10.1.2011 4th Annual Options for Knowledge/ Elementary School Fair

10.1.2011

4th Annual Options for Knowledge/ Elementary School Fair: 3 hr

1900 W Van Buren Street, Chicago, IL, 60612

·      -This event is about offering the options for parents to choose an ideal school and program for their children.

·      -There were about more than 30 different schools in this event. Some schools have tests that students need to take for entering the school.

·      -The organization claims that they will ensure the equality of every student. To achieve social justice, the organization would value each kids equally important.

·      -The very first information school would tell you are school location and the variety of their programs. There is a special selection process for students who are looking for other specific characteristics of school. 

·      -There is a system so called Socio-Economic Tiers such as median family income, percentage of homes where English is not the first language, and level of adult education attainment. These are how the society measures the family social values in Chicago.

·      -Some school enrolls students by their “rank” score and to arrange their seats based on their score. Some school focuses on student’s creativity; so they display lots students’ artworks.

·      -Some are advocating bilingual curriculum, some focus on teaching students’ skill for global society.

·      -The one, which draw my attention so much, was a school called “The Ogden International School of Chicago”. 
      As an international student, I really want to know how school provides international program in high school level. When I visit the table, there’s a white tall man in suite. He gives professional business style of presentation. At the back of the table, there was a big sign said “SUCCESS”.

·     - This school offers world language choices to all students and opportunities for field experiences in five international sister cities. Moreover, this school provides “an opportunity for your child to become a global citizen where they will learn essential skills for a successful life.”

·      - At the bottom of school handout, there was a sign of “Asia Society” organization, which claim the school was the only International Studies School Network in the Midwest of US. At the end of the event, there was a survey about the education fair.