CONGREGATION B'NAI DAVID
SUNDAY SCHOOL IN WEST BLOOMFIELD
Graduate School of Educa-
tion. The coalition was organ-
ized after Dr. Sizer and
educators from the Boston
area toured the country for
five years observing public
and private high schools.
The Coalition grew out of
the interest expressed by
teachers from 12 of the
schools observed for reform.
"The impetus has to come
from the faculty and there
has to be some funding avail-
able to launch a program," Dr.
Sizer says of changes in a
school. Now, 100 schools are
part of the Coalition, which
espouses nine principles. The
first principle is to learn to
use one's mind, so that the
primary educational goal is
intellect-focused. Other prin-
ciples deal with the size of the
student population; the phys-
ical and spiritual environ-
ment; student-teacher roles
and expectations; and fund-
ing, either federal or cor-
porate. The Denver, Colo.-
based Re-Learning Project,
which operates under the
auspices of the Educational
Commission of the States,
helps schools in the coalition
find funding for their
programs.
Educational networks
share ideas, failures and suc-
cesses. One area of concern is
assessment. Influenced by the
MI Theory, schools in the
reform movement agree on
the need to refocus and rede-
sign ways of evaluating know-
ledge. Assessment must be
intelligence-fair — that is, a
"fair" way of measuring in-
tellectual growth must be
formulated.
Drew Gitomer, a research
scientist at the Educational
Testing Services, Princeton,
N.J., says, "When limited by
the instruments with which
we use to measure intellect,
we may be painting a narrow
picture of human perfor-
mance possibilities." Mr.
Gitomer contends that assess-
ment should be used to
educate students. "Testing
should not be strictly an ac-
countability or gate-keeping
function, and should attend to
the individual and not the in-
stitution," he says. In the
future, he believes, "standard-
ized testing will change dra-
matically." The current
system, in which tests are
designed from afar, will be
replaced by testing conceived
locally. It is also important to
take cultural aspects into ac-
count. "We have to find a way
to be equitable in our assess-
ments and preserve some
standards," remarks Mr.
Gitomer.
Several programs are al-
ready exploring alternative
assessment techniques through
Project Zero, a Harvard
research group directed by Dr.
Gardner that examines the
restructuring of curriculum
and content by using the MI
Theory.
Arts Propel, a collaborative
research project with Educa-
tional Testing Services and
the Pittsburgh Public School
System, assesses middle and
high school students' growth
and achievement in art pro-
jects. Students compile a port-
folio in music, creative
writing and visual arts —
areas usually neglected by
most standardized tests.
"This is an example of perfor-
mance assessment where the
project evaluations are being
used to change the classroom
climate," explains Mr.
Gitomer.
On the elementary school
level, The Key School's
assessment system involves
creative evaluations of cur-
riculum projects. According to
Mrs. Balanos, all projects are
presented and videotaped.
Project Zero researchers are
now devising criteria to as-
sess the videos.
Project Spectrum, co-di-
rected by another leader of
the movement, David Feld-
man, a psychologist at Tufts
University, Boston, Ma., is
developing assessment alter-
natives for preschool and
kindergarten children. Stu-
dents and teachers function
in an experimental classroom
equipped with a range of
stimulating activities cover-
ing a variety of intellectual
strengths. Throughout the
year, students are observed,
their strengths and interests
evaluated. In addition, using
games and a detailed scoring
system, researchers measure
each child's ability to perform
a variety of tasks. This as-
sessment approach has al-
ready been adopted by at
least one school, the Healey
School in Somerville, Mass.
In the search for ways to
change the existing educa-
tional structure, Dr. Gardner
and others in the reform
movement stress the value of
a more humanistic view of in-
telligence. As Dr. Gardner
stated in a recent interview,
"I believe that as long as we
have a narrow definition of in-
telligence most kids are going
to think they're stupid and
not recognize many of their
abilities."
Educational reform will not
come easily, and change is
frightening to many. But the
movement appears to be gain-
ing momentum and its sup-
porters believe it is necessary
in order to secure the intellec-
tual future of the country.
Beth Buxbaum is a writer in
Philadelphia, Pa.
Congregation B'nai David, Michigan's largest Traditional
Synagogue, is proud to announce that registration is now
open for our SUNDAY SCHOOL located at the Maple-Drake
Jewish Community Center. Classes will begin on September
16, 1990, and include:
KINDERSPIEL
a pre-school class designed for
3 and 4 year olds.
CLASS
for children who will be 5-7 during
the 1990/91 school year. Both classes will enable our
students to explore Judaism in a warm and supportive
setting.
OPEN HOUSE AT MAPLE-DRAKE JCC
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1990
10:00 Pig 11:30 a.m.
Come meet our highly qualified instructors
Refreshments will be served
Enrollment is open to the community and will be limited.
—
—
For further information call
Marla Schloss at the school office, 557-8210
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND...
ANNME & COMPANY
School of Dance
is once again expanding our facilities
without an increase in tuition costs to you.
Classes Begin
September 10, 1990
* MALE & FEMALE INSTRUCTORS
Beginner thru Advanced
REGISTER EARLY TO SECURE
YOUR PLACE IN CLASS
TAP * JAZZ * BALLET
Pre-School thru Adult
MORNING, AFTERNOON AND EVENING CLASSES
CALL NOW
553-0305
* Home of Gold, Silver, & Bronze Medalists in Professional Dance Competition
* Special family discounts available * Many College Dance Scholarship Winners
* Special Performance Groups for serious minded dancers
❑
ANNEITE & COMPANY
28857 Orchard Lake Road
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
109