Education 2011 North/South Edition Hersam Acorn Newspapers

8/7/2019 Education 2011 North/South Edition Hersam Acorn Newspapers

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January 27, 2011

Special Section to: Greenwich Post I The Darien Times I New Canaan Advertiser I The Ridgefield Press I The Wilton Bulletin I The Redding Pilot I The Weston Forum I The Lewisboro Ledger

MyDesign Foundations GoalsFoster Creativity, Business Skills

Will Libraries & BookstoresBe As Rare As Phone Booths?

The German SchoolMore Than A Language Course

Education

2011HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS


2/10

2 Education Hersam Acorn Newspapers January 27, 2011

Its been slow to arrive, but foreign lan-

guage instruction is now finding a spot in

the elementary-school curriculum. Spanishseems to be most popular, followed by

French, while some schools offer Mandarin

as an after-school add-on. In spite of the

fact that German is the most widely spoken

language in Europe, few schools offer it.

Concerned about the decline of German-

language instruction in Connecticut high

schools, Dr. Renate Ludanyi co-founded

the German School in 1978. Since then,

about 350 tots, teens and adults have held

Saturday mornings sacrosanct in order to

attend classes in West Hartford or recently

at Rippowam Middle School in Stamford.

Although most participants are of German

descent, the largest single heritage group

in the United States, this is an international

school welcoming children of all nationali-ties.

Students enroll for a variety of reasons. Urs

Klarer, a Swiss citizen, says German isnt

spoken at home. He wants his four children

to become fluent and learn proper German

so they can talk to their grandparents and

cousins.

Children need the structure of attend-

ing school, says Annette Bareiss, whose

teenage daughter is the last of her three to

attend. Parental involvement isnt enough;

we want them to learn the proper grammar

and not repeat our fossilized mistakes.

Students are encouraged to remain with the

program through high school so theyll be

able to read, speak and write German flu-ently rather than just know how to ask for

directions or order off a menu.

Two recent graduates are already seeing

the benefits of learning German. My busi-

ness studies got me the interview, but I

am convinced my fluency in German got

me the job, says one. From another, Im

planning a career in banking my ability

to speak German is already opening doors

for me.

The school has two tracks: one for begin-

ners and non-native speakers, the other

for students with native and near-native

fluency. Classes are offered based on age

and ability and run from 9:30 to 12:15 on

Saturday mornings. All are taught by pro-fessional, dedicated teachers, most with

German as their native tongue.

Although my German is limited to

Gesundheit, when someone sneezes, the

teachers in the classrooms I visited kindly

greeted me in English before returning to

their instruction in German. The two-year-

olds were singing German songs and learn-

ing basic vocabulary under their parents

watchful eyes. The kindergartners were hav-

ing a test. When their teacher pointed to a

picture on the blackboard, they were to cir-

THE GERMAN SCHOOL IN STAMFORD

More than just a language courseby Polly Tafrate

Language continued on page 4


3/10

January 27, 2011 Education Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

Middle school children are still young enough to beexcited about daring challenges and old enough to

want to take them on. Gregory Clark, designer of

prize-winning contemporary furniture, understands

this. He has two children of his own, Emily, 14,

and Andrew, 12. When Gregory was 11, he won

awards for his handmade miniature furniture, and

he believes that boys and girls have inborn sources

of creativity that need to be stimulated and encour-

aged.

This past April, he introduced MyDesign Foundation,

a not-for-profit project to cultivate the creative talents

of students from sixth to 12th grades with design

competitions.

The designs sought come right from the childrens livesand experiences How to Improve a School Locker,

Design a Beach Toy, Improve a School Desk, Design a

Wake-Up Device.

Mr. Clark believes that utilizing the creative abilities

of our children is not just for fun and entertainment.

The world is changing, he says. China and India are

emerging as dominant players in the world economy.

