International Baccalaureate in an Independent Elementary School (Part 2) - Inquiry

Seneca Academy has been an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program World School since October 2012. However, we started implementing the IB PYP in the spring of 2009. While much of the philosophy and teaching methods promoted by the PYP are very similar to what Seneca Academy (and formerly, The Circle School) has always implemented, there have been some areas where we needed to learn new ways of doing things. One area where we have significantly enriched our practice has been in the implementation of inquiry teaching and learning.

Inquiry is so much more than just asking questions! Of course, in order to fully engage in in-depth inquiry, students need to be able to ask meaningful, relevant and significant questions. We teach them the art of questioning the moment they step into our preschool. The full inquiry process takes questioning farther though, to lead to hypothesis, investigation, and action. Rather than teachers telling or demonstrating the change process to students, they invite them to make meaning themselves of what they observe. Therefore, when fully engaged in inquiry, students take on at least some responsibility for their learning and for how they use their new knowledge. Our current preschool 4’s unit of inquiry focusing on life cycles of plants, animals and insects is one of the ways we get our young students engaged in inquiry. This opportunity is also going on in kindergarten where our students are observing and recording (in various ways) what is happening to fertilized eggs in an incubator.
One of my favorite recent examples of a teacher guiding the inquiry process happened in 3rd grade. These students were beginning a unit on societal organizations where the central idea was “People organize themselves to meet societal needs.” They class had discussed various groups such as the Red Cross, The United Nations, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, etc.


They happened to come across an article in Scholastic News about an elementary student in Pennsylvania who created a “Buddy Bench” for his school’s playground. Our 3rd graders were fascinated by this idea and asked to create one for Seneca Academy. They wrote a formal proposal to me, outlining the purpose of the Buddy Bench, where they would purchase it, and how they would raise money to fund the project. They used their negotiating skills as they worked together to brainstorm fund raising possibilities, their visual presenting skills when they created posters to advertise their project, and their oral presenting skills when they presented the concept to the whole school.


They came up with a design for the painting of the bench and a logo of their “organization” (H.E.L. P. – Helping Encourages Loving People) to put on the bench as well. They wrote me another formal request after the bench was completed, asking me to allow them to present their bench to the community during a morning assembly, and if I would preside over a ribbon cutting. I am confident that the life skills and conceptual knowledge these 8 and 9 year old students learned through this project that they managed themselves will last for many years to come.

What should students know and be able to do when they leave elementary school? I think the variety of skills gained through the inquiry process provide the foundation for a life of meaningful learning.

International Baccalaureate in an Independent Elementary School (Part 1)

Did you know that Seneca Academy is the only preschool/elementary school in Montgomery County MD that is an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program World School? It amazes  me actually, as the Primary Years Program (PYP) combines teaching and learning practices that are  so wonderful for kids. I would think every school would want to offer it! Many people know of the  International Baccalaureate (IB) at the high school level, where it is a rigorous college-prep curriculum akin to the AP programs. Not many know that the IB offers 4 different programs: the PYP at the preschool and elementary level is one of them.

Seneca Academy has been an authorized IB/PYP school for 2 years now. We decided to align ourselves with the IB not only because it is a prestigious organization that is connected by a network of distinguished educators around the world, but because it provides us with support in offering research-proven, best-practices in education. With the PYP focus, we are ensuring that learning experiences are developmentally relevant and meaningful (i.e. students at each level are doing work that makes sense to them and is interesting), teaching is engaging and promotes inquiry (i.e. students are active learners and are taught and encouraged to ask significant questions), the curriculum provides opportunities for depth of learning as well as breadth (i.e. students have time to deeply explore concepts rather than merely “skimming the surface”), and learning is in a global context (i.e. students are learning about concepts and issues that are relevant around the world). While none of these characteristics is by itself unique in preschool and elementary schools, with the PYP all of these “best practices” are utilized together.

While implementing the PYP hasn’t dramatically changed the milieu at Seneca Academy, where we have provided an engaging, nurturing and hands-on learning environment for students for 30 years (since our early days when we were The Circle School), it has enhanced our teaching practices. We find that our students are better able to exhibit their understanding of the concepts we teach and the connections between them. They are better communicators verbally, in writing, and with visual presentations. Perhaps most importantly, students are now better able to translate their knowledge into action, a primary tenet of the PYP. Isn’t that what we want our students to demonstrate after our lessons? Not just that they have knowledge, but that they know what to do with that knowledge? That is what an IB/PYP school such as Seneca Academy provides.

