CIRCLE OF SEASONS FOUNDATION INC

GARDENING PROGRAM: CIRCLE OF SEASONS' GARDENING PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS PROVIDES CHILDREN WITH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS NUMEROUS ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING MATH, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, NUTRITION, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND VISUAL ART. THE BENEFITS TO STUDENTS BEYOND TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS ARE ALSO NUMEROUS. CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT:-ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, CONNECTION TO AND RESPECT FOR NATURE-NUTRITION, THE FOOD CHAIN, HEALTHFUL FOOD CHOICES AND LIFESTYLE HABITS-THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A COMMUNITY AND ITS HISTORY-FARMING AND AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES-RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND AND THEIR SCHOOL PROPERTY-COLLABORATION, PERSEVERANCE AND PATIENCE-SPATIAL AWARENESS, MAP SKILLS AND VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUESINSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: CIRCLE OF SEASONS' INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS PROVIDES CHILDREN WITH THE GIFT OF LEARNING HOW TO CREATE MUSIC. MUSIC IS A SUBJECT AND AN ART THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN OVER TIME TO ENHANCE LEARNING IN MANY TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS, MATHEMATICS IN PARTICULAR. COS TEACHERS VIEW MUSIC AS TEACHING CHILDREN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, ONE THAT CONNECTS THEM TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. BUT THE SCHOOL'S APPROACH TO THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM NOT JUST ACADEMIC; IT IS THERAPEUTIC AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, IN 2013-2014, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH AGES 3 TO 21 RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES WAS 6.5 MILLION, OR ABOUT 13% OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. AT COS THE STATISTIC IS HIGHER: 20% (ONE-FIFTH) OF OUR STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR SOME TYPE OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION. LEARNING TO PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IS BENEFICIAL TO ALL STUDENTS, BUT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IT OFFERS AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY DEVELOPS COGNITIVE ABILITIES, PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND SOCIAL SKILLS.MANUAL ARTS: THE COS MANUAL ARTS PROGRAM IN WOODWORKING OFFERS FIFTH GRADERS WHAT NO OTHER PROGRAM CAN: THE ABILITY TO "THINK WITH THEIR HANDS;" A MASTERY OF TOOLS OFTEN REGARDED AS UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN; AND THE POWER TO USE THEIR HANDS AND TOOLS TO DESIGN, PLAN AND CREATE SOMETHING PURPOSEFUL ENTIRELY ON THEIR OWN.WOODWORKING CLASSES HAVE BEEN LARGELY ELIMINATED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE THE 1990S AS ADMINISTRATORS MADE WAY FOR A TECHNOLOGY-BASED AGE. BUT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PROGRAMS LIKE WOODWORKING ALLOW CHILDREN TO BE DRIVERS IN THEIR OWN LEARNING, AS OPPOSED TO PASSENGERS. WITHOUT PROGRAMS IN THE MANUAL ARTS, CHILDREN MAY NEVER LEARN HOW TO FIX THINGS, AND MAY END UP LACKING EVEN THE MOST BASIC MANUAL COMPETENCE. MORE CONCERNING, ELIMINATING PROGRAMS LIKE WOODWORKING HAS ALIENATED CHILDREN WHOSE INTELLIGENCE AND ABILITIES DO NOT ALIGN WELL WITH TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM LEARNING.STEAM: CIRCLE OF SEASONS HAS A UNIQUE APPROACH TO INTEGRATING THE STEAM SUBJECTS. OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS THAT INCORPORATE INTENTIONAL USES OF OBSERVATION, HANDS-ON TECHNOLOGY, PRACTICAL PHYSICS, REAL-LIFE MATHEMATICS, AND BOTH VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS IN OUR TWO-HOUR DAILY INTERDISCIPLINARY MAIN LESSON EXPERIENCES.