Ramsey Resident - 1985 - November/December

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r~ Page 22 - Tri.City Newsletter, NovemberlDecember 1985 l I . t ~ China Delegation Tours District. 11 Schools It A delegation of education officials from the People's Republic of China got a glim- pse of education Minnesota style as they toured Anoka- Hennepin School District 11, Monday, Oct. 7. They observed students learning at all levels .- from kindergarteners working with :' puppets at Eisenhower Ele- mentary School to electronic students working in a lab at Anoka Vocational Technical Institute. , The Chinese educators are visiting schools in the United States to gather ideas for im- plementing changes in their own school systems, accord- ing to Superintendent Lewis Finch. "They are trying to move from a system that stresses rote memorization of facts to one in which students can develop problem-solving skills," he said. The group of Chinese edu- cators, the highest ranking education delegation from the People's Republic of China to visit the United States, spent three weeks at a seminar in Washington, DC, familiarizing themselves with western man- agement styles before setting out to the schools in Minne- sota, Colorado and California~ "They told us they chose schools in Minnesota because of our leadership role in edu- cation. Their impression was that Minnesota is number one in education in the country, so they insisted on coming here," said Dr. Finch. The Council of Chief State School Officers, which organized the visit, said Minnesota was selected not only for the high quality of education overall, but because of the early use of computers for instruction and the exis: tence of Minnesota Education- al Computing Corporation (M ECG). The educators were im- pressed with what they saw in Anoka-Hennepin Schools. "The Chinese are extremely in- tere~ted in technology, but they are at a very early stage in regard to its use in education. Here they are getting an under- standing of the magnitude of the program," said Dr. Finch. The delegation saw first graders reviewing the alphabet with the help of computers, junior high students working on math projects in a comput- er lab at Northdale Junior High, and senior high students using computers not only in course work, but in career ex- ploration in the guidance of- fice at Anoka High School. They also saw the mobile tech- nology lab used for training staff to use technology. The tour of Anoka-Hennepin started at the A VTI where the delegation was greeted by students representing various occupational programs of- fered at the school. Following a brief stop in the new elec- tronics lab, the group ate a lunch' prepared by students in the commercial chef/cook and commercial baking programs. Following lunch they ob- served Anoka High School students in business, 'chemis- try, math, and foreign langu- age classes. Next stop was Northdale Junior High where they watched students at work in the computer lab and then observed mentally handicap- ped students in the special education program. At Eisenhower Elementary School the delegation visited a kindergarten class and wat- ched fifth graders learn about electricity through a hands-on science lesson on batteries and bulbs. In each school the delega- tion was greeted by students who presented them gifts of such things as yearbooks, school t-shirts, and book bags. "They were very pleased that the students acknowledg- ed them and said 'hi' to them," said School Board Chairman Larry Ragland. "I am pleased that the school district really went all out to make their stop here pleasant and valuable." The Chinese educators commented on the relaxed at- mosphere they found in class- rooms and the excellent facili- ties. "One person commented that our facilities are better than their university facili- ties," said Dr. Finch. "They were also very inter- ested in the school board and the role of the board." Dr. Finch commented that the Chinese are now looking at ways to decentralize their education system and give more responsibility to local education officials. Ragland felt the tour was a success not only for the new look at education it gave the Chinese, but from the ex- change of ideas and friendship that occurred as a result. "I came at it with a feeling of wanting two groups of people to come closer together and I have the overwhelming feeling that it happened," he said. Eisenhower Elementary School students greeted the Chinese delegation with gifts, smiles and handshakes. I" Course of Study.Altered ". Anoka-Hennepin District 11 School Board recently adopt- ed a new junior high course of study that will go into effect during the 1986-87 school year. The course of study was developed by the junior high principals, Bob Blaine, secon- dary curriculum director, and Garth Lappin, former director of secondary education. A series of four hearings in March gave curriculum con. sultants and teachers input in- to the proposal. Blaine stressed that the new course of study varies only slightly from the current junior high program. Seventh grade students will be required to take a full year of English, social studies, math and science, plus a se- mester of art, health, music and physical education. In ad- dition, they will take two elec- I r I ".l' jl . I' 1 I;', I , tives. Choices include explora- tory foreign language, physi- cal education, study skills, de- velopmental reading and study hall. Eighth graders will take a full year of English, social studies, math and life skills (home economics and indus- trial arts), and a semester each of physical education, and science. They must choose four electives. Ninth graders must take a . full year of English, social studies, math and science, plus a semester of physical education and five electives. Elective offerings for eighth and ninth graders include Earth Science II, oral com- munication, several art cours- es, "foreign language, home economics, industrial arts, band, orchestra, chorus, physi- cal education (one semester maximum), developmental reading, computer program- ming, and study hall (one study hall per day maximum). In either eight or ninth grade, students will be requir- ed to choose either Earth Science II or oral communica- tion (speech) as one of their electives. A full year of basic reading will be required of all students who need additional help in reading. The reading program will be developed by a reading curriculum review and devel- opment team during the 1985.86 school year. Students will be assigned to the reading program on the basis of a read- ing proficiency level which will be recommended by the team. The computer programming elective is new. It will be developed through an interdis- ciplinary curriculum writing team next summer. Eisenhower Principal Stan Peichel, second left, explained how first graders strengthen basic skills in the computer lab. . Anoka High School Principal Art Dussl described the computerized system students use in career exploration. ~f.~..~:)-:!}r... ~ ~f.~. .~., -:!}r.... Committee Formed on Gifted Education I" I Anoka-Hennepin District 11 School Board approved the creation of an ad hoc commit- tee to make recommendations on expanding the school dis- trict's gifted education pro- gram by' acquiring outside ,I 'I ~ H fi il ~ funding. By January 1 a committee of administrators, principals, teachers, counselors and par- ents will present a planning grant proposal to the board. That proposal will document the need for outside funds, quiring outside funding. identify issues to be studied,' If the planning grant pro- present a budget for comple- posal is approved by the tion of the study and make board, the committee will recommendations on the need develop a specific plan or pro- for a professional grant writer posal for the board by Apri I 1, to help develop a plan for ac- 1987. In developing the final plan, the committee will consider such things as: -goals of the gifted educa- tion program -materials and resources Continued on page 24