As a shoe designer, in the early 90s, I watched the last

10% of shoe manufacturing leave our country. Over the

past 10 years, I have watched the same thing happen

to furniture manufacturing. The countrys creative abili-

MyDesign FoundationCULTIVATING CREATIVITY, BUSINESS SKILLS AND PERSEVERANCE

by Lois Alcosser

To cultivate their creative talents, MyDesign challenges students from grades six to 12through design competitions. MyDesign Foundation continued on page 8

[email protected] 914-967-2530

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Reserve a time from Mon- Thur2:30 to 7:00 pm

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Spectrum Disorders

...and other Special Education classifications

The Westfield Day School

Reinforcement of All Subject Areas SAT Prep

Regents and AP Prep Multi-Sensory Reading

Direct Instruction Writing Skill Development

Strategy Instruction Study Skills


4/10


cle in their workbooks where it belonged in the house. Her

question, Does the refrigerator belong in the bathroom?

was met by giggles, so I knew they understood her.

The nine- to 12-year-old class was more serious. Throughout

the year theyll be learning how to conjugate verbs in the

present tense, write letters in German and learn the capitals

of European countries. Those in the high-school class were

preparing for Sprachdiplom exams (the official pre-requi-

site for entering a German or Swiss university) on their

mastery of spoken and written German, as well as on its

culture, history and literature. In Connecticut, students can

receive up to four credits toward graduation requirements

in world languages, thanks to a bill passed in 2008 (Public

Act 0801380).

The adult group had a handful of students. Some were

parents sharpening their skills while their children attend

classes, and one woman was sharpening hers for her job as

a computer consultant.

Although the school is in session only one morning a week,

it has many similarities to traditional schools. There are

tests, grades and some homework. Students enjoy gather-

ing with their friends in the cafeteria during mid-morning

recess. Each week a different class provides traditional

German snacks for sale little sandwiches, drinks and

homemade sweets.

Every year a delightful yearbook is published. Last year the

theme was Grimms fairy tales, and the students observa-

tions and opinions on them were written in German next

to their pictures.

The necessary texts and workbooks can be purchased at

their small library, and books written in German, games

and CDs can be borrowed. The administrators and directors

are all parent volunteers. Fund-raising is important to keep

the tuition ($760/year) reasonable, the teachers paid and

the building rented.

German culture is embraced through traditional celebra-

tions throughout the year. Last September, about 30

children rode on a float in NYCs Steuben Parade. In

November, they celebrated St. Martins Day by making

lanterns and parading through the school singing songs,

while Weihnachtsfeier was enjoyed at Christmas. The

children are looking forward to the Fasching Carnival

in February, and the annual poetry-recitation contest

is held in May, along with the end of the year, Maifeier

party.

The German School is the most underrated educational

asset of Fairfield County, says one director, Annette

Bareiss. It was never meant to be a secret, but few people

know it even exists. We welcome you to learn more and

visit us.

For more information: Stamford school, Urs Klarer, 212-882-

5686; West Hartford school, Christina Wilson, 860-404-8838;

germanschoolct.org.

Languagecontinued from page 2

In addition to learning to speak, read and write in German, the culture is

also embraced through traditional celebrations.

Discovering the gift. Educating for a purposeful life.


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Study like a successful CEOby Michelle Sagalyn

Successful CEOs share common charac-

teristics with successful students. They

apply specific skills, tools and methods

to realize the vision theyve set for them-

selves and their companies. CEOs work

with commitment, momentum, persis-

tence and crispness.

How can students apply the same tools

in their school work as CEOs use to run

their companies? Here are 5 essential

skills.

Set Goals

Setting goals is an essential ingredi-

ent to getting desired results because it

keeps ones focus on the target. Goals

help establish a vision, allowing you to

develop priorities and concentrate on

what you want to achieve.

Once a goal is established, decisions and

choices are easily made. For example, if

you have a goal of getting an A on the

math test, the question of Should I study

for the test on Friday, or play a pickup

game of basketball? is easily answered.

Manage & Schedule Time

Great CEOs operate with a plan so they

know what they need to do and when

they need to do it. Accomplished execu-

tives use a calendar and schedules to

make appointments with themselves and

set due dates for when assignments

should be started and completed.

