http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/p ... 5425.shtmlBLUEPRINT EDUCATION EXPANDS TO WILDERNESS
Posted: Oct 19, 2006 11:19
By: Lon Woodbury & Kathy Nussberger
In a phone interview with Marmy Kodras, Marketing Director and Doug Covey, CEO of Blueprint Education in Arizona, Lon Woodbury, Founder/ President, Woodbury Reports, Inc., and Kathy Nussberger, Co-Editor, discussed how this educational service provider
helps private parent-choice programs provide accredited, transferable credits for students.
Marmy explained that Blueprint's introduction to the wilderness component of parent-choice programs began when they started helping the Arizona based Anasazi Wilderness Program establish an accredited academic component in 2004. She added that shortly thereafter, they worked with Three Rivers in Montana to align their content to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards. This past spring, they began helping Minnesota based Soltreks provide academic accreditation to its students, and will support the academic component of Utah based Pinnacle Foundation this Fall.
"Our involvement in the wilderness side began when our staff accompanied Anasazi on one of their educational referring specialist trips to fully understand and appreciate their life-changing program." CEO Doug Covey explained. "We were intrigued that students were out of a traditional system for six weeks or longer, and wanted to help them stay on track or potentially accelerate their learning. Following that experience, our curriculum team assessed their program content and aligned it to NAEP standards resulting in elective credits. We simply took their foundation, performed the content conversion, co-developed the instructional delivery through facilitation and interaction which resulted in student engagement and success. We found that private parent-choice programs are really unique with each having its own level of focus and philosophy. Our goal is to learn how to customize their curriculum in a way that works for individual therapeutic programs. We believe opening up this opportunity to students enrolled in a wilderness program allows them to
stay on track academically. :question: When they graduate from the program, they are able to transition to traditional schools seamlessly."
Doug added that because students engaged in therapeutic schools spend much of their time out in the field, the
academic component typically consists of a student workbook and a staff field assessment,
both of which are sent to Blueprint Education for final grading by Blueprint's teachers before official transcripts are issued to the student's school of choice.
The unique part about our service is in believing the therapeutic and medical treatment these programs provide comes first," Doug explained. "The integrated and experiential learning these kids receive allows us to take what exists within their program and align it to national standards that fall under specific subject areas. For example, for a
psychology credit, we evaluate the
lessons being taught and comprehensiveness of the content to determine the facilitation and interaction between the field staff and student. If it meets our litmus test, we typically issue a half unit of credit. We repeat this process for subject areas such as Physical Education, English, Art and Science."
Blueprint began by working with Copper Canyon Academy and Blue Hills in Arizona in 1998 by supplying a traditional curriculum that helped the schools achieve their long-term goal of becoming accredited. "We can now offer both traditional and customized sets of curriculum depending on the needs of the program or school."
Blueprint is currently working with several programs on service agreements to provide the curriculum assessment necessary to issue credits. "Initially, we evaluate the history of the program, the extent of its content, how the program regards the children it serves, whether the program is licensed and/or accredited, and if therapy and medical care are provided by licensed practitioners. Next, we conduct a full assessment by reviewing their content and make recommendations for course credit based on comprehensiveness of content; amount of time spent in instructional delivery through facilitation and interaction and finally the extent of student engagement. The process typically takes one to three months depending on the program needs. We take each program through a planning process, staff orientation, program management, staff development and annual evaluations. The elective level credits issued are based on the Carnegie Unit, which was developed in 1906 as a measure of the amount of time a student has studied a subject. After assessing the program, we determine how much time students spend on specific subjects during their eight to ten hours of daily instructor contact over a six to eight week period. We then issue the credits through our accredited distance learning program."
Blueprint Education is a non-profit organization that has partnered with programs to help students since 1969, with services ranging from distance learning, to curriculum design and alternative education, meeting the standards of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA) and Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). "Programs partner with Blueprint Education for a number of reasons including the benefit of a unique learning model, the flexibility of learning anywhere anytime, support from qualified professional educators, an individualized and self-paced learning program that adapts to students unique needs which includes a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum based on NAEP, accredited through Blueprint by NCA and CITA," Doug said.
