IDEAL School Students Get Personalized History Lesson

West Palm Beach, FL, October 14, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Third and fourth grade students at the IDEAL Elementary School have been studying Native American history as part of their Social Studies unit this semester. As a special treat two representatives of the Seminole and Choctaw tribes came to the school recently to give the children a more personalized perspective of their cultures and ways of life.

Everret Osceola of the Seminole tribe shared stories passed down to him by his ancestors as did Van from the Choctaw tribe. They also shared stories about their tribes’ practices and beliefs.

Sophie De La Paz, a fourth grade teacher at IDEAL, said that the students initially had preconceived ideas about what Native American life was like hundreds of years ago. Some children were even surprised to learn that the lifestyles of today’s American Indians are very similar to their own.

“As the weeks we progressed we held classroom discussions about the evolution of the lives of the American Natives and I began to see a shift in their thinking and perceptions. What began for them as an obscure idea of a people based on stereo types, developed into a deeper understanding of the beauty of their culture as well as a an appreciation for all that our ancestors learned from them.”

The IDEAL School and Dream Middle School are pioneers in the use of Multiple Intelligence Theory in the classroom. Their expertise in innovative education draws students from preschool through 8th grade throughout Palm Beach County, Florida. To find out more about the school please visit www.IdealSchoolFlorida.com or call (561) 791-2881.

###