North Shore Children & Families February 2012

FREE!North Shore

Children FamiliesThe online and print forum promoting the development of children, families and the parents who care for them.

www.northshorefamilies.com

& Real Solutions to the Problemsof American Education

American Students:Why Are We Getting Our Butts Kicked?

The “Teacher-Centered” vs.“Student-Centered” Debate

What Are Your Educational Values?

Instructional Practice: What Works?

Improving Education at the Local & National Levels

Community Calendar

Education Feature:Tower School

Coming in March:Our 5th Annual Summer Camps& Programs Showcase SeriesKicks Off – camps see page 7!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

SPECIAL ISSUE:Transforming Education

FEBRUARY 2012

Family & Friends

Continued on page 19

Helping Ourselves & Others ♥ A Valentine StoryIt’s Almost Time for Summer Camps!by Suzanne Provencher, Publisher

Hello again, dear readers! I hope you allenjoyed the holidays – and that 2012 isfilled with blessings and all things goodfor you and your family.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This issue deals with the state of ourschools. We examine the challenges ourschools currently face – and we shareideas and possible solutions. The stateof our schools is not someone else’sproblem – whether you have children inschool or not. Change andimprovement can happen and benefitour communities – but only if we alltake an active role, no matter how largeor small. Consider volunteering orsharing your expertise as a mentor tothe many organizations in our area that

benefit local schools, children andfamilies. Perhaps you could donateextra art supplies or school supplies toyour local school – or attend andsupport the many fundraisers that areplanned. We can’t wait for budgets tobe restored, as those days are seeminglyover. So it is up to all of us to getinvolved in some way, for the sake ofour local school children – and for thesake of all of our futures. Today’s schoolchildren will be tomorrow’s leaders –and it’s important to find new andinnovative ways to help our localschools.

For starters, we have two fundraiserscoming up that benefit local kids. TheSalem Education Foundation will beginselling raffles tickets on March 1 – and

2 North Shore Children & Families

the prize is dinner for two anywhere inthe world! That’s right – anywhere! Thewinner will receive roundtrip airfare fortwo, two nights hotel stay and $150 fordinner anywhere in the world! The ticketsare $5 and there is no limit to howmany you can buy, or how many will besold. For more information on this andSEF’s upcoming auction fundraiser –please see the Calendar in this issue onpage 20 under “Save the Date” and onpage 22 under March 1, when the raffletickets will go on sale. The SEF is aperfect example of local communitycoming together to help local schoolsby raising funds to restore programsand provide needed support thatbenefits local teachers and classrooms.An annual auction fundraiser is alsoplanned for April 5th at the HawthorneHotel. If you would like to donate aproduct, service, experience or giftcertificates to the auction, please seethe listing on page 20. To learn moreabout SEF, please visitwww.salemeducationfoundation.org.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Another local organization is takingroot in Salem, too – Spark 540°. Thisnon-profit organization is working tooffer support, mentoring, resources andmore to local kids. A ValentineTalenTime talent show fundraiser isplanned for February 13. For moreinformation, please see page 20 in ourCalendar under “Sign Up Today”. If you

would like to participate in the talentshow, the deadline is February 8. If youwould like to make a donation,participate in or attend the varietyshow on February 13, or volunteer yourtime or expertise, please visitwww.Spark540.org to learn more.These are just two examples of waysthat we can do something to helpourselves and others in our localcommunities – and we welcome othersto share their fundraisers and missionswith our readers, too. Please shareyour upcoming events with us toinclude in our Calendar; see page 20 tolearn how to submit your listings to us.Listings for March and early April eventsare due by noon, Tues., February 21st tobe considered for our March issueCalendar, which appears in print andonline. Congratulations to the SalemEducation Foundation and Spark 540°for stepping up to help make adifference that will benefit all of us, andespecially our local school children. Wehope this inspires you to start yourown non-profit organization to benefityour North Shore city or town – or toget involved in some way, no matterhow large or small. Every little bit helpsall of us and our communities.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

A Valentine’s Story: A few weeks ago, Igot a call from my little friend, Tiara.She was so excited and wanted to share

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North Shore Children & Families 3

Letter from the Editor

by Michael F. Mascolo, PhD

Mari Jansen* left the teaching profession after teaching nine years in anunderperforming district in Massachusetts. In that nine years, she saw expensivecurricula come and go, took endless trainings, attended countless meetings onstudent achievement and thought deeply about why her students were struggling.The city built a new school building, and Mari and her colleagues were thrilled tobegin teaching in state of the art classrooms equipped with the latest technology.Sadly, not much changed despite the improvement in surroundings. Mari, who holdsa Master’s degree in education, offered a tremendous amount of time, energy andexpert teaching to her class of third graders. It was heartbreaking to watch themstruggle despite her best efforts; all the while hearing her school district disparagedin the news. After nine years, Mari called it quits, discouraged by what she calls“spinning her wheels in the sand.”

In December of 2011, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and SecondaryEducation (DESE) identified the Bentley Elementary School, in Salem Massachusetts,as an “underperforming” (Level 4) school. Four other schools in Salem wereidentified as being “on the cusp” of the “underperforming” designation. Theseinclude the Carlton Elementary School, Collins Middle School, Nathaniel BowditchSchool and Salem High School. Throughout Massachusetts, DESE has identified fortyschools as Level 4 schools. The majority of these schools are located in Boston andSpringfield. Lawrence and Lynn each have two schools identified as underperforming.(See State Guidelines for Identifying and Transforming Level 4 “Underperforming” Schools in

Real Solutions to the Problems of American Educationthis issue for information about Level 4 designated schools and the guidelines forimproving such schools.)

There is something troublesome about the concept of an “underperforming school”.The phrase “underperforming school” directs our attention to the school: it is theschool that is underperforming. If the school is underperforming, it must be a badschool. Imagining a bad school involves imagining a bad principal, bad teachers andbad students. Perhaps the school building is old and decrepit. It doesn’t havecomputers, a decent library or other school supplies. But according to this image,the problem is a problem in the school.

I am certain that there are plenty of “bad schools” out there. It is tempting tobelieve that a good education is something that is under the control of the schoolitself. If only we can change what’s going on within the walls of this or that school,education will improve. We then begin the search. If our students are not learning, itmust be because we are not instructing them right. The solution, we are convinced,is to find better ways to instruct our students. There must be instructional methods– out there somewhere – that will fix what we are doing wrong in the classroom.We must implement better methods, hire better principals, recruit better teachers,purchase better technologies, and so forth, if we are to have “better schools”.

However, the problems of American education are not simply problems of the schools.The problems of education are problems in our both our local and national culture.The problems of American education extend beyond the walls of any given school.

North Shore Children & Families

A publication of North Shore Ink, LLC© 2012. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in full or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Suzanne M. ProvencherPublisher/Co-Founder/Managing Partner

[email protected]

Michael F. Mascolo, PhD Editor/Co-Founder/Partner

[email protected]

Designed by Group One GraphicsPrinted by Seacoast Media Group

Please see our Calendar in this issue for our upcoming deadlines.

Published and distributed monthly throughout the North Shore, 10x per year, and always online.

All articles are written by Michael F. Mascolo, PhD unless otherwise credited.

Information contained in NSC&F is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Individual readers are responsible for their use of any information provided. NSC&F is not liable or responsible for the effects of use of information contained in NSC&F.

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Nationally, the United States has fallen into the average and even below averagerange when it comes to educational achievement. In the most recent data comparinginternational student achievement, Asian nations occupy most of the top ten slots inreading, science and mathematics. The top ranking nation in reading, science andmathematics is Finland. The United States does not figure in the top nations when itcomes to educational achievement. (Paradoxically, American students are near thetop when it comes to self-esteem. It turns out that American students feel quite goodabout themselves, even though, as a group, they are underperforming in the contextof the world’s nations.)

The problems of American education are not simply problems of the schools. Theyare problems within and among our communities. Lasting change in the quality ofstudent learning is not something that will happen simply by making improvements inschools (although we should certainly start with that); lasting change will requirecultural changes – changes in how we think about and value education in our localschools, our homes and communities. It will require that we ask ourselvesuncomfortable questions and try to answer them with honesty, boldness andcompassion. It will require a commitment to something other than business as usual.

This issue of North Shore Children & Families is dedicated to the question of how wecan transform education. Our issue is based around a series of direct questions:How does optimal teaching and learning occur? What is needed to support qualitylearning in our children? How can our local school districts seize the opportunity torenew the ways in which we think about and approach education as it occurs notonly within the classroom, but between the classroom, the home and within thelarger community?

*A pseudonym

Real Solutions to the Problems of American EducationContinued from page 3

State Guidelines for Identifying and Transforming Level 4“Underperforming” Schools

An “underachieving school” is one whose students have exhibited low levelsof performance in English/Language Arts and Mathematics over a four-yearperiod as measured by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System(MCAS). Schools identified as “Level 4” schools are given a three-year periodof time to develop a “turnaround plan” designed to produce rapidimprovement in the level of student achievement.

In order to remove themselves from Level 4 status, schools must showincreased scores on MCAS and introduce changes in both the school and thedistrict designed to maintain those elevated test scores. Schools that fail toproduce the designated changes over the course of three years would enterinto a “co-governance” with a receiver appointed by the State Commissionerof Education.