Private Elementary Schools In Montgomery County - Contract Season

It is employment contract season here at Seneca Academy, and I have been spending my days pouring over numbers and details regarding our faculty and staff. At this time of year, I am always struck by the depth of experience in our collective faculty.

Seneca Academy teachers have not only been in the profession for decades, we have incredible longevity here at Seneca Academy. What is most wonderful for me as an administrator is that these folks have such experience, but are not stagnant in their work. Rather than teach the same things the same way year after year, faculty members work to learn current thinking in “best practices” and to improve where it is needed. They truly embody the International Baccalaureate attributes of “thinkers,” “risk-takers,” and “inquirers,”and the attitudes of “curiosity,” “commitment,” and “enthusiasm.” I am working now on identifying the professional development activities we will support for next year, and I have so many people who want to participate!

Role modeling lifelong learning is a key aspect of our work here. So is sharing our knowledge with others. Our teachers are stepping up to this more and more. We have faculty members who serve on our Board of Trustees. We have several people who have or will serve on AIMS’s visiting accreditation teams, evaluating other schools. We have a teacher who serves on an IB evaluation team, also evaluating other schools. Our teachers are not just communicating and sharing their experience here at Seneca Academy, they are contributing to the wider community.

It is my hope that we will continue these efforts, and that many more of our experienced educators
will share their knowledge. To that end, we are setting up opportunities in early May for parents and others to come in to Seneca Academy and talk with our teachers about best practices in early childhood and elementary education. Stay tuned for more details!

Kindergarten should be developmentally appropriate - Private Kindergarten in MD

 This article in the Washington Post made me so sad! A kindergarten teacher quit after years of joyous teaching because of the unreasonable demands being made upon her and her students.
Kindergarten-teacher-my-job-is-now-about-tests-and-data-not-children-i-quit


Seneca Academy was founded on the belief that educational programs need to pay attention to the developmental stages and needs of children. We pay close attention to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional levels of each class and build our programming to ensure that students will be successful. We set high achievement standards for each of our students, but ones that are attainable. This is one of the reasons we don't see the outrageous behavior at Seneca Academy that is described in the article.

Peek into our kindergarten class and you will see students actively engaged in meaningful work (reading, writing, art projects, building, listening, planning, presenting, discussing, etc.) that enables them to gain important and foundational knowledge, while practicing thinking and problem solving skills. While there are 2 teachers in the classroom, students are often doing independent or small group work. There is rarely "mis-behavior," as all children know what is expected of them, and they work to meet expectations. Their work is displayed proudly around the room, and demonstrates a high level of conceptual knowledge and ability.


And 9 times out of 10, you'll see the kindergarten teachers smiling. :)

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Especially In a MD Private Kindergarten !

Whew! It has been quite a January 2014!! We’ve had a lot going on around here at Seneca Academy, and not all of it positive. We started the month with a sprinkler pipe leak, followed by cancelled and delayed school openings due to snow, and then our primary communication system for letting folks know about delays and cancellations was unreliable! It was enough to make anyone frustrated!!

I usually do not get stressed-out very easily, but I have found myself irritated recently by these unexpected twists and turns life has presented. Then I read this article “Why We Shouldn’t Sweat The Small Stuff” and it reminded me why it is important to focus on what is positive. The article not only describes how the brains of “even-keeled,” less stressed folks are different from those who frequently become stressed over little things, it offers helpful suggestions for how to respond to life’s trials and tribulations in a calmer way.

I think the practice of calming oneself in the face of stressful situations is particularly important for us as parents. For starters, our stress levels directly impact our children’s stress levels. When we “freak out” or get heated about something trivial, like traffic or weather, this signals to our children that they should feel stressed too. As the article mentions, this raises their cortisol levels, which over time can have all kinds of negative effects.  Secondly, our children model our behavior, whether we like it or not! So if we present them with parents who are constantly stressed-out during daily routines, the likelihood that they will become stressed-out adults is increased. How much better would it be if we helped our children to maintain a calm outlook on life, thus reducing the levels of cortisol rushing through them on a daily basis, and provide them with models of how a calm, cool collected adult life might look like?

I know I’ll be working on some of the strategies mentioned in the article, such as re-framing circumstances, focusing on the present, and embracing optimism- especially in front of my kids! For example, we got new carpeting because of our sprinkler leak; I was able to get a lot of things accomplished at home during our snow day; we are improving other forms of communication to replace the unreliable one; and I love snow anyway!! 

