Our Blog

intern tutors zoom

Intern-Tutors Engage their Peers in Remote Learning

“The most rewarding part about my tutor experience has been being able to showcase my abilities in helping people in hopes that they will gain from me, the same way I gained from my teachers.”

-Joselyn, 9th Grade Intern

20 High School Students have joined an Intern-Tutor Program led by Mr. Edward Martinez

This 16-week internship program initially began this spring with 8 high school interns preparing to gain job-embedded skills to enter the education field through an innovative internship program at the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology led by teacher leader and Areté Education Director of Professional Learning, Edward Martinez. Since the ramifications of a global pandemic have radically altered the context for the internship, these high school students (now swelling to a group of 20!) are now serving as the lifeline for middle school students during the final weeks of remote learning for the 2020 school year.

“The best part of it all is learning and teaching at the same time.”

-Jose, 10th Grade Intern

Below is the program description for the first cohort of 8 intern-tutors, as designed and written by Mr. Martinez.

The goal of the 16-week Internship Program at Arete Education is to prepare students at HS 223 for job opportunities in the education field. Interns are provided with professional development centered on leadership skills, curriculum development, and social-emotional learning. The weekly work schedule allows for each intern to provide 6 hours of small group tutoring services to middle schoolers who need extra help in ELA or Math. The interns also receive up to 4 hours of professional development per week to support their growth. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all professional development is now being delivered through remote learning via Google Classroom and Meet.

“What I find most useful about the Intern-Tutor experience is learning how to manage classrooms, create lessons, and work with students.”

-Natalie, 10th Grade Intern

The Internship uses a community service-learning approach where the interns study education issues and receive specialized training in order to address the academic and social-emotional needs of MS 223 students. Interns who successfully complete the internship program, walk away with updated resumes, portfolios of the work they completed and recommendation letters they can use for future employment. The interns will also have an opportunity to be employed in the summer and fall programs that are operated by Arete Education and its partners.

“My intern experience has allowed me to gain many useful skills such as the ability to manage classroom behavior. This skill is very important when dealing with children and this internship has given me the necessary tools I need...”

-Chanel, 12th Grade Intern

The Interns are currently in the process of preparing enrichment club lesson plans that align with the workshop model. They partnered up to design fun and interactive lessons for the after-school setting. Last week (April 16th), the interns had the opportunity to receive guidance from MS/HS 223’s Principal, Dr. Gonzalez, who participated in a Google Meet session. The students engaged in a discussion to critique each other with feedback. Much of the suggestions that were provided were rooted in consistency with having clear and measurable objectives, simplicity, and alignment. The lessons ranged in genres from analyzing song lyrics, drawing 3-dimensional objects to creating a space for team-building. Dr. Gonzalez was impressed with the high level work that the interns were doing. Before the session was over he let the interns know that “It takes years for teachers to learn these concepts, but you are all showing your learned them after a couple of sessions... Pretty impressive!

“One thing that I have found useful about my Internship experience is understanding that there are different ways to help students... that being an intern is not only about helping a student, but also about building a relationship in which they feel comfortable asking for help.”

-Evelyn, 12th Grade Intern

“I definitely feel more confident to lead a group of middle schoolers because of how I have been taught to deal with different scenarios that I may face. I just overall feel more prepared. I am capable of creating a lesson for kids that is engaging...”

Franklin, 9th Grade Intern

An afternoon PD session on April 21 via Google Meet with Mr. Martinez, Director of Professional Development at Arete Education and a Social Studies Teacher at MS 223.

 - 05/25/2020 - sbsd@areteeducation.org
Painting Blog Banner

Discover Your Unique Character Strengths

We know strengths are important for leading successful lives. Strengths and talents can help us grow and thrive when we intentionally use, develop, and cultivate them.

Have you ever thought about what your character strengths are?

 

Scientists began studying the psychology of strengths in earnest decades ago. They started to explore what it looks like when we focus on developing what is right instead of fixing what is wrong. In 2004, leaders in positive psychology, Dr. Martin Seligman and Dr. Peterson developed the VIA Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Following that, the personal strengths assessment, VIA Survey, was developed, measuring 24 character strengths under 6 Virtues in human beings (Find a copy of VIA Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues here).

 

Character Strengths are defined as the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel, and behave in daily life. You can discover your unique profile of strengths by taking the FREE VIA Survey online. Users need to register and create an account in order to take the survey.

 

According to leading positive psychologists, we each have strengths we are naturally good at. These are called our signature strengths. Find out your unique profile and your TOP 5 signature strengths!