School districts can apply for a School Redesign Grant to support theirattempts to develop a turnaround plan. Under the provisions of a SchoolRedesign Grant, schools must choose one of four broad, federally-prescribedintervention models designed to produce significant change. The restartmodel involves starting a new charter school in place of the existing Level 4school. Both the turnaround model and transformation model seek toproduce change within the existing school. Both of these models involveimplementation of new instructional practices, increased class time for keysubjects and the provision of socio-emotional services for students. Theturnaround model relies more heavily on replacing underperforming staff,whereas the transformation model works to create instructional changeand school reorganization through enhanced professional development andincentive systems with existing staff (with the exception of the schoolprincipal). The fourth option is school closure.


Problems & Prospects in American Education

Our educational problems are notsimply problems of the schools; theyare cultural problems. They areproblems that occur between theschool and the communities of whichthey are a part. To produce realchange in educational achievement, itwill be necessary to examine how wethink about education both at thenational and local levels. The problemsof education in the United States canbe divided into four basic categories:cultural values; the quality ofcurriculum and instruction; social class,diversity and funding; and the quality ofsupport that exists for studentachievement.

Cultural Values and “Child-Centered” Education:Finding Balance

Over the past century, there has beena significant shift in how we think

about education, parenting andsocialization in the United States. We have moved from the traditionalemphasis on “teacher-centered”education to a more “student-centered” model. (This trend isparalleled by a similar shift from“adult-centered” to “child-centered”parenting.) The move to student-centered teaching is based on the ideathat children must play an active rolein their learning, and that too muchdirection or critical feedback canundercut a child’s self-esteem, initiativeor creativity. One might argue thatthe well-intentioned move towardschild-centered teaching and parentinghas had a series of unwanted effects.These include the devaluation of theimportance of direct instruction ineducation, a relaxing of academic andbehavioral standards, and a decline inthe work ethic of many American

students. Improvements in Americaneducation will depend upon finding analternative to “adult-centered” versus“child-centered” thinking. Happily, weneed not choose between these twoapproaches. It is possible to organizeteaching and learning around highstandards and sensitive support forachievement.

Curriculum and Instruction

Curriculum. A curriculum refers tothe system of knowledge and skills thatchildren are expected to acquire.Happily, Massachusetts is fortunate tohave a strong curriculum that guideseducational practice throughout thestate. The Massachusetts CurriculumFrameworks contain a set ofbenchmarks and goals for Mathematics,English/Language Arts, Science/Technology, History and Social Science,Foreign Language and the Arts for allstudents between 1st and 12th grade.

Standardized Testing. Despite thisstrong curriculum, there is great

frustration about the use of theMassachusetts ComprehensiveAssessment System (MCAS) to assessstudent and school performance.Indeed, many schools in Massachusettshave devoted considerable energy topreparing students for the MCAS.Performance on the MCAS is criticalin maintaining accreditation for anygiven school or district. While thedesire of public accountability isunderstandable, the use ofstandardized tests has seriousdrawbacks. Parents and educators areaware of the dangers and temptationsof “teaching to the test”. Moreimportant, the reliance onstandardized tests runs the seriousrisk of stifling innovative andintegrative teaching. The best schoolsystem in the world – Finland – doesnot use standardized tests to assess itsstudents or its teachers.

Quality of Instruction. We alreadyknow a great deal about the types of

An Overview

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instruction that produce optimallearning in children. Optimal learningoccurs under conditions of scaffoldedinstruction and student engagement.Scaffolding is the process of fine-tuninginstruction just ahead of thedevelopmental level of children.However, to profit from suchinstruction, students must be activelyengaged in the learning process.Students learn what they do in thecontext of instruction that is fine-tuned to their developmental needs.

In general, formal instruction in theUnited States operates according tothis approach. Problems arise,however, in the difficulty of reachingstudents with diverse learning needs.In the United States, a single teacher isgenerally responsible for an entireclassroom. Administrators evaluateteachers by observing their classroomperformance. In so doing,administrators tend to spend less thanfive hours per year observing a

teacher. In contrast, Finnish teacherstend to work collaboratively in groupsof 2, 3 or 4 teachers in smallclassrooms. They observe eachother’s performance and meetregularly to discuss how to fine-tuneinstruction to the learning needs ofthe class. The system is cooperativerather than hierarchical. Teachers arehighly trained, respected professionalswho are trusted with the task offinding the best way to educate theirparticular students.

Support for AcademicAchievement

Support consists of everything beyond

formal classroom instruction that isneeded to ensure academicachievement. It is sometimes temptingto see support as “something extra” –something that is needed whenstudents are unable to learn fromformal instruction alone. To be sure,additional support is essential to helpstruggling students succeed. However,support is not simply an “extra” or an“adjunct” to formal teaching. Formalinstruction in the classroom cannotachieve its goals without supports thatoccur beyond formal instruction. This istrue for all students, and is especiallyimportant for struggling students.

Academically successful students tendto (a) come from wealthier homes, (b)have more educated parents, (c) haveparents who engage their children inlearning activities outside of school(e.g., reading together, visitingmuseums, traveling, etc.), (d) holdchildren to high academic andbehavioral standards, and (e) interveneto help their children attain those highstandards. Thus, academicallysuccessful children tend to come fromcommunities and families that provide

them with a wealth of both direct andindirect support for learning.

Underachieving students tend to comedisproportionately from families whoare unable to provide the wealth ofdirect and indirect support that istypically provided in families ofacademically successful students.Families in such communities oftenface significant obstacles. Theseinclude lack of income; relative lack ofeducation; the need to work multiplejobs; an inability to assist children intheir learning; lack of fluency with theEnglish language; cultural backgroundsthat can clash with school culture, andso forth.

It is possible, of course, to blamefamilies for the difficulties they face.While this may help us to explain awaythe problem, it will do nothing toalleviate it. Where family support foracademic achievement is insufficient,there is a need to work to developpartnerships between families andschools to strengthen the support thatfamilies are able to provide, or elsefind systematic ways to compensatefor the absence of familial support.

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An OverviewContinued from page 5

Continued on page 8


Although we say we value education, US students test out in the average rangein the context of the world’s nations. The highest levels of educationalachievement are attained by various Asian nations. The highest scores oneducational achievement go to one nation: Finland. What do these nations dothat we do not? What, if anything, can we learn from them?

The Asian Experience

Students from many Asian nations – China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and more –begin to outpace students in the United States from a very early age. How?The simple answer is that they work harder than American students do. Asianstudents spend much more time in school, doing homework, getting tutoringand studying than American students do.

Why do Asian students work so hard? It’s a matter of culture and values. Forexample, in China, learning is built into the cultural fabric of everyday life. InChina, learning is not simply a practical activity (e.g., a means to employment);instead, it is a moral virtue. Chinese parents stress the importance of learningfrom a very early age. From a very early age, children are given training in theprocess of moral self-perfection. This refers to the idea that a person is expectedto engage in a life-long process of continuous self-perfection. How does oneperfect oneself? By working to live up to moral ideals through the process oflife-long learning.

In China, the prevailing belief is that learning occurs through effort,

Problems & Prospects in American Education

American Students: Why Are We Getting Our Butts Kicked?

perseverance and sustained hard work over time. “Natural intelligence” is lessimportant than hard work and effort. The Chinese view success and failuredifferently than we do in the West. Because learning is a life-long process ofperfecting the self, success at any given task is seen as but one step in a life-long

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American StudentsContinued from page 7


process of learning. A child may be praised (modestly), but it is more importantto focus on the next step in cultivating the self through learning. Failure isviewed not as an indication that one has no ability or talent; instead, it is viewedas an indication that one has not yet put forth the effort and perseverance tolearn. With effort, anyone can learn.

From the perspective of many in the United States, the Chinese advantage ineducation comes at quite a cost. Chinese culture is a hierarchical society.Children are expected to obey their parents and to live up to the very highmoral expectations of their parents. If children live up to expectations, theybring social honor to their families. If children fail to do so, they bring a senseof collective shame upon their families. Chinese education is based upon theseprinciples. Although the example of Chinese education shows that effort andpersistence can foster high levels of achievement, many Chinese practices are atodds with cherished American beliefs.

The Finnish Experience

Education in Finland is much different than that in China. Why does Finnisheducation work? The simple answer is because: They teach smarter. Highlyeducated teachers have the autonomy to fine-tune their instruction to the needs ofparticular students. They focus on collaborative and in-depth teaching of core subjectareas.

The popular literature on Finnish education is growing. However, much of thisliterature does little to illuminate why Finnish education works so well. This islargely because writers tend to focus on a series of counter-intuitive (and

politically charged)facts about Finnisheducation. Theseinclude thefollowing:

• Finnish teachersare very highlyeducated. Theymust earn MastersDegrees to enterthe teachingprofession. Finnishteachers are wellpaid. Teaching is awell-respectedprofession in Finland. Competition to become a teacher is fierce – only thebest students gain entry into Finnish schools of education.

• Finnish education is a very relaxed experience. Children take their shoes offwhen they enter school. They call their teachers by their first names.Students start formal schooling at 7 years of age. Their school days areshorter than virtually any other Western nation. They receive less homeworkthan American children.

• Although Finland has a national curriculum, it functions only as a set ofguidelines. Individual schools and teachers are free to fashion any curriculumthat they choose. In this way, the Finnish system is based on a deep sense oftrust and respect for teachers.