Blueprint has over fifty certified teachers and staff that support its efforts in alternative education programs in Phoenix, write curriculum and support thousands of students enrolled in its national and international distance-learning program. Doug said: "We're committed to finding new ways to enable students to succeed."
Blueprint Education is located in Phoenix, AZ. For more information contact Marmy Kodras at 800-426-4952, via email,
http://www.blueprinteducation.org/servi ... ptions.cfmCourse Number: PED 901 and PED 902 (Elective)Course Title: Physical Education
Clock Hours: 168 hours (6 week program)
Credit: 0.5 each
National Standards Correlation (NASPE): Physical Education: Motor skills movement patterns; Understanding movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics; Engaging; Maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fitness; Responsible personal and social behavior; Self expression and social interaction.
Course Description:
This is a two (2) semester physical education program that teaches the student the benefits of being physically fit through regular and vigorous exercise. A large proportion of their time (4 ? 12 hours per day) focuses on skill-related and health-related parts of fitness. Excellent manual dexterity is emphasis as well as physical agility.
Safety, burn treatment, heat traps, effects of hypothermia, necessary body heat and food fuel required to maintain good health are presented. Negative impact on smoking and drugs are discussed in detail. The impact of dehydration; hydration; giardialamblia and food and relationships are emphasized.
Experience of the out-of-doors is provided adding a unique opportunity for students in the areas of hiking, camping, outdoor safety, living through storms, edible wild plants, medicinal plants, food preparation, poison plants, first aid for poison and skin eruptions, harmful effects of drug plants, avoidance of sunstroke and importance of shade.
Study of the circulatory system, human anatomy and basic needs of the human organism is provided. First aid for insect and reptile bites and field treatment of ten human ailments in the wilds, as well as preparation of animal foods are studied.
Finally, in addition to a comprehensive physical education program, the anatomy of feelings, the nervous system, physical maturity, electrical systems of the body, hygiene, emotions and health are presented to ensure a comprehensive physical, mental and health related program.
Course Number: ART 903 (Elective)Course Title: Drawing and Visual Perception
Clock Hours: 84 hours (6 week program)
Credit: 0.5
National Standards Correlation (NAEP): Drawing and Visual Perceptions: Creating; Responding; Knowledge; Skills
Course Description:
Drawing and visual perceptions develops skills of visual perceptions and applies these skills to the art of drawing by strengthening the right hemisphere of the brain, which is especially suited to perform these tasks.
Development of the artistic ability if the right side of the brain will enhance the student to develop artistic skills in areas such as: plant and mountain sketches, digging sticks, cordage plant fiber usage for colors, woodworking with stone tools, sand paintings, drilling stones, pecking and crumbling, hafting, discoidal blades, weaving, woodcarving, wood burning, candle making and various other art projects which enable the student to transfer the academics of art into real life practical application of the elements presented in the course for visual perceptions and drawing.
Course Number: ENG 904 (Elective)Course Title: Applied English
Clock Hours: 147 hours (6 week program)
Credit: 0.5
National Standards Correlation (NAEP): Applied English: Literary skills; Essay; Fiction; Non Fiction; Poetic Devices / Forms; Process Writing; Writing; Grammar usage and mechanics;
Critical thinking :rofl:
Course Description:
Applied English is designed for the students who desire to utilize his or her basic English grammar skills into a literary format of communications.
The students will demonstrate the application of writing skills through letter writing, journals, technical writing of descriptions of ?how to?, writing pros and poems and essay writing. An essay-writing rubric will employ the six writing traits to assess each student?s essay.
Focused writing assignments will be given to students which will empower his or her writing skills in such areas of ?Charting time light sequences?; ?Legend of Breezes?; ?Circle of Family?; ?Generations?; ?Sand Paintings?; ?Self Awakenings?; ?Taxonomic Descriptions?; ?Natural History?; and ?Self Reflections?.