 

When you have your signature strengths (TOP 5) identified, consider these questions to help you reflect on how to develop greater awareness of your strengths:

  • Do they seem to fit you well?
  • Are you surprised by any of them?
  • Read over your list of signature strengths. Think about ways in which you already use them in your life. 
  • Do you underuse any of your strengths?
  • Do you overuse any of your strengths?
  • Brainstorm ways in which you can use them in new ways, and write down a list of specific actions you can take to use your strengths more in healthy and balanced new ways. And then, commit to using your strengths in new ways each day this week. 

 

You can also invite others to take the survey and have some fun activities with them!

  • Families: Invite your family members to take the survey and make a Family Strengths Tree!
  • Friends / Colleagues: Invite your friend to do this survey and have a discussion with them! Share with each other a story about one of your strengths and ask them to guess which strength it is!
  • Romantic Partner: Have you ever had a strength date? Invite your partner to take the survey and have a Strength Date with them! 

 

 

 - 05/25/2020 - Fiona Zheng
Census-2020-page-banner

Areté 2020 Census Leadership Campaign

Arete Education and The Lab School aim to register at least 50 youth (ages 18-22) and 50 adults to successfully apply for and gain part-time or full-time employment as Census field workers, office workers, and/or supervisors in Mott Haven by March 2020. 

The Bronx is a hard-to-count community: just over half of the households (56%) self-responded for the 2010 Census, compared to 75% of households nationwide. The 2020 Census will determine how funds are spent in communities on thing like roads, schools, and hospitals. The fewer people counted in the Bronx, the fewer Federal tax dollars are spent on Bronx schools, hospitals, roads, transportation, and other community programs.

Arete will host Census Hiring Events on select Saturdays in February and March at the Lab School (360 E 145th Street, Bronx 10454)

    • February 29 (11 am - 2 pm)
    • March 14 (11 am - 2 pm)
    • March 21 (11 am - 2 pm)
    • March 28 (11 am - 2 pm)

Census 2020 jobs in NYC pay $28/hour, include flexible hours, pay weekly, and include training.

2020 Census Job Qualifications

You may be eligible if:

• You are a U.S. citizen.

• You are at least 18 years old.

• You have a valid Social Security number.

• You have a valid e-mail address.

• You complete an application and assessment questions. (For some positions, the assessment questions may be available in Spanish; however, an English Proficiency Test may also be required.)

• You are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after December 31, 1959.

• You pass a criminal background check and a review of criminal records (including fingerprinting) as part of the Census Bureau's hiring process.

• You do not engage in any partisan political activity while on duty.

• Your current employment (including law and regulatory enforcement jobs) is compatible with Census Bureau employment (reviewed on a case-by-case basis).

• You are available to work flexible hours, including days, evenings, and/or weekends.

• You commit to completing training. (If offered a job, you will be paid for this training at a training pay rate.)

Most jobs require employees to:

• Have access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s license, unless public transportation is readily available.

• Have access to a computer with Internet and an e-mail account (to complete training).

 

Engage Others | Share the Campaign

For More Information: Census 2020 Afterschool Toolkit

 - 02/22/2020 - sbsd@areteeducation.org
Guayanilla

Ayúdenos a Apoyar la Reconstrucción Escolar en Puerto Rico

Estimados Amigos de Arete Education, 

Arete Education está comprometida con la misión de servicio y administración comunitaria, y el aprendizaje experimental que desafía el status quo con apoyo académico, social y emocional para los estudiantes en la escuela a la que asisten. En nuestra comunidad de Mott Haven del sur del Bronx, muchas familias se vieron profundamente afectadas por los recientes terremotos en el sur de Puerto Rico. Numerosos estudiantes y personal tienen familias en las comunidades del sur de Puerto Rico, incluyendo Guayanilla, Ponce, Yauco, Guánica y más. Como parte de nuestro compromiso con el diálogo socioemocional en nuestros programas existentes, muchos de nuestros estudiantes han expresado su preocupación por las condiciones que enfrentan las familias y los seres queridos en el sur de la isla.

A través del diálogo con los defensores de la comunidad en Guayanilla, supimos de La Escuela Solidaria SE, una escuela comunitaria de emergencia que actualmente está siendo diseñada y establecida por voluntarios de la comunidad en Guayanilla con el apoyo de los miembros de nuestro personal de Arete y personal de la escuela MS/HS 223 The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology. Nuestra Subdirectora de Programación de Escuelas Intermedias (Supervisión y Apoyo de Operaciones) y Directora del Programa de Idiomas Duales, la Sra. Ariadna Phillips, ha estado apoyando a los defensores de la comunidad en el desarrollo de este sitio escolar temporal ya que las escuelas en Guayanilla han estado cerradas desde el terremoto inicial y los cientos de eventos sísmicos posteriores desde finales de diciembre de 2019. La Sra. Phillips viajará a Puerto Rico a mediados de febrero de 2020 para apoyar aún más la entrega y distribución de materiales a maestros y voluntarios de la comunidad en La Escuela Solidaria SE.

