Schools

Apr 17 2013

DJ Classes for NYC Kids: Learn Scratching, Mixing and Digital Music Making

Things to do with kids: DJ Classes for NYC Kids: Learn Scratching, Mixing and Digital Music Making

In the age of digital everything you might think old-school DJing with those shiny black things we called records would be dead and gone. But not so. There are a number of DJ schools in NYC that teach retro turntable action as well as digital music mixing via state-of-the-art technology.

While most of these programs are primarily aimed at adults, three Manhattan schools also offer classes for junior DJs. Mixing, blending, scratching and beats are just some of what participants learn, and by the end they have their own professionally recorded demos. (Too bad they'll need to wait until they're 21 to actually spin at a club.) Here are the top DJ classes for tweens and teens in New York City.

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Mar 21 2013

NY State ELA and Math Test Prep for 2013: Resources and Strategies for the New Assessments

Things to do with kids: NY State ELA and Math Test Prep for 2013: Resources and Strategies for the New Assessments

Last week we shared important information about changes to the NY State ELA and Math Assessments that will make the tests much more challenging, as well as advice about how to approach them without freaking out. This week, we're highlighting specific resources to help parents and elementary public school students prepare for the new NYS English Language Arts and Math standardized tests this April.

Keep in mind that nobody knows what will be on the new tests this year—not even publishers of test prep books. Old tests are not representative of the format or the content of the 2013 test. So the most effective test prep is to focus on the reading, writing and mathematics skills children are learning in their classrooms. Some familiarity with basic testing formats and situations can also be helpful so kids are comfortable with the experience in general.

Most schools provide some amount of test prep, information, free tutoring and practice work. If you haven't gotten any information from your kids' school, ask your children if they have done any test prep or what they know about the tests, and then follow up with their teachers.

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Mar 14 2013

The No-Panic Guide to NY State ELA and Math Test Prep

Things to do with kids: The No-Panic Guide to NY State ELA and Math Test Prep

Last week NYC Department of Education Chancellor, Dennis Walcott, hosted a live webinar to discuss changes to the Common Core State Standards and the New York State ELA and Math Assessments in 2013. The Chancellor stated that the tests have been reformulated and will be quite a bit harder this year because they will assess children on the new Common Core material. Math questions will have multiple parts and require more than one function. For example, students may have a word problem where they first need to add and then multiply in order to solve it. The tests are also moving away from multiple choice questions and within a few years will be completely essay based

My son's fourth grade teacher said that the math segment of the predictive test they took in January was so hard that a few students literally cried. Perhaps in response, it seems their class has done almost nothing except test prep for the past several weeks.

During the Chancellor's webinar, one parent asked why the DOE was putting the Common Core material in the tests this year—why not wait a full year before assessing them on the brand-new material? The Chancellor replied, "We cannot wait to raise our standards," illustrating that his team sees making the tests harder as raising the standard, rather than letting classroom instruction be the measure. I suspect most educators don't consider months of test prep as raising the standards of education. Even some who originally lauded the Common Core are now turning a more skeptical eye toward the assessment-based educational reform.

But as much as we may hate the high-stakes nature of the New York State Assessments, kids have to take them. So my goal here is to help parents navigate the situation our children are facing today. We can call for policy change, but in the meantime, our kids are dealing with these new tests now. As parents, we need to advocate for our children while staying cool and not increasing their anxiety over the tests.

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Feb 24 2013

Advocates for Children of New York: School Info and Education Assistance for NYC Families

Things to do with kids: Advocates for Children of New York: School Info and Education Assistance for NYC Families

When our neighborhood school wouldn’t accept our child with special needs into the second grade because there was supposedly “no space,” we called Advocates for Children of New York. After suffering through weeks of stress and strife on our own, the organization got us in touch with the right people and our son was enrolled into our school of choice within two days.

My son and I are understandably very thankful for Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), which was founded by three activists in 1971 to help disabled, disadvantaged, minority and low-income families access quality education for their children. This unique agency provides all NYC students ages 0 to 26 and their families with free one-on-one guidance and advocacy so they can successfully navigate the jungle that is our city's educational system.

While AFC isn't solely concerned with special needs families, we are one of the communities it serves. So I'm profiling the organization today as part of my series of posts about resources for NYC children with special needs. But remember, it serves all NYC students.

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Aug 13 2012

Art Portfolio Prep for NYC Kids: Preparing to Apply to Specialized Art High Schools

Things to do with kids: Art Portfolio Prep for NYC Kids: Preparing to Apply to Specialized Art High Schools

When my oldest son was eight, he said his ambition in life was to sell his art on the street. So it's no surprise that at age 13 he's set his sights on getting into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Like other specialized art high schools, including the High School of Fashion Industries, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, and the High School of Art & Design, LaGuardia requires applicants to submit portfolios of their work. While talent is key, taking a professional portfolio preparation class can really give applicants a leg up on the competition. We've rounded up New York City programs that help tweens and young teens prepare their artwork to apply to these popular high schools.

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