• Finnish school systems are not evaluated using national standardized tests.

None of the above tells us, however, what Finnish teachers, parents andstudents do in order to get the results that they do. The following facts give ussome additional information:

• Classes tend to be small. There are at least two teachers in each class, andsometimes as many as four teachers per class. One teacher operates as themaster teacher. The other teachers are focused on providing 1-1 support forstruggling students.

• Teachers continuously observe each other and discuss ways to improve theirindividual teaching and their teaching as a group. Such discussions focus onhow a particular group of teachers can teach and support a particular groupof learners over time. Innovative solutions are planned and tested outtogether. If something doesn’t work, it is changed.

• Teachers get to know their students; students are taught by a single teacherover the course of several years.

• Parents are highly involved in their student’s learning. There is, for example, aculture of shared reading among preschoolers and their parents.

When examining cultural differences in education, it is important to considerwhy educational practices work within the context of the entire culture inquestion. One can rarely select the practices that one likes and import themto another culture. For example, many pundits have commented on someaspects of Finnish education (e.g., small class sizes; sizable pay for teachers;shorter school days; less homework) without noting the vital importance of theremaining cultural practices. For example, Finnish educators are more highlytrained than those in the US; Finnish schools of education are more selectivethan those in the US; the Finns have organized their education system in termsof an ethos of interschool cooperation rather than competition, and so forth.Imagine what would happen if the US were to import the first set of practicesin the absence of the second group? The results would be disastrous. Systemicproblems require systemic solutions, not piecemeal ones.

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Tower School is a place where studentslearn by doing. It’s a place whereteachers engage children in the joys oflearning instead of “teaching to a test.”It’s a place where students gainknowledge of advanced concepts andgraduate with the skills needed tothrive in secondary schools and collegesthat are among the most selective inthe country. It’s a place where leadersare made. And it’s a place where theseeds of a lifelong love of learning arefirmly planted.The oldest independent elementaryschool on Boston’s North Shore—located in Marblehead, just over theSalem line—Tower provides a rich andinnovative curriculum to its studentswhile empowering its faculty to teachwith equal parts passion and ingenuity. Itsoutstanding program combines the bestof traditional and contemporarypractices.

“Innovation is central to the excellenceof the program at Tower and consistentwith the school’s longstandingcommitment to deliver a program thatimagines the future, and preparesstudents for it,” says Head of SchoolPeter Philip. Start Ahead, Stay AheadResearch shows that an excellent earlychildhood education can provide a highreturn of academic success for years tocome. With an enrollment of just under300 students in grades pre-k througheight, Tower is an intentionally smallschool that allows children to learn

through meaningful, hands-onexperiences. Pre-kindergartners begin torecognize patterns by working withblocks, for example, or gain anunderstanding of math in cooking class.Learning isn’t a passive activity, andgetting the right answer is meaningless ifa child doesn’t comprehend thereasoning behind it. “Students retainmaterial and make ‘learning connections’when they are engaged with thatmaterial,” says Philip.This is fostered by Tower’s low student-teacher ratio. “Students learn best whenworking with teachers they know andtrust,” notes Philip. “We share ourobservations as to what motivates thestudent, what challenges him, whatinspires her. We take the time to knoweach of our students well.” Teachers havethe flexibility to make adjustments tocurriculum based on the needs of eachchild. They can determine whether heneeds guidance to solve a problem orwould be better served by workingindependently. The takeaway: Studentslearn how to learn. A Challenging, Inspiring ProgramTower is a welcoming place where eachchild is valued. Students are excited tocome to school and plunge into adiverse and engaging school day. Skilled,passionate teachers form the backboneof Tower’s accelerated program, and theyhave the freedom to present theirlessons creatively. The curriculum placesan emphasis on language arts andwritten expression, and students

consistently read above grade level.Spanish classes begin in second grade.Science is integrated into the homeroomin pre-k and kindergarten. In UpperSchool, students become adept withtools and strategies—note-taking,research, and test preparation—that willenable them to thrive in high school. Leading the WayThis fall, the school served as a model toits educational peers by launching aninnovative 1:1 iPad program for grades3–8, the first of its kind inMassachusetts. “Innovation is not newto Tower—it is a part of ourinstitutional DNA,” notes Philip. “Thishas always been a school eager toembrace advances in pedagogy.” TheiPad is a truly transformative teachingtool; the vast array of information itmakes available to students—literally putsat their fingertips—is astounding.Theprogram ensures that students aretechnologically skilled in an era thatrequires new levels of creativity,collaboration, and flexibility. While iPadsare a contemporary teaching tool, atraditional approach to learning remainsat the heart of Tower’s program.Making Conscientious LeadersCharacter education has long beencentral to a Tower education, andstudents are held to the expectations ofthe Tower Code. From an early age,they learn the importance of service.The more the students volunteer, themore they discover that they’re not justgiving to others, but gaining confidence

Education Feature

Tower School – Ahead of the Curve

To learn more about Tower, please call 781.631.5800 or visitwww.towerschool.org.The information contained in thiseducation feature was submitted byTower School, and published inpartnership with North Shore Children & Families; www.northshorefamilies.com.

in themselves. Tower’s small-schoolculture enables each student to take ona leadership role, whether it’s headingup a sneaker drive or spearheading arecycling project. An Artful ApproachWhen she founded the school nearly100 years ago, Adeline Tower was aheadof the curve in her commitment to thearts as essential in elementary education.That commitment is still evident today:students create a gallery of master -pieces, from papier-mâché animals tohandmade guitars. Students learn to readmusic beginning in second grade and aregiven plenty of opportunities toperform—whether it’s in a handbellconcert at Friday assembly or the full-length theatrical production each spring. Collaboration CountsIn this 21st century world, the ability towork with others is an essential skill. AtTower teamwork isn’t limited to eachchild’s classroom—students of differentages often work together. This winter,for example, third and eighth gradersteamed up on a project to create animalrobots. In this situation, learning is a two-way street: The younger students learnfrom the “big kids,” and it’s anexperience they’re likely to rememberfor years to come, while the olderstudents gain confidence and developmentoring and leadership skills. Planting the Seeds of SuccessBy the end of eighth grade, students areexceptionally prepared to tackle what’snext: high school and then college. Thisfall, members of Tower’s Class of 2007headed to some of the country’s mostselective colleges and universities,including Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth,Brown, and Northwestern. Tower alumniknow how to juggle a substantialworkload, ask key questions, and mostimportantly, self-advocate. Theknowledge and skills they gain at Towerserve them not only in their educationalcareer—but also in life.

A classroom “store” provides a hands-on lesson about currency for first graders.

Eighth graders collaborate on anexperiment in Tower School’s state-of-the-art science lab.



Over the past century and more, there has been a slow and steady tendencyaway from the traditional “teacher-centered” approach to teaching to more“student-centered” approaches. Despite important drawbacks, student-centered thinking has been in vogue for quite some time now. In recent years,in response to skill and knowledge deficits exhibited by American students, thependulum has begun to swing away from the student-centered approach. Is thisshift justified? Let’s take some time to explore the debate.

There have been long-standing controversies about how teaching should occurto foster optimal learning. At the risk of simplifying, we can divide the variousapproaches to teaching and learning into two broad categories. Teacher-centered (traditional) learning refers to education that is organized aroundthe teacher’s goals and knowledge. The teacher-centered approach casts theteacher as the expert in the classroom. The teacher provides expertinstruction – often in the front of a classroom in terms of lecture orpresentation. Students attend to the teacher’s instruction and put it intopractice in some way.

Student-centered learning (sometimes called “active-learning”) grew out ofdissatisfaction with teacher-centered approaches. The teacher-centered

Values & the Culture of American Education

The “Teacher-Centered” versus “Student-Centered” Debate:Fretting Over a False Choice

North Shore Children & Families 11approach is often characterized in terms of the “drill and kill” or “chalk andtalk” approach to teaching. In contrast, student-centered learning is based onthe idea that learning occurs best when students are active in their learning.Teachers are understood to be more like “guides on the side” than as “allknowing sages on the stage”. Student-centered teaching strives to makelearning tasks relevant and exciting to students. Interesting, activity basedlearning tasks are used to activate a child’s intrinsic curiosity. Further, student-centered learning proceeds as an attempt to foster a sense of creativity andindependence in children’s learning. Too much direction is thought toundercut a child’s inquisitiveness or creativity; too much corrective or criticalfeedback is thought to be damaging to a child’s self-esteem.

Beyond the “Teacher versus Student-Centered” Controversy:Teacher Direction and Student Engagement

However well-intentioned, student-centered learning has significantdrawbacks. While it is true that children must be active in the process of learning,this is only a half-truth. Focusing primarily on a child’s own individual learningprocess leaves out the other half (or more) of the learning process. It leavesout the role of the active teacher who must structure learning activities forthe child; it leaves out the subject matter itself; it leaves out the tools andobjects that children learn with; it leaves out parents and culture; and much,much more.

Children do not learn on their own. Corrective feedback is not damaging to astudent’s creativity or self-esteem; in fact, creativity and self-esteem aredependent upon the academic success that is fostered by the provision ofsensitive direction and feedback. Teaching and learning requires teachers whoactively structure and give direction to children’s learning and actively engagestudents who learn through their participation in learning activities. To findout more, read What Works? Scaffolding Student Engagement in IntegrativeLearning Activities (in this issue).

