The magnet program of Charlotte Schools is committed to increasing educational opportunities for students. Magnet programs are theme based learning centers within Charlotte Schools which aim to promote students’ interests, abilities and talents. Researchers have noted that magnet programs promote innovation in teaching and learning, increased parental involvement, greater student engagement, and diverse student bodies that lead to higher student achievement. Charlotte Schools offer various curricular themes or instructional approaches such as Early College, Foreign Language Immersion, Montessori, Leadership and Global Economics and many others.
Early College provides academically-talented and motivated students the chance to earn college credit while still in high school. This Charlotte Schools program allows ninth and tenth grade students to prepare for college courses by taking higher-level classes, such as Advanced Placement. Eleventh and twelfth grade students continue to earn their high school credits in the morning and take college classes in the afternoon. Special features include a formal agreement among the University of North Carolina system, allowing students to earn college credit and to transfer these credit hours to a participating college or university upon high school graduation.
A typical student that may attend this Charlotte Schools magnet program is one who enjoys reading, learning and academic challenges. This Charlotte Schools student has the ability to do accelerated work and is intellectually curious and possesses the self-motivation to learn. Students must also be willing to commit to college-level work expectations and show above grade level reading and math proficiency.
Charlotte Schools which participate in the Foreign Language magnet school program offer students the unique opportunity to become fluent in Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish through a foreign language immersion program. Beginning in kindergarten, students become familiar with the new language as lessons are conducted in the second language for all or part of the instructional day.
Charlotte Schools children enrolled in the Montessori program magnet schools learn by working with specially designed and attractively displayed developmental materials. Working individually or in small groups, children develop a sense of self-esteem because they are given a balance of freedom and responsibility. Some of the special features a student may enjoy when attending a Charlotte Schools Montessori magnet are classes with multi-aged grouping, activities that help students develop responsibility, self-confidence and independence, and certified Montessori teachers. Montessori schools are ones which have a child-centered learning environment that places high regard for each child’s developmental level.
Charlotte Schools students enrolled in the Center for Leadership and Global Economics are given opportunities to learn about leadership and to identify and develop personal leadership qualities while gaining a better understanding of global studies and economics. This program, available to Charlotte Schools students, hopes to produce future leaders in careers such as business, banking, finance, law, diplomacy, politics and the military. High school students in Charlotte Schools may choose from one of three leadership strands: 1) Banking and Finance through the National Academy of Finance; 2) Legal, Political and Social Systems; and 3) Military Science through JROTC.
By: Patricia Hawke
Posts Tagged ‘Self Motivation’
Charlotte Schools Offer Several Magnet Choices
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009Pursuing Adult Education With Economic Recession
Thursday, December 24th, 2009The benefit of acquiring advanced level of education and skill comes with a hefty price. Indeed, graduate school can be a tough financial burden that most opt not to pursue it. And yet, they miss out on the rewards of attending graduate school.
The economic recession and the resultant growth of unemployment often lead people to rethink their career choices. Oftentimes, this leads to getting additional training in their current field for broader opportunities or training in a wholly different field where better opportunities lie.
Fortunately, there are more ways to receive training than there was before. Just a few years ago, training was restricted to taking formal classes in a college or university. Long distance and correspondence trainings were not taken seriously.
Nowadays, alternative training and education such as correspondence courses are no longer demoted to a fad or cheap propaganda. Thanks to the advent of the Internet, these alternative forms of education have become more accessible than ever and with it carried a change in which people regard them. People who take up alternative forms of education are now seen as self-disciplined and motivated individuals. Employers see people with these kinds of qualities as desirable and an indispensable asset to the company.
Alternative education can take in the form of certifications, distance courses, and weekend and night classes provided by private for-profit schools. Certifications and distance courses, often pursued with self-paced and self-motivation, have gained much growth and recognition in recent years. Some elite schools like Harvard and Columbia have even taken into granting degrees through distance courses. On the other hand, the rise in private, for-profit schools have made pursuing study and training in a more formal set-up more accessible. The various venues for training effortlessly make it possible to provide any prospective student a choice that would fit his/her preferred field and schedule.
Choosing which school or field to pursue is often the easiest part in continuing education. The hardest part of it is finding a way to finance it. Fortunately, there are ways to go about it.
You may try for a scholarship. However, scholarships were primarily designed for students just entering college or students returning to college. They were developed long before any had a mind to develop alternative learning techniques and distance courses. Though there are a few scholarships that could cater to non-traditional students, these scholarships are quite few. Oftentimes, the scholarships offered by private for-profit schools are no more than a discount on the tuition.
Federal financial aid also offers little help for returning and non-traditional students. Financial aids are only available for undergraduate students. So if you’re thinking of doing graduate work, no federal financial aid would be available for you. The same is true if you are taking up a technical or vocational program.
Now, perhaps the best way to finance your pursuit of additional training is by acquiring a student loan. This type of financial aid makes no difference between undergraduate and graduate students, technical and non-technical courses, and vocational and degree programs. Moreover, student loans are quite easy to qualify for and repayment may be deferred while in school or extended for some period after graduation.
By: Low Jeremy