Specials and Community Events of the 1980s

In the final years of LaL, many of the community activities and specials from the 1970s remained. Yet students’ ages were younger than in earlier years: programs like “Just Beginnings” catered to 21-36 month olds (and their parents) and the “Advanced Studies” program advertised to children up to 13 years old. In the previous decade, LaL included afterschool sections for high school students.

While the ages of the students differed, the focus of the programs—and especially the Saturday Specials—stayed the same. Events like “Roman Comedy” or “The Greeks of Athens” let children explore the history of artistic expression. Other programs, such as “Great Paint,” let children learn and practice different artistic styles, encouraging students to make as wide a canvas as possible for their art by painting on walls, floors, and even on aprons they would take home.

Do you think you would have wanted to attend one of these events? If so, which one? (have images of the various calendars) Your parents would have needed to sign up fast. With 8 students for every teacher, spots filled up fast, and there was often a waitlist.

Look at the shedules below: what do you notice about the art style? What about the wording? Compare it to the schedules from previous years; what do you notice? Do you like the changes that Learning about Learning made?

1984 Fall Program

Fall 1984 Program Catalogue: This document showcased the courses and programs Learning about Learning offered in 1984, organized in the style of a newspaper. Courses ranged from Abcdarian, which taught young children vital reading skills, to classes like Tall Texas Tails, which showcased the history of Texas, letting it come alive. You can compare it to Learning about Learning’s earlier catalogs. What do you notice about the art style, the wording? Do you like the changes that they made?
Fall 1984 Program Catalogue: This document showcased the courses and programs Learning about Learning offered in 1984, organized in the style of a newspaper. Courses ranged from Abcdarian, which taught young children vital reading skills, to classes like Tall Texas Tails, which showcased the history of Texas, letting it come alive. You can compare it to Learning about Learning’s earlier catalogs. What do you notice about the art style, the wording? Do you like the changes that they made?
Fall 1984 Program Catalogue: This document showcased the courses and programs Learning about Learning offered in 1984, organized in the style of a newspaper. Courses ranged from Abcdarian, which taught young children vital reading skills, to classes like Tall Texas Tails, which showcased the history of Texas, letting it come alive. You can compare it to Learning about Learning’s earlier catalogs. What do you notice about the art style, the wording? Do you like the changes that they made?
Fall 1984 Program Catalogue: This document showcased the courses and programs Learning about Learning offered in 1984, organized in the style of a newspaper. Courses ranged from Abcdarian, which taught young children vital reading skills, to classes like Tall Texas Tails, which showcased the history of Texas, letting it come alive. You can compare it to Learning about Learning’s earlier catalogs. What do you notice about the art style, the wording? Do you like the changes that they made?

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Fall 1983—Spring 1984

Fall 1983-Spring 1984 Program: This newspaper-like schedule detailed Learning about Learning’s offerings for the 1983-1984 school year. As opposed to earlier years, the schedule included more details about LAL policies—including how to register for classes and how LAL handled refunds, as well as preparing parents for the possibility that they would be put on a waitlist for classes. If you were a parent, do you think these changes would have been useful for you? How so?
Fall 1983-Spring 1984 Program: This newspaper-like schedule detailed Learning about Learning’s offerings for the 1983-1984 school year. As opposed to earlier years, the schedule included more details about LAL policies—including how to register for classes and how LAL handled refunds, as well as preparing parents for the possibility that they would be put on a waitlist for classes. If you were a parent, do you think these changes would have been useful for you? How so?
Fall 1983-Spring 1984 Program: This newspaper-like schedule detailed Learning about Learning’s offerings for the 1983-1984 school year. As opposed to earlier years, the schedule included more details about LAL policies—including how to register for classes and how LAL handled refunds, as well as preparing parents for the possibility that they would be put on a waitlist for classes. If you were a parent, do you think these changes would have been useful for you? How so?
Fall 1983-Spring 1984 Program: This newspaper-like schedule detailed Learning about Learning’s offerings for the 1983-1984 school year. As opposed to earlier years, the schedule included more details about LAL policies—including how to register for classes and how LAL handled refunds, as well as preparing parents for the possibility that they would be put on a waitlist for classes. If you were a parent, do you think these changes would have been useful for you? How so?

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Learning about Learning also kept some key aspects from the 1970s into the 1980s, such as the focus on students presenting their own work. Programs like the 1976 Brainstormers had students lead a seminar on ways to see and analyze television— while other students in the program ran a “Holiday Present Planning Service'' for others in the community. The 1982 Futuristics group gave a glimpse into the future in an exhibit of children’s ideas and inventions. From marvels like sending a message via video to others, or a kitchen with automatic junk food— here, children were the experts on the future and their world. They were empowered to explore their surroundings. What do you think about the future they envisioned? Were they far off?

The Brainstormers (1976) and Futuristics (1982): Both of these programs focus on student ideas and students as the presenter. Children became the experts in their fields and were able to teach others from their knowledge.
The Brainstormers (1976) and Futuristics (1982): Both of these programs focus on student ideas and students as the presenter. Children became the experts in their fields and were able to teach others from their knowledge.
The Brainstormers (1976) and Futuristics (1982): Both of these programs focus on student ideas and students as the presenter. Children became the experts in their fields and were able to teach others from their knowledge.

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Spring 1982 'futuristics'

Spring 1982 ‘futuristics’: This program details the 1982 events and specials under the idea of "futuristics": examining ways that children can express themsleves through music, art, and writing. Looking at the events Learning about learning offered, which one would you want to go to? If you had children, do you think they would enjoy these?
Spring 1982 ‘futuristics’: This program details the 1982 events and specials under the idea of "futuristics": examining ways that children can express themsleves through music, art, and writing. Looking at the events Learning about learning offered, which one would you want to go to? If you had children, do you think they would enjoy these?
Spring 1982 ‘futuristics’: This program details the 1982 events and specials under the idea of "futuristics": examining ways that children can express themsleves through music, art, and writing. Looking at the events Learning about learning offered, which one would you want to go to? If you had children, do you think they would enjoy these?

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