What Are Your Educational Values?

1. If my child is not getting high grades in school:

(a) The teacher is incompetent.(b) She may not have the ability to do the work.(c) She is probably not working hard enough.(d) I worry that her teacher’s expectations may be inappropriate

or too high.

[Research suggests that Asian parents are more likely to attribute a child’sdifficulty in school to the need for more effort and perseverance. They are alsomore likely to request that teachers provide greater challenges for theirchildren, even if their children’s grades are high.]

2. Which of the following do you most agree with?

(a) Intelligence is changeable. Effort and hard work are the keys tolearning and achievement.

(b) People who do well in school tend to be more intelligent than thosewho do not. There is not much you can do to change yourintelligence.

[Children who believe that intelligence is fixed are more likely to avoidchallenging tasks out of fear of failing at them. They are more likely to selecteasier tasks that they cannot fail. Children who believe that intelligence orability can be changed through effort are more likely to see difficult tasks aschallenges to be overcome.]



What Are Your Educational Values?Continued from page 11

3. How do your children spend their free time?

(a) Mostly reading or doing interesting projects(b) Using videogames, electronics or watching TV or movies(c) Engaging in sports or other extra-curricular activities

[American children spend an inordinate amount of time in front of screens of allsorts – computers, TVs, iPods, videogames, etc. There is a strong relationshipbetween the amount of time children spend in front of screens and their academicachievement.]

4. Over the past week, during dinner, our family:

(a) Most often did not eat together(b) Talked about current events, your children’s projects or intellectual

issues(c) Talked about whatever the kids wanted to talk about(d) Didn’t talk much at all

[Families who have dinner together regularly and talk about meaningful topics havechildren who experience fewer behavior problems and attain higher levels ofachievement in school.]

5. When my child has homework:

(a) I let my child do his or her homework by him or herself.(b) My child does homework by him or herself, but I check it when he or

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(c) I typically help my child do his or her homework, or find someone whocan help.

(d) I help my child do his or her homework, and often push him or her togo beyond the expectations of the assignment.

[Children in Asian nations do more homework for longer periods of time thanAmerican children. They are also more likely to get assistance with theirhomework, to have tutoring outside of school (regardless of their ability level) andare provided with deeper explanations during teaching and learning than theirAmerican counterparts.]

6. When my child is learning something new:

(a) It is important to stay positive. Praising children when they do wellincreases their self-esteem. Correcting children too often can makethem feel bad about themselves.

(b) It’s most important to let children figure out how to do new things forthemselves. This is how they learn independence.

(c) It’s important to praise children when they do well, but it’s alsoimportant to correct children’s mistakes.

[Too much praise can have an undermining effect on a child’s interest in an activity.Praise and rewards tend to reorganize children’s motivation to do new tasks.Children come to do new tasks to obtain praise and reward, rather than out ofinterest, to learn new things or even to live up to moral ideals. Correctivefeedback does not harm children’s self-esteem. In fact, corrective feedback helpschildren perform better, which thereupon leads to higher levels of self-esteem.]

7. When my child has a project to do for school:

(a) I typically allow him to plan and complete the project withoutassistance.

(b) I help my child plan and perform the project, but I don’t try toinfluence how my child chooses to complete the project.

North Shore Children & Families 13(c) It’s important to me that my child does well. Although I am only tryingto help my child, I end up doing a lot of the project for my child.

(d) In helping my child plan and perform the project, I challenge my childto go beyond what he might ordinarily do without my help.

[It is sometimes tempting to think that because a project has been assigned to achild, the child should perform the project without assistance. Children learn agreat deal by doing projects, but primarily when they are assisted to do their bestwork. When someone helps a child complete a project – but does not do theproject for the child – the child is able to produce much better work than if thechild were left alone. In turn, the child learns more.]

8. What types of learning activities do you typically engage in with your child?

(a) Life is busy. We don’t have a lot of time to devote to learning activities.(b) We explicitly plan learning activities to do with our children, such as

visiting museums, going to zoos and aquariums, going to theatrical ormusical events and visiting historical sites.

(c) We engage in learning activities when the opportunities come up, butwe don’t actively organize our family time around such activities.

[We learn what we do, and particularly what we do with others. Parents set thetone for what happens in the family. If the family engages in learning activitiestogether, children will do the same. Creating a culture of learning within the familycan have a profound effect on children’s achievement.]

9. How do you communicate the importance of learning and education to yourchild?

(a) I explain to my child that learning is more important than play, social lifeor extra-curricular activities. I stress that learning is the key tobecoming a good person and living a good life.

(b) I explain that it’s important to get a good education in order to getinto a good college and eventually get a good job.

(c) I stress the importance of effort. I tell my child that although I’d likefor him or her to get good grades, it’s most important that he put inthe effort to do his best.

(d) We don’t really talk about this.

[Parents who value education communicate their values to their children in manydifferent ways. They explain the importance of learning, of getting good grades, ofhow learning can have practical value, and so forth. Such parents are more likely toput learning ahead of extra-curricular and social activities. Parents of academicallysuccessful children stress the importance of how effort leads to achievementrather than focusing on effort alone.]

10. When my child does well in school, I usually:

(a) Praise my child so that he or she will know I am proud, and offer somekind of reward

(b) Give extra dessert for completed homework, or a prize for goodgrades

(c) Praise my child and then talk about ways to continue to improve his orher work

(d) Praise my child, but instruct him to be sure not to brag(e) Do not make a big fuss about my child’s success

[Praise is important for providing children with feedback in their learning.However, sustained and overly effusive praise can also have the effect of producinga sense of hubris or entitlement in children. Children who are frequentlyrewarded often learn to set their sights on completing individual tasks and thenstopping; children whose parents encourage them to look beyond the praise andset new goals are more likely to seek out new tasks and challenges.]


Instructional Practice: What Works?

Dante St. Pierre’s 8 year old daughter,Liza, usually gets gasps of amazementwhen she brings out a homemadesoufflé from the kitchen and sets it infront of guests. “She takes after herfather”, friends say, but Liza has beendoing more than “taking after” Dante.Dante, a professional chef, has had Lizaat his side in the kitchen from the timeshe could sit up by herself. He handedher a spoon for stirring, eggs forcracking and eventually she progressedfrom a butter knife to being able towield a chef’s knife, under dad’swatchful eye, of course. Liza doesmake a great soufflé, but not withouteffort on her part, support from herfather, an egg or two on the floor anda few very flat soufflés along the way.

This is an example of how moreexpert persons (e.g., teachers, parents,etc.) can actively include novices (e.g.,students, children, etc.) in the processof guided learning. A student learnsbest when she is able to participateactively in the activities that she isexpected to master, but underconditions of active guidance from amore expert person. This basicapproach applies to learning in allcontexts – school, home, work, and soforth.

Decades of research supports the ideathat effective learning requires twobasic processes: (a) scaffoldedinstruction and (b) studentengagement. Effective teachingrequires both of these processes;

neither alone is sufficient for optimallearning. In this way, “scaffoldedengagement” brings together the bestfrom both “teacher-centered” and“student-centered” approaches toteaching and learning.

Scaffolding occurs when an educator (ateacher, parent, coach, tutor, moreaccomplished peer) providessupportive guidance and assistancethroughout the process of acquiringnew skills and knowledge. Teachersscaffold a child’s learning when theyinstruct, direct, break down a learningtask (or even perform part of a task fora child) so that a child can successfullyperform the task in question. Effectivescaffolding involves showing a child howto do a task, providing supportive and

corrective feedback, guiding a child’slevel of participation so that she can besuccessful, managing frustration inorder to keep children on task, and soforth.

Scaffolding alone is not sufficient forlearning to take place. In order foreffective learning to occur, studentsmust be actively engaged in thelearning process. It is not sufficientthat students simply register or heara teacher’s instruction; instead, theymust be actively doing something bothduring instruction and afterinstruction has taken place. Again, welearn what we do. If we sit in alecture, listen and take multiple-choice tests, we will learn to listenand take multiple-choice tests. If weare guided through the process ofpreparing a project or presentationthat requires that we bring variousideas and skills together into afinished product, we learn all of the

What Works? Scaffolding Student Engagement in Integrative Learning Activities

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North Shore Children & Families 15skills and content that go into thatfinished product.

Four Principles of ScaffoldedEngagement

Based on decades of research ineducation, human development andpsychology, it is possible to identify aseries of basic principles that describehow optimal teaching and learningoccurs. Although there is room for agreat deal of variation in the details, ingeneral, the process of optimalteaching and learning can be describedin terms of several basic principles.

1. All new knowledge and skillsdevelop by modifying existingknowledge and skills.

The only way that we can learn newthings is by applying our existingknowledge and skills to new tasks. Allnew knowledge builds on our existingknowledge. For example, in order toparticipate in the process of making asoufflé, Liza requires some basic andshared knowledge. She has to knowwhat eggs are; she has to be able toread at least parts of a recipe; she hasto know some very basic units of

measurement; she must be able to usebasic kitchen utensils. Her father willdraw upon Liza’s knowledge when heintroduces her to new understandings(e.g., “eggs make the soufflé rise”) andskills (e.g., “this is how to cut onionswith a knife”). To teach a child whodoes not have such basic backgroundknowledge will require teaching thebasics before moving on. The qualityof learning is deeply dependent uponthe quality and level of our existingskills and knowledge.

