Making the Grade; Making the Grade Minutes

<v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Ava Belisle-Chatterjee loves a challenge. She's teaching <v Announcer>young science students how to make the grade. <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>Teaching is . . . it's never the same from day to day, from year to year. <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>So you can never say you're bored. <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>And that's really great. <v Announcer>At Sabin Magnet School, science class is a team effort: students and the teacher <v Announcer>finding answers by working together. <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>I want the students to realize that we don't know all the answers, and teachers <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>do not know all the answers. Coming in honestly, not knowing things, <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>makes for a, more of a spirited camaraderie <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>amongst the students and the teachers, I think. <v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>Well, I'm a teacher, I guess, because I'm a missionary at heart.

<v Ava Belisle-Chatterjee>And I have this belief that if I don't do it, who will? <v Announcer>Ava Belisle-Chatterjee is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Consuelo Milburn is a fighter, an outstanding teacher, <v Announcer>challenging her students to make the grade. <v Consuelo Milburn>Good morning! <v Students>Good morning! <v Consuelo Milburn>I teach because I love it. I like to effect a change in students, <v Consuelo Milburn>especially those who seem to feel that they have no hope.

<v Consuelo Milburn>And when they come to me, the greatest joy is seeing a glimmer of, of hope in their <v Consuelo Milburn>eyes when they achieve something that they thought they couldn't do. <v Consuelo Milburn>If going through so many failures and they're disgusted with themselves. <v Consuelo Milburn>So along comes an adult that says, "You can do it, I have faith in you." And <v Consuelo Milburn>that gets 'em rolling. That starts the juices boiling, and they move right along. <v Male student>She is really strict. <v Male student>Really strict! And, and, um, sometimes she, she, she is really loving. <v Male student>And I really like her. <v Consuelo Milburn>Our classroom motto is, "We are learning for the serious business of living." <v Consuelo Milburn>I tell them that living is a serious business, you know, and, and that's why we're <v Consuelo Milburn>learning. <v Consuelo Milburn>[speaking to students; students clapping] Give yourselves a nice big hand. <v Announcer>Consuelo Milburn is making the grade in the Chicago <v Announcer>Public Schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag.

<v Jennifer, speaking and using sign language>My name is Jennifer, and I am 11 years old. <v Jennifer, speaking and using sign language>And I have been in band for two years, and I play the flute. <v Band instructor>3, 4 . . . [student band begins to play] <v Announcer>Would you put hearing-impaired children in the school band? <v Announcer>At Kinzie Elementary the answer is yes. <v Announcer>It's part of their creative approach to blending a diverse student body. <v Jeri Banks>Our school goal is to create one community here at Kinzie, <v Jeri Banks>where all of the students feel that they can compete on an equal basis and that they <v Jeri Banks>can get along and help each other. <v Jeri Banks>The deaf children are able to participate in all of our programs because we provide <v Jeri Banks>whatever services they need. If they need an interpreter, we have an interpreter. <v Jeri Banks>Uh, all of our classroom teachers sign, and we have some wonderful team-teaching programs <v Jeri Banks>going on. <v Announcer>Parents, teachers, students and the principal working together at Kinzie Elementary. <v Announcer>They're all part of the solution. Kinzie Elementary is making the grade in the Chicago <v Announcer>Public Schools. <v Connie Jones>[sound of school bell ringing] I started volunteering because my son was starting in

<v Connie Jones>kindergarten. And he wouldn't stay without me being with him. <v Connie Jones>Well, I volunteer every day, you know, every day, five days a week, all day. <v Announcer>Because Connie Jones believes in her son's education, she's one of many parent volunteers <v Announcer>sponsored by Encyclopedia Britannica and Von Humboldt Elementary. <v Suzanne Gilford>These moms work yeoman's hours. <v Suzanne Gilford>They tutor in the classroom. They're that extra pair of hands that the teacher needs. <v Suzanne Gilford>They take kids home. They do anything. <v Connie Jones>You know, I hate to stay home and not come to the school. <v Connie Jones>Brighten my day just to be here, you know, just to be here, to <v Connie Jones>help them. <v Announcer>Parent volunteers are making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Ken Klopack teaches confidence with a paint brush. He uses

