In this past week, many people have been seeing videos on their Facebook feeds about the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. This school is unlike anything you have ever seen. For starters, it's built to be a replica of the Hogwarts castle from Harry Potter, (why didn't I know about this place in middle school?) and is located in the downtown area. Kids just casually walk into this massive castle with moving portraits, secret password doors, and elaborate themed classrooms. While some may say that this would be distracting to students, I believe that it fosters creativity and allows students to actually want to go to school. That seems to be a rarity amongst students, but if your school was an urban castle I would wager that you would be a little excited each morning.
It also caters to what most would consider to be unconventional teaching methods. In the videos and articles I read, I noticed that the Ron Clark Academy uses music as a tool to teach their students and keep them engaged. Some of us can recall the quadratic equation song, or "The Fifty Nifty United States" off the top of heads due to the repetitive melodies and rhymes we were taught. I know personally I learn very well when I put things to music, and it really is not utilized enough in school systems. These students are encouraged to sing and dance in class, also creating a healthy, care-free environment. Middle school can be a rough time, but I think the awkward phase would be less uncomfortable if everyone judged less and danced more.
Most importantly, this school teaches students about how to succeed in the real world. These children are taught how to give a confident handshake, how to look others in the eye, and the value of healthy competition. What was compelling to me was something said by Ron Clark himself, "Why does every kid in America who plays on a little league team have to get a trophy? They all ain't that good," Clark said. "You know who should get the trophy? The MVP. And when your baby says, 'Why didn't I get a trophy?' 'You ain't the MVP." In a world of participation ribbons, it's refreshing to see an institute that believes in hard work and tries to develop that in young people. The students in the videos I viewed all seemed very put together. They spoke eloquently, had excellent communication skills, and most importantly, confidence.
If more schools encouraged creativity, alongside useful success strategies, more students would be happier and feel more prepared for life. The flawed school system we are all used to teaches students to memorize facts, and to regurgitate them to pass tests simply for a diploma. What use is that diploma without the life skills behind it? I applaud the Ron Clark Academy for paving the way for these bright students and incorporating the arts into their education.
Too often it seems that music, art and theatre are left from schools, instead, students are told to focus on more "beneficial" careers such as math or science. I hope that more schools recognize the type of students that emerge from this academy and decide to implement some of the techniques that are administered. I have a feeling that more students would enjoy learning and feel much more assured of their abilities and talents. At the end of the day, Ron Clark is really onto something big.