2. Learning happens best wheninstruction occurs just beyondwhat a child is capable ofperforming on his or her own.

Children need guidance in order tolearn. But what kind of guidance?Years of research have demonstratedthat the best instruction is that whichoccurs when children are guided toparticipate in learning activities that arejust beyond their currentdevelopmental level. This is the heartof the concept of scaffolding.Scaffolding occurs when a teacher,parent or more accomplished expertinstructs, guides and assists a student

in the performance of new tasks.Scaffolding occurs when a teacherwalks a child through the process ofadding 5+3, when a parent makessuggestions about which puzzle piecesmight fit into a puzzle or when Liza’sfather uses hand-over-hand guidance

to show Liza how to hold her fingerswhen she slices the onions.

Scaffolding has the effect of raisingwhat a child can do to levels thatwould not be possible if the child wereto work on a task alone. As a result,


It is virtually never desirable or possible simply to import practices from oneculture into another culture. When they work well, educational practices fromother cultures work because they fit into the cultures of which they are a part.

As a result, educational practices that work well in one culture will notnecessarily work well in another culture.

Further, the United States differs in important ways from both Asia and Finland.Asian nations –and their education systems – tend to be organized aroundsocial hierarchies that are distasteful to many if not most Americans. Unlikeboth Asia and Finland, the United States is a nation composed of diversesubcultures and groups. Further, Finland, unlike the United States, seeks toestablish equality in their education systems through an ethos of cooperationrather than competition. Nonetheless, we can learn from other cultures; buteach culture has to create its own solutions to its own set of educationalproblems.

Here are some things we can learn:

The value of valuing learning. Successful nations not only place a high valueon education, they put those values into practice. Asian nations do this byintegrating learning and effortful persistence into the fabric of everyday life.Finland does this by committing themselves to in-depth teaching in smallclassrooms with highly trained educators. It is not enough to give lip service tovaluing education. It is essential to walk the walk as well.

Cultivating effort, persistence and hard work. The concept of a workethic is central to American culture. One might argue that we have witnessed adecline in the American work ethic as it applies to learning and education. Thisis, in part, a product of the “self-esteem” movement of the latter half of the 20th

century. The self-esteem movement was based on the mistaken idea that self-esteem is a prerequisite for learning and success. In an attempt to bolsterchildren’s self-esteem, teachers and parents tended to withhold correctivefeedback to children out of fear of damaging the child’s self-esteem. Happily,this tendency is beginning to change. In its place, we need to embrace thenotion that self-esteem is the result of the success that will inevitably comefrom effortful persistence and nurturing support from adults.

The need for autonomy and collaboration among highly trainedteachers in the service of solving real problems in and out of theclassroom. In the US, individual teachers assume singular responsibility fortheir classrooms. Administrators evaluate teachers by observing theirclassroom activity on an occasional basis. This practice does very little toenhance teacher effectiveness. A better model is one that is organized aroundintensive peer collaboration in both the delivery and improvement ofinstruction. When highly educated experts direct their shared attention towardimproving learning rather than toward passing an evaluation, they become able tosolve problems that they could not ordinarily solve alone.

Deep parental involvement in children’s learning. Parental involvementis important to support student learning. Parents are essential is setting highstandards for learning and behavior; motivating children’s academic activity;supporting homework and other learning activities; cultivating discipline in theirchildren, and so forth. Relations between parents and schools are highly mixedin the US. Teachers from some communities complain of parental over-involvement; teachers in underserved communities often find it difficult toengage parents in constructive ways. The US must either find ways to forgelasting and constructive partnerships with parents, or to find ways tocompensate for the lack of parental involvement where it exists.

Deep support for struggling students. In the US, students are able to

Improving Education at the Local & National Levels

Why Can’t We Just Do What the Asians and Finns Do?


North Shore Children & Families 17obtain additional support if they exhibit some form of diagnosable learningdisability. Parents from high-income families are able to provide support fortheir struggling students. However, the US has not found a way to providesystematic academic support for the struggling middle class and poor students.The Finnish system supports struggling students through 1-1 in-class support insmall classrooms; in the Asian system, parents, families and tutors provide thesupport for struggling students. Both of these cultural practices are feasiblewithin the American context.

Promoting academic and socio-emotional discipline in students.There are relatively few behavioral problems in Asian and Finnish classrooms.Many US teachers – and particularly those who teach children fromdisenfranchised communities, complain that their teaching effectiveness iscompromised by the need to enforce discipline within the classroom.Discipline problems in the school are most prevalent in poorer and moredisenfranchised communities.

Good education requires a quality curriculum, effective instruction and abundantsupplies of support to foster academic achievement. However, above andbeyond everything else, quality education occurs within a culture of learning thatexists not only in the schools, but also in the home and in the community. Onthe North Shore – and throughout Massachusetts – we already have a solidcurriculum in place for our children. Our local schools have good, hard-workingand highly dedicated teachers who provide quality formal instruction. Thisincludes the Bentley Elementary School, the Salem school that has recentlybeen designated as “underperforming”.

What do we need to turn around local education? There are short-term andlong-term answers to this question. In the short term, the answer lies primarilyin the level of support that is available for students, teachers and families. Inthe long term, the answer lies in giving more than lip service to the value ofeducation in children’s lives. It would involve calling all stakeholders in theeducation process to assume their legitimate share of the responsibility foreducating children. These stakeholders include schools, teachers, students,parents, local businesses, local support organizations, those who organize extra-curricular activities and government at all levels. Against this backdrop, let’sexamine some possible solutions.

Addressing the Short Term: Providing a Blanket of Support1. Identify the Full Range of Skills and Knowledge that Students

Need to be Successful

We know that optimal learning requires a willingness to hold children to highstandards while simultaneously providing the level of deep support needed toassist children in reaching those high standards. Academic achievement requiresmore than quality academic instruction. In addition, learning requires:

Background Knowledge. This includes the everyday cultural knowledge andskills that formal instruction builds upon (e.g., vocabulary, cultural knowledge,reading skills, etc.).

Cultivating a Work Ethic. Learning is not easy. Students need to acquirethe capacity to put forth the level of sustained effort necessary to master newknowledge and skills.

Behavior Regulation Skills. To attend to learning tasks and profit frominstruction, students must have the basic capacity to regulate their behavior andemotions.

Facility with the Language of Instruction. Language is the medium in

What Do We Need to TurnAround Local Education?

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which learning occurs. Learning is compromised when children lack access tothe language of instruction.

Cultivating these skills cannot be accomplished in a piecemeal fashion. It is notsufficient, for example, to focus on only one rather than the other; we need tosupport the development of all of these facets of learning at the same time.

2. Forge Partnerships with Individuals Who Will Coordinate the FullRange of Content and Skill Support for Each Student

The most appropriate individuals to assume responsibility for children’s skilldevelopment are parents. Virtually all parents want to support their children’sdevelopment. Many low-income or minority parents face obstacles in theirattempts to provide such support. These include cultural clashes, difficulty withthe dominant language, lack of education or skill, an overextended workschedule, etc. Where it is not possible to forge relations with parents – otherindividuals, whether paid or volunteer, may be able to assume a supporting role.These include relatives, mentors, tutors, volunteers, teachers and others.

3. Provide a Blanket of Support for Struggling Students Both In and Out of School

We often respond to social need by creating individual programs to addressindividual concerns. Individual programs tend to form a patchwork of supportsthat exist for struggling students. Programs often fail because they arefrequently unable to address the full range of a child’s needs. A program is onlyas good as its weakest link. Children can “fall through the cracks” for reasonsthat seem trivial but in reality are not. A child may not be able to travel to theprogram; the program may address academics, but not socio-emotional issues;the program may interfere with family obligations; etc.


The school is the perfect location for the provision of systematic andcomprehensive support for struggling students. Within individual classrooms,struggling students would profit from in-class, 1-1 and small group tutoring andsupport. Extended day programs can be developed that provide safe andinclusive support for the full range of children’s academic difficulties. Suchprograms can include 1-1 and small group tutoring in areas of particular studentneed. Staff for such a program can include various combinations of paid orunpaid (a) teachers, (b) retired teachers, (c) college students, (d) parents and (e)others within the community.

4. Funding: Create a Web of Responsibility

It is easy to play the blame game. We can blame schools for student skill andknowledge gaps. We can blame parents for their own difficulties. We can blamegovernment for not providing enough funding. We can blame non-profits fornot providing enough funds. Blaming may feel good, but it does nothing to solvethe problem.

The fact of the matter is that every constituency in our community has aresponsibility to support the task of educating students. This includes schools,teachers, students, parents, local businesses, churches, non-profits, governmentsand so forth. Each of these groups has a different role to play in the process ofeducation.

How do we fund comprehensive afterschool programs? By hook or by crook.We can solicit funds from government, local businesses, non-profits, wealthydonors, everyday families and so forth. Where we cannot raise funds, we can

seek volunteers, mentors and other interested and able persons. But in theend, we must all assume some form of responsibility. This includes pointing ourfingers at ourselves and asking, “What can I contribute?”

Long Term Solutions: Create a Real Culture of LearningShort-term decisions must be made with an eye towards long-term solutions.That way, long-term solutions can build upon short-term solutions. Building onthe types of short-term proposals describe above, one might suggest thefollowing long-term goals.