<v Announcer>art to help students make the grade. <v Linda Townson, Funston Elementary>He promotes confidence. Self-esteem. <v Linda Townson, Funston Elementary>He, he tries to, uh, make the children understand that this is you. <v Linda Townson, Funston Elementary>This should be you. Incorporate your, your likenesses and <v Linda Townson, Funston Elementary>differences in your art. <v Ken Klopack>People aren't going to notice them if they're not confident about themselves. <v Ken Klopack>Their family life might not be the best. <v Ken Klopack>They don't have a lot of resources. <v Ken Klopack>So, being confident in themselves, that may be all they have to work <v Ken Klopack>with at first. <v Announcer>In Ken's classroom, feeling good about your artwork can be the first step toward feeling <v Announcer>good about yourself. And that confidence can motivate students to succeed. <v Ken Klopack>I want them to achieve success and then taste it. <v Ken Klopack>Once they taste it, they want more. <v Announcer>A taste of success can truly inspire a student. <v Announcer>Ken Klopack is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I please allegiance to the flag-- <v Male student>I got straight A's here.

<v Male student>In high school, I had straight F's. <v Male student>So that's a big change. <v Garland Cleggett, principal>Double E is a, is an alternative high school program that's set up <v Garland Cleggett, principal>to address the needs of those students that have been dropped from the regular public <v Garland Cleggett, principal>schools. Ah, the students will go to a 40-week program, <v Garland Cleggett, principal>and they will have the English courses, business, math, computer <v Garland Cleggett, principal>science, and those types of classes that will get them back into their regular <v Garland Cleggett, principal>schools. <v Female student>Here, I got myself back together and brought back that <v Female student>part of me that I really wanted. <v Female student>Then, um my goal to graduate. <v Male student #2>Well, by me going to school now and back on the right track, I'm, I'm feeling real good <v Male student #2>about myself. <v Garland Cleggett, principal>Double E is actually for those young people that have made a commitment <v Garland Cleggett, principal>to move on with their lives and to look at past failures and turn 'em around and become <v Garland Cleggett, principal>successful. <v Announcer>The Double E program is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Doing homework can be a lot easier with the help of

<v Announcer>Homework Hotline volunteers. <v Katie Hession, program representative>We have accountants, actuaries. <v Katie Hession, program representative>Ah, we have an engineer. We have a retired gentleman who volunteers his services. <v Katie Hession, program representative>We have a grad student from Northwestern. <v Bob, volunteer>Homework Hotline, this is Bob. OK. <v Bob, volunteer>You need help on history? <v Conni Brown, volunteer>You don't really want to just answer a question for a child because then they can't think <v Conni Brown, volunteer>for themselves. So, you want to give them hints or ask some questions. <v Conni Brown, volunteer>Ask them a lot of questions that they have to answer. And that way, without realizing it, <v Conni Brown, volunteer>they're answering their own homework questions. <v Female volunteer>Do you divide or do you multiply? <v Female volunteer>Think about it, Danielle. <v Katie Hession, program representative>We ask volunteers to help out at least one night a week. <v Katie Hession, program representative>That's three hours: from 5 to 8, Monday through Thursday. <v Conni Brown, volunteer>It's really rewarding when a child understands their homework after you've helped them. <v Announcer>Homework Hotline: helping Chicago students make the grade. <v Shelley Spencer>Hi, I'm Shelley Spencer. School reform in Chicago is getting nationwide attention

<v Shelley Spencer>because quality education is a priority for us all. <v Shelley Spencer>For public education to work, we all need to be involved. <v Shelley Spencer>So over the coming year, WTTW is undertaking an important project we call "Making <v Shelley Spencer>the Grade." To keep you informed on what's happening in the schools, our regular <v Shelley Spencer>programming, along with specials and documentaries, will probe critical reform issues. <v Shelley Spencer>From "Chicago Tonight" to regular one-minute reports on public-school successes, watch <v Shelley Spencer>Channel 11. We'll be watching the schools. <v Katrina Thorson>Hi, I'm Katrina Thorson.

