Si Se Puede classes kick off on the 9th. We are excited about how we have been able to get lots of one on one time with the students and how we have gotten to know the families. In the fall semester we had our learning center classes, first teacher class, and a few seminars for parents. Right now we are planning a Character Perspectives unit, First Teacher’s Unit, Induction and Deduction Unit, parent seminars, a literacy fair, and a big finale presentation for the parents where the students will show off some of their work and what they have accomplished. We are in the process of thinking about schedule plans and program layout for next year and are researching what programs we can partner with, help, or offer, to make sure that we are maximizing our time and resources and getting the most “bang for our buck,” as relates to time with the kids and really accomplishing our goals of reading on grade level and developing critical thinking skills.

Si Se Puede is off to a great start. We did a fall camp, where the students were able to design and make their own mazes using plywood, tacks, and rubberbands. Students should be able to move the rubber bands around to make new mazes as often as they want and challenge themselves and their friends. At the end of camp, we took the students on a field trip to the corn maze, where they were able to complete the big model of a maze and use their problem solving skills. Following fall camp, we had a unit on Literacy. Students were challenged to make connections between their reading and themselves, the world, or other books, or recognize it as new learning. They worked on literacy through reading, phonics, journaling, listening, and making connections. We are challenging the students to think critically and are using active learning strategies and plans to keep students involved in their learning. Currently, we are half way through a unit focused on math games. Students are playing games that work on number sense, multiplication, subtraction, addition, money recognition, money counting, shapes, and critical thinking design using shapes. Students are also recognizing that math is all around them and are applying math concepts to real world scenarios. We are really excited about the progress we are seeing with the students and plan to continue challenging them to be independent thinkers.

Education is important. Academic deficiency is directly correlated to violence, economic status, and overall quality of life for our neighborhood. High school dropouts are more than 8 times likely to be incarcerated. Elementary education is important. Up until 4th grade students are learning to read, once in 4th grade students are reading to learn. Students who can not read at grade level by 3rd grade are three times less likely to graduate high school compared to students who can read above grade level by 3rd grade.

La Villita Community Church is committed to loving our neighbors. More than 1.600 students are enrolled in three elementary schools within only a two block radius of our church. All three of these schools are failing to meet the Illinois Standards of Academic Achievement. These students are our neighbors and their education is important to us.

Si Se Puede’s New Learning Center is working with qualified educators and invested community members to offer our K-8th grade students a new kind of learning experience. We promise our students fun and interactive educational experiences that will foster critical thinking and literacy, both of which are lacking in their schools. We recognize that parents have the most influence on their child’s educational success, and we are committed to empowering our parents to help their children succeed in learning.

Check out our schedule for the following opportunities.

Academic Camps

Classes

Family Literacy Events

Parent Classes

Si Se Puede Learning Center 2010/2011 Schedule