Use the Bully Pulpit to Promote Educational Values

Remember littering? We don’t litter anymore. Why? Because people changedtheir values about littering as a result of a massive public campaign against it.The same is true for driving without a seatbelt. We need a similar movementto promote educational values.

Focus on Scaffolding Students through to Mastery

What would happen if we thought of the goal of teaching as mastery of skillsand knowledge rather than attaining scores on a test? Right now, teachers,students and parents alike tend to focus on maximizing test scores (eitherMCAS or everyday tests and exams) as the goal of learning. Instead of focusingon test scores, what would happen if we focused on mastering particularlearning outcomes? There is a big difference between the goal of “getting agood grade on my math test” and mastering arithmetic. If I’m focused onmastering arithmetic, I don’t stop learning when I get a good grade. Teachingand learning occurs until I master arithmetic.

Work Toward Collaborative Teaching and Assessment

Teachers tend to work in isolation. We should consider working toward theFinnish model in which teachers work in collaborative groups in smallclassrooms. This not only increases support for learning in the classroom, butteachers can learn from each other as they attempt to find the best ways toteach their students.

Set Broad Guidelines, but Provide More Autonomy To Teachers

As a rule, we do not treat our teachers as professionals. We don’t trust ourteachers. Instead, we treat teachers like laborers who are expected toimplement curricula, often in standardized ways, developed by others. Instead,we should identify the broad goals that we want teachers to teach, and thencharge them with the task of developing modes of instruction that will fosterlearning in their particular students at any given time.

Provide Real Professional Development for Teachers

Most teachers I know find their professional development opportunities to becatch-as-catch can at best. Quite often, professional development involvesattending lectures delivered by experts in their field on teaching and curricula.The quality of professional development varies widely. What would realprofessional development look like? Real professional development wouldinvolve in-school collaboration on solving the real world problems thatteachers face with their particular students in their classroom. Realprofessional education would ensure that all teachers are experts in their fieldof study, and not simply in the process of teaching.

Forge School-Parent-Community Partnerships

Schools cannot (and never have) been able to educate children themselves.Family and community support are essential. Where parental involvement ineducation is weak, efforts must be made to find innovative ways to bridge thegap between schools and families. If such attempts fail or are unfeasible,comprehensive programs should be developed to compensate for the lack ofextra-school support.About the Author: Michael F. Mascolo, PhD, is the chief contributor, partner and editor ofNorth Shore Children & Families. Dr. Mascolo is also a college level psychology professor,developmental psychologist, published author, child and adult development authority and NorthShore parent.

What Do We Need to Turn Around Local Education?Continued from page 17

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ness with the different advertising/marketing mediums we use! We measurethe amount of inquiries from each advertising source, and use that data toidentify our cost per inquiry as well as our cost per new member. (When itcomes to inquiries, both the quantity and quality matter!)

We are very pleased with our partnership with this local parenting publication. North Shore Children & Families is a professional and classypublication, and Suzanne is passionate about making sure advertisementsare accurate, attractive and effective. We believe this publication is a greatmarketing source to present our message to our target customers, and we’reoptimistic that with its excellent content it will continue to be an excellentresource for area parents and local businesses.

We periodically fine tune our marketing plan, reducing investment in thosepublications that yield less value per dollar invested in them. RegardingNorth Shore Children & Families, we have increased our marketing there,because of its impact with our target demographic…that is…it gets resultsfor our businesses!

Alan Ruthazer, OwnerThe Little Gym, Danvers & Woburn

“

“


Issue Ad Space Deadline Ads Due

March Fri., Feb. 17 Tues., Feb. 21April Fri., Mar. 16 Tues., Mar. 20May Fri., April 13 Tues., April 17

2012 PUBLISHING SCHEDULE

Attention Advertisers: Ask us about our …… “Try Us!” program for new advertisers

… Annual advertising frequency programs… The Annual Planner for Schools program… The North Shore Party Planner program

… Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase series

… Service DirectoryTarget your message to North Shore parents.

We’ve got the North Shore covered!

To explore your advertising options or to secure your space, please contact Suzanne at 781.584.4569 or

[email protected] learn more, please visit

www.northshorefamilies.com.

North Shore Children & Families is available for free each month at over 425 family-frequented locations throughout the North Shore!

scaffolding “pulls” the level of the child’s performance to levels that are higherthan the child’s current developmental level. It turns out that children are bestable to modify their existing skills and knowledge when instruction is justbeyond what they can perform alone. It also turns out that children will showthe highest level of engagement in a structured activity when it operates justbeyond their current developmental level. With help, children master new skillswith the assistance of others. Only later on are they able to perform thosesame skills by themselves. At that point, teachers and parents “up the ante” andprovide further scaffolding to support the construction of still higher-level skills.

3. In order for learning to take place, individuals must actively putinto practice the skills that they acquire in interactions withothers.

Scaffolding new skills is not enough. When children learn new skills under theguidance of others, those skills are generally unstable and tenuous. ImagineLiza’s capacity to slice onions with a knife after her first hand-over-hand lessonwith her father. Immediately after being taught, her movements would beawkward and jerky; she would have to alternate her attention between holdingher fingers away from the knife, holding the onions and slicing them. She mightalso experience a bit of fear as she began to embark on this task with lesssupport from her father. Liza would need additional support and thenconsiderable practice in order to consolidate, strengthen and fully develop hernew skill. We learn a new skill or concept under scaffolded support;nonetheless, having acquired facility with the skill in interactions with others, wemust actively put it to use in order to retain, consolidate and develop it further.

What Works?Continued from page 15

Family & FriendsContinued from page 2

something very important with me. She told me that her class was planning aValentine’s Tea, complete with songs and skits, and each child could invite onespecial person. The special person could not be mom or dad. When Tiara askedme to be her special person, I lost it. Even as I type this, my tears are fallingagain. You see, I am a single person and I do not have the children I alwayswanted – and Valentine’s Day is usually a day meant for others, not me. I’m notcomplaining – and I love the children that I do have in my life, and I am blessed tobe “Auntie Suzanne” to many of my friends’ children. I have tried to be an activeparticipant in their lives, which fills my heart with joy. So imagine my delightwhen Tiara shared her special invitation with me. Even at 7 years old, she couldtell I was choking up – and she became concerned and asked me what waswrong? I reassured her that everything was right – and that I was so happy thatshe invited me to be her special person for her Valentine’s Tea at school. Wetalked about what we would wear – she sang me the special song they arerehearsing – and she was so excited that I wanted to go with her. So while myrecent Valentine Days have been rather uneventful, this year will be different and Iam honored to be her special guest. Thank you, Tiara – you made Tia Suzannavery happy and I can’t wait to go with you! And seeing how happy this made me,I wanted to remind everyone to remember those around us who may beforgotten on Valentine’s Day. Perhaps you could make pretty paper hearts toshare with friends and neighbors who may be alone – and so we can makeothers feel special on Valentine’s Day. A little compassion and care can go a longway, and there is an opportunity to teach your children to be thoughtful and kindtowards others whenever the opportunity arises, or even for no special reasonat all. When you do good things for others – you’ll feel good – and you’ll makeothers feel good, too. Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, dear readers!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

And finally, it’s time to start thinking about Summer Camps &Programs!

Coming up in our March issue – we kick off our 5th Annual Summer Camps& Programs Showcase series for 2012 – the largest camp showcase andfamily-friendly resource in print and distributed throughout the North Shore!Whether you are a parent looking for information, ideas and options for yourchildren this summer – or you have a summer camp or program that needssummer enrollments (and an effective and efficient way to reach local, NorthShore parents!) – you won’t want to miss our upcoming issues!

To advertise your summer camp or program beginning in our March issue,please see page 7 and contact me by February 15 [email protected] or 781.584.4569.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

In closing, I urge you to share the love this Valentine’s Day – by calling or emailingor texting or Facebooking or even by sending an old-fashioned note or card toall of your family and friends – near and far. This is a perfect opportunity to tellthem how much they mean to you. It’s not all about flowers and candy andcards and dinner at a fancy restaurant – or it shouldn’t be, in my opinion. It’s thetime of year to remember those who love you and those you love – and thetime to take advantage of this opportunity to reach out and touch them where itmatters most. In our busy lives, we sometimes forget to say, “I love you” – andFebruary 14 gives us that chance and reminds us to express love to the peoplewho are most important to us.

Thanks so much for sharing some time with us again this month – and as always,we truly hope you enjoy this issue and that it inspires you to get involved withyour local schools and communities in some way.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Happy Valentine’s Day from Our North Shore Family to Yours!

Until next time – Suzanne


Community CalendarTo Submit to our Community Calendar:Please visit us at www.northshorefamilies.com and submit your listings directly through our website.From our Home Page – click on Calendar – then click on Submit in the upper right corner and our formwill open for you to complete and submit your listings.

While we will make every attempt to post all appropriate listings in our Community Calendar, space islimited – and priority will be given to those events that are free and family-friendly – and those submitted byour advertising partners & sponsors.

Calendar listings are generally due by the 15th of each month prior and must be submittedthrough our website. If you need to guarantee that your listing will be posted – please contact Suzanne toadvertise. See our current Calendar for our upcoming issue deadlines.

To advertise, please contact Suzanne at [email protected] or 781.584.4569.

