K-1

"The Hat"

Teeth

Guest Readers

Morning Message

The Hat

On Perspective on Parker, Meg expressed so well what I had planned to write about the performance of "The Hat," that I am quoting her:

"Maximizing the Brain’s Ability to Learn

K-1's performed their version of the Jan Brett story The Hat at assembly this morning. They read the book, adapted it into a play, made their masks in art class, constructed a house and a hedgehog burrow, practiced and performed! It's a great example of learning that is "doing" and that has great meaning for the students. They had to work collaboratively, problem-solve and cooperate, master skills in reading, writing, and speaking, and to wrap it all up they had an appreciative audience of peers and parents. Well done!
Dr. JoAnn Deak, who was here on Monday working with teachers and presenting a program for parents and educators, had this to say, "Every interaction a child has, during the course of a day, influences the adult that child will become.” She confirmed how we teach by backing it up with the latest in neuroscience research and she challenged us to think about how to educate in today's overly visual world of technology."

I would like to add that when the K/1's reflected on their performance, they were able to share their thoughts with confidence and thoughtfulness. As the children critiqued their performance, there was a sense of trust and confidence in their expressions. One child shared (with a big smile) that she was nervous but knew what to do because "at assembly I watch how kids do things and it doesn't matter if they make mistakes because everybody just love what they do." Her peers nodded with approval! While Assembly is one great way to build children's confidence and trust, there are so many other wonderful "doing" opportunities every day to help children flourish at our school.