Palomares Spiritual Empowerment Program Assessment
The Palomares Spiritual Empowerment Program has been in operation since March 2014 with impressive outcomes.
In consultation with the Empowerment team as well as the students, their parents, and school administration, we embarked on a progressive and flexible curriculum to address the presenting emotional, social, academic, psychological, spiritual, and global needs of the students.
At each step, we assessed if the curricula were working as an integrated education tool to empower and educate. we evidenced our assessment by the student journals and our team’s observation, consultation, reflection, and evaluation based on the changes in student’s perceptions, thoughts, feelings, hopes, wants, and actions. We made note of the student’s degree of greater engagement, better management of their conduct in class and at home, and having a purposeful and hopeful view of life and the future.
The three-layer structure in the design and implementation of the program has had a great deal to do with its sustainability and outstanding outcome not just in the lives of the students we worked with but more so in the lives of the dedicated animators that participated in the design and implementation of the program. The gains that the animators made were enhanced and assured in their closely involved process with their expert supervisor and trainer and the program’s collaboration with the school administrators and parents who value the unique and complementary contribution of the program.
The following elements and strategies have been identified as instrumental in the effective outcome of the program:
- Focus on critical thinking, and reading to build vocabulary, and develop communication skills through reading, writing, interacting, and sharing thoughts, feelings, intentions, and actions.
- A culturally inclusive curriculum with projects that relate to self-development through the use of multiple intelligences incorporating Arts, music, Social Studies, gardening, cooking, storytelling, mindfulness, prayer and meditation, and the Science of self-knowledge and empowerment to not only be successful but good to all humanity.
- A blended-learning implementation with individual and collaborative activities, in a group and collaborative settings.
- A project-based approach, as well as learning activities and projects that favor multicultural perspectives for a deeper understanding of universal human values such as the celebration of unity in diversity.
- Alignment with Common Core standards.
The school’s sincere support, ongoing evaluation, reflection, and appreciation for our contribution play a central role in unfolding the ever-evolving process of serving the students and empowering them to know their own selves and powers within.
Our program began with an after-school empowerment program for junior high and high school students and eventually in consultation with everyone involved evolved into in-school empowerment, transformative mediation, and community building program.
The elements that need more attention and improvement have to do with greater collaboration and involvement with the parents.
The attached flyer is our new look and simply explains what we do.
We invite students to ask for permission slips and registration forms from the school office.
Center for Global Integrated Education, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is: to develop, support, and promote integrated educational programs and materials;