Campus Voices
Lower School
We are off and running toward another wonderful year at the Lower School. With the beautiful summer-like weather, the children enjoyed a festive welcome back picnic as well as many opportunities to play outdoors. These events, along with the welcoming classrooms our teachers prepared, have launched us into the first semester.
When I was teaching, fall was always my favorite time of the school year. Everything was fresh and new—new supplies, new schedules and a group of shiny new faces to walk through my classroom door. But most of all, it held the promise of a year full of teachable moments.
To educators, a teachable moment is when something happens in your classroom and you can take advantage of it to teach or model a skill, appropriate behavior or learning strategy. We love these moments because they are “real” to children; since we know that when we experience something, it is much easier to understand. They can occur anywhere at school, whether it be during a classroom discussion, kickball game or an art class. We look closely for them, using them to enhance our instruction in meaningful ways.
Teachable moments can be part of our everyday lives, too. Children can learn kindness and compassion by helping a neighbor, making an extra effort to be kind to a classmate who might need a friend, or returning a lost item to its rightful owner.
An article by Frances Chamberlain summarized the importance of teachable moments in our lives: “You don't have to go searching for such moments in your own life. There is always a person in need, someone who needs a kind word, a helping hand. It doesn't have to be as big as a homemade meal. In fact, small kindnesses that require little thanks or recognition are just as important as the larger “good deeds.” The important thing is that we capture those moments when we can show our children what kindness and compassion is, and help them add that to the skills and understanding that will guide them through adulthood.”
Enjoy a great year full of many kinds of “teachable moments” with your children.
Also, don't forget to check the calendar page in this newsletter for the Back-to-School Nights schedules. These offer an excellent way to find out the curriculum for your child and to meet your homeroom teachers and specialist. We look forward to seeing you there.
Calendar
