Spotlight: Dale Downs
What was it like to be a college student at Eastern, and subsequently teach at the Lab School?
Dr. Downs has been an invaluable resource for this exhibit; he has provided us with artifacts, stories, and practical information about what went on during his tenure at Buzzard Lab School. He has the unique perspective of being on both sides of the fence, as an EIU undergraduate student (1952-56), and as a faculty member (1963-74).
Dr. Downs told the Historical Administration students, on one of their many visits to his home to do research and receive donations for the exhibit, that his favorite years as an educator were from 1971-74.
Dr. Downs is pictured here doing what he has been passionate about his entire life- teaching. Photo courtesy of EIU Lab School Museum.
It was during these years that he was able to be a part of the developing process for "state-of-the-art" programs such as the Multi-Unit School made a substantive difference in the education field.
Many "Buzzard Labbies" that have spoken with the Historical Administration students used the words "clusters" or "clustered learning" when describing their experiences, and Dr. Downs did help clarify what that meant in his explanation of the Multi-Unit School. In this system of instruction, students from three different grade levels were organized into clusters. Each one had a team of teachers and student teachers conducting lessons in specific subjects. The clusters were organized as follows:
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a primary cluster of students age 6-8,
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an intermediate cluster with ages 9-11,
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and a junior high cluster of ages 12-14
Special area subjects, such as fine art, home arts, French, industrial arts, physical education, and music were taught to the clusters by interdisciplinary teaching teams. This concept allowed for children of similar age groups to learn and interact together. It also enabled collaborative teaching, enriching the learning process through the use of many perspectives and styles of instruction.