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October 9, 2009

Crossings Christian School students form MicroSociety

PATTY MILLER

EDMOND — Students apply classroom lessons to real world situations



BY PATTY MILLER

The Edmond Sun



Middle school students at Crossings Christian School recently formed City of Light, a MicroSociety that helps bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world application.

In a MicroSociety school, students build a microcosm of the real world inside the school. Each student assumes different responsibilities in running their world. They attend their regular classes for part of the day, then apply what they learn “on the job” in Micro Ventures and Agencies one period a day.

Students create and manage business ventures that produce goods and services which are sold in the MarketPlace. They pass laws governing behavior in school, try cases in court and deposit money and receive loans from the “Micro” bank. Just like in the adult world, children earn salaries and pay taxes, tuition and rent.

The city will be organized by the 110 students with businesses forming as well as city government.

“Students will learn to approach civic responsibilities in an educated and purposeful manner and apply biblical ethics to the workplace and career,” said Upper School Principal Al King.

Students were given the Oath of Citizenship for the City of Light by Judge Ron Howland (Ret.), Federal Magistrate from Oklahoma City as their constitution was ratified by sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students.

Judge Howland told the students 220 years ago the Constitution began with “We the people” and the Constitution was about the 39 signers, just as the students’ constitution is about them.

“Classes, you have done yourselves very proud,” Howland said.

Academy lessons are taught, including writing business proposals based on quality and feasibility, resumes, developing interviewing skills, opening checking and savings accounts, balancing a checkbook, small business ownership, government and citizenship.

Eighth-grader Shelby Wilkinson said she learned about team work as well as the workings of the government as her class prepared the constitution for City of Light.

“I learned that I had to have an understanding of everyone’s point of view when we were writing the constitution,” said Jake Bardell, eighth-grader.

MicroSociety teacher Elaine Richards said some of the sixth-graders were not happy when they found out only eighth-graders could be mayor of the City of Light.

“Sooner or later sixth and seventh grades will get a turn at mayor,” said seventh-grader Abby Lamprecht. “The compromise the eighth-graders came up with was to have two assistant mayors, one a sixth-grader and one an seventh-grader.”

The idea for the MicroSociety came from a school in Tulsa.

“One of Our school board members, Steve Brown and his son, Matt went to Tulsa and visited Tulsa Charter School where they saw a MicroSociety in action,” King said.

While gaining experience in 21st Century Skills, students will apply their math knowledge by practicing good stewardship of finances through learning how to manage budgets, time and all other resources, King said.

While using inquiry methods of learning, students will call upon their creativity and innovation to solve problems that may come up in their community of learners.

“We are hoping our students will be able to apply skills learned in the classroom and practiced in their MicroSociety in situations on down the road as they become adults,” said science teacher Amy Roberts.

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