Como comunidad en sociedad con nuestras familias en la Diáspora, les pedimos a nuestros amigos y partidarios de este trabajo que consideren donar para patrocinar útiles escolares y refugios temporales para nuestros amigos en La Escuela Solidaria en Guayanilla. El patrocinio directo de los suministros necesarios se puede hacer a través de nuestra lista de deseos de Amazon, o se puede hacer una donación a través de la página de donaciones de Arete Education con la designación "Patrocinio escolar de Guayanilla". También se pueden hacer donaciones para el costo de envío de libros y suministros donados que nos ha enviado nuestra comunidad escolar con amor para La Escuela Solidaria SE.

Escrito por Sra. Ariadna Phillips
 - 02/06/2020 - sbsd@areteeducation.org
Guayanilla

Help Us Support School Rebuilding in Puerto Rico

Dear Friends of Arete Education,

Arete Education is committed to the mission of community service and stewardship, and experiential learning that challenges the status quo with academic, social, and emotional support for students in the school they attend. In our Mott Haven community of the South Bronx, many families were deeply impacted by the recent earthquakes in the south of Puerto Rico. Numerous students and staff have families in the communities of the south of Puerto Rico, including Guayanilla, Ponce, Yauco, Guanica, and more. As part of our commitment to social-emotional dialogue in our existing programs, many of our students have spoken to their concern for the conditions facing family and loved ones in the south of the island.

Through dialogue with community advocates in Guayanilla, we learned of La Escuela Solidaria SE, an emergency community school that is currently being designed and set up by community volunteers in Guayanilla with the support of members of our Arete staff and staff at our partner school, MS/HS 223 The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology. Our Assistant Director of Middle School Programming (Supervision and Operations Support) and Dual Language Director, Ms. Ariadna Phillips, has been supporting the community advocates in the development of this temporary school site as schools in Guayanilla have been closed since the initial quake and subsequent hundreds of seismic events since late December 2019. Ms. Phillips will be traveling to Puerto Rico in mid-February 2020 to further support delivery and distribution of materials  to community teachers and volunteers at La Escuela Solidaria SE. 

As a community in partnership with our families in the Diaspora, we ask our friends and supporters of this work to consider donating to sponsor needed school supplies and temporary classroom shelters for our friends at La Escuela Solidaria in Guayanilla. Direct sponsorship of needed supplies can be done through our Amazon Wishlist (please ship to Arete Education c/o Ariadna Phillips-Santos and Walter Echevarria P.O. Box 560477 Guayanilla, Puerto Rico 00656) . A donation can also be made through Arete Education's donation page with the designation "Guayanilla School Sponsorship". Donations can also be made towards the cost of shipping donated books and supplies to Puerto Rico that have be sent to us by our school community with love for La Escuela Solidaria SE.  

 

 - 02/06/2020 - Ariadna Phillips
20191101_082631

Finding Your Talents

Research shows that when people identify their talents and develop those talents into strengths, they can optimize their potential and find their path to live a thriving and engaged life. Recognizing strengths is also a key element of achieving "Self-Awareness," one of the core competencies in the CASEL Framework. Our Social Emotional Learning and Leadership Pilot Program chose the Brain Talent Cards from 6 Seconds to help MS 223 students find their talents and strengths

So how does the brain combine logic and emotion to process information and create effective action? It is simply a formula of brain/heart(mind) + body(actions) working together. By using the Brain Talent Cards, we help students identify, understand their talents and strengths and encourage them to leverage their unique capabilities.

There are three color sets of cards in the Brain Talent Cards: Blue cards are about FOCUS – getting rational and emotional data. Red cards are about DECISIONS – assessing options by careful evaluation and making innovative decisions. Green Cards are about DRIVE – moving forward, both for practical action and for long-term motivation. Students learn their brain talents through playing the cards.

By learning more about their brain preferences and talents, students can improve planning, effectiveness, and problem-solving at school and home. The talent cards can be further combined with the Brain Profile Inventory. In the coming weeks, we will dive deeper together with students into this topic and help them increase their self-awareness and further understand and utilize their strengths.

 

Learn more about other SEL & Leadership Curriculum pilot activities focused on developing Self-Awareness in middle school students: SEL & Leadership Program Binder Excerpt Self Awareness.

 - 11/16/2019 - Fiona Zheng

Recent Comments

    Categories

    Copyright 2023  Areté Education © All Rights Reserved