Wednesday, October 16, 1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
13
Experiment in learning
School tries 'colonies'
Dedicating itself to children, Broken Arrow Elementary School in Lawrence has developed a new educational plan with "colonies."
"We are trained to meet the needs of each child as we interpret those needs. The number of years a child has been in school does not concern us," said Robert Lowther, principal of Broken Arrow.
In meeting the individual child's needs, Broken Arrow is structured somewhat differently than the customary primary school.
Instead of classrooms, Broken Arrow has four colonies which are large circular rooms without walls to separate the classes. There are four teachers in each colony to meet the needs of between 112 and 120 children, Lowther said.
"Within a colony there might be as many as 16 reading levels or 12 math levels because everything is geared to the needs of the individual child," he said.
Mrs. Betty Brune, one of the teachers of the upper intermediate children in colony four, explained that a child may fluctuate between the groups within the colony according to his needs.
"Not all of the colonies are conducted the same, but in colony four each teacher teaches all subjects," said Mrs. Brune.
This way during a certain subject period, a child who needs help in the area can be transferred to a different level and receive the necessary aid when he needs it. If teachers within the colony were teaching different subjects at any given time, this would be impossible, she said.
"Because we must adapt to the children's needs, we can only plan our schedules a day at a time and even then changes might have to be made within the day," Mrs. Brune said.
Mrs. Brune outlined what a day's schedule might be.
In the morning the children report to their home station. (These are teaching stations in the colony instead of a teacher's personal desk, where they are then given the day's schedule.)
The first class of the day might be social studies and then perhaps language arts. In the afternoon the children once again report to their home stations and continue with math, science and art, said Mrs. Brune.
"We have more of an exchange of children in colony four because the children are older and can handle it. The younger children in the beginning levels need the security of relating to the same teacher," explained Mrs. Brune.
Mrs. Brune also pointed out that the system at Broken Arrow
David and Julie pay visit
ABILENE, Kan. (UPI)—David Eisenhower, saying he was glad to be back, and his sweetheart, Julie Nixon, made a nostalgic visit Tuesday to the boyhood home of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
allows more freedom for individual independent work.
was part of "Salute to Eisenhower Week." The former president was 78 Mondav.
The couple spoke from the steps of Eisenhower Museum to a crowd of about 400 persons, mostly high school students who were excused for the day to attend the event.
"Perhaps during the science period one child might want to look at filmstrips relating to the lesson. This child will go to the resource and project area, look at the filmstrip, take notes and return to class," she said.
The young couple's trip here
The resource and project area is located in the trafficway at Broken Arrow and has a teacher-librarian in charge.
There are no halls, only traffic patterns, which allows for the utilization of all of the space in the building. Lowther explained.
There are three academic colonies and the fourth olony is the gym, which is used by each academic colony three times a week, said Lowther.
On the ground floor are instructional materials centers for the teachers, which allows the teachers to keep the teaching stations portable, as is everything in the colony.
Completing the ground floor set-up is a therapy room, principal's office, clinic and a little theater.
The little theater was described by Lowther as "one of the most useful things to encourage creativity."
The theater is complete with free-standing stage props which provide an opportunity to use imagination, said Lowther.
Upstairs at Broken Arrow is an area for psychological guidance and a lounge workroom for teachers.
"The lounge is an open area designed to give the feeling that one can expand," explained Lowther.
"The children seem to have adjusted to the new system very well," said Lowther. "The problems we are facing now are the same as any school-too many students."
Former KU professor Dinsmore Alter, builder of the largest telescope in the Midwest, died recently.
Builder of 27-inch telescope dies
With financial aid from William Pitt, amateur astronomer and optician, both Alter and Pitt devoted much time in making
the 27-inch telescope, now situated in KU's Fowler Hall shops.
at the back of the Town Shop
839 Mass. St.
Uptown
VI 3-5755
HOMECOMING QUEEN NOMINATIONS
It has been brought to the attention of the Homecoming Committee that no public notice was given of procedure for nomination of Homecoming Queen candidates who live off campus. For this reason nominations have been re-opened for such candidates, with a final closing deadline for nominations at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct.18.
To be nominated by petition, the following instruction applies: "An upperclass woman who is not a member of one of the above named organized living groups may have her name placed in candidacy by submitting a petition signed by 50 upperclass K.U. women students."
Other requirements also must be met:
"Nominees must have completed at least one fall or spring semester at the University of Kansas and must be a regularly enrolled, single, undergraduate woman student for the fall semester of 1968. She must also have a cumulative grade point average of a 1.25.
"Each candidate must fill out an information sheet and return it to the Office of the Dean of Women by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. If the candidate is a finalist, she must be available for pictures Monday, October 21; for television, radio, and personal appearances the week preceding Homecoming, and for the entire day and evening of Saturday, Nov. 2.
"The judging will consist of a luncheon and interviews to be held on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. in the Kansan Room of the Union. The candidates are asked to wear church clothes."
It's time to think about Homecoming Decorations!
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