Letters: Powel Elementary's old ways live on in 'new school'

ISSUE | EDUCATION

While I'm happy for students who are enjoying the Science Leadership Academy Middle School, I'd like to emphasize that this is not a new school, but an expansion of an extraordinary neighborhood institution, Samuel Powel Elementary School ("A 'cool' new school in West Phila.," Wednesday). There's a reason this hands-on approach is working here - teachers at Powel have taught this way for decades, sometimes against great odds, as administrators tried to force "back to basics."

Powel students have always learned through projects, whether it was searching the neighborhood for mulberry leaves for hungry caterpillars or experiencing the thrill of Greek, Native American, or African myths.

They maintained daily journals and became wonderful writers and artists. Working together in groups helped them become flexible problem solvers.

These wonderful traditions at Powel survived because parents and community members never gave up on their support. It is on this foundation that the "new" school will build.

|Cara Crosby, Philadelphia