<v Katrina Thorson>School reform in Chicago is getting nationwide attention because quality education is <v Katrina Thorson>a priority for us all. For public education to work, we all need to be <v Katrina Thorson>involved. So over the coming year, WTTW is undertaking an important project <v Katrina Thorson>we call "Making the Grade." To keep you informed on what's happening in the schools, <v Katrina Thorson>our regular programing, along with specials and documentaries, will probe <v Katrina Thorson>critical reform issues. From "Chicago Tonight" to regular one-minute reports <v Katrina Thorson>on public-school successes, watch Channel Eleven. <v Katrina Thorson>We'll be watching the schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag--

<v Pamela James, local school council chair>Local school councils enable a school to develop programs specifically <v Pamela James, local school council chair>geared for the success of that particular school. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>It's local management of schools. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>Of course, there are several components that go into making a good school. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>One of them is, uh, the leadership that is provided. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>Secondly is to make sure that everyone is working toward <v Pamela James, local school council chair>the same common goal so that we expect the principal to learn <v Pamela James, local school council chair>from the teachers, the teachers to learn from the students, as well as the students <v Pamela James, local school council chair>learning from the teachers. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>We often refer to ourselves as the Whitney Young family. <v Pamela James, local school council chair>I think other parents would feel the same way, should they become <v Pamela James, local school council chair>involved in their particular school. <v Announcer>This local school council is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Combining drafting and geometry can help math students

<v Announcer>make the grade. <v Male teacher #1>We're gonna continue working on the five regular solids, and just like in this old house, <v Male teacher #1>remember: measure twice cut once. <v Announcer>At Bowen High School, students use drafting and build models to reinforce what <v Announcer>they learn in geometry class. <v Male teacher #2>The students really enjoy the hands-on applications. <v Male teacher #2>When they come into the class, they are relating theory <v Male teacher #2>that they've learned in geometry and applying it, uh, in a, a drafting <v Male teacher #2>class. <v Female student>I'm not really a geometry lover. But since I have drafting to go along with it, it's much <v Female student>better. My grades have come up, too. <v Male teacher #2>We teach these students to, um, use drafting tools <v Male teacher #2>to construct geometric figures. <v Male teacher #1>Ah, the students like the program. They do well in the program. <v Male teacher #1>And their geometry grades have improved. <v Announcer>A creative math program is making the grade in the Chicago Public <v Announcer>Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] At Tilton Elementary, an Afrocentric curriculum is

<v Announcer>inspiring students to make the grade. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>[African song plays] The Afrocentric curriculum is the curriculum that's designed to make <v Wanda Washington, teacher>the students aware of the contributions of African Americans. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>Because the idea of the Afrocentric curriculum is not to do away with the present program <v Wanda Washington, teacher>that we have, but to supplement it, to add to it. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>[addressing classroom: "Everybody."/students reply] I think that the one thing that we <v Wanda Washington, teacher>have to realize is that when African-American children, they've missed an integral <v Wanda Washington, teacher>part of the educational process, when we teach Bach and Beethoven <v Wanda Washington, teacher>and we don't teach Duke Ellington and Count Basie. <v Announcer>The local school council aims to improve student performance and self-esteem through <v Announcer>their Afrocentric curriculum. <v Jesse Moore, principal>We just think that this is, this [just] couldn't help but make a, uh, make a difference <v Jesse Moore, principal>in, uh, in, in, in, what the children are trying to do and what we're trying to do for <v Jesse Moore, principal>them. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>It's a brand new learning experience, you know. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>And I just think, I'm excited about teaching it. <v Wanda Washington, teacher>So I, I'm pretty sure that they're excited about learning. <v Announcer>A multicultural curriculum is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools.

<v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag-- <v Brigid Gerace>I am a teacher because I really do want to, uh, help the children <v Brigid Gerace>enjoy learning before someone turns them off.

<v Brigid Gerace>And I have a wonderful time teaching. And I learn all the time. <v Brigid Gerace>I think someone said, what? "Teaching is learning twice." <v Announcer>Brigid Gerace loves to teach and her students make it fun. <v Brigid Gerace>I think students inspire me. If I come in and my energy level isn't <v Brigid Gerace>where it usually is, I just have to take a look at them and just watch them and watch <v Brigid Gerace>them begin to get excited. It's contagious. <v Brigid Gerace>I love working with kids who, every year, get more and more interesting. <v Brigid Gerace>And watching the kids, who I've had in class before, <v Brigid Gerace>grow and try new things and be risk-takers <v Brigid Gerace>and not operate from a fear base, to know that they <v Brigid Gerace>really can accomplish. And they do. <v Brigid Gerace>And to watch them year after year is just incredible. <v Announcer>Teaching the joy of learning is making the grade in the Chicago public schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Cheryl Watkins uses special methods to teach children with

