Tom Kim

This is part of a series of posts on my reflections on The Laboratory Charter School in my neighborhood — specifically how other urban schools could learn a few things from the way it models its program.

Read Part 1.

Hold sacred your “peripheral” subjects.

Several charter (even public) schools have dealt with standardized-testing pressures by emphasizing core skills and subjects like math, reading, and writing to the sacrifice of “peripheral” subjects like music and art.

The Laboratory Charter School has a full-time teachers of Physical Education, Art, Music, and (I think) Technology. That, in itself, is pretty impressive for a charter school, and probably critical to the success and happiness of any student. These subjects are not just mere enrichments; they are valid disciplines in and of themselves, and are often lifesaving avenues of success and acknowledgment for students who might find the more regular subjects uninteresting or difficult.

Learning is also a holistic affair, and students need stimulation and challenge in as many different ways as possible, especially in their formative years. One can’t assume that students are receiving these through extracurricular activities outside of school. Urban schools really are the centerpieces for urban communities, especially in lower socioeconomic brackets; there’s an implicit acceptance that these schools can be the hub of all sorts of activities, administration, and community outside of basic schooling. And for many students in insular urban neighborhoods, it’s their portal to the rest of the city and the rest of the world. We can’t deny them this just because we need to make sure they pass some tests.

It also makes sense to take advantage of the community-building aspects of these disciplines. These subjects often allow unique opportunities for collaboration and character-building and probably a whole host of other intangible benefits that would be a sin to throw away. From my own teaching experience, these subjects are often the glue in interdisciplinary efforts — the interstitial bridges where I can make English and Math meet.

More than other subjects, these special classes also often afford the opportunity for prominent cultural activities that really define a school year. I know that my own most immediate memories of elementary school are tied in to the arts: square-dancing, being a color in an all-school musical production of the sciences, singing “Born in the USA” at an all-school musical production of American history, watching the music videos for “Thriller” and “Like a Virgin.” Good times.