Math & Humanities Charters Represent a New Vision

By Linnea Covington

The phrase “two is better than one can be easily applied in the case of a pair of new charter schools in the Bronx.

Conceived by New Visions, an organization that has opened more than a hundred schools across the city, the two institutions, one for advanced math and science and the other for humanities, are the first charter programs they have launched.

“They aren"t your normal charter schools, said Julia Chun, principal of New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science. “Our population reflects more of the neighborhood and mandates that District 10 gets priority.

Because it"s their first year, the schools only have 9th-grade classes, both with 125 students, but will be going all the way through 12th grade. Though plenty of average teens attend the school, they focus on bringing special-needs students and English language learners into the program, too. Also, the two schools share the Kennedy campus with five other non-charter schools, which gives them an advantage when it comes to sports, auditoriums and, soon, a major library.

“We wouldn"t be able to do that if we were just some small mom-and-pop charter school, said Seth Lewis Levin, principal of New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities. “We get the resources of a larger school in small school setting.

In Chun"s program, they focus on numbers and nature, though the teaching methods prove a little different than most programs. For one, instead of just teaching the kids about the government, they learn how to make their own.

“They are taking lessons and applying them to the student body, which helps make it a real world situation, said Chun. “It"s really powerful when kids make that connection.

Another example is applying algebra to litter found in the street. By counting the number of plastic cups on the ground and calculating how many get thrown out a day, students not only find a reason for the formula to work, but also see the environmental impact based on the data they gathered.

On the same floor, Levin works along a similar vein as Chun. He too believes that in order for kids to learn, they need hands-on experiences.

“For kids to succeed you can"t just think of reading, writing and arithmetic, you have to think about what is going to engage them toward higher learning, he said. “You can only do that if what you are asking them to do is meaningful and relevant to them.

So instead of just looking at exhibits in a museum, the kids get an opportunity to actually touch, smell, feel and see ancient artifacts up close.

“A good humanities student is someone who is well versed and well balanced in many of schools of thought, said Levin. “And, they have an opportunity to try a lot of things, like taking a dance class to see how it goes. In the end, it will help them think about the world differently.

The students also put a lot of effort into preparing for college. In both schools they are drilled with English and writing assignments, even having to write essays for the math and science classes. Since the charter schools run longer than most regular public schools, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., this gives the students an opportunity to have more study hours and personal help.

“Not all kids learn in the same way's some need to touch, write, draw, listen or talk about it, said Levin. “This school brought that model in a more flexible setting since we have more flexibility to administer, teach and innovate.

Originally from Boston, Levin was assistant principal at a pre-kindergarten to 8th grade institution in Cambridge, Mass. He also taught social studies and museum education at the high school level before accepting his current position.

Chun"s previous jobs include assistant principal at another Blackboard honoree, Salk School of Science, and a facilitator for New Visions" leadership development program.

“It was super interesting to be able to do something new and start the school after seeing different schools across the city, said Chun.

Levin added, “I think this school is one of the most exciting things as we get to watch the revitalization not only of learning in the children, but of an entire community.