Ron Clark is an American teacher who has worked with disadvantaged students in rural North Carolina and Harlem, New York City. He is known for his books on teaching children in middle schools.
Clark was educated at East Carolina University through the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program and accepted a job in Aurora, North Carolina upon graduation in 1994. Four years later he departed for Harlem to take a job teaching elementary school in an inner-city setting. Clark's latest project is the Ron Clark Academy, a private non-profit school in Atlanta, Georgia where students follow a unique curriculum. The school also gives students opportunities for international travel and offers training workshops for teachers to learn more about Clark's teaching methods.
Clark's first year spent in Harlem was the focus of a 2006 made-for-TV movie, The Ron Clark Story, (also known as The Triumph in Australia, the UK and the Philippines), starring Matthew Perry.
Clark is known for his ability to raise test scores by using unique methods that incorporate innovation, creativity and 55 classroom rules. He has appeared on many national TV shows, including two appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, where Ms. Winfrey named him as her first "Phenomenal Man."
Clark received the 2001 Disney Teacher of the Year award from Disney, which owns Hyperion Books.
In 2006, Ron's story was turned into a TNT Johnson and Johnson Spotlight Special Film, starring Matthew Perry, and garnering an Emmy nomination for Executive Producers Howard Burkons, Adam Gilad and Brenda Friend.
The Ron Clark Academy, housed in a renovated red brick warehouse "Change the World - Atlanta." www.hgtv.com. 24 Feb. 2008 ., is located in southwest Atlanta, Georgia, and accommodates fifth through eighth grade students. Students are from low wealth to high wealth families. Clark had planned to build the school for ten years before construction began. Along with the proceeds of his two books The Essential 55 and The Excellent 11, Clark raised additional funding for the project which eventually cost over $3.5 million. The academy was established on June 25, 2007. Classes began for students on September 4, 2007.
Technology and facilities
Each classroom provides students with technology such as notebook computers, interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, projectors, and audio video equipment. In addition to the technologically-equipped classrooms, the school provides students with accessible amenities such as a recording studio, a darkroom, a two-story vaulted ceiling library, a gymnasium, and a dance studio.
The Ron Clark Academy uses donated computers in all classrooms and offices"Dell, Intel Transform Ron Clark Academy Into Interactive Learning Environment." BNET. 25 June 2007. Gale Group. 24 Feb. 2008 . As a result, students will be able to study photography, music production, and business leadership.
Student population
The students that attend The Ron Clark Academy come from a range of backgrounds, including students from high wealth families. Students must go through an application process in order to be accepted into the school. Only 50 students were accepted out of 350 applications the first school year. Students must be nominated for the school and then must apply. Students' applications are then reviewed by Ron Clark and other teachers and students are selected to be interviewed by the school. If accepted, students' parents must sign a Contract of Obligation in which parents agree to volunteer 10 hours of their time each quarter. They also will have to allow their child to go on mandatory field trips essential to the curriculum. Ron Clark -ron clark academy
Media attention 2008 — "Vote However You Like"
Students in debate class at Ron Clark Academy created a song about the 2008 U.S. presidential election, "Vote However You Like.", to the same beat and melody of "Whatever You Like" by T.I. A performance of the song by 6th and 7th graders was posted on the internet and drew national attention. The video has now been viewed over 2 million times.
T.I., himself, paid a surprise visit to the Academy after learning of their remake of his song to watch them perform it in person.
On October 31, 2008, the "Students of Ron Clark Academy" were named the ABC Person of the Week by ABC World News Tonight.
As a result, they have also been invited to perform at the 2009 Inauguration http://abcnews.go.com/wn
Ron has written two books. The first, called The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child (2003), is being published in 25 countries. In 2004 he followed with The Excellent 11: Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children.
In December 2008, Oprah Winfrey donated $365,000 to Ron Clark, for the Ron Clark Academy, for his profound dedication to teaching.
