Daana Archer isn’t like the teachers most of us are used to. She remembers her learning experience in middle school as “one-directional—the teacher was the holder of all information and knowledge, we accepted it and that was the end of it.” But Archer is one of many teachers across the country today striving to transform the way students learn, especially important given the unprecedented shift to virtual instruction.
The Catalyst Virtual Climate Science unitwas just the research and project-based curriculum Archer needed in the midst of the pandemic.
As we watch heartbreak unfold across the country, Citizen Schools stands with our communities, our staff and service members, students and families to honor the memories of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and all of those whose lives have been lost to senseless acts of racism and police violence. We denounce, in the strongest possible terms, the institutional racism ripping our nation apart, and declare, with pride, that Black Lives Matter.
Dr. Katie McBrine is a Pediatrician at Healthcare South in Scituate, MA who started to make her own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when the hospital ran out. Students, parents and staff from our Somerville, MA schools joined online last Thursday, May 7th to learn how to make simple masks without any sewing involved.
With 124,000 U.S. public and private schools closed and 51 million students impacted, the effects of COVID-19 can be felt far and wide. Our making communities have stepped up to the challenge in critical ways to continue maker-centered learning and to apply capacity and resources to support healthcare workers and first responders.
When Google closed its offices due to COVID-19 a week before NYC public schools did, our Google Citizen Teachers didn’t hesitate to think of ways to continue apprenticeships virtually. “It wasn’t an option to not make this work. This is a commitment we made to students and we don’t want to let them down,” says Jackie Zopf, Music Operations Program manager, YouTube. “We’re connecting globally every day—this is normal for Google and we’re fortunate to be well-resourced.”
The day after NYC public schools closed their doors, Principal Kourtney Boyd asked if the Citizen Schools New York (CSNY) team at P.S. 157 could help by calling parents and putting together a list of students’ tech needs at home. Campus Director Jay Torres was ready to deliver—at that very moment. She and her team of AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows had collected this information from the beginning of the school year, having prioritized parent involvement as an important driver of student engagement—“this is the core” says Teaching Fellow Brenda Amaya.
In early March, UNESCO confirmed that school closures in an effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic have affected 290 million students across 22 countries. In the U.S., school closures due to coronavirus have impacted at least 124,000 U.S. public and private schools and affected at least 55.1 million students.
After Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced all New York City schools will move to a Remote Learning Model until April, CSNY campus teams at Renaissance School of the Arts and Benjamin Franklin Health Science Academy teamed up with school leaders and teachers on the distribution of computer devices to students and ensuring families are equipped with the necessary knowledge to operate academic sites and gain access to learning materials.
In response to recent school closures, CSCA staff are implementing virtual ways to maintain strong relationships with their students as regularly scheduled apprenticeships are now postponed until further notice. As school closures are extended, our staff are preparing to work even more closely with school leaders and teachers to directly support the potential academic slide. We are preparing to return to school ready to support wherever we are needed the most.
Despite school closures, Massachusetts Teaching Fellows remain steadfastly committed to service. In between participating in virtual professional development modules, Teaching Fellows are supporting our students, public school teachers, and school communities through a variety of different avenues.
In Catalyst, industry volunteers work side-by-side with middle school science and technology teachers to help students develop work products that demonstrate their understanding of disciplinary knowledge AND crosscutting concepts.
January 20, 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day of Service: a day that celebrates Dr. King’s life and legacy of truth to power and inspiring individuals to work for racial justice and social change. This year, Citizen Schools joined forces with UJA Federation of New York and NYC Repair The World. UJA Federation effectively provides resources and urgent relief when an emergency or disaster strikes. Repair the World Harlem strives towards mobilizing volunteering and building partnerships with local organizations to help support the Harlem community.
WOW! Week is a celebration of our students’ hard work from their apprenticeships. Over 10 weeks students are transformed into website designers, lawyers, and financial advisers, learning how their current academics apply to a future pathway. During this celebration, communities of family, friends, and volunteers gathered to view our students’ talents and skills through interactive presentations.
On Monday, January 20th, our Teaching Fellows joined the legions of AmeriCorps members honoring Dr. King’s legacy with a National Day of Service. The day, known as “A Day On, Not a Day Off,” is dedicated to improving our communities.
Citizen Schools held their 2nd Annual Get CycED fundraiser last month at the B/SPOKE Spin Studio in Boston, MA. Hosted by our Council of Champions, 35 riders came together for a fun-filled, high energy morning of indoor cycling and after party to raise money for Citizen Schools.
Citizen Schools Massachusetts concluded the fall semester with three incredible WOW!s showcasing student achievement.
East Somerville Community School enjoyed a “Saturday Morning Cartoons” theme to learn more about game design, finances, and design thinking.
Argenziano showcased Google Apprenticeship with lego robots, Maker Challenge involved families in science experiments, and Beautiful Children tapped into artistic skills with stress balls and face-masks.
Winter Hill celebrated with an 80’s themed WOW! Featuring superheroes, crime-scene investigators and, dancers.
Students embark on intersession activities every semester before apprenticeships begin, where they are given the opportunity to explore new passions or hone important skill sets with their classmates. This consists of activities ranging from developing ideas for a new phone application to playing math games and mastering proficiency levels in different subjects.
Citizen Schools California ended a successful Fall semester with WOW! events, a culmination of the 10-week-long apprenticeship program. In apprenticeships, volunteers across different industries teach their passion to students once a week for 1.5 hour sessions. Students spend the semester learning a particular skill set or subject matter, all while working towards developing a final project.
In one of Pauline’s earliest Carbon Footprint apprenticeships a few years ago, a “teeny tiny” 7th grader named Evias caught her eye. In the beginning, he was more on the quiet side but otherwise totally engaged, and by the end of the apprenticeship, he was participating more and answering tough questions with ease. Evias had improved so much and did so well that Pauline selected him to be the class ambassador for the WOW! presentation at the end of the semester.
