NORTHRIDGE : CSUN Students Learn Lessons at Grade Schools

The Jan. 17 earthquake ousted thousands of Cal State Northridge students from their regular classrooms, leaving many of them frustrated, disoriented and inconvenienced. But for about 250 education methods students, who now take their classes in spare classrooms on elementary school campuses, the disaster proved to be a lesson in disguise.

“It’s a breath of fresh air,” said Glenn Robertson, 22, of Chatsworth, who takes his classes at Calahan Street Elementary School just blocks from the CSUN campus.

“The fact that we are at an elementary school helps us more than anything. You get to see the kids, learn what a schedule is like, watch how teachers organize their classes.”

When the earthquake ravaged the department’s regular classrooms, professors in the education department called on their connection with elementary schools to find space for their students. The 18-month program already included student-teaching at local elementary schools, but prior to the earthquake, methods classes were always at CSUN.

Now, the arrangement that came about spontaneously in eight elementary schools as a solution to a space problem, seems to many principals, professors and students, a logical, natural situation.

“I would love to do this all the time,” said Brenda Lakin-Clapp, a 22-year veteran professor of education at CSUN, during a break in her class at Calahan. “It makes more sense to be in this environment. There are some things you just can’t teach in the confines of a university classroom.”

In light of the disaster, the Los Angeles Unified School District waived the fees that would normally be attached to use of the classrooms.

The CSUN students sit at children’s desks raised to their maximum height and use bulletin boards and chalkboards to practice teaching methods. They hear the bells ring and see children walking to and from recess and lunch. At most of the schools there is not yet any direct interaction between the schoolchildren and the CSUN students, but principals and professors say the possibility for such cooperation is enormous.

“It sets a wonderful precedent,” said Rick Wetzell, principal of Calahan. “It’s endless what they could do.”