Teachers Participate in Schools Attuned Training
Bonnie Levy, Director of Curriculum Pre-K to 8; John Scott, Schools Attuned Instructor and Dana Berry, Starting Points Consultant/Schools Attuned Asst. Instructor present workshop to District teachers.
Once again the Kearny Board of Education has taken a leap forward in its continuing quest to improve the professional development opportunities for its teachers. This time, that experience happened with Harvard–educated and nationally renowned pediatrician Mel Levine. A professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Levine has spent more than 25 years researching how the brain functions in order to more clearly understand the ways children learn and develop. When many of us were growing up, this neuro-developmental framework was not available to teachers. If they had a kid who couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t keep up, couldn’t remember, couldn’t sit still, just couldn’t get it together, the teacher probably did the best he could without really understanding the methods and strategies that could have helped that child become a ‘winner’ instead of a ‘loser’. But today, because of the recent brain research and expanding knowledge-base for child growth and development, teachers have access to supports and strategies that will aide them in understanding the learning needs of that student – a win/win situation for all.
Since October, 2004, twenty-five of the Districts Teachers and Administrators have attended six days of intensive training in the ‘Schools Attuned’ professional development program founded by Dr. Levine and colleagues. The training will enable our teachers to recognize, understand and manage both strengths and weaknesses in brain function. It is now known that when a person understands his learning needs, he can advocate for himself so that he is in better control over his learning environment. The attuned teacher is taught to evaluate a student’s learning proclivities and then to assess various methods for intervention. The end result is a child whose learning style is understood instead of labeling a child in a negative manner. This enables the teacher to work supportively with the student, and avoids negative labeling.
And it works! Just ask any of the 25 “attuned” teachers”. Their response has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments like, “If only I had known this when I was growing up….” “If only I had known this for my child…” “Now I know I can help because I understand ways that will help students to stay attentive, instead of day-dreaming. Pretty powerful stuff when one considers the influence achieving well has on our children’s sense of self. Pretty invigorating to teachers who often wonder what to do next to reach a student.
There is one more day of training before this first group of Kearny teachers receives their national certificate from Schools Attuned. And by the sound and sight of it, this is a training worth repeating to more of our committed teachers.
Mel writes, “ As I continue to evaluate children with school problems, I am struck by the endless patterns of learning styles, strengths and weaknesses I have not encountered in any textbook to review article. All too often it is the uniqueness of children that contribute to their learning problems. My aim is to look for the individual differences rather than to find likeness in developing children.”
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