Oceanfront Splendor...Magnificent Views...Elegant & Affordable

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• Weddings, Showers• Birthdays, Sweet 16s

• Bar/Bat Mitzvahs• Anniversaries

• All Special Occasions• Wedding & Function Packages• Many Menus to Choose From

The

Baysideof Nahant

781.592.3080One Range Road, Nahant

www.baysidefunctions.com

Personalized Poems & Prose

by SuzanneFor Gifts

A Personalized PoemMakes a Perfect Gift

for Any Special Occasion

For InvitationsClever, Custom Verses

for Your Invitations & Thank You Notes

For EventsSpeeches, Toasts & Roasts

781.584.4569 suzanne

@northshorefamilies.com

Have an Awesome BirthdayBash at The Little Gym!

· Private party – clean, safe, beautiful facility all to yourselves.

· Instructor led – great age-appropriategames and activities.

· Stress-free for parents…we take care of EVERYTHING!Call for details.

The Little Gym of Danvers978.777.7977

www.tlgdanversma.com

The Little Gym of Woburn781.933.3388 • www.tlgwoburnma.com

The North Shore Party PlannerTo advertise, please contact [email protected].

MARCH ISSUEDEADLINES!

If you need ad productionassistance

Ad Space ClosesWed., Feb. 15

If you do not need ad production assistanceAd Space Closes

Fri., Feb. 17

March Calendar ListingsDue By Feb. 21

Please submit your listings directly through our website.

To secure your ad space:

[email protected]

781.584.4569

Birthday Party onRoller Skates!

Roller World, Saugus

781.233.3255Party Line

A COOLPARTYSTORE!

Route 110, Salisbury

1.855.45.PARTYwww.gofunnybones.com

Ages 5 & UnderBirthday Parties at

www.malltots.com978.777.6411

For complete listing accuracy, werecommend that you call ahead orcheck the websites listed. Featuredlistings do not constitute anendorsement from this publisher andwe encourage our readers to alwaysdo their own research.

FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH FOR:American Heart Month, AmericanHistory Month, Black HistoryMonth, Children’s Dental HealthMonth, International FriendshipMonth, Responsible Pet Owners’Month

SAVE THE DATE (& DONATE TOTHE AUCTION!):

The Salem Education FoundationSpring Auction/Fundraiser will beApril 5, 6-9pm, at the HawthorneHotel, Salem. Proceeds help Salemschools. To donate to the auction(products, services, gift certificates,experiences, etc.), please [email protected] or Cindy at [email protected]. To make a monetary donation or to volunteer,please visitwww.salemeducationfoundation.org.

NOW OPEN & ACCEPTINGCLIENTS;FREE SCREENINGS ON FEB. 10 (by appt.):

Karen J. Cronin, MS CCC, PediatricSpeech-Language Pathologist, hasopened her new office at MiddletonGreen, 10 Maple St., Middleton.FREE screenings (by appointment)offered on Fri., Feb. 10. To schedule anappointment for your child, please call978.239.5520. Congratulations and bestwishes to Karen!

SIGN UP TODAY:

Fundraising Talent Show, ValentineTalenTime, Feb. 13, 6-9pm, atGiggles Comedy Club/Prince Pizza,Saugus; $10pp, all ages. To participate in the talent show,email name, age & talent by Feb. 8to [email protected]; $10 toparticipate in talent show prize round.Proceeds benefit youth programs at Spark540°. To learn more, to volunteer or todonate, please visit www.Spark540.org.

Programs for Kids at TheCommunity House of Hamilton &Wenham. For schedule, rates & toregister: www.communityhouse.org or978.468.4818 ext. 10.

FREE CLASSES:

Call today to schedule a FREEintroductory class at The LittleGym! Danvers: 978.777.7977; Woburn:781.933.3388.

SAVE TODAY:

Save $75 with the ad on page 3 forCranney Home Services: Plumbing,Heating, Cooling, Electrical, DrainCleaning!www.cranneyhomeservices.com

Save $50 with the ad on page 6 atMathnasium, The Math LearningCenter, No. Beverly; 1st – 12th grades,SAT & ACT Prep, homework help!Contact Jim today for a no costevaluation for your student: 978.922.2200.

Check out the special offers fromNorthside Dental Care in Peabodyon page 12! Call 978.535.8244 today tofind out how you can get a FREE iPad!

With the ad on page 14, save 25% offany single item at Pint Size and Up,a unique boutique in Marblehead!

♥ ♥ ♥


Birthdays • Graduations • ShowersWeddings • Anniversaries • Births • Retirements • Holidays

All Special Occasions

Life Celebrationsspecializing in poignant, personalized eulogies –

available in prose and in verse. Celebrate your loved one's life and share their story.

Your guests will leave with smiles, fond memories and lots to talk about.

Wish you could give the person who has everything something they don't have?

The perfect gift to enhance any special occasion.

Clever verses for your invitations

and thank you notes.

Speeches, toasts and roasts.

781.584.4569 or [email protected]

Samples available.

Personalized Poems & Prose by Suzanne

It’s never too early to start savingfor higher education! DominiqueSchanley, Financial Advisor withWells Fargo Advisors in Beverly, canhelp you! See ad on page 16!

WEDNESDAYS:

Cape Ann Waldorf School presentsMorning Glory Parent & ChildClasses, meets every Wed., 12:30-2pm; $280/10 wk. session. Forparents/caregivers with children ages 20months – 3.5 years. Call to register:978.927.1936. www.capeannwaldorf.org

THURSDAYS:

Cape Ann Waldorf School presentsMorning Glory for the YoungestChild Parent & Child Classes, meetsevery Thurs., 12:30-2pm; $180/10 wk.session. For parents/caregivers withinfants ages 3-19 months. Call to register:978.927.1936. www.capeannwaldorf.org

Mimi Meetings for Mommas, everyThurs. 3:30-4pm; free for expecting &new moms at Mighty Aphrodite MaternityConsignment store, Salem. Feb. 9: Whatis a Doula? Feb. 16: Partner Relations afterBaby Feb. 23: All About Homebirth.

FRIDAYS:

Cape Ann Waldorf School presentsMorning Glory for the YoungestChild Parent & Child Classes, meetsevery Fri., 9-10:30am: $180/10 wk.session. For parents/caregivers withinfants ages 3-19 months. Call to register:978.927.1936. www.capeannwaldorf.org

SATURDAYS:

Parent & Preschooler Playgroup,ages 2.5-5 years, meets mostSaturdays, 9-10:30am, at HarborlightMontessori School, Beverly. Free, butadvanced reservation required by calling978.922.1008. See ad on page 5.

SATURDAYS (2/25 & 3/31):

Centerboard Education (formerlySPIN) & United Way present ThePower of the Positive in an all-newworkshop series in Lynn, on Sat. 2/25& 3/31, 9-3pm at the brand newCenterboard Education Space in the JBBlood Building, 20 Wheeler St., Lynn.Centerboard Education provideseducational resources and support forfamilies and teachers. Educators can earn

20 PDPs (2 CEUs); $249. For info. & toregister, [email protected]. Some financial assistance is available.

FEBRUARY 2:

SGP + SMP 1976 ♥ 36

Kindergarten Open House at Clark School, Danvers, 9-10:30am.www.clarkschool.com See ad on page 17!

Feb. 2 through Mar. 21: RandomAccess: Data as Art Exhibit atMontserrat College of Art, Beverly. Free,open to the public, all ages welcome.www.montserrat.edu

FEBRUARY 3:

Race to Nowhere, film showing, 7pm;free for adults at Cape Ann WaldorfSchool, Rte. 97, Beverly. Please RSVPat 978.927.8811. This film has been called“a call to mobilize families, educators &policy makers to challenge currentassumptions on how to best prepare ouryouth to become healthy, bright,contributing and leading citizens”.www.racetonowhere.com

FEBRUARY 4: (Snow Date Feb. 5!)

SummerScape 2012, 11am-3pm;camp fair/over 70 camps. At GlenUrquhart School, Beverly Farms.www.gus.org

FEBRUARY 5:

Super Bowl Sunday!Go New England Patriots!!!

Enjoy the jazzy sounds of Just the 2of Us & Guests at Red Rock Bistro,Swampscott, 12n-3pm. Enjoy brunchwith a view and some amazing jazzstandards!

FEBRUARY 7:

Middle School Tour for Parents, 8:15-10:30am, at Cape Ann WaldorfSchool, Rte. 97, Beverly!www.capeannwaldorf.org; see ad page 13!

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen/ParentWorkshop at Plumfield Academy,Danvers, 7-8:30pm; free for parents.Learn to create new communicationoptions to help you become more loving& effective parents.www.plumfieldacademy.org

See local astro-photographer MarcMaccini’s fantastic images of solarand lunar eclipses and more –photographed from around theworld; exhibit through February. On Feb. 7 at 7pm, join Marc for alecture on his photographs, eclipses andjourneys in astronomy. At Gaga Gallery,459 Humphrey St., Swampscott.

FEBRUARY 8:

Open School at HarborlightMontessori School, Beverly, 9-11am;RSVP at 978.922.1008. See ad on page 5!

Tour Middle School in Action, 8:15-10:30am, at Cape Ann WaldorfSchool, Rte. 97, Beverly. For adults;RSVP to Kelly Hiselman at 978.927.1936.www.capeannwaldorf.org

FEBRUARY 9:

Mimi Meetings for Mommas, everyThurs. 3:30-4pm; free for expecting &new moms at Mighty Aphrodite MaternityConsignment store, Salem. Feb. 9: Whatis a Doula?

