The First Six Weeks

With the first exciting days of school behind us, it might seem that the time for settling in has passed. Well, actually it takes quite a bit longer to fully lay the groundwork for a successful year in an elementary school. The Responsive Classroom approach, to which our Lower School has subscribed for many years, advises teachers to use a full six weeks at the beginning of the school to:

• build classroom community
• with students, create the rules of the classroom
• teach routines
• introduce the curriculum in an engaging way
• foster student autonomy
• establish that social and academic learning are integrated
• establish high expectations for learning and behavior

Whew, that seems like a lot to accomplish! Well it is, but we believe that it is all extremely important if students are to be able to move ahead with confidence in both the academic and the social/emotional areas of their development.

Much of the necessary discussion happens in “morning meeting” format, when students are taught how to greet one another, listen to one another, share their ideas, discuss their opinions, define group goals, reach consensus and resolve conflicts and differences. Not only does this help them to build their own positive classroom community, but it develops the skills for academic experiences that value differing points of view, discussion, collaboration, reflection and presentation.

During this important six week period, teachers intentionally do a great deal of modeling of what desired personal and academic behaviors and outcomes look and sound like. There is plenty of time to remind and practice appropriate actions when they have not been remembered.

As students play a role in developing the class rules, they become invested in the smooth running of their classroom as well as the larger Lower School community. As they internalize the expectations and the routines, there is less and less time spent testing boundaries, and the result is that students feel more secure as they develop their own sense of autonomy.

Many classes end the day or the week with a closing meeting that allows students to learn to reflect on what they individually and collectively have and have not been able to accomplish and to plan for success in the future. During this six week period, most teachers ask students to think about and to articulate their own hopes, dreams and goals for the school year. At several points during the year, students are asked to review their goals and reflect on whether they are making progress toward accomplishing them. This personal goal-setting for their own school experiences and practicing reflective habits of mind sets the stage for students taking ownership of their growth and their education.

Does this mean that this is all that is accomplished during the first six weeks? Not at all. But the emphasis on starting well, means that the rest of the year will be smoother, especially when the inevitable challenges, distractions, frustrations and conflicts arise. 

Taking the Risk to Encourage Risk Taking: 

Practicing the Art of Sitting on Your Hands

Some pre4 students building with our new outdoor
"Imagination Playground"  blocks

As we begin a new school year, I want to focus on the experiences that, in my opinion, really make our children both successful and happy. Then at the end of this personal invitation/entreaty, there is a link to an opinion piece by psychologist Madeline Levine on "Raising Successful Children"  that appeared in the August 4th Opinion Section of The New York Times.

Many parents believe that a child’s success is primarily determined by the "correct" college placement based on a carefully planned and choreographed set of experiences, supported by just the right resume of extracurricular activities. I assert that allowing kids to get messy, find and follow their interests, take risks and learn from their mistakes, is a better way to prepare them for a successful life. 

Some of the edible rewards of "getting messy"
in the garden

It is a natural instinct for parents to want to protect and direct our children. We want to make sure that they, whether they are infants, preschoolers or college-aged are kept out of harms way. In today's world where there are even more issues of safety than when we grew up, the college process is far more competitive and popular culture offers so many more attractive and dangerous options, this instinct to protect and direct is even stronger. 

However, just as science has recently shown that an environment that is too controlled and too clean can be responsible for an underdeveloped immune system, I venture that children who have insufficient opportunities to get messy and learn from mistakes can grow up to be either fearful or, conversely, inappropriately fearless. 

If each of us examines our proudest moments growing up, I bet that they would be associated with taking on hard and interesting challenges that we eventually accomplished on our own, taking risks and learning from our failures along the way.

As parents, regardless of the age of our children, we are in the process of turning their lives over to them. Play dates and time away from parents in new situations represent, initially at least, uncomfortable risk-taking for many children. However, what they can potentially learn in such situations about themselves and their relationships with others is invaluable. Becoming accustomed to risk-taking and growing comfortable in entering situations in which the outcome is unknown has to begin early on for it to become a natural part of a child’s personal toolbox.

There are no fixed formulas for proper parenting, but I venture that taking the risk to allow our children/students to discover their own interests, take their own risks and learn from their own mistakes and failures is the way to go. 

link to Raising Successful Children by Madeline Levine

Celebrating Birthdays at School: a new approach

After students left last year, the Lower School faculty spent several days in meetings developing shared goals for this year, one of which is to make each child feel very special and honored on their birthday (or half-birthday if their real birthday is during the summer).  To make sure that these in-school celebrations are focused on involving the whole class in honoring the wishes of the individual student, we ask that parents support us by not sending in food, as it has a way of immediately becoming the center of attention. Instead, we are developing a range of birthday traditions that revolve around the student with a birthday. Birthday invitations, gifts, goodie bags or toys should also not be sent to school, even when the intent is to give one to each child in the class. We know that this is a change both for students and for parents, and we ask that you support us as we work to enhance the in-school celebration of your child's birthday.

Out of school, birthday parties are the primary outside-of-school social events for elementary school-aged students. To make sure that there are no children who feel left out, it is best to invite either the entire grade or class or just a very small group of “best friends”. It is always a good idea to consult with your child’s teacher, as he or she is the expert in the social dynamics of your child’s class. 

Bus Drop-Off Change

For morning drop-off, we have arranged for most of the buses that carry Lower School students to drop them off directly at the Lower School.

A Message from Nurse Krane on Food Allergies

This year each class has several students who are highly allergic to tree nut and peanut products.  There is always a risk for a dangerous, life threatening reaction (anaphylaxis) with these students in their day-to-day activities.  However, here at Dwight-Englewood, we strive to make this as safe an environment for all the children as possible.  In keeping with this philosophy, we are making each classroom a “nut-free” zone.  We ask that you do not send in any nut products for snacks. Please check labels, being especially careful with sending in granola bars. Look for peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans or any nuts, on the label.

If your child would like to enjoy a nut containing sandwich or dessert, they may do so at lunch. We have a separate table, where they may sit with their non-allergic classmates. After lunch, they will wash their hands to remove any food residue.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and helping us make our school a safe environment for all our children.  If there are any questions, please call the Health Office at extension 3106.

Saturday, October 6th - an Educational Opportunity for the Whole Family at the Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 

Just a ten minute drive north of the school. Use a seismometer, examine history by studying a hugh tree trunk and learn about earthquakes, volcanos and tsunamis.
Click here for more information.