Spring Vacation

by Naomi (Highlander)

I really liked Spring Vacation Camp. The students liked the topic and they were really interested in the classes and to learn something new about the countries. One of my favorite part from the camp was when Yairy made the fruit salsa with the students. It was a really good activity and students were engaged in the activity I also enjoyed Friday activity when we all got together and showed what the students made and shared something back.

Portfolio

by Yairy (Segue)

In the month of November I started working with students on their portfolio. At Segue, portfolio is a requirement to continue to the next grade. Portfolio is a very important component of a scholar's academics. Within portfolio students need to write a certain amount of reflections per class. Reflections are written using PBAs or performance based assessments. Students have to meet deadlines throughout the academic year to complete the requirement.

Reflection Friday: What was your favorite part of April Vacation Camp?

Last week, Charter Corps ran an Around the World themed day camp to create a fun April Vacation learning experience. When asked what their favorite parts of the camp week were, here's what they had to say:

Leah (International): My favorite part of April Vacation Camp was making Moroccan "khamsa hands", which are meant to bring people good luck. The students traced their hands onto colorful paper and decorated them with drawings, sequins, foil, and other decorations. They wrote what they were lucky to have around the hands, and it looked awesome!

Deyan (Serve Rhode Island): I may not have been around for camp, but I had a blast putting together a list of picture books about different cultures and regions! The trickiest part, and therefore my favorite, was finding good books about the African rainforest. In my search for books that dug deeper than the standard “rainforest alphabet” books, I found some great stories by authors like Isaac Olaleye, who grew up in Nigeria and crafts his stories out of his childhood experiences and stories he heard from his father.

Dianny (International): To say I had one favorite part of April Vacation Camp is an understatement and also incorrect because I was fascinated with what I experienced this past week. To start with there's nothing better than working with a partner who's on the same page as you and who supports you every step of the way! But without the awesomeness of the kids we wouldn't have been able to experience camp to its fullest. The theme, "around the world" and with the level of organization it was executed was the backbone to making all this possible! 

Yairy (Segue): My favorite part of April vacation was hearing the comments of the first graders and kindergarten. They have very interesting and funny things to say. They are also very eager to learn new things. 

Angelica (Segue): My favorite part of April Vacation Camp was seeing the students use the Japanese abacus for math relays. Using a hands-on method for math has proved to be an exciting way to allow students to practice their math skills. It also gives them the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

Kimberly (Highlander): My favorite part of April vacation was having the students plant African daisy and volcanoes eruptions. It was great watching the students’ reactions as the volcanoes erupt and as they planted their seeds. 

Brandford (Highlander): April Vacation was quite exciting for me from working with the kids create and underworld coral reef sea poster to molding a volcano and exploding it. Students were engaged and didn't mind getting a little messy in the midst of things things. 

Call Me Scarf Lady

by Leah

This year for our winter service project we decided to hold a “Winterfest” for our students and their families at the West End Recreational Center in Providence. This event was primarily a way to appreciate and give back to the community, as students from Highlander and International Charter School attended with their friends and parents. Judging by the amazing amount of food, fun games, and wintry crafts, I’d say it was a success (I especially enjoyed the baked macaroni and cheese – thank you Dianny’s mom!).

As each Charter Corps member was assigned a specific task for the night, I assumed the role of scarf lady at the winter scarf-making table. Making scarves is more complicated than I thought, especially when you have a few hot glue guns and eight kids to keep track of at once. Despite our small crafting quarters, the kids really enjoyed making their own creations.

Making the scarves required a few fun steps. First the kids had to choose between a red or white base color, then they start cutting out colorful swatches with winter themed stencils (snowmen, stars, trees, polka-dots, etc.) Polka dots can be wintry, I say. Next comes the hot-gluing, which was a bit tricky, but the shapes held on tight. After decorating the scarf with the stencils the kids added decorative touches such as glitter, sequins, or fabric paint. (Note to self – avoid fabric paint whenever possible…). Once the scarf was dry the kids were ready to take it home. They definitely looked ready for an ice storm in those things!

GeoArt

by Kimberly

For one of my after school programs I decided to teach students about shapes and how to make them look 3D with marshmallows and toothpicks. I also showed them how they can do it on a flat piece of paper. Students were so excited and thought that it was easy, as I started my lesson they would continue to talk and say "I know how to do this it's easy". As I continued with the lesson step by step, it started to challenge them. The first shape they learned was a cube made out of squares. They were engaged and very helpful to each other while building.

Segue Salon

by Angelica

As we finish up the quarter in hair braiding, the students are really beginning to showcase their skills. We have even been given the name "Segue Salon." It has been great to see the ladies and gentlemen successfully complete several types of braids: rope braid, French & Dutch braid, fishtail braid, and the waterfall braid. I believe the hardest challenge for some students was handling all the hair in their hands. I know when I first started braiding, it was difficult to figure out the right hand placement that would allow me to keep a good grip on the hair, but still allow me to move my fingers as need be. It can be a little tricky! Although we as a group have not fully accomplished every braid, we had a great time challenging ourselves and using our creativity to creative fun hairstyles. We even incorporated yarn into some braids!