<v Announcer>autism,. <v Cheryl Watkins>The way that I reach the children is through a lot of hands-on activities. <v Cheryl Watkins>[sound of Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice, Baby" playing] I really try to bombard them with <v Cheryl Watkins>touches and, and hugs and, and things like that. <v Cheryl Watkins>Um, I'd create a very individualized program so <v Cheryl Watkins>that each child's needs are met. <v Cheryl Watkins>I'm trying to help create a more typical, <v Cheryl Watkins>a more normal, individual in each and every child. <v Cheryl Watkins>And by doing that, I want to draw out their strengths, <v Cheryl Watkins>things that they like to do, things that are gonna help make them successful in life. <v Announcer>Reaching children with autism is challenging, but can provide tremendous rewards. <v Cheryl Watkins>Some days I cry. Some days, you know, I just have to hold them and <v Cheryl Watkins>hug them until they squirm away because they don't want me touching them. <v Cheryl Watkins>But once it is, once they get something, they really have <v Cheryl Watkins>it. And that's the best part. <v Announcer>Cheryl Watkins is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] Bilingual education encourages Spanish- and English-speaking

<v Announcer>students to make the grade. <v Ana Bensinger>Interamerican was the, it was the dream of two parents who wanted their children to <v Ana Bensinger>become bilingual and bicultural and multicultural. <v Ana Bensinger>We teach these subjects in Spanish and in English. <v Ana Bensinger>Here at the preschool level, and actually the kindergarten and first grade too, we do <v Ana Bensinger>immersion. We do, we teach in Spanish because to be bilingual is an asset. <v Ana Bensinger>It, it's not a handicap. <v Announcer>[teacher speaks spanish to students] Ana Bensinger helps her students feel good about <v Announcer>themselves by celebrating their cultural heritage. <v Ana Bensinger>We have a very important job. We need bilingual teachers. <v Ana Bensinger>We need good bilingual teachers. And we, we need role models for the children. <v Ana Bensinger>If I could only inspire one person to become a bilingual teacher, I would be very happy. <v Announcer>Bilingual education is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag--

<v Patricia Bearden>I'm like a salesman: I, I sell education, I sell ideas, and I sell the joy <v Patricia Bearden>of learning. <v Carlton Lee, student>She's my favorite teacher because we do many things, right, <v Carlton Lee, student>about our culture and learn about different cultures and ethnic <v Carlton Lee, student>groups. <v Patricia Bearden>A lot of my children do not appreciate who they are and accept who they are. <v Patricia Bearden>And my number one challenge is to get them to trust me, to bond with me, so <v Patricia Bearden>we can get on with the business of learning and to become lifelong learners. <v Anna Dickerson, parent>She has a way of reaching sort of inside the children <v Anna Dickerson, parent>to pull out more than just the academic accomplishments and success. <v Anna Dickerson, parent>She takes and develops the character that comes in the room. <v Patricia Bearden>We have a poem that we say every day, and that's "Keep a-going." [students chanting in <v Patricia Bearden>unison: "Keep on going! Keep on going!"] <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the--

<v Elsa Gonzalez>To me, an effective teacher has to be like the night. <v Elsa Gonzalez>You have to be very dark. <v Elsa Gonzalez>Very inobtrusive. You have to be on the sideline, and you have to let the real stars come <v Elsa Gonzalez>out. And the real stars are the children. <v Elsa Gonzalez>A lot of them are very intimidated because this is a brand new situation <v Elsa Gonzalez>to them. They are new to the country. <v Elsa Gonzalez>They don't know the language. <v Elsa Gonzalez>They feel totally insecure. And the first thing, the biggest <v Elsa Gonzalez>first obstacle I have to overcome, is the language barrier. <v Elsa Gonzalez>[speaking spanish to students] How do you say it in English? <v Students>Numerator. <v Elsa Gonzalez>Numerator! Good, Daisy! <v Elsa Gonzalez>I think the biggest reward I have in teaching is that every day <v Elsa Gonzalez>when I go to sleep, I think, a new mind <v Elsa Gonzalez>opened up. I didn't open it. <v Elsa Gonzalez>They did it themselves, but I was there for the event. <v Announcer>Elsa Gonzalez is making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the--

