Going to camp for the first two weeks of summer break might not be a priority for most rising ninth-, 10th- and 11th-graders, but 23 students in the Crosby Scholar program decided to take advantage of the opportunity and attended Critical Thinking Camp.
“The Crosby Scholars program knows that helping our students access college doesn’t necessarily guarantee their success in college,” explained Jennifer Canipe, Crosby executive director. “The latest data suggests that a student’s ability to think critically is closely correlated to his or her success in college.”
The camp, hosted by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, was divided into two segments. The first part of the morning focused on brain training by using Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment methodology. The second section was devoted to using the Paideia instructional approach.
Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment is based on the concept that the brain is modifiable. Students worked on a series of dot puzzles to develop more than 20 skills, including the ability to recognize patterns, to identify elements that remain consistent, to refrain from impulsivity and to eventually apply these concepts to other aspects of learning.
Doris Plummer and Shanon Vickers from North Hills Christian School, both certified Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment instructors, facilitated this portion of the camp.
Mary Noggle, a fully-certified Paideia representative for Rowan-Cabarrus, developed the second half of the camp’s curriculum along with Rowan-Cabarrus faculty member Jenny Billings Beaver.
The Paideia educational experience is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue facilitated with open-ended questions about a text.
“The students really changed the way they think. As instructors, we see a noticeable difference — just in two weeks. Students are more critical, in a good way, and ponder in ways they did not do before,” Beaver said.
“As a pilot, this camp was successful because it brought an opportunity to our county that few communities address. Crosby Scholars allowed students to have the opportunity to discover things about themselves that would stimulate and challenge them to become better students, active classroom participants, and, ultimately, better prepared for college,” Plummer added.
Camp Cannon at Cannon School offers the opportunity for students to prepare for the fall ACT exam, which is now a required test for all public school students. The N.C. Department of Public Instruction has put in place a new requirement that all 11th-grade students take the ACT test. The ACT test measures what students have learned in English, math, science and reading.
Rising juniors and seniors can enroll in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to College: ACT Prep Workshop offered the week of July 28 to Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. The course is an individualized boutique-style workshop developed by a professor from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to help students improve their ACT scores. The course fee is $450 and includes the ACT prep book.
More details and registration information for all of Camp Cannon’s college prep offerings may be found at www.campcannon.com.
Registration is now open for Camp Cannon, which runs through Aug. 1, with the exception of the week of July 4.
Davidson County Community College is expanding evening and Saturday course offerings this fall to support the needs of students who find it difficult to enroll in traditional daytime courses due to full-time employment, family responsibilities and other scheduling conflicts.
The more than 60 sections of college credit courses include a broad range of classes including English, communications, biology, humanities and psychology. Students may receive credit toward completion of a certificate, diploma or associate degree for courses completed and prepare for transfer to a four-year college or entry into a career field.
“Many of the citizens the college serves have expressed a need for more flexibility in scheduling, and we’re responding to that need by offering these evening and weekend course options,” says Jeannine Woody, vice president of academic programs and services. “We want to support all students in achieving their educational and career goals.”
The majority of the courses are delivered in traditional, face-to-face classroom settings, with some hybrid courses that include both online and classroom sessions. Evening classes generally begin after 4 p.m. and extend as late as 9 p.m.
Students interested in enrolling in these courses can complete the college’s admissions and enrollment process online at www.davidsonccc.edu/admissions. They may also meet with an enrollment adviser in the Mendenhall Building on the Davidson Campus or in the Administration Building on the Davie Campus in Mocksville.