In Jackson, people perceive public schools as having many problems and challenges, Thea Faulkner said, and rightly so. Sometimes, people focus so much on the negatives, however, that they don't notice the positive changes that many parents are making in their children's schools.

"There are some phenomenal things that are happening in Jackson Public Schools every day," she said at this morning's Friday Forum at Koinonia Coffee House.

Faulkner is the director of the Parent Leadership Institute at Parents for Public Schools of Greater Jackson, a program that helps people, mostly parents and grandparents, find specific ways to make their children's schools better.

She is proud of parents who go back to the community and get other parents involved in their schools. Last December, two parents of Casey Elementary School students organized a Math and Science Night at the school after attending the institute. They called on other parents, community organizations, science departments at local universities and medical professionals to create a hands-on science fair for students.

"Because of that, 30 parents become 200 parents," she said.

At the Parent Leadership Institute, which takes about 30 people each year, participants learn about standardized tests, what makes a welcoming school environment and strategies to fix problems in schools.

"The goal is partnership (with the school)--not an adversarial relationship, but partnership to address the needs of that school," Faulkner said.

PPSJ also conducts workshops on different learning styles. "All children can learn, but not all children learn the same way," she said.

Some children learn best by reading books, while some need hands-on activities. Knowing how a child learns helps teachers tailor their lessons and gives parents a better idea of how to help with homework.

Faulkner also talked about PPSJ's Ask for More Arts Program, which brings local artists into schools. The students don't just learn about drawing, painting and music, though; one class recently made a mosaic depicting civil-rights leader Medgar Evers to learn about history. The students also learned about math and ratios by figuring out the best way to put down tiles for the mosaic. By using art projects and field trips to teach skills, students can better see the practical application of what they are learning, Faulkner said.

To learn more about Parents for Public Schools, visit ppsjackson.org.