The Salemite
Volume LXIII
Numbers
Nov. 21,1980
serving the salem college community since 1920
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by Lea Lackey-Zachmann
What’s An Art Education Degree ?
Each day many of us
to the FAC, pass
^ a window wall, and
onchalantly glance
pough the glass panes
° see students’
•'nations on canvas. If
, takes the time to go
^ the basement of the
thn
however, walk
_pugh a long corridor,
into the vast room
'th these window
j ®ils, and talk with Lea
ackey-Zachmann, the
an
instructor, one will
iscover more about
diem’s art department
J'an just palettes,
™^ts, and brushes.
.."^hat one will
IllSi
one
cover is that Salem’s
department offers
a art education degree,
at present has only
major, Donna
adrews, who tran-
j CiTed here last year
Peace College.
( Cana said, “The need
art educators is
jCreasing because art
(Rareness is increasing
community art
aiincils and in school
\stems.’’
j.“Ot only will this art
Vacation major benefit
her after graduation,
but also has benefitted
her the past two years.
“Since I am the only art
education major, I
receive private in
struction, encourage
ment, and devotion
from Lea Lackey-
Zachmann. And
because of Lea Lackey’s
“call-me-anytime-you-
need-assistance’’ de
votion, I will be well
prepared for teaching.”
Donna’s preparation
already has brought her
rewards. She is
presently student
teaching grades nine
and ten. “Watching the
students express
themselves through
various art media and
develop their
imaginations and
creativity,” said Donna,
“fascinates me.” “But
watching learning
disabled students,
pleases me even more.
They work diligently,
painstakingly and often
produce the best art.”
Another reward of
Donna’s student
teaching comes from
the informal classroom
structure- “I am not
confined to lecturing or
to keeping the class
silent. I have the op
portunity to develop
teacher-student, friend-
friend relationships. I
can walk around the
room, observe each
student’s progress, and
give constructive
criticism and praise.”
As for her own artistic
interests, silkscreening
and ceramics, Donna
says she plans to con
tinue these after
graduation. Also, she
said, “Even if I cannot
get a teaching position
next fall, I will find
something - instructor
in art council
workshops, arts and
crafts instructor in
kindergarden, or
possibly someday an art
coordinator for a school
system.”
So next time you walk
past these window walls
at the FAC; do not think
only of palettes, paints
and brushes, but instead
of the opportunity the
art department offers-
an art education degree,
by Stephanie King
Akosua Lured By Administration
osua Amponsha
■1 out about Salem a
differently than
■ of us. She did not
he Salem brochure
er , guidance conn
’s office; she was
by a medical
ent in her country,
na. Akosua was
’ impressed with
t the student said
U Salem’s high
lemic standards
the well organized
inistration. This
?ted the 21 year-old
>me to America for
ducation.
kOsua spent her first
' at Bowling Green
e University in
Ohio. Since entering
Salem in September,
she has been impressed
by the people. “The kids
are well-disciplined and
very nice.” She said
Janet Owusu and the
girls in Sisters have
been a great help. The
administration has been
everything Akosua
expected. She said they
“care for everyone and
are very efficient.”
Akosua said her
classes are O.K., and
her teachers are helpful
and very patient about
explaining things to her.
She knows the English
language, but the accent
is what gives her
problems. Akosua
should feel better
knowing that Nor
therners also have a
problem with the
Southern accent!
When asked about Old
Salem, Akosua com
mented that the
Moravian Church and
the tour guides’
costumes were what she
liked the most. Would
she advise her African
friends to come to
Salem? “I would
recommend Salem
because it gives a good
impression of
America.”
by Amanda May>
STAR —
New Program for Exceptional Children
Children with lear
ning disabilities, mental
health problems, and
children who have
trouble learning within
the regular school
system need special
attention. Social
workers, mental health
clinics and school
psychologists often help
these children over
come their problems.
But there are other
students with dif
ficulties who do not
respond to these
programs. In a special
environment, these very
exceptional children
can indeed make
progress in learning and
eventually re-enter the
regular school system.
This special en
vironment is now part of
a program at the Salem
College Special
Education Center. The
new “STAR” program,
(School for Teaching,
Assessing and Re
entry), is the only one of
its Wnd in the Winston-
Salem. area.
Patty Brown, coor
dinator of the program,
said the STAR program
staff urged parents of
kids who have severe
problems in school to
make use of other
counseling services
before enrolling their
children in the STAR
program. The school
plan is “a last alter
native placement
(resource) for children
ages 6 to 18 who need a
short term diagnostic
placement,” she said.
