Classes
From Afehandbook
== Classes ==
Enrichment Classes
Enrichment classes will be available on a volunteer basis for all students K-12 who desire to supplement their regular curriculum. The length of classes and type of classes will depend on the target population and will change with needs assessments based on parent questionnaires, teacher observation, student and family requests, availability and feasibility. These classes are in no way a substitute for home-based instruction. They are a supplement to it. Some classes require parent participation. Teachers will make this clear at the start of each class session.
Along with these classes come certain responsibilities and obligations on the part of the teacher, student and family:
Teacher: Classes are led by AFE teachers or hired experts. It is the teacher's job to be prepared and present, to create a safe, appropriate classroom environment for all students that promotes respect and learning.
Student/ Family: It is the student's and family's role once they have chosen to enroll in a class, to show up on time and prepared to learn. If a student is to be absent, a teacher should be contacted. All students are welcomed into classes, and follow the teacher's guidelines for appropriate classroom behavior to ensure an emotionally and physically safe experience for all. Parents will be contacted if there are issues that come up regarding a student's behavior.
Samples of enrichment classes: Each age group will have at least one"core class" per semester to meet and get to know each other ("Core" has nothing to do with school core subjects! AFE classes are geared towards what you CAN’T do at home. Core classes were developed as integrative—music-art-writing-movement-science-history ...—, theme-oriented classes for four core age groups of children, to be expanded on at home. The focus is selected by the teacher.), poetry, reading and writing groups, art, ceramics, sewing, animals, sports leagues for teens, leadership, environmental science, theater, Shakespeare, science, choir, circus skills, NVC (Non-Violent Communication), self-defense ...
A note about AFE's emphasis on theater: AFE invests a lot of time, energy, and money in drama, so that all students have the opportunity, one or more times per semester, to go through the process of selecting a play and/or a character, studying stage art and theater skills, learning lines and representing a character, and performing in front of an audience. These are some of the most valuable methods available to learn leadership, organizational, and people skills.
Parent-Led Classes
Parents have the opportunity to organize and lead classes using the AFE facilities. A certified teacher must be present. Samples of such classes include: jump rope, arts and crafts, carpentry, science, math, personal growth skills.
How to Sign Up
There is more than one way to sign up for classes, events, and activities. All classes and events are usuaIly announced in advance through the monthly newsletter with specific sign-up instructions. The typical way to sign up is to call the responsible teacher or enroll on sign-up sheets posted in the RC, located in the corner behind the door closest to the parking lot. We are planning to set up a larger board with an overview of weekly classes, as well as getting input towards the end of the schoolyear to plan classes for the next year.
