Communities In Schools: Creating Classrooms that Work for Every Student
Classroom instruction in the 21st century is defined by three concepts: differentiation, goal setting, and data analysis. These three activities address children’s different learning styles and satisfy the needs of all kinds of students.Best educational practices no longer support teaching all students the same way or even with the same purpose. Each student is a…
Why Children Should Play Sports
After-school sports are a great way for your child to learn and grow outside of the classroom. Team sports benefit children in myriad ways, some of which might be surprising. Here are the major ones.Learning TeamworkSports are the ultimate way for children to learn about teamwork. That includes learning how to uphold your responsibility to…
Communities In School: Why Children Should Learn a Second Language
Learning a foreign language is an immensely useful academic achievement that can be important to success in adult life. Studies show that learning another language can improve reading skills and test scores in other subjects. Learning other ways to communicate early in life helps students prepare for course requirements in college. There is also a…
Why it’s Important to Teach Music in Schools
As school budgets have tightened, less is being spent on arts education in general, and on music education in particular. Given the number of benefits that music has for students, this is a trend that needs to be reversed, and this is one of the primary missions of Communities in Schools.An Overlooked Method for Teaching Literacy Language skills…
Military Dependent Students Need the Right Support
Young people growing up in military families have unique needs. Frequent moves, parents who are sometimes away for long periods, and the general stress of having a family member in the armed services can create a burden on these children and youth beyond what is experienced by their peers. Additional support from schools and communities…
A Three Pronged Approach to Reducing the Dropout Rate
As recently as 2009, just 55.8 percent of Duval County students graduated high school. Today, the graduation rate is 72.1 percent, according to the Florida Department of Education. This substantial improvement is largely a result of the work of Communities In Schools of Jacksonville, a nonprofit organization that places educators and other professionals directly in…
Striving for Literacy: How Communities In Schools Helps Students Learn to Read
For the majority of children, kindergarten through third grade is a time to learn reading. Students receive various methods of instruction with the expectation that most will acquire the basic skills during this period.Some students, however, do not learn at the same rate as the majority of their peers, and some fail to learn to…
Connecting with Students One on One Makes a Difference
When adults talk about their high school experience, many mention people: the teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff who took the time to connect with them and get to really know them. That connection is what people remember about school. That connection is what keeps kids coming to school when outside forces and influences make…
Learning Beyond the School Day: how after-school programs offer more than just “the fun stuff”
Do you want your child to have the opportunity to be successful and have fun? Communities In Schools (CIS) of Jacksonville offers enriching afterschool programs for students. The students engage in an hour of academics with certified teachers every afternoon, then participate in funand enriching activities. They learn valuable communication and life skills, which positively…
Bank of America Student Leaders: Zuriel’s Summer Experience
In the beginning of my internship with Bank of America and Communities In Schools of Jacksonville I listened to Chief Operating Officer Mr. Leon Baxton passionately refer to all of the kids in the summer program as “our kids” and “potential achievers.” The moment was striking to me but I couldn’t explain why. Although I…