one room school house?

[dayna]

I would donate a couple hours a week for paperwork, cleaning, whatever you'd need. I live up in Orchid Land but feel so strongly about quality education I'd love to donate my time.

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

[nana valley]

quote:

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Originally posted by dayna

I would donate a couple hours a week for paperwork, cleaning, whatever you'd need. I live up in Orchid Land but feel so strongly about quality education I'd love to donate my time.

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

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I agree with you Dayna. I'd help , too! Carol, don't just play with the idea, make it happen. Great idea and lucky children who get a quality education!

He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.

[Cheerio]

Hi Carol,

This is not completely on-topic, but I would still love to connect with you about working in the schools on island. I have an interview in January for a position next fall, also at a BI charter school.

I tried to email you through Punaweb but the email you have doesn't seem to be working. Will you email me? kelsijanis at gmail.com

-Kelsi

[bgiles]

Carol, I taught elementary in public school and as a substitute. Also taught Montessori, first through fourth in one room. The range of abilities and interests in a first grade class is huge, and then accelerates every year thereafter. The buzz word back then was "individualized" instruction, but the admin in most schools is driven by "programs" that are liability based: think "Player Piano"/one size fits all. However,"The student is a flame to be kindled, not a vessel to be filled" is a much better teaching philosophy. The key is to get enough parents behind your program and INVOLVED. For instance, field trips to see real life. As to making a decent living doing this...that's a tough one... I wish you well. I had the same fantasy. Teaching is a full time job. Running a business (school) is another.

[csgray]

I have always taught in full inclusion secondary classrooms, middle school right now, with students who range from 2nd grade to college reading levels in both my 7th and 8th grade classes, so I am already very experienced with individualized instruction. In middle school, the skills the students learn are almost as important as the content, so I was thinking of doing a 2 year looped curriculum for social studies/humanities and science, and individualized skill based instruction in writing and math. Literary analysis is probably my weakest area, and improving reading, writing, and research for informative purposes is probably my strongest in language arts. My focus would be on integrating the curriculum across all the disciplines so skills and information are constantly reinforced.

I've also been a small business person before, so I know what that is like. What I am trying to get a handle on is the question of demand, you can't run a business without customers, and paying for a private education in a community that is as low income as ours may just not be an option for enough families to make it work.

Mahalo for everyone's replies.

Carol

[dayna]

As with any business my suggestion would be the same.

Calculate expenses
Calculate income

That'll tell you right off what the tuition needs to be to make a go of it. I would suggest the tuition be enough that a "slush fund" is built up. Once it's built it can be used for scholarships or unforeseen expenses (preferably both).

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

[reni]

You could possibly speak w/ Cyndie Greenlaw, Paradise Hui Haumana. I have a neighbor who taught at Cyndie's school, elementary level I believe. It is my understanding that part of their funding has been terminated after 30 plus years of offering education here in HPP.
She most likely would be a great source for your most worthy idea.

[redefinehappy]

Carol, I think this is a fantastic idea! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you get something like this up and running.

Also, if you are able to start this project up and if you wanted to add in a monthly or weekly technology seminar I would be willing to donate my time/expertise. Anything from hardware, software, social media info (plus potential dangers and ways to BE CAREFUL online - very important to teach today's children, blogging, online analytics and web design, etc).

Also, information on potential career paths they might want to take if they are interested in the tech industry. My boyfriend is a web programmer/developer and would be willing to come in to talk/teach as well.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.
~Douglas Adams

[Carey]

Obviously there is a need, and most likely the Malama School can give you stats on customer interest in the area (for extra flavor, esp if you are working on your business plan for this, you can address the lengths parents/customers go to for Kamehameha - if you can comp that)

Having subbed here & taught (both in school & in pool programs) on the mainland, the biggie first step would be to make absolutely sure that you can have complete liability coverage...

Many teachers get a surprise even in school districts to find that they can be open to a liability claim. The fewer other adults that you would have in a one-room type scenario may increase the individual teacher(s) to liability exposure. If you have an current coverage policy, definitely contact your carrier (find out costs & policy liability coverage for the space, the equipment & the staff...)

(yah, I know that many right now are rolling their eyes & thinking, yah, that's the problem with the system, & what we wanna get away from... but working with children puts anyone at a much higher risk exposure, & it only takes one little slip...and you could loose everything you ever had... in one of the very ugliest ways...)

Second consideration is staffing...esp. with education, if something happened to the "main educator" then what? Will there be the possibility of continuing coverage - is there a network you can tap into that would work for education coverage (& I realize that the 'long term sub' solution that is the current DOE model is very far from the ideal... but best to at least check out what is out there)

If you do think you can get coverage on both of the above, and you can make it work without losing your current benefits, then I would feel it is probably do-able & to start working up a business plan...