I have experienced many first days of school in my career and I always wonder... who is more nervous, the students, the teachers or the parents? I always think that it is important for students to know that their teachers are nervous on the first day of school. However, I think that the parents are always the most nervous for their children, whether it is their first school experience, their first time on the school bus, or just the beginning of a new grade with new expectations and experiences. We all want the absolute best for our children, especially when it comes to education.
We had a terrific first day of school this year!! It was so nice to see our returning students joyfully greeting old friends while meeting new friends as they came into the building. Even our youngest students, the Starfish, had a great first day of school. Some of them had a few tears while saying goodbye to moms, dads and grandparents, but then were fine as they got busy with the school day.
Morning music has gotten off to a great start. Every child in pre-k and kindergarten who wanted to was able to go up on our stage and was welcomed to school with a song. What a wonderful way to start your day! In the Eagle class, the children were busy learning routines and getting to know each other as they begain to learn about the different areas of their classroom.
We had our first assembly where I shared my most important rule for school (and life as well). We discussed what it means to treat other people the way you want to be treated. I think that if you always keep this "Golden Rule" in mind, you can never go wrong. We also sang some songs including the chorus of We Love Children's Country Day School, a song written by our students several years ago.
I am putting up a slide show of pictures from the first day of school. Enjoy!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
From ADHD to Eight Gold Medals
I found this article on the Teacher Magazine website. We hear so much about ADHD these days. So many children have been given this diagnosis when teachers and parents don't know how to get children to sit still and pay attention. I think we are in such a hurry to "fix" children with medication rather than examine the school setting in which the children are placed. Are we asking children to sit still for too long? Is the curriculum developmentally appropriate? Have we taken the time to explore the child's interests and tried to design a curriculum that addresses those interests? When children find something they love, they can focus on it intently for hours. I'm sure you have seen that in your own children. Please take a few minutes to read about Michael Phelps and his experience with the diagnosis of ADHD. Let me know what you think.
Karen
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Deborah Phelps, middle school principal and mother of Michael, the most medaled Olympian in history, remembers how her son’s elementary school teacher once told her, “Your son will never be able to focus on anything.” Michael Phelps was big when he was born (9 pounds, 6 ounces), awkward as a kid, and bullied by his classmates. In preschool, his teachers complained that he couldn't sit still. When Michael was in 5th grade, his mother and family doctor discussed whether Michael might have A.D.H.D.
His parents, now divorced, introduced him and his sisters to competitive swimming early. By age 10, Michael was nationally ranked. Deborah Phelps watched her son, who couldn’t sit still at school, wait patiently for hours at a meet to swim a five-minute race. At 11, Michael was off Ritalin by his own choice and his coach, Bob Bowman, was already predicting greatness. Bowman, who still coaches Michael, told the family then that Michael would make the 2004 Olympics and break world records by the 2008 games.
Phelps made it to the 2000 Olympics, four years ahead of Bowman’s prediction. The rest, as we have witnessed, is history. Today, the Phelps name is an adjective, as in “phelpsian,” meaning "dominating in competition." A gift, most would agree, that requires laser-like focus.
Posted by Elizabeth Rich
Karen
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Deborah Phelps, middle school principal and mother of Michael, the most medaled Olympian in history, remembers how her son’s elementary school teacher once told her, “Your son will never be able to focus on anything.” Michael Phelps was big when he was born (9 pounds, 6 ounces), awkward as a kid, and bullied by his classmates. In preschool, his teachers complained that he couldn't sit still. When Michael was in 5th grade, his mother and family doctor discussed whether Michael might have A.D.H.D.
His parents, now divorced, introduced him and his sisters to competitive swimming early. By age 10, Michael was nationally ranked. Deborah Phelps watched her son, who couldn’t sit still at school, wait patiently for hours at a meet to swim a five-minute race. At 11, Michael was off Ritalin by his own choice and his coach, Bob Bowman, was already predicting greatness. Bowman, who still coaches Michael, told the family then that Michael would make the 2004 Olympics and break world records by the 2008 games.
Phelps made it to the 2000 Olympics, four years ahead of Bowman’s prediction. The rest, as we have witnessed, is history. Today, the Phelps name is an adjective, as in “phelpsian,” meaning "dominating in competition." A gift, most would agree, that requires laser-like focus.
Posted by Elizabeth Rich
Monday, August 11, 2008
Creativity
Thomas Edison once said, "I've made more mistakes than anyone who ever lived, but I wouldn't have done half as much if I hadn't made those mistakes."
Truly creative people are not afraid of making mistakes, they know that in order to come up with an original idea, one may have to go through a process of trial and error. It seems to me, however, that in many schools, children are taught more and more not to take risks and make mistakes, but rather that there is a right and wrong answer and they need to get the answer right. This may be a result of all of the testing to which we are subjecting our children, but I think there may be more to it. In many schools there is a clear message that people who are good at math and language arts will be truly successful while those who are good at music and art will have a nice hobby as they grow up. Why is this so? Wouldn't it be better to ask open ended questions that have no right or wrong answer and explore all the possibilities of a topic? Couldn't you express your knowledge of a topic through the arts? Becoming educated should not mean that we can no longer think creatively, it should mean that we expand our creative horizons. That is one of the principles that, I think, makes CCDS such a special place. We can express our ideas in interesting and different ways, we can explore all sides of a question, we can celebrate diverse ideas and ways of thinking.
