That link turns up the following for me.
------------
Central Park East was founded in 1974 by Deborah Meier, a visionary teacher whose work has had a profound effect on education in New York City and the nation. Her belief that schools should be small, humane, democratic places where children learn how to learn and how to think for themselves helped spark a revival of progressive education in the city and the nation. Now, when just about every elementary school classroom in the city has a rug and almost no one uses graded readers, it's hard to imagine how revolutionary Central Park East and its two sister schools, Central Park East II and River East, were when they first opened--and how much influence they've had on education in the past two decades.
At a time when other schools had desks in rows, Central Park East had tables and sofas. At a time when other schools tracked children into classes for smart kids and dumb kids, Central Park East put kids of different abilities and even different ages into the same class. (More than one third receive special education services.) Instead of accepting racial segregation as a given, Central Park East has always put a premium on enrolling children from different neighborhoods to make the school as racially integrated as possible.
CPE (and its sister schools, Central Park East II, and River East) have remained true to their roots. They still attract an amazing range of parents and children: lawyers and families on public assistance, high-achieving children who are bored in traditional classrooms, and children who are dyslexic or emotionally troubled. All three have a corps of passionate, articulate, and highly educated parents who are deeply committed to the schools' philosophies. Parents say CPE offers an unusual attention to children's own interests, and the firm belief that those interests will lead children to explore the world around them in a serious and purposeful way. Independent work is prized. Even kindergartners are expected to work on their own, whether they're splashing at the water table, writing in their journals, or playing in a toy kitchen.
The criticism of the CPE schools over the years--and of progressive education in general--has been that too many children fail to master basic skills such as the multiplication tables, dates in history, spelling, and punctuation. The schools have consistently had lower test scores than other schools serving children of similar socioeconomic backgrounds. But teachers say much of what is taught here isn't measured by multiple-choice tests: the ability to work with others, the ability to find the answers to questions that interest one, the ability to delve into a project for a long period of time. At least one long-term study suggests that these skills may serve children better in the long run than those taught in traditional urban schools. David Bensman, an educational researcher and professor at Rutgers University and author of Central Park East and Its Graduates, found that CPE graduates were more likely to complete high school and attend college than their peers at other New York City public schools.
CPE has suffered from turnover in administration in recent years. It has had four principals in 4 years. Some teachers have resisted attempts by the regional office to impose the chancellor's new curriculum, which calls for more explicit instruction in reading and more attention to results on standardized tests. The school's leaders have been caught between the dictates of the regional office and the teaching styles of the staff. (For a more detailed profile, see New York City's Best Public Elementary Schools. Clara Hemphill, May 2005)
"My daughter, a first grader, is in her second year here and thriving," writes parent Wendy Harris. "Suddenly she's reading books on her own, writing in her journal, and seems to have a developing interest in math." This parent cites CPE1's small size, innovative arts program, personal attention given to students and families, and emphasis on "teaching the children to truly love learning" as its greatest strengths, and she notes that classrooms are orderly and calm because students are engaged in their work. Finally, she points out that the school's traditions, such as the weekly "All School Sing," and weekly field trips, as well as the free Opus 118 Violin Partnership, give students "a sense of belonging to the CPE1 community." (March 2006)
A parent writes: "[Central Park East] is a truly amazing school! We have two children attending this school and both are thriving. The teachers and staff are devoted, inspiring and committed to reaching every child. Parents are warmly welcomed and intimately involved in the school. Both of our children skip off to school and run home talking about their days. The visual arts, music and drama/movement are integrated into the curriculum, giving the children many outlets to explore and learn. Central Park is an extension of their classroom." This parent adds: "We could have gone to one of many good NYC schools, or to a G/T program, but in visiting 15 schools, I never saw one where the children were as engaged in and excited about their learning or where the curriculum was so humanistic in its content as CPE1. The children learn the academic material and just as importantly they learn how to be caring and socially responsible people in their classroom, school and community. CPE1 is a little gem for anyone who wants a warm, nurturing school experience for their child and family." (December 2004)
A parent writes in to let readers know that Central Park East 1 and 2, as well as River East, are considering merging to gain independent school status (since none of the schools have enough students to gain this status on their own). However, this parent believes the identities of the schools are very different and doesn't think a merger would work: "How could these three schools [merge] as one since these three has their own characters and ambitions and their own ways of approaching their goals in educating their children?" she asks. (June 2004)
"I disagree with your review about many children not obtaining basic skills," writes a parent. "Both of my children attended CPE 1 since pre-kindergarten and learned to read by 5 years of age. They also had no trouble mastering age-appropriate math concepts. CPE 1 uses assessments that measure kids progress over time. It is a wonderful school that is academically challenging and at the same time teaches children through a hands on curriculum. If your review was based on test scores alone then you missed the whole picture. My son is now an honors student at a parochial school in the Bronx. My daughter is in the third grade. She loves to read and write and I owe it all to CPE 1. " (January 2004)
"I love this school." writes a student. (May 2003)
A parent, who also graduated from CPE herself, calls the school "truly remarkable." "I have been an educator for 9 years," she writes, "If one wants to base academic success on the test scores of Central Park East students, they are doing themselves a disservice. Look at the endeavors former students have chosen to embark upon. Central Park East develops conscious minded citizens, who can successfully compete in today's society. The school environment is family-oriented, warm and prepares young minds to meet an ever-changing, progressive world." (March 2003)
insideschools.org |
