the desire to create an alternative education, they pursued unique approaches to change the way students learn. In 1965, Joan B. Blake, Louis Carini, Patricia Carini, and Marion Stroud founded the Prospect School as an alternative to traditional public education. The Prospect School had many important beliefs and classroom practices. The school prioritized small classrooms and a flexible student directed curriculum. The sta ff of the school came up with a methodology called Prospect’s Descriptive Processes. Sta ff observed the children to gain insights into their growth and learning processes. Following these observations, educators would meet to develop strategies to enhance each child's education journey. Having a flexible curriculum was a crucial component in the The Prospect School’s success. The impact of The Prospect School's innovative approach was seen beyond its classrooms. Educators from across the United States saw the success of the schools methodology, creating a desire to study their ways. To further their mission, the school established a professional development program, allowing other educators to adopt similar teaching approaches. Additionally, The Prospect Center compiled an archive showcasing the work of 36 former students, o ff ering valuable insights into the diverse ways children thrived at The Prospect School. The founders of The Prospect School achieved remarkable success in creating an alternative learning environment and sharing their methods with educators nationwide, thus inspiring the creation of similar alternative schooling options. Deborah Meier, one of the founders of Central Park East, had deep concerns about the focus of modern public schools. Meier was determined to create a school that could “o ff er youngsters a deep and rich curriculum that would inspire them with
the desire to know” (Central Park East: An Alternative Story) . Meier and the other founders at Central Park East were committed to have strong connections between the school and the family. They believed that having those connections would create a safe and supportive learning environment. They also believed in the idea of a teacher- run school, viewing it as essential to unlocking greater freedom within the classroom. Central Park East's recognized the importance of creating heterogeneous classrooms, where students from various backgrounds could find a sense of belonging, a key in e ff ective learning. The success of Central Park East became evident when, six years after opening, Central Park East 2 was established. This was followed by the opening of a third school shortly thereafter. These expansions proved the e ff ectiveness of their classroom practices and teaching strategies. In conclusion, the founders of The Prospect School and Central Park East shared a common dissatisfaction with the traditional one-size-fits-all education system. They embraced diversity, family involvement and progressive teaching methods to create e ff ective learning environments. They emphasized individualized learning approaches and addressed each students unique needs and promoted a love for learning. These schools not only challenged traditional education beliefs but also created educational systems to fit the distinctive needs of every child. The founders challenged traditional education beliefs and created educations to suit the needs of each individual child.
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