Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / March 16, 1978, edition 1 / Page 11
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lat the MMt to trlclty. 'tee be cU off ludlng |>| M, end * un- r spot Ita ere nquent mblng, kUetlon $100 to !ut off- weter, liie tee LCSl ) M SIXTH IN MONTHLY SERIES: Flexibility North School Faculty’s Aim In Teaching Beceuee at e wide dlvenlty of ebUltlee In etudente et North School, the feeulty's elm le to be flexible, getting the moet from eech child without fruetreUng him. Thle phlloBophy of educetltm, eccordlng to Prlnclpel Rlcherd Oreene, In his 10th yeer In Klnge Momtein end eighth yeer at North, offers different epproeches to teechlng which cen be seen In vlr- bieUy every cleisroom. "It’B eeay for e teacher to program one lesson,” says Oreene, "but we et North believe we must be flexible In order to give our children a feeling of security, put ting; them first” Hr. Oreene, who came to the North plant from East School after a yeer et Perk Orece, says reduction of class size from 80-88 to 35 has provided a more flexible program and a more Individualized school, recalling his first experience In the classroom here when class size was approximately 86-88 ter one teacher. Story By Elizabeth Stewart Photos By Tom McIntyre Principal Oreene la quite proud of the state school kindergarten program, now In Its fifth year. Initiated In this district at North, the second year for the Oovemor’s Primary Reading Program, and Its Head Start Program, which was also Initiated In the system at North for four-year-olds, a class of ap proximately 18 students What la North School doing for our children Is the question the Association of Claaaroom Teachers asks In this another series of feature stories on the schools. One Innovation In teaching Is an overhead projector In the fifth grade mathematics class Instructed by Martha (Mrs. Olee E.) Bridges. The students can actually see sub- r* • « -. PICK BPBCnAL. PBRION - Mrs Friday person” and fellow class ahovs at Maekboard whose aama t Oold’s first grads selects a "qieclal members discuss Tammy Hamrick te«wn as a special Friday person. rr. traction and addition through audio visual aids and Mrs. Bridges, In her ninth year at North, feels It draws attention, and Is much easier to use than a chalkboard. Record players, fllr,i strip projectors, and tapes are all used In this program. One method the veteran teacher uses to Illustrate fractions Is by dividing In ttilrds or fourths an angelfood cake In the claaaroom, each boy or girl getting a traction of the goodie. Mrs. Bridges says the overall goal Is achieved In this method, pointing also to the wide diversity of abllltlea In the classroom. Jane Talbert, a new teacher In her first year as librarian at North, Instructs all students at least once a week In library skills and provides materials to all teachers, also checking out books to all pupils. The library Is a busy spot at North and children In K-0 enjoy using Its beautiful facilities. From the library area, the visitor can see the spacious commons area and springtime Is a pretty season when the azaleas and dogwoods bloom. Teachers also use "carry-over” specialized skills In music, physical education, speech, and psychology In the classrooms after regular visits from these specialists to the plant each week. On any given day, you can observe students in PE classes which were organized by a qwclallzed instructor who visits on a regular baxls and which the classroom teachers uses dally. School Is for children and not for adults Is a theme the 18 regular clsLSsroom teachers emphasize for 461 children In K-flfth grades. In cluding three classes of kin dergarten p;q)lls and a class of 81 exceptional children, phis Head Start class of 18 four-yearolda “We believe in working with the total child,” said Prlncteal Oreene, focusing not only on his academic needs but on his social and physical needs. Focusing on physical needs, for Instance, North School serves breakfast to 100 children on a dsdly basis, some of these children coming from deprived homes and others coming from the more "well to do.” "R's Importsmt for a child to s^ypreclate what he has and also to appreciate what he may not have,” said Oreene, who described school as a "growth process for all.” "We haven’t departed from the basic skills but we use new ap- prosushes to tea(A them,” he declared. Kings Mountain's first stats supported Kindergarten was begun at North School five years ago with 30 students with Mrs. WlUle Marabls as Instructor. The program Is "going strong” with three classes now and Linda Hardin Stewart Is Mrs. Marable’s aide. Identifying children with special needs Is another target at North School where parents are brought to the campus for ccnterences with the teachers after a complete evaluation of the child and an Individualized written plan with suggeetlons from the teacher, the learning disabilities teacher and school psychologist. Federal Law 94143 passed by the state legislature will have a great impact on this program, says Oreene, who pointed out the law, which was passed without the resources to Implement It, will force school systems to Involve parents in decisions which affect the kids, parUculariy the handicapped child. Mr. Oreene said he and his staff "feel good" about a self-study now underway, purpose of which is to attain accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Fifteen committees are at work, surveying the school and the com munity, writing a philosophy of education, and explaining tai depth a design for learning, all of which will be Included In the self-study. "This study will give us a close look at our strengths and also our weaknesses,” said Principal Oreene. North School combines the traditional with Individualized teaching and much flexibility on part of the teachers. There Is one incident of team teaching at North, no open classroom, as such. Principal Oreene said it's his philosophy that If "team teaching” la to worir that the teachers themselves must doolde to work together, no way cap an administrator make that decision. Norfli School Initiated parent- teacher conferences for evaluation purposes and parents have responded well to them, said Oreene. Bach parent Is called to the school twice a year for conferences and although there Is a traditional report card, this plan much better "shows the parent Just what his child Is doing.” Mr. Oreene can see many Im provements each year at North School, believes his faculty la doing a better Jdb each year. "We haven’t solved all our problems but we’re working at them,” said Oreene. (Please Turn Tb Page 6B) Living Today SECTION B Thursday, March 16,1978 i - 4' •ml DISCUSS CLASS SCHEDULE - Principal Richard Oixene. in his eighth year at North and 10th year In the system, discusses class schedules with Mrs. Beulah Carroll, fifth grade teacher. nL, ■:li£ (1 n MMDEllOAirnBNIlBVETnJtCB-iaadorgartmi iaehidss mm skideiits are plotured In Mre. S. O. Marable’s and Mrs. kkchen spot. Mack Stewart’B dassroom, a eomterlable ^ot whleh eonters, taehidlag Om OROUP RBADINO - Robert Hoeler, a student In Mrs. MUdrsdSpake and Mrs. R. L. Oanrin’s first grade, reads tar school board member BUI McDaniel, who obeervss a reading class where students are par ticipating for the second year In the Oovemor’s Reading Program. Mrs. Oarvln assists other students as Hosier reads for McDaniel.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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March 16, 1978, edition 1
11
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