Stelle and Adelphi Schools in Action In this issue of “The Stelle Group Letter” we are devoted to giving you an idea of the daily practice of education in Stelle and Adelphi versus the theory. Here we share some of the activities from 1983 in the Stelle and Adelphi schools. Note that the students in the Stelle school system are divided into four groups according to their ages: Level 1 — under 6. Level 2 — 6 to 8. Level 3 — 9 to 11. Level 4 — 12 to 14. The Stelle Learning Center by Nancy Roehm Teacher Training We endeavor to maintain an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio and therefore we maximize use of volunteers. The Staff of the Stelle Learning Center has taken careful steps to help familiarize the volunteers with the attitudes and behaviors desired in the Stelle Schools. We use a set of Behavioral Guidelines and a videotape entitled “Positive Discipline in the Classroom.” Here are some examples of the Tips for Volunteer Teachers: Do not attempt to give directions to the class if the students are talking. Ask for their attention, wait for it, and then when you have it, proceed. If you use the writing of sentences as a consequence for inappropriate behavior, use positive affirmations. For example: “I raise my hand to talk.” (Instead of) “I will not talk unless I raise my hand.” Individualized Learning Our students work individually in Math and Language Arts. This year we are utilizing special Learning Packets for individualized learning. Each child chooses the packet he wishes to study. The two-month lesson includes written materials, a worksheet of suggested experiential activities, references to books and resources, and an examination to be taken after completion. Some of the packets cover astronomy, chemistry, engines, fishes, electricity and dinosaurs. Our computers are used to provide additional individual math practice for those who need it. All of the younger children are now receiving individual lessons in computer programming. Mastery Learning Our use of success and mastery learning techniques served up gratifying information this year. When the Metropolitan Achievement Tests were administered in June, many of the students scored significantly higher than their normal age/grade level. The longer a student has attended the Stelle School, the higher his score over average. Fostering Love of Learning Level 3 (9 to 11 years old) students schedule their own work in math and language arts. We set a minimum quantity for each week, provide a certain amount of class time, and they make their own weekly schedule, determining when they will work on any given subject. This is helping them to acquire time-management skills and has also helped them to enjoy their work more. They feel a greater sense of self-direction, versus teacher-direction. We are continuing to use Unit Studies as a means of stimulating the children’s interest in the world around them, while practicing basic skills. A Unit Study focuses on a single subject. For example: One Unit Study was on Architecture. The class went on a field trip to visit two Chicago homes that were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The children later assembled a Geodesic Dome kit. Another field trip was taken on a Harbor Tour of Chicago where examples of different styles of architecture were pointed out. A professional architect came to the school to tell the children of his experiences and how one of his most important jobs is finding out what it is that his client wants. He asked the children to come up with ideas of what they want in their school. He is going to submit a blueprint using the students’ ideas. A sample of our Unit Topics are: Government, Birds, Australia, Pollinating Insects, and the Founding Fathers of the U.S.A. Educational movies are shown weekly to add interest to the topic at hand. Experiential Learning Level 3 students spend one and a half hours each day on Erdekinder (Earth children) activities and some attend a Saturday morning class. Projects include care of a vegetable garden, care of the school grounds, a lawn mower repair class, a gasoline engine class, and a camping skills class. The students spent a day in May hiking and horseback riding in Kankakee River State Park, and in June went on a camping trip to Turkey Run State Park, which included a 15-mile canoe trip. This Autumn the students may choose either sewing or engines. They participate in monthly three-day outdoor survival trips which include camping, strenuous hiking and some mountain climbing technique. A field trip to the Dixon Mounds in southern Illinois coincided with the study of Indians. The children prepared for the trip with pottery-making, Indian games and songs. There were stations set up at the Mounds where students had the opportunity to grind corn with a metate (they now appreciate how much energy it takes to produce flour!), scrape a fresh deer hide (this was somewhat messy), and drill a hole in a shell with a stone drill. Goal Setting – Level 3 students wrote down a personal economic goal for a one-month period and made a plan of action for achieving it. At the end of the month, students were acknowledged