'Saturday Universities'
planned for Southland
BY VICTORIA JOHNSON, Correspondent
May 4, 2011 09:22PM
| Students and parents attend a Saturday University in Chicago. |
Saturday Universities are eight-week classes for children ages 5 to 18 taught by volunteer "professors" who work with parents and other volunteers to develop curriculums. The classes include instruction in reading, writing and math but also offer specialties that so far include Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, technology and black history and culture.
Saturday University classes typically are held on Saturday mornings - hence the name - in churches, community centers, police stations or just about anywhere space is donated.
The Black Star Project was started in 1996 with a mission to improve the quality of life for Chicago's black and Hispanic communities, with a special focus on closing the academic achievement gap between students from low-income families and the more affluent.
"The educational outcome, especially for black, Latino and low-income students, is abysmal," Black Star Project executive director Phillip Jackson said. "So that's where this came from."
Helen Burleson, of Olympia Fields, a retired teacher and former member of both the Flossmoor School District 161 and state boards of education, is hosting a meeting at 6 p.m. today in Olympia Fields for those interested in volunteering or enrolling their children at a Saturday University planned for Chicago Heights.
She said she is frustrated with schools that stress passing standardized tests.
"We're not interested in test-taking at all or preparing people to take tests," she said. "We're teaching for knowledge and to teach children to love to learn. ... These kids (in public schools) don't care if they learn what they're supposed to learn because they're turned off, and I would be turned off, too."
Burleson plans to have classes start May 14 at Chicago Miracle Temple Church in Chicago Heights and is recruiting volunteer teachers as well as parents and children interested in enrolling. Those interested in attending her meeting should call (708) 747-0919.
The first Saturday University opened in Chicago on March 12. There already are 11 locations, including Riverdale and Harvey. Each university has five or six volunteer "professors," with a ratio of about six children to each professor.
Students are assessed in the first week to help guide the curriculum, and a post-assessment is administered to measure progress.
Jackson said he hopes to have 50 to 75 Saturday Universities up and running by the end of 2011, with at least a dozen in the south suburbs. He emphasized that all children in need of educational help are welcome, particularly those from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds.
"Saturday University is open to all communities, people of all races and people of all faiths," said Jackson, a former chief of education for the city of Chicago and former chief of staff for ex-Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
Jackson said the Saturday University program emphasizes parental involvement and seeks to supplement public education, which he says is grossly inadequate. He said the program does not receive any government, corporate or church funding.
For more information about the Saturday University program, call (773) 285-9600.
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