I hate it. I wish I didn't. When I am not in front of crowds I can speak coherently and from the heart. I think if I had less emotional attachment to my convictions I could have been a lawyer. But instead I will give a speech at a PTO meeting. Yes, you read that right. Not even a board meeting. A PTO meeting. And I will have a lump in my throat.
Here it is.
Hi,
My name is Sarah Berkowitz and I am a mother of three young
children. I grew up on the coast and went to Hatch, Cunha, and the high school.
As a teacher myself I have been exposed to many different models of education
as well as teaching philosophies. As a mother and an educator I wanted to share
with you my experience with the looping program over the past two years.
My husband and I had originally planned to send our children
the immersion program. When I moved back to the area to teach in Pescadero I
was thrilled to learn that my old elementary school had a unique program that
fostered bilingual and bicultural children. The spring before my oldest son
started Kindergarten we bought a house in Montara. I still had plans to send my
children to the immersion program when I heard about another unique program
offered at Farallone View. I always liked the idea of community schools and
started asking around about the looping program. After looking closely into the
looping program we changed our minds and decided to send our children to FV
rather than Hatch. For the reasons I am about to share with you I couldn’t
happier with my decision. Choosing the right educational fit for your child is
not something that should be taken lightly. Our children are our future and
like all parents my goal is to help guide my children into well-rounded,
caring, and kind people. I am proud to say that the looping program at
farallone view does just that.
The multi-age setting in a looping class is a microcosim of
real society. Our children are exposed to different age groups that foster
collaboration and understanding. The two year program develops key skills at
different points. As kindergarteners our children learn to ask and accept help
from their older peers. Appropriate classroom behaviors and routines are not
only explained by the teacher, but perhaps more importantly modeled by their
peers. The first graders seem to take great pride in knowing the drill and
being mini teachers to the incoming kinders. When you step inside the class you
see students of various ages, abilities, genders, and cultures all interacting
for the common goal of learning. I can’t think of a better way to prepare our
children for the real world.
When my son entered kindergarten he knew no one. We had
lived in HMB until a few months before school so all of his friends and peers
were at Hatch and El Granada. For those of you that know Charlie you know that
at first he is shy, reserved and timid. He was excited about starting school
but very nervous about not having any friends . I know this is the situation
many kindergarten or new students face in a classroom. The difference for
Charlie was that he had first graders who took him in and showed him the ropes.
He has always looked up to older kids and so having experienced classmates
helped him feel comfortable. As the oldest child of three he also has strong
leadership skills. Now as a first grader he is the one who is able to make
younger kids feel comfortable. I still smile when I think back to the beginning
of the year. Everyday Charlie told me how he took this kinder to the bathroom
or office or showed them what to do for kids jobs or reading and eating.
Another benefit of the looping program is the extended time
our teachers get to truly know each student. As a parent I felt less pressure
to have Charlie hit exact bench marks at a specific time because I knew that he
is part of a two year program. Giving our teachers and our children two years
allows for a deeper understanding of each child’s learning style, strengths as
well as challenges. Charlie’s teacher has a very thorough understanding of
Charlie as a whole. She understands his passions, his skills, his strengths,
and his challenges. This has helped Charlie not only in the classroom but in
our home as well. As we all know it takes a village to raise children. It has been such a blessing to have another
adult, especially an educator, know my son on a deep level. Over the past two
years I have been able to build a solid relationship with his teacher. This is
yet another benefit to this program. Not only do the teachers and students get
two years to build connections but the
parents and teachers do too. I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the
time to build a strong relationship Ms. Linda.
As this year comes to a close I look at my son and I can’t
help but to feel immensely proud of his growth over the past two years. He went
from a shy and timid kindergartener to an outgoing and confident first grader.
I know he likes being the leader of the group but he recently told me he is
very excited about second grade. When I asked him what things he was looking
forward to he told me he is ready to be with the older kids again. This is the
beauty of this program. Different aged
kids coming together to teach and be taught. To follow and then lead then
follow again. These are skills our children will use across their lifetime.
I understand there are obstacles to making this a formal
program. I understand numbers change and teachers retire. I also know this
model of education isn’t for everyone. However, if there is a way to come
together and create a sustainable looping
program once again at FV, I strongly feel our entire school will benefit from
it. Although this is only my second year as a parent of this school, I am well
aware of how special FV school is. I see the dedicated and loving teachers that give themselves to our children. I see
parents that endlessly donate their time and money to making this school
better. I see a principal who is in touch with the needs of both the students
and teachers. I see happy engaged kids eager to learn. I believe that with the
help of the dedicated staff and administration and devoted parents, we can make
the looping program a program that is celebrated, cherished and supported.
Our children deserve it.
