Clevelai ^ess
t ember
Humanities Course Is a Challenge
By BILL INGRAM
"To aid the student in comprehending
the unity of man, to see artistic expressions^ as a part of man's total development. To attempt a development of the
aesthetic sense and discrimination of
taste."
Sound like pretty heady stuff for the
minds of a ninth grader? Those are but
two of the objectives of a humanities
course at Roxboro Junior High School
in Cleveland Heights.
The other two are "to unlock the
barriers of understanding between the
specific areas comprising the total program, and to give a sense of perspective
and time sequence to the study of man."
THE COURSE IS NOT PART of the
cur culum, no credit is given for it, and
rftucieiics ana teachers involved must find
time for it by juggling class schedules
and giving up precious free time.
Yet 14 teachers immediately volunteered to help and virtually every ninth
grader is taking the course.
Far from being limited to "best" stu
dents, the course is designed to help the
middle and slow learners too.
The subject matter is not at all heady
because of the way it is presented. The
student does most of the work himself
in research, outside reading and small
group discussions guided by teachers,
who also conduct large group instruction
periods.
A tight schedule of classes, totalling
10 weekj of the school year has been
masterminded by James McGinnis, an
English teacher to whom Principal
James Gordon gives full credit for the
course.
WITH THE HELP of such people as
art teacher Henry Fusco, students are
introduced to a subject or problem at a
large group instruction period.
They work on it, relate it to other
phases of the humanities and arrive at
conclusions and opinions in the small
group discussion periods.
the
Two exams are given to show what „
student has learned in a broad sense
rather than a factual sense.
Students are also required to complete
outside reading assignments and a humanities, project. The project can be a
backdrop f,or an auditorium presentation
or talks during the discussion and instruction periods.
PARENTS ARE WELCOME at the large
group instruction periods, but not at
the small group discussions, where they
might be an inhibiting factor.
The course begai^ last year, and results have been heartening.
A "slow" student created an outstanding painting as part of a backdrop, coming out of her shell for the first time in
her school career.
Math and science teachers have reported new and enthusiastic interest from
students in the humanities course.
At the moment, the course is being
offered only at Roxboro. It is an example
of the freedom of operation individual
schools have in the system, which sometimes results in school-wide curriculum
changes.
Artists Steve Chaty and Anna Bory finish a backdrop under the supervision of art teacher Henry Fusco
for an auditorium presentation in Roxboro Junior High
School's ninth-grade humanities course.