<v Diane Maciejewski>In Edgebrook, we're not afraid to dream, <v Diane Maciejewski>dream big, and work hard to make those dreams come true. <v Diane Maciejewski>The bustling science lab that we have today was not here three years ago. <v Diane Maciejewski>Instead, we had a room that was filled with junk. <v Diane Maciejewski>Another dream come true is our gymnastics team. <v Diane Maciejewski>The next big dream is to take this musty, dusty, outdated library <v Diane Maciejewski>and turn it into a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center. <v Diane Maciejewski>When this area is completed, teachers will have at their fingertips the materials <v Diane Maciejewski>they need to be creative, to make their lessons come alive, <v Diane Maciejewski>and to encourage students to think and learn independently. <v Diane Maciejewski>We really believe that we have the expertise here at our school, and

<v Diane Maciejewski>our staff, to do what we have to do. <v Diane Maciejewski>And with the support of our parents and with the community, that is very generous, we get <v Diane Maciejewski>done what we need to get done. <v Announcer>Realizing dreams of making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Announcer>[sound of school bell ringing] A baseball program designed to interest students in <v Announcer>geography is making the grade. [sound of John Fogerty's "Centerfield" begins to play] As <v Announcer>part of the Adopt a School program, corporate volunteers come on a weekly basis to lead <v Announcer>the game at Agassiz Elementary.

<v Kim Wright, corporate volunteer>It's just been fun being involved in teaching process and helping. <v Kim Wright, corporate volunteer>Even if it is one school a time, there's an increasing awareness of geography in a fun, <v Kim Wright, corporate volunteer>healthy way. <v Male student>Well, a person asks you to find something, uh, of the United States on the map <v Male student>and you use a hand, left to right hand. <v Male student>And you go up to the map and you try to find it. <v Male student>And then there's a single, a double, and a triple, and you can get <v Male student>a home run. <v Debbie Brown>I absolutely think my students' knowledge of geography has improved. <v Debbie Brown>Ah, when they started, they just knew the Chicago area. <v Debbie Brown>And now they know places all around the world. <v Male student>I like the game because it's fun. <v Kim Wright, corporate volunteer>Alright, timess up! And the winner of today's game is the Aces. <v Kim Wright, corporate volunteer>[children cheer] <v Announcer>Geography baseball is a real hit in the Chicago public schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the--

<v Announcer>On Chicago's West Side, art, dance, and music have found a home at the Howland School for <v Announcer>the Arts. <v Speaker>[drummers play in sync to horns; woodwinds play; students dance to samba music; young girl plays flute; students discuss using tape for project; young students work with paper and <v Speaker>glue; brass horns play in sync to drums; students laugh while pressing hands into paint; young girl plays flute again: she finishes, smiles, and hands clap] <v Announcer>Art programs are making the grade in the Chicago Public Schools. <v Teacher and students>[sound of school bell ringing] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the--

<v Announcer>Showing these sixth graders ways to reach their highest potential is the goal of an <v Announcer>innovative program called Efficacy. <v Joseph Montgomery>We're learning not to give up and that, never to quit, and always take things step by <v Joseph Montgomery>step. <v Male teacher>They're very bright. They don't shy away from anything. <v Male teacher>They seem to, to thirst for, for challenge. <v Announcer>And circling these students from nearby housing projects are drugs, peer pressure, and <v Announcer>gang warfare. Principal Charles Nelson believes outside pressures are greatly interfering <v Announcer>with students' concentration. <v Charles Nelson, principal>It's really hard sometimes to get a positive message across when they're being pulled <v Charles Nelson, principal>so much the other way. <v Announcer>But some Harris Bank volunteers are determined to help keep them on course. <v Announcer>Once a week, they school students in goal setting, overcoming obstacles, <v Announcer>and getting smart. <v Charles Nelson, principal>We are in a community where the students need a lot of character <v Charles Nelson, principal>development and, uh, Efficacy led the way. <v Announcer>The Efficacy program is helping students make the grade in the Chicago public schools.