Students should do the same. If an

English paper is due on Tuesday, good

students dont wait until Monday night

to write it. Rather, when the assignment

is given, they assess what needs to be

done research, outline, draft and

plan when theyre going to do it, taking

into account other responsibilities and

commitments.

Write It Down

Because memory isnt very reliable, tak-

ing notes is important so you can review

and refer to them later. Taking notes also

helps crystallize an understanding of the

material. If upon review an element is

unclear or not completely understood,

one can go back and get the answers.

Ask Questions

What do Thomas Edison, Sir Isaac

Newton and Alexander Bell, among other

famed inventors, have in common? They

all asked questions that inspired amazing

discoveries and inventions.

Strong leaders ask their teams lots of

questions, too, requiring them to think,

explore and otherwise search for answers

and solutions to problems. This active

engagement leads to clarity, innovation

and creativity elements which trans-

late into profitable products and ser-

vices.

Study continued on page 8


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They say you shouldnt discuss politics or

religion at dinner parties. Well, now we can

add e-books to that list. People are all too

willing to share their strong and passion-

ate opinions about them, usually based on

whether they own one or not.

Currently there are about 50 e-book devic-

es on the market. Two of the most popular

are the Kindle (Amazon) and the Nook

(Barnes and Noble), the second of which

recently came out with a touch-screen,

color version. Books can also be download-

ed on some smart phones and the iPad.

Owners of these devices brag about their

convenience. Theyre right. A wide array

of books, magazines and newspapers can

be beamed to the reader within minutes,

no matter where you are, which makes e-

books ideal travel companions.

What these aficionados neglect to men-

tion, however, is that first you must buy a

device. Although prices are coming down,

most range from around $150 for a basic

reader to around $800 for the grand-daddy

of them all, the iPad. But then, you have to

spend more money to purchase many of

the books. Sure, some older ones are free

reads, but if you yearn to read a bestseller,

you must pay around $10. This is less than

youd pay at a bookstore, but where does

the break-even point come to make owning

an e-reader an economical investment?

E-book addicts will strengthen their posi-

tion with the argument of how environ-

mentally friendly these books are no

forests being destroyed on behalf of these

readers. Is this really true? When books

are discarded, they can be broken down

into pulp, but when e-books become out-

dated and subsequently discarded, theyll

become landfill unless recycled.

Its only logical that publishers favor e-

books. Think of their massive savings with

the reduced inventory. Editors often have

mixed feelings. Linda Landrigan, editor of

Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine says,

As a reader, Ive tried the Kindle and I

wasnt too taken with it. But as an editor,

I want readers to be able to come to my

magazine through whatever form they

prefer, and thats something that were

working to make happen.

WILL LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES BECOME

As rare as telephone booths?by Polly Tafrate

Nurturing the Potential


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Those in the anti-e-book camp say theyd

miss the comfort of reading a physical

book curling up with one before the

fireplace, turning the pages comfortably,

running their hands over the glossy cover,

loaning/borrowing favorites with friends

and browsing in bookstores to find just the

right book to give as a gift. Is this a gen-

erational thing, such as when our parents

feel uneasy about having computerized e-

tickets when they travel? The answer may

surprise you. A mother of two teens who

love to read reports that they prefer read-

ing traditional books, even though they

have access to a Kindle.

It does make sense that e-books are replac-

ing textbooks, which are often outdated

as soon as theyre published. According

to the New Media Consortiums Horizon

Report, E-books are expected to replace

textbooks in two to three years, claiming

them to be lighter and more versatile than

physical books and {they} incorporate

visual aids like videos, color imagery and

animations. An increasing number of

schools and colleges are downsizing or

discarding shelves of their physical collec-

tion of books while increasing their digital

collections, thus giving students access to

millions of titles.

But there are those who say, Not so fast.

College textbooks typically contain infor-

mation thats more complicated to read

than a novel. An article in PC World, August

2010, states that the National Association

of College Stores reports that digital text-

books account for just two to three percent

of sales at members stores. Studies show

that many students find it difficult to read

complex material on a digital screen for

long periods of time.