Course Number: SCI 905 (Elective)Course Title: Environmental Science
Clock Hours: 168 hours (6 week program)
Credit: 0.5
National Standards Correlation (NAEP): Environmental Science: Observations, questions and hypotheses; Scientific testing; Analysis, conclusions and refinements; Communication; History of science; Changes in environments; Interdependence of organisms; Biological evolution; Matter, energy and organizational living systems; Conservation of energy.
Course Description:
Environmental Science stresses that balance is an ecosystem is dependent upon balance between various forces: nutrient gains and losses, energy inflow and outflow. The course focuses on land, water, and effective use of our natural resources. It covers types of pollution of land and water and natural selection, adaptation and nutrient cycles.
The course enables the student to understand, comprehend, and apply the connections between personal attitudes/lifestyle and various existing environmental problems that may establish the motivation for positive changes in the attitudes toward an environment.
A variety of ?in-the-field? experiences will provide each student with hands-on activities as well as gaining knowledge in such areas as: life cycles; survival of the species; multi-use land and water management; animal husbandry; weather forecasting; micro-climates; wind, water and land erosion; weather patterns; solids, liquids and gases; cloud formation; igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic stones; geology, rock formation, crystal structures; fracture planes; minerals and geological cycles.
Course Number: PSY 906 (Elective)Course Title: Single Survival
Clock Hours: 84 hours (6 week program)
Credit: 0.5
National Standards Correlation (NASPE, NAEP): Single Survival: Decision making; Self survival; Learning and performance of physical survival; Health enhancing guide of physical fitness; Exhibits personal and social behaviors; Effective communication skills; Effective process writing; Critical thinking; Enhanced family relationships; Emotional survival; Modeling; Analysis, conclusions and refinements.
Course Description:
This course helps the student learn about living on his/her own. However, in today?s society no one really lives alone. As social beings, the course focuses on ?WE?. We as an individual. We as being independent. We as being interdependent. And, we as being dependent. The course is designed to realize the importance of being a part of a family and at the same time growing away from the family in a positive fashion. The student, who successfully completes this course, will grow in knowledge, positive attitude, and skills needed to lead an independent and interdependent life. Highlights of the course involves the student on such topics as: Management; Verbal and Nonverbal Communication; Writing and Listening Skills; Critical Thinking; Family and Peer Relationships; Skills of Observation and Emotional Survival; Modeling; Analysis, Conclusions and Refinements for day to day living.
Course Number: PSY 907 (Elective)Course Title: Interpersonal Relations
Clock Hours: 84 hours (5 week program)
Credit: 0.5
National Standards Correlation (NASPE): Interpersonal Relations: Self acceptance and respect; Influence human behavior; Interpersonal relationship; Effective communication; Analyze growth and development; Examine responsibility; Strategies for life and career; Teamwork and leadership; Family, work and community; Social, cultural, economic and psychological factors; Resource management.
Course Description:
Interpersonal Relations is a very dynamic and useful course for students enrolled in outdoor educational programs. Students will earn interpersonal skills that can assist him or her throughout life. The course provides excellent information for developing life skills. Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis and synthesis are the fundamental learning levels for students who positively interact with all the instructional activities provided in the course.
Students will be able to analyze self acceptance and respect for others. They will also analyze factors that influence human behavior. The development of interpersonal relationship skills through effective communication skills is a major focus of the course. Acquired ?Life Competencies? such as responsibility for personal wellness; strategies for life and career success; teamwork and leadership; balancing family, work and community; ability to analyze family units based on social, cultural, economic and psychological factors; development of resource management skills; all such knowledge, skills and application will enable students to develop and maintain a ?balance of life? which is positive and enables acquisition of life skills which results in accomplishing four destinations: Education and Career; Home and Family; Community and Service; and Hobbies and Recreation.
