Let's see how the Miami Arts Charter School students do the "Harlem Shake" (remember to PLEASE click "LIKE," subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment.)

I heard "Time is a variable" in
this office

One way to stay "mentally flexible" is to watch the creations of the graduates of Miami Arts Charter School.  I learned from Jack Rich, an educational consultant (who visited hundreds of schools) that the way to stay young at heart is to listen to the dreams of young people.   Jack told me, "My job is to help parents find a school that matches the

I walk past this parking space
every morning now... what could be
in that car's trunk?

Uh, oh, just another boring
classroom...

 

needs of their child.  I ask to visit the home and to sit in the bedroom of the youngster and ask the child to give me a tour.  The posters and souvenirs from trips tell me much about the type of person and the spirit of the child.  Then I think about the schools that I've visited and I recommend several to the parents."

This kid is clearly being
disruptive

Jack did this job until age 95.  He's 98 now and he still tells me, "You are in the best profession of the world, Steve.  You spend your day with the future.  You get to hear the voices of the next generation of voters, taxpayers and entrepreneurs." 

The choral director is giving the
pink helmet some advice

Indeed.  I also get to point these future adults in the direction of positive thoughts.  The purpose of these blog posts is to bring additional hits to the creative videos that the Miami Arts Charter School has produced.  In today's post, you can see the office where I first heard Principal Alfred De La Rosa say, "We are looking to introduce a blend of the Fontán Method from Colombia, where Time is a variable and the arts."  On 14 August

There are a lot of things happening
at this school...

I see the sleeping bag

2013 De La Rosa announced a new theme at MAC school:  "The student is the class."  You can learn more about his speech to parents by visiting the blog post that gives the entire speech, but here is an excerpt:

Now, here's what we're going to do.  

if you are a school like us, we're going to implement a time-variable model.  Students will be able to work at their own pace.  

It doesn't mean that they are going to have an unlimited amount of time.  They will be able to manipulate the time in cooperation with the teacher to serve their needs.  

An Example

Picture yourself going from one city to another in a car.  You are told that you have to go 50 mph to get there and you can never slow down and you can never speed up.  When you reach a sharp curve, you have to take that curve at 50 mph.  When you are on a straightaway, where you could make up some time,  you can't go any faster. 

When students are put in a strict timeline, those that can go faster tend not to be able to do so.  The teacher has to wait for certain people in the class to catch up.  A good teacher is going to try to keep as many kids on board as possible.  We call that "the proximity" or the "herd."  

If a student is a struggling student in that class, it doesn't help because the class is going to go too fast for that student no matter what.  The only students who benefit from this approach are the ones in the middle.

Because time is constant and the learning is variable, we have mixed results as we move from year to year.  As the material gets more difficult, the kids who do well usually continue doing well and the students who do 

How can we fix this?  What can we change?  The class moves forward when there is overall success.

Now we have the student is the class and the only way we can make this work is if we work individually with each student.  

If a student is capable in mathematics, they can move ahead.  

If a student is struggling, they can slow down.

========  

The video that is featured in this post (about the Harlem Dance) shows the spirit of the school.   At first glance you'll see a classroom, a lunch area (open air), a garage and a principal's office.   Then you'll see what's happening in the minds of the students.  I hope you will click and forward this video. Thank you.

I'm so happy to be working at this school  ... Students claim that they are "MACineers" when they return after the first year, so on August 14 2014, I hope to write here that I have been formally accepted into the Society of MACineers.

Here are some screenshots from this creative video.   Let's go to Carneval!

I like looking for the sleeping
bag in each of the scenes

Mutual Admiration

What is the power of one click?  One "like" and one "subscribe"?

Founder Dennis Littky

Click to see the video

Jodie gave me a tour of the center in 2012

Go ahead... click here and click LIKE

A confident student who walked up to me and asked, "What TVstation are you with?"

Jodie Woodruff in the 2005 documentary

 If they are added to the clicks, likes and subscribes of dozens of students, imagine what we could do to each other's videos?   I teacher 173 students in 7 sessions every two days and I want them to click on inspiring images and I want them to appreciate the good in the world...  and here are some links that I want them to see.   Learn more at YourNetImpact.com.

Here is a video about the Met Center in Providence, RI.

Here's a video I made in 2005 about the Met.

I have sent this blog post link to several teachers in other schools. I invite you to ask your students to identify Youtube videos that highlight the spirit of your school.  For example, Met Center in Providence, R.I. might choose some of the videos that are found by searching "Met big picture entrepreneur center"    I hope that students at the Met will look at this "Harlem Shake" video and click like and leave comments and then send to TheEbookman@gmail.com a list of videos that they have found about the Met Center.  

Here's a link to a video about Enrique Gonzalez and his school in Los Angeles, Highland Park High School....   

 11:24

For the Love of Learning

• by Erik Friedl
• 7 months ago
• 766 views

Phase One under way at Highland Park High School in Los Angeles, California. School principal Enrique Gonzalez offers an ...

• HD

 5:02

A Visit to Nightingale Middle School and the D3 Lab (Dream-Design-Do) in L. A. - Part 4

• by Erik Friedl
• 1 year ago
• 863 views

"Kids learn about safety and they can apply the skills that they learn from other subjects. The kids are engaged here--we're ...

and here's a link about a book "Learning to Learn" by Elliot Washor and Charles Mojkowski.

PLEASE click "LIKE," subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment.

 

Here's a  video related to the Met Center's Entrepreneurship program

1. 
    

    

   Anthony and John from the MET Providence participate in ringing the opening bell on Wall Street. They placed third in the NFTE National Contest.
    0:52

   3

   10 Oct 2011 Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship at the NYSE rings the NYSE Opening Bell

   by nysetv1 492 views

   Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) visits the NYSE to highlight NFTE New York Metro's Start Up Summer initiative and New York City public school programs, as well as the organization's October 6th National Youth Entrepre…
   
   
   
   
   
   So... the idea is to ask my students to click on this video and then write to Jody Woodruff,  with some positive words, plus we can post comments on the page.