Play is the work of Children

I thoroughly enjoyed Tara Parker Pope's article in last week's New York Times article entitled Simon Says Don't Use Flashcards . My favorite quote from the article is, “We tend to equate learning with the content of learning, with what information children have, rather than the how of learning.”

She goes on to explain that children need to develop their executive function skills, which include vitally important abilities such as planning, anticipating, organizing, strategizing and the ability to focus. Without these skills we are not able to put information to good use. Flashcards are excellent for rote memorization, and there are certain things that do need to be memorized, but research shows that learning how to learn through focus and self-control early in our lives is critical in helping us to have better academic success over time.

So, when our Lower School Division Director, Gillian Goodman, says to parents that play is childrens work, she is exactly right.  Through play they are learning skills that will help them to become better students and at the same time develop their interpersonal skills with other youngsters.

Parker Pope's article goes on to recommend how to increase the intricacies of play in order to help children improve their ability to plan, strategize and organize themselves to do important learning.

.

When to stop for a School Bus

Since my first test for a driver's licence in North Carolina was over five years ago, I have often wondered if I correctly remembered the law for stopping when a school bus is loading or unloading students.

The local public schools began their first day of classes today, so it's a good time to review the rules for stopping. This video and article should help all of us to better remember the details about this important law.

(Thanks to my FB buddies for posting this!)

School Bus Laws: When to Stop (click here)

What's the purpose of a College Degree?

I recently read an article by Katrin Park in the Christian Science Monitor's on-line edition and was intrigued by her observations on the value of a college degree in the humanities.

While I agree with the earlier points that are made in the article, my favorite quote, and one that has my full endorsement, is the one about the purpose of college being to develop responsible citizens and good people.

 Below are some excerpts from the article.

My Gloriously Useless Degrees in the Humanities

"Many insist the US needs more engineers and scientists to revive the economy. The hard truth is no degree guarantees a secure trajectory anymore. While I may not remember all I absorbed studying the humanities, I learned to think for myself. That has been invaluable in the workplace."

"A foreign language works like a passport. Critical thinking helps put complex situations into perspective. Emotional acuity serves as a compass when navigating office politics. And these are skills that training in the humanities can enhance."

"Higher education is more than a vocational or technical training. The essential purpose of it has never been primarily about “usefulness” in a narrow sense of acquiring a specific, practical tool to make oneself marketable."
 
"In the words of my late college professor – of philosophy – the purpose of higher education is to become broadly acquainted with cultural traditions and deeply appreciate them, so that it may help us become responsible citizens and good people in general."

"I have long forgotten the details of what I absorbed in classrooms and libraries. I did, however, learn how to think for myself, and that is invaluable in the workplace and outside of it."

Best Quote from the Second Day of School

Best quote from the second day of school... a kindergartener, when asked by his parents if he was ready for school to start, replied, "I'm psyched!"

Our Bitty Bengals arrived today and did a terrific job of settling in as their parents slowly withdrew and joined Gillian Goodman and me in the Lower School Media Center for a welcome and music by our young Suzuki violinists. While most of my welcome talks center on our rigorous educational program, the importance we place on learning to become ethical thinkers and developing each student's interpersonal skills, it seemed a little out of place when welcoming the anxious parents of our new four-year-olds.

Instead, I shared my 19 years of experience with preschool programs in California and how pleased I was that we were able to extend the GDS experience to include preschool aged children.  I also spoke about the important learning that takes place at this age. As Gillian Goodman, our Lower School Director pointed out, the work of this age group is play. While playing, these young children learn to interact with each other in positive and supportive ways, and they develop a sense of self-efficacy through using their words to solve problems and make choices. We are so excited to have our new Bitty Bengals on campus!

Each of our divisions has settled in nicely today, and we are "psyched!" for our first full day and all-school welcoming tomorrow!

Second Day of School

Today was filled with greeting the Middle and Upper School students as they walked from the Dillard Circle and up to the campus.  There were lots of vacation conversations, new shoes, dresses, shorts and exuberant high fives, smiles and hugs between students as they piled out of cars.

It was great having everyone back on campus.  We missed their energy, good humor and the zest they bring to our community each day.

I enjoyed greeting the students in their assemblies and then heading up to the Lower School to visit each class. It was hard to believe that the kids had grown so much over the summer and they, unlike our Middle Schoolers, seemed to enjoy the fact that someone noticed how big they'd gotten.

Meeting the new Lower School families is always fun. You can almost feel the anxiety in the air from our new kindergarten parents! But, it doesn't take long for smiles to appear as they feel comfortable with their child's new school. Sharing the stories of raising our own children usually brings a reassurance that we just might be able to come to value and enjoy their children as much as they do.

Tomorrow brings another half day of school as the students and teachers rebuild their stamina in preparation for a full day on Friday! I can't wait!

New Student and Parent Orientation

It was great seeing all of the new students and their parents today during our new student orientations in the Middle and Upper Schools. Most impressive were our student ambassadors who did an amazing job of introducing themselves to all the new students and taking the time to get to know them before taking them around the school.

One parent commented that her child told her that GDS "is the friendliest school she's ever been too." I'm sure that warmed her heart.  As a parent, it always made me feel great when my child reported that they enjoyed themselves at school.

When I spoke to the new Upper School parents I shared the story of one of our graduates who joined us as a sophomore. When I first met her in the hallway of the administration building during her tour of the school three years ago, I asked her if she was ready to study hard.  She replied that she was, and I commented that if that were the case she would do well at GDS. Over the next two years she applied herself, and many of our faculty reached out to support her in becoming a stronger student. I watched as her grades steadily improved and enjoyed seeing her play basketball. 

But, in the fall of her junior year, she tore her ACL and it took her out of basketball for the season.  Being an eager learner and not wanting to sit still, she become heavily involved in several of our clubs and non-athletic activities to the extent of becoming a student leader. The most amazing thing was that she tried out for the spring drama production and landed a key role in To Kill a Mockingbird. When I went to the opening night's performance I could not have been more amazed!  Here was our star basketball player acting on stage as if she was born to it.

I was so impressed that this young lady had taken advantage of so many of the wonderful things that our school has to offer. Her senior year found her back playing basketball, but courting a greater scene of herself and her ability both on and off the court. In fact, she landed one of the lead roles in our fall musical, Hairspray. I'm sure that if she had not injured her leg, we might never have heard her wonderful voice and enjoyed her spectacular acting.

Her story is just one of the many that our faculty and staff could share about our students.