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Learn, work, achieve
By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG -- If Robin Danzak were to place a help wanted ad, it might read like this: "Elementary students needed for start-up venture. Positions available in management, research and development, production and sales of Latin American arts and crafts. Good salary with opportunity to build self-esteem and develop leadership skills. No experience necessary, but applicants must be willing to learn." The ad is imaginary, but the job is not. Dozens like it are open at the Maximo Elementary Microsociety Center for Economics and Visual Arts, the county's first miniature society run exclusively by children, at 4850 31st St. S. Teachers such as Danzak, who is the school's Spanish curriculum coordinator, will assist with the ventures, but the children will do all the work. In a few weeks, they will run dozens of businesses, including a travel agency, a book store, a fitness center and a cleaning service. Many will choose jobs at a student-run bank or post office. Some will opt to work for nonprofit organizations, and a few will work at an art gallery featuring student work. "Having the kids take the initiative in decisionmaking is the whole point of microsociety," Danzak said. "The teachers don't necessarily have everything planned out. The kids make their own decisions, have goals and take steps to reach those goals." But there will be more to Maximo's microsociety than work. Besides earning wages for producing goods and services, the students will establish laws, keep the peace, and arbitrate disputes. They will pay taxes, invest in the product ideas of other students, and learn to be contributing members of their community. U
"We have to teach them, but we will turn them loose," she said. "They'll take things and connect them with what they're doing in their everyday world. Everything is a parallel to what we do in society." Students spend most of the day in traditional learning environments and attend "microsociety academy" for 30 minutes in the afternoon, Wesley said. For the past six weeks, they have been learning how communities are formed and how governments are instituted. They will elect a mayor and a vice mayor this week. Next week, they will learn how to write a business plan and begin preparing for a job fair where they will interview for the ventures that interest them. Once they have secured employment, they will spend microsociety time working in their ventures, Wesley said. Teachers will reinforce their work experience with lessons in technology, economics, citizenship and government, humanities and the arts, and something called "heart" that teaches them to give back to their community and help people in need. They will be given time off to do their banking business, visit other ventures, and use their micro money wages to sample other students' products. The underlying idea, Wesley said, is to increase student achievement, encourage attendance, and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving ability. The ambitious project was made possible by a three-year $6.9-million federal grant Maximo shares with Campbell Park and Gulfport elementaries. The schools were targeted for the grant in 2000 to help them comply with the district's desegregation order stipulating racial balance in schools in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. Campbell Park is using its share to create a marine science theme. Gulfport is converting to a Montessori school, incorporating a teaching method that will give students control over their own learning. In addition to building the microsociety, Maximo is using its $1.8-million portion to fund an integrated thematic instruction plan emphasizing reading, writing and math, maintain a kindergarten through fifth-grade Spanish program, and implement technology needed to to tie everything together, principal Barbara Hires said. "We were supposed to have a planning year, but we jumped right in with both feet, and we're glad we did," said Hires, explaining that the microsociety program, now in its second year, has been expanded from one to four class periods each week. "I just love it because the kids feel so much ownership," she said. "It's what kids need in this day and time if we're going to keep them in school." Before deciding to transform Maximo into a hands-on learning adventure, Hires and her staff visited several other microsociety schools, including Chocachatti Elementary in Brooksville. The Hernando County school combined the community-building model with its fine arts focus, creating artistic ventures including a sculpture gallery and a hip-hop shop where students give dance lessons. Microsociety coordinator Norma Foote credits the program with helping Chocachatti achieve the highest test scores in the county and with boosting student and parent satisfaction. Although Maximo's demographics are different -- 56 percent of its students qualify for free- and reduced-price lunch compared with 39 percent at Chocachatti -- Hires and Wesley are hoping for similar results. It is too early to analyze test scores, but anecdotal data indicates overwhelming approval from students, Wesley said, pointing to a survey they completed last spring asking them what they liked best about Maximo. "Some of them said 'my best friend' or 'my teacher,' " she said. "But they all ended the sentence with 'the microsociety.' " And when it comes to nurturing well-rounded citizens of the future, she added, that type of affirmation might be the most important of all.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks Letters |