I had an opportunity to use the rising star,

the iPad, recently. With a finger touch

I had more choices than time. I read a

few pages ofThe Wall St. Journal and was

just starting a game of solitaire when my

three-year-old grandson demanded it back

to play an animated video game. When I

asked his father why he was reading the

print version ofThe New YorK Times one

Saturday morning instead using his iPad,

he explained, I read the actual paper

on weekends because its the only time

I have to be able to relax and read it at

my leisure. During the week Im on the

go, and digital is great. Now I await his

assurance that the iPad will come down in

price within the next few years.

Is there a meet-you-in-the-middle area

here? Perhaps. It does make sense to

have textbooks available digitally to keep

them updated. It also makes sense to

have an e-book when traveling, but just

as much sense to never give up the maj-

esty of holding, smelling and reading

a physical book without depending on

its battery life. This then affordable,

transportable e-books and traditional

books in libraries, stores and our own

bookshelves will be the best of both

worlds. Lets hope that culture adopts

both options.

Jesse Lee Day SchoolGrowing with Confidence

Toddler & Twos

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2011 Registration is OngoingWe Offer

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The Annexare open to the

Entire Community


8/10


ties may become one of our most impor-

tant exportable resources.

Students in five Fairfield County towns sub-

mitted 90-second videos of their designs,

which were judged for the research done,

the design concept, the quality of the

students model and drawings, plus the

presentation. Judges were people in thearts, business and engineering, plus a

middle school and a high school student.

Prizes included a MacBook Pro, flip cam-

eras and iPods.

At the Weston Middle School, students

in Peggy Jorgensens classes entered

MyDesign Foundations competition to

Improve a School Locker. The response

has been great, she says. My students

worked on surveys, analyzed current lock-

ers, looked at patents and commercials

and came up with ingenious ideas.

Lynn Kimberly, mother of a participant,

agreed. It was a great experience for

Anna. She spent a month before she

was satisfied with her ideas, and learned

patience and perseverance in the pro-

cess.

Elizabeth Clark, Gregorys wife and

Artifact Design Gallery manager, talked to

many parents whose children worked on

designs, and she concluded that not all

kids are thrilled with sports, but every child

has undiscovered talents. The MyDesign

combination of activities appeals to stu-

dents in the transitional middle-school

years, when self-confidence can be fragile.

Innovative and unexpected learning tech-

niques can be enormously effective.

MyDesign Foundation welcomes cor-

porate sponsors and private donations.

Additional information is on mydesign-

foundation.org, or call Elizabeth Clark

at Artifact Gallery, 2 Hollyhock Road,

Wilton, 203-834-7757.

MyDesigncontinued from page 3

Asking questions is one of the keys

to being a successful student, too.

The more questions asked, the more

engaged and enlightened youll be.

Organize

Think about it: A CEO juggles many dif-

ferent jobs hiring, marketing, prod-

uct development, managing. So do stu-

dents; they manage different subjects,

activities, assignments.

Just like a CEO, a student needs to find

worksheets, books, calculators, assign-

ments when needed. If you dont have

the materials at hand, you cant do the

work. A work environment should be

kept clear, clean and orderly.

Whether at an office, or at a home

study space, if your desk or backpack

is cluttered with overflowing papers,

you wont be able to concentrate on

your work, let alone find it. When your

teacher gives you a study guide, file it

immediately in your binder so you can

put your hands on it when you need it.

Organizing your physical space and

materials will reduce stress, save time

and keep you focused on the task at

hand.

Michelle Sagalyn is president of S4

Successful Study Skills 4 Students LLC,

an organization dedicated to helping stu-

dents in grades 6 through 12 achieve

their full potential through effective time

management, organization and executive

functioning. S4 works in affiliation with

schools and directly with students and

families. For more information: success

fulstudyskills4students.com, or call 203-

307-5455.

Studycontinued from page 5


9/10


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Education 2011 North/South Edition Hersam Acorn Newspapers