Please spend a few minutes listening to Ken Robinson's ideas on creativity in this You Tube video "Do Schools Today Kill Creativity?" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY and let me know what you think.
Truly creative people are not afraid of making mistakes, they know that in order to come up with an original idea, one may have to go through a process of trial and error. It seems to me, however, that in many schools, children are taught more and more not to take risks and make mistakes, but rather that there is a right and wrong answer and they need to get the answer right. This may be a result of all of the testing to which we are subjecting our children, but I think there may be more to it. In many schools there is a clear message that people who are good at math and language arts will be truly successful while those who are good at music and art will have a nice hobby as they grow up. Why is this so? Wouldn't it be better to ask open ended questions that have no right or wrong answer and explore all the possibilities of a topic? Couldn't you express your knowledge of a topic through the arts? Becoming educated should not mean that we can no longer think creatively, it should mean that we expand our creative horizons. That is one of the principles that, I think, makes CCDS such a special place. We can express our ideas in interesting and different ways, we can explore all sides of a question, we can celebrate diverse ideas and ways of thinking.
Please spend a few minutes listening to Ken Robinson's ideas on creativity in this You Tube video "Do Schools Today Kill Creativity?" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY and let me know what you think.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Summer Camp Slideshow
Summer Camp is in full swing here at Children's Country Day School. Please spend a minute viewing the slide show of camp pictures from this week. I think the pictures clearly show how busy our days are and how much fun the children are having at camp. We have been reading books by Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Iza Trapani and Lois Ehlert, who are wonderful children's book authors. If you are not familiar with their books, I highly recommend any books by these authors. We have made spiders, tea pots and starry night skies this week in art but I think the children most enjoy our water play here at camp. Some children are really enjoying the sprinkler while others prefer playing in the pools. For a few days last week, it was so hot that even the teachers were tempted to get wet!
It feels so good to learn something new. As I learn more and more about blogging I am reminded about how our students feel when they master a new skill. After a frustrating start, I felt so proud of myself when I successfully put the slide show on this page. I want to make sure that the positive energy I feel now is something that all of the students experience many times during the school year. I think it is important that all adults challenge themselves to learn something new so that we can be reminded of the sometimes tentitive first steps and final success that our children feel as they face and conquer challenges throughout the school year.
It feels so good to learn something new. As I learn more and more about blogging I am reminded about how our students feel when they master a new skill. After a frustrating start, I felt so proud of myself when I successfully put the slide show on this page. I want to make sure that the positive energy I feel now is something that all of the students experience many times during the school year. I think it is important that all adults challenge themselves to learn something new so that we can be reminded of the sometimes tentitive first steps and final success that our children feel as they face and conquer challenges throughout the school year.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Mid Summer
In the spirit of life-long learning, I am learning to blog. I think this is a wonderful way to keep in touch with everyone in our school community and improve communication. I would appreciate comments regarding my postings including topics you might like to see explored in this format. I am planning on not just imparting school news through this blog, but also talking about educational topics, great websites for children (and parents) outstanding children's books and other topics of interest to families.
I cannot believe how quickly the summer is going. It is almost the end of July already!
Our summer camp is in full swing. We have been having fun playing in the sprinkler and wading pools, reading stories by some excellent children's authors, doing art projects and for some children, just getting used to a school setting.
We are also offering a special week long camp experience for children in grades 1 through 4 with the theme of Under the Sea. During this week we will explore drama, music, movement, science and special activities all related to the ocean. This program will run Monday through Friday from 9:00 - 2:00 during the week of August 18th. The cost is $150 for all 5 days. Call me for more information (567-0102).
School packets were mailed out last week. Included in the packet are supply lists as well as health forms that need to be filled out by your child's doctor and emergency contact information. Please fill out the forms and get them back to us as soon as possible.
In the continuing spirit of community service which is a Children's Country Day School tradition, I am participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Executive Lock-Up. I will be going behind bars for good (to help raise money for this worthy cause). You can help me out by contributing to my bail by donating to MDA. Give me a call and I will tell you how to help.
Look for furthur postings soon. My goal is to post something at least once a week. I may also include photos and video as I learn more about the process of blogging. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. See you in September!
I cannot believe how quickly the summer is going. It is almost the end of July already!
Our summer camp is in full swing. We have been having fun playing in the sprinkler and wading pools, reading stories by some excellent children's authors, doing art projects and for some children, just getting used to a school setting.
We are also offering a special week long camp experience for children in grades 1 through 4 with the theme of Under the Sea. During this week we will explore drama, music, movement, science and special activities all related to the ocean. This program will run Monday through Friday from 9:00 - 2:00 during the week of August 18th. The cost is $150 for all 5 days. Call me for more information (567-0102).
School packets were mailed out last week. Included in the packet are supply lists as well as health forms that need to be filled out by your child's doctor and emergency contact information. Please fill out the forms and get them back to us as soon as possible.
In the continuing spirit of community service which is a Children's Country Day School tradition, I am participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Executive Lock-Up. I will be going behind bars for good (to help raise money for this worthy cause). You can help me out by contributing to my bail by donating to MDA. Give me a call and I will tell you how to help.
Look for furthur postings soon. My goal is to post something at least once a week. I may also include photos and video as I learn more about the process of blogging. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. See you in September!
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