for achieving their goal, or received help in analyzing why they didn’t achieve it. Shortly afterward, plans for the Colorado trip were made, and the children set their own goal to earn $300 each for the trip. They were very persistent in working to achieve this goal, with frequent lawn-mowing jobs and various fund-raising activities. One of these was a special recital. Each child chose a recitation of inspirational poetry or literature by a historical figure and was costumed as that personality. The audience was charmed? Community Participation Week - Projects in June included baby care, crafts projects, a nature hike, stilt—making, and design optimization. Cooking Class - Students have learned to cut, weigh, and package meat, broil a steak to various degrees of “doneness,” make juice drinks in a blender, and flip eggs Colonial Times - Level 2 social studies students learned to embroider a sampler, using six different embroidery stitches. They also sewed the colonial flag that was carried in the Fourth of July parade. A Balanced Holistic Approach Level 2 students are keeping daily retrospection charts on their practice of The Great Virtues. Level 3 students have studied goal-setting, self-esteem and values clarification. ∆ The Stelle/Adelphi School by Becky Taylor The summer term of the Stelle Adelphi School was organized around a study of the Middle Ages. The students had all visited Scarborough Faire at Waxahachie, Texas in May to experience a re-enactment of Medieval Life. The students chose to center their summer learning around castles. This blossomed into a study of the historical perspective, of the period and its art, feudalism, chivalry, heraldry, clothing, architecture, cooking. etc. Three of the actors at Scarborough Faire, who are members of the Dallas Chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, came to visit our school one day. They brought many books, items of heraldry, musical instruments, pictures, and even a meat pie for sampling! In literature, the students were introduced to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoe. In art, they assembled detailed models of Chateau Gaillard and the White Tower. A concurrent unit was the study of bees and beekeeping. A member of The Adelphi Organization presented an introductory program covering history, the shape of beehives and the characteristics of bees. The school purchased a complete beekeeping outfit for the students’ investigation of their instructor’s backyard hives. We viewed films on bees and pollination and studied bees in science. The culminating activity for this unit was making honey cookies. The students attended the “Summer Search” program at The Science Place which is associated with the Southwest Museum of Science and Technology of Dallas. There were classes on Gliders, “Spaceship Earth,” Ecology, Texas Trees, and Rainbows. The students also attended three classes at the Dallas Zoo. Physical activities included swimming lessons and roller skating. The students who did not go on the archeological trip to Colorado had a camp-out where they planned the meals, bought the groceries, prepared meals, and put up the tent they slept in. This fall term we have added Spanish, drawing and gymnastics to our school’s curriculum that had already included math, language arts, spelling, handwriting, creative writing, science, art, music, social studies, computer usage, and field trips. Examples of the weekly field trips taken by Stelle Adelphi School students are: Owens Country Farm— has quite a collection of animals on a working farm, from Dalmatian puppies that the children were allowed to pet to huge draft horses. Union Station Tour — in downtown Dallas - the train station and also the largest collection of broadcasting equipment in the country. Faberge Egg Exhibit - Historical bejewelled creations for Russia’s royalty at the Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth. Mesquite Police Department — one of the favorites, due largely to the teaching abilities of Officer Dick Houston. He explained how a Police Department works, and gave a detailed tour of a police car and a mobile van used tar city emergencies and educational purposes. WRR Radio Station — the technical director gave a detailed tour, including the recording booth where R.K. and Charley taped “In Pursuit of the Ultimate Frontier.” The Dallas Aquarium — The students are now identifying, labeling and mounting a shell collection for the school. Cartography — The Vice President of Mapsco visited the school, taking the students step by step through the map-making process. This visit supplemented the social studies map unit covering the history of map making, and art class with the children helping to build a relief map/model of the Adelphi Site. Mondays, the students choose one quote from the school’s collection of positive, uplifting sayings by historical figures and prepare for “Quotation Time” recitations on Friday. The students of both Stelle and Adelphi schools are starting to prepare the same Christmas Program for our communities to unite us in holiday celebration. ∆
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