11/1/07
The Academy
MES teachers get first look at super school
By Jerriod Grizzle

Jerriod Grizzle/Manning Times

Manning Elementary School teachers and members of Clarendon School District 2 pose with Ron Clark (bottom center) outside his institute in Atlanta, Ga. Manning Elementary was the first school in the nation to visit Clark’s academy.

Big brick columns rise from the ground with a black gate that stands as a monument to teaching and inspiration. Across the gate written in different languages is where kids get their first taste of hope and inspiration for the day.

Inside, a big blue slide in the atrium stands as one of the school’s unique symbols to learning. Stairs leading to classrooms upstairs are encased with coins from around the world. Graffiti wall murals of scenes of different themes decorate the walls.

Manning Elementary teachers got an eye-opening experience this Monday as they headed to Atlanta, Ga. to visit the Ron Clark Academy. The academy specializes in behavioral challenged children where new teaching methods are employed to bolster confidence and knowledge.

Ron Clark has been called “America’s Educator.” His work with disadvantaged students in rural North Carolina and in inner-city Harlem garnered worldwide attention, and he was invited to the White House on three separate occasions to be honored by the President and Mrs. Clinton.

The day began as teachers from Manning Elementary stepped into a math class taught by Clark.

Within 15 minutes after the class started he jumped up onto the desk of one of his students, one of his signature moves, and played “Umbrella,” by Rihanna. He replaced the original lyrics with those of his own teaching his class the steps to solve math problems that included multiplication, division, addition and subtraction.

Clark has other quirky teaching techniques including making students clap for one another.

“It would be great if we did this,” Brandi Spivey, fourth grade math and science teacher at Manning Elementary said. “With the right training we could do this.”

The classroom setting is not without strict discipline. Clark employs 55 techniques, which he wrote a book about, based on Southern values that were instilled in him as a child.

“You have to present a united front. We are a family and we want kids to see that front. Never talk down to students but dream big for them,” Clark said.

Clark was inspired to write his how-to-book, “The Essential 55,” while on Oprah in 2001.

“She leaned over to me and said you should write a book. And when Oprah says write a book, you write a book,” he said.

The proceeds from this book allowed Clark to build his academy.

Clark appeared on the show again in 2003.

“When Oprah held the book to her heart and told America to go buy this book sales soared and the book became number two on the top-seller’s list right behind Harry Potter,” he laughed.

The Manning Elementary teachers were allowed to sit-in-on several other classes throughout the day.

They sat in on a social-studies class where the room was decorated with old airline memorabilia including chairs and billboards displaying times and dates.

“I’ve turned my classroom into everything from Mount Olympus to an Italian restaurant. I have fun with my class and their learning,” Rhonda Lokey, a social studies teacher at the Ron Clark Academy said.

Lokey suggested that other teachers might do the same from time to time to highlight the atmosphere of their learning experience.

“Kids learn better in their natural environment. Don’t just keep the walls white,” she said.

Linguistics teacher and Co-Founder, Kim Bearden then gave the teachers a tour of the entire grounds of the school.

“Ron and I had thought of the idea of the school three years ago. The purpose would be to lift up the community with our school. Members of the community embraced the idea,” he said.

The Manning educators were able to sit in with Clark as he explained some of his techniques that could be used to change classroom settings and help avoid discipline problems.

“No excesses, have a positive attitude, clap, cheer, support each other constantly, and have a professional attitude at all times,” said Clark.