Ms. Brown added that
the children come from
all areas around Win
ston-Salem, and the
program is open to any
child who needs the
services offered.
Rene Kimel, teacher-
counselor for the school,
said it is usually the
parents who refer the
children to the STAR
program.
Before a child enrolls
in the school, Ms.
Kimbel meets with
parents and children.
She stressed the im
portance of having the
child present when his
problems and possible
solutions are being
discussed.
Some of the children
have learning
disabilities, some are
emotionally handica
pped, and others have
trouble of a different
nature; but each chUd
receives specialized
individual attention, as
well as a chance to
participate in group
activities.
Ms. Kimel explained
that the children are
responsible for
academic work (on
their own grade level)
as well as other jobs.
When they fulfill their
responsibilities, they
are rewarded with
special privileges, like
eating lunch in the
refectory or a game of
pool in the student
center.
To encourage
adherence to the
schoolday schedule, Ms.
Kimel draws a contract
for each student. The
contract, when signed
by the student, is a
promise to complete
assignments to the best
of his ability. Also in the
contract is a com
mitment by Ms. Kimel
to review the student’s
assignments if the child
feels his responsibility
is too difficult or unfair.
Ms. Kimel said the
overall objective of the
program is behavior
and attitude
modification^ At regular
meetings of the STAR
staff, she said the
counselors discuss
philosophy a great deal,
because the teachers’
attitude is of major
importance in working
wito the children.
One of the primary
tactics is to avoid
“power struggles” with
the students. Ms. Kimel
stressed that counselors
must have respect for
the children. “We try to
remain either neutral or
positive at all times and
try to avoid negative
feelings,” Ms. Brown
added.
Ms. Kimel em
phasized the im
portance of the child’s
self-concept; he must
have respect for himself
before he can begin to
realize that he is
capable of learning and
accomplishing his
objectives.
While the children are
learning to learn,
counselors at the Center
work with the parents.
They also keep close
contact with child
guidance clinics, social
workers and other
organizations involved
with the child.
When the children are
ready to return to the
regular school system
or another alternative
school, Ms. Kimel
writes a detailed report
of the child’s progress,
and meets with the
principal and teachers
of the child’s new
school.
Ms. Brown and Ms.
Kimel agreed that most
of the children who have
come to the STAR
program have been able
to return to their
regular school with
noticeable improve
ment, usually within
weeks. (Six months is
the longest a student is
allowed to attend school
-at the center.)
Of the 20 students last
year, and the seven this
year, only one or two
have remained
seriously deficient in
their learning ability.
Both Ms. Brown and
Mrs. Kimel said that it
is not always easy
working with their
children in the STAR
program. In talking
with them, it is clear to
see that they work
closely as a team.
“When we start to get
impatient with the kids,
we try to look inside
ourselves and see why
we feel this way,” Ms.
Kimel said.
She said nerves can be
frayed when a new
student comes to the
school who has not yet
had the benefits of
counseling. “When they
act silly and goofy, and
the other kids pick up on
it, it’s hard to keep
control.” Ms. Kimel
said. It is times like this
when she calls on Ms.
Brown or another
counselor to take over
for a bit while she en
joys a relaxing break.
But she always returns
to the students with a
smiling face.
Mrs. Brown said that
for students thinking of
going into special
education, it is im
portant that graduates
have a “very accepting
attitude of the kids, and
a great deal of
flexibility...You can’t
get set in your ways,
because as soon as you
do, you’re out to be
proved wrong.”
She added that Salem
interns have been of
real help in the STAR
program. “They are
prepared to handle the
responsibilities I give
them, and they are very
■good workers.
Ms. Brown said she
hopes to develop a
January internship in
the STAR program for
next year.
The STAR program
began in the fall of ’79,
with the help of a grant
from the Winston-Salem
Foundation.
Ms. Brown said the
STAR staff hopes to
receive more students
next year, as well as
financial help from
other organizations.
Ms. Brown spends her
weekends working at
the Runaway Care
Center here in Winston-
Salem. She taught
students in the first
grade for three years
before joining the
Special Education
Center in 1976.
Ms. Kimel has been a
learning disabilities
resource teacher at
Forsyth Country Day
School, and organized
the LD program in the
Reidsville City School
system. She also taught
adults with learning
disabilities at Forsyth
Technical Institute. She
has been working with
the special education
programs at Salem for
four years.
Carolyn McCollum