My Visit to CLC Charter School

Last Thursday I made the trip down to State College to visit CLC Charter School and speak with 5/6 grade lead teacher Melanie Loring. CLC is a charter school serving students in grades 5-8. Their curriculum is project-based, with an emphasis on technology. Upon entering the building, I was struck by the many differences between this school environment and the environment I have encountered in more traditional public schools. The atmosphere was very relaxed and informal, and the staff were extremely courteous and appeared happy to have me there. On one wall I looked over the CLC "trading cards," which included autobiographical information not only on the students, but on the staff as well. I noticed students talking to their teachers freely. These conversations were also quite relaxed and informal, but it was clear that the students did have respect for the teachers they were addressing. Parents were able to drop in to have lunch with their children or visit their classrooms. When I entered the classroom, Melanie was finishing up a lesson on space. They were watching a DVD clip and discussing it in order to build background knowledge for an upcoming project. The children were seated in various spots throughout the room. Some were sitting on tables, others on chairs, and some on the floor. Some children had hats on (a big no-no in most schools), and Melanie herself was dressed informally in jeans. The students addressed her by her first name. Aside from the occasional whisper to a classmate, which is inevitable, the students appeared engaged. Their thoughts and questions were relevant and appropriate, and demonstrated that they were thinking about what they were being taught. The lesson then ended and the students went to get their lunch (they eat in the classroom).
At this point I had the opportunity to talk with Melanie and ask her a few questions about what I had seen so far. I wanted to know if the children were seated around the room that way because they were watching a movie, or if this was the norm. Melanie responded that this was typical, and that in general they tried to give the students freedom to make choices and teach them self-control. She added that in general this works well, although they do occasionally need to help the students out by having them move to a different seat. I wondered if her classroom tended to encounter this more since many of the students are coming in for the first time from a very structured school environment. She agreed that this was a factor, and that sometimes it took students almost the full two years with her before they started to really grasp the notion that they are in charge of their own behavior and capable of making decisions.
This got me thinking. I think that it is very important to have structure and maintain order, especially when managing a group of people. However, I sometimes wonder if we create environments that are so structured that we miss out on teaching students self-awareness and self-control, two qualities they will need to succeed in life. I have encountered this many times working in the field of behavioral health. If I am working with a child who is disruptive, and I alter his environment and stand directly behind him all day long keeping him quiet, then I am managing his behavior. It works in the short term, but the moment I leave or the environment changes, he will most likely resume previous behavior. On the other hand, if I teach him to recognize his triggers, work with him on developing effective techniques for managing his feelings, and then give him the opportunity to practice this himself, I am helping him to learn new behavior. Although this approach may not have many short term benefits, in the long run I have done a better job of preparing that child to function independently.
I feel that CLC does this, not only from a behavioral standpoint, but from an academic standpoint as well. The project-based lessons that the teachers design give students the freedom to make choices, think critically, and problem solve. Because it is project based, CLC'c curriculum integrates a variety of subjects, such as science, reading, and history, rather than fragmenting them. This helps students learn to integrate concepts, rather than memorizing concepts separately while failing to recognize the connections between them. The projects are engaging and motivating.
While some might object to the relaxed environment CLC offers, I feel that it goes a long way towards helping the students develop the ability to think. I also feel that the staff at CLC have done a good job in creating a safe, nurturing environment where students can feel comfortable enough to take risks. In sum, I feel that many of the techniques that are unique to this school can go a long way toward preparing the students there to become active, thoughtful, and productive members of our society.