FEBRUARY 10:

Nursery School & KindergartenTours & Info. Session, 8:15-10:00am,at Cape Ann Waldorf School, Rte. 97,Beverly. For adults; RSVP to KellyHiselman at 978.927.1936.www.capeannwaldorf.org

Karen J. Cronin, MS CCC, PediatricSpeech-Language Pathologist, hasopened her new office at MiddletonGreen, 10 Maple St., Middleton.FREE screenings (by appointment)offered on Feb. 10. To schedule anappointment for your child, please call978.239.5520.

FEBRUARY 11:

Make A Friend Day

Free Enrichment Program, ExploreAsia, 10am, at The Phoenix School,Salem; see ad on page 11.www.phoenixschool.org

Enjoy the jazzy sounds of Just the 2of Us & Guests at Bella Mia, Beverly,7-10pm.



Community CalendarContinued from page 21

FEBRUARY 11:

The Princess & The Pea, presented byThe Fairy Tale Players Children’s Theatre,10:30am; $8/ages 1+, free forparents/caregivers. For ages 1-8w/accompanying adult. At 396 Main St.,No. Andover. www.fairytaleplayers.org

FEBRUARY 12:

K-12 Open House at Clark School,Danvers, 1-3:30pm.www.clarkschool.com See ad on page17!

FEBRUARY 13:

Clean Out Your Computer Day

Open Houses at Plumfield Academy,Danvers; 10am-12n & 5:30-7:30pm(or contact to schedule a personal info.session). For parents of children ages 5-11; www.plumfieldacedemy.org.

Fundraising Talent Show, ValentineTalenTime, 6-9pm, at GigglesComedy Club/Prince Pizza, Saugus;$10pp, all ages. Proceeds benefit youthprograms at Spark 540°. To learn more:www.Spark540.org.

FEBRUARY 14:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

National Organ Donor Day

FEBRUARY 15:

Do you have a summer camp orprogram? See page 7 for more info.on our 5th Annual Summer Camps &Programs Showcase Series – thelargest in print on the North Shore!Series kicks off in our March issue –see below for advertising deadlines;[email protected] camp showcase ad rates, sizesand available discounts.If you need to advertise in ourMARCH issue, and if you need ourad production assistance, please

confirm your ad size and submityour ad materials TODAY! You can seeour ad rates, sizes, available discounts &more at www.northshorefamilies.com.

FEBRUARY 16:

Mimi Meetings for Mommas, everyThurs. 3:30-4pm; free for expecting &new moms at Mighty Aphrodite MaternityConsignment store, Salem. Feb. 16:Partner Relations after Baby

FEBRUARY 17:

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Grand Opening launch of new kids’website –www.WonderWorldCity.com.See ad on page 2!

Advertising Space ReservationDEADLINE at NOON for ADS in ourMARCH issue!To advertise, [email protected]! If you need our ad productionassistance, please confirm your adsize and submit your ad materials by2/15! You can see our ad rates, sizes,available discounts & more atwww.northshorefamilies.com.

FEBRUARY 20:

President’s Day; Love Your Pet Day

FEBRUARY 21:

Happy Birthday, Mom! ♥

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)

Community Calendar listings’DEADLINE at NOON for MARCHissue! Please submit your listings forMARCH events directly through ourwebsite (see beg. of this Calendar fordetails).

FEBRUARY 22:

Ash Wednesday; Be Humble Day

FEBRUARY 23:

Mimi Meetings for Mommas, everyThurs. 3:30-4pm; free for expecting &new moms at Mighty Aphrodite MaternityConsignment store, Salem. Feb. 23:All About Homebirth.

FEBRUARY 25:

Centerboard Education (formerlySPIN) & United Way present ThePower of the Positive in an all-newworkshop series in Lynn, on Sat. 2/25& 3/31, 9-3pm at the brand newCenterboard Education Space in the JBBlood Building, 20 Wheeler St., Lynn.Centerboard Education provideseducational resources and support forfamilies and teachers. Educators can earn20 PDPs (2 CEUs); $249. For info. & toregister, [email protected]. Somefinancial assistance is available.

FEBRUARY 26:

Academy Awards – Oscar Night!

FEBRUARY 29:

Leap Day

MARCH 1:

Food for Thought Raffle Fundraiser –Win dinner for 2 ANYWHERE inthe WORLD! Winner gets airfare for 2to anywhere in the world, 2 nts. hotel,$150 towards dinner! Tix are $5, onsale March 1; drawing held on April 5 atthe Salem Education Foundation SpringAuction at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem(winner does not have to attend auctionto win). [email protected] for moreinfo. or visitwww.salemeducationfoundation.org.Proceeds support classroom innovationgrants for Salem teachers.

MARCH 10:

Free Enrichment Program, ExploreSouth America, 10am, at The PhoenixSchool, Salem; see ad on page 11.www.phoenixschool.org

For Early Childhood Educators: WhoTakes Care of the ClassroomConductor?The Legacy of TeachingEarly Childhood Institute presentsAll Aboard Legacy!, at the RiversideSchool, Danvers. Keynote Speaker isCarrie Stack, M.Ed., Certified Life Coach,author & motivational speaker. To register(earns 5 PDPs) & for more info.:www.playitforwardgc.org; see ad on page2! The Play It Forward Giving Circle ismade possible by a fund of the EssexCounty Community Foundation.


CHILD DAY CARE

Andover/North Andover YMCAAndover

978.685.3541www.mvymca.org

Wells Fargo AdvisorsBeverly

Dominique Schanley 978.524.1611See ad on page 16!

Plumfield AcademyDanvers

978.304.0273www.plumfieldacademy.org

Shore Country Day SchoolBeverly

978.927.1700www.shoreschool.org

Sparhawk SchoolAmesbury

978.388.5354www.sparhawkschool.com

Stoneridge Children'sMontessori School

Beverly978.927.0700

www.stoneridgecms.org

Tower SchoolMarblehead

781.631.5800www.towerschool.org

Waring SchoolBeverly

978.927.8793www.waringschool.org

Service DirectorySCHOOLS SCHOOLS

DANCE INSTRUCTION

ART INSTRUCTION

DENTAL CARE

CHILDREN’S RETAIL

EDUCATION SAVINGS PLANS

TUTORING

NEW WEBSITE FOR KIDS

HOME SERVICES

ATTN: SUMMER CAMPS!

FOR EARLY CHILDHOODPROFESSIONALS

TheArtRoomTopsfield

978.887.8809www.theartroomstudio.com

WonderWorldCity.comGrand Opening 2/17/12

Where kids meet!TM

See ad on page 2!

Cranney Home ServicesSee coupon on page 3!

1.800.559.7000www.cranneyhomeservices.com

Boost your enrollments in our5th Annual Summer Camps &

Programs Showcase Series!See page 7 to learn more!

The Legacy of TeachingInstitute

Sat., March 10, 2012 - see page 2!Register today! 978.993.4425

www.playitforwardgc.org

FUN & FITNESS

Andover Pediatric DentistryAndover & Lawrence

Locationswww.andoverpediatricdentistry.com

Northside Dental CarePeabody

978.535.8244www.northside-dentalcare.com

EARLY EDUCATION

EARLY EDUCATION

Caterpillar ClubhouseBeverly

978.921.1536www.caterpillarclubhousebeverly.com

Little SproutsSeveral North Shore Locations

877.977.7688www.littlesprouts.com

Austin Preparatory SchoolReading

781.944.4900www.austinprepschool.org

Brookwood SchoolManchester

978.526.4500www.brookwood.edu

Cape Ann Waldorf SchoolBeverly

978.927.1936www.capeannwaldorf.org

The Children’s Center forCommunications Beverly

School for the DeafBeverly

978.927.7070 ext. 202VP: 866.320.3233

Clark SchoolDanvers

978.777.4699www.clarkschool.com

Cohen Hillel AcademyMarblehead

781.639.2880www.cohenhillel.org

Covenant Christian AcademyWest Peabody978.535.7100

www.covenantchristianacademy.org

Glen Urquhart SchoolBeverly Farms978.927.1064www.gus.org

Harborlight MontessoriBeverly

978.922.1008www.harborlightmontessori.org

The Phoenix SchoolSalem

978.741.0870www.phoenixschool.org

Boston Ballet School/NS StudioMarblehead

781.456.6333www.bostonballet.org/school

A+ Reading CenterReading Tutor/Individual Lessons

Serving the North Shore781.799.2598

[email protected]

MathnasiumThe Math Learning CenterNorth Beverly • 978.922.2200

See ad on page 6!

To advertise, contact Suzanne today!March issue ad space reservation deadline is February 17!

The Little GymDanvers and Woburn

www.tlgdanversma.comwww.tlgwoburnma.com

Pint Size and UpMarblehead

781.639.3699www.pintsizeandup.com

Next Generation Children’s CentersLocations include Andover & Beverly

866.711.NGCCwww.ngccenters.com

Our Secret GardenNewbury

978.465.7070www.oursecretgardenfpcn.org

St. Stephen’s Nursery SchoolMarblehead781.639.4171

www.ststephensnurseryschool.com

To arrange a school or early education tour,call to schedule your appointment today!

Documents

North Shore Children & Families February 2012