What do you all do to maintain calm in the face of your daily storms?

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348

On the Importance of Balance - Private Elementary Schools in Montgomery County MD

Photo by A. Fisher

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter’s classmates from last year had a reunion of sorts, and got together to ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Although we were a group of close to 30 kids and parents all in one car, and the atmosphere was therefore rambunctious and loud, for me it was actually a relaxing and leisurely trip. These are not words I typically use to describe my days!! The train ride from Cumberland to Frostburg was about 45 minutes, through mountainous, rural, western Maryland. It was a gorgeous day, with the autumn leaves just beginning to show. Not only was it picturesque, I was a captive audience. After about an hour walking around Frostburg, we got back on the train for our return trip. As I was driving to and from this excursion (2 hours each way- more leisure time), I reflected on my family, my work, my goals, and my relationships. Without the normal pressures of time commitments, appointments, schedules, and other expectations, I was able to think deeply and creatively about a variety of things. During this very productive “down time,” I was reminded how important it is for busy people to regularly change their routine in order to build in time for rest and reflection. In my definition of “busy people” I automatically include parents! How often do we schedule time for ourselves to just stop, think and reflect?

At Seneca Academy, we promote balance as one of our IB/PYP attributes, and teach this concept to our students. We ask them to balance academic time with active time, reading time, creative time, social time, technology time, etc. We ask them to balance their focus on learning about math with learning about social science, language, music, writing, etc. But are we, as adults, practicing what we preach? By balancing the busy, hectic times in our lives with restful and reflective times, we allow ourselves to move from reacting to reflecting; from focusing on details to focusing on the big picture. The most important aspects of our lives can then become clear. And we model what we expect from our children. By taking the time to drive out west for a fun activity with my daughter, I was reminded, once again, of the need for balance in my own life as well.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348

Thoughts About Learning in Private Preschools in Maryland

One of our alert, engaged, and knowledgeable teachers shared this blog post with me recently. These thoughts, written by a former preschool teacher, are so articulately written and so perfectly consistent with what we believe at Seneca Academy, that I wanted to share them with everyone! The author is Alicia Bayer and her blog is called A Magical Childhood. I think this is a wonderful reminder of what is important in a young child's life for optimal development!

What Should a 4 Year Old Know?

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348

The Best Job in the World | Head of a Private School In Montgomery County MD

I have the best job in the world!! In my role as Head of School, I am able to see excellent teachers engage eager students in meaningful work. I observe happy children interacting with peers whom they trust and respect. I witness caring young people who translate their studies into action, aimed at helping others.

My gratitude for this opportunity was heightened recently when I accompanied the 5^th grade class on a field trip. We went on an Underground Railroad hike to support their unit of inquiry on conflict and the U.S. Civil War. I was struck by how many of our IB learner profile attributes the students displayed on our trip. I loved seeing the expression on our conductor’s face as our students provided extremely knowledgeable responses to his questions (e.g. C:“Why was it called the Underground Railroad?” S:“Well, a man named Tyce Anderson was crossing from Kentucky to Ohio…”). They were very principled as they went through the

2-hour, 3-mile hike, needing no discipline or behavior management at all! They were excellent inquirers with their insightful questions, and independent thinkers as they came up with solutions to the conductor’s problem scenarios depicting what runaway slaves encountered. They were caring of each other throughout the trip, but especially after our picnic lunch when they were asking one another who wanted to be part of a tag game. Finally, they were reflective on the bus ride home when Ms. Luk asked them to discuss what they had experienced and learned.

The best part is that I could write paragraphs about each class of students in our school like the one above! I see our students demonstrate these character traits every day. Thanks to parents, teachers and students for giving me such a wonderful work environment!!

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

Building Children's Confidence in Our Private Kindergarten In Maryland

There is a kindergartner who comes into the office once or twice a week, just to give me a hug. He walks in with a huge smile on his face, arms outstretched, confident that he will be received with pleasure and appreciation (and he always is!!).

Not long ago during morning assembly, the gathering room was arranged differently than usual, with chairs set up for our Open House. One of our second graders, a shy and somewhat anxious person, came up to ask me where she should put her bag, as the normal 2^nd grade place was not there. She didn’t know what to do, but knew how to solve her problem. She was confident that I would help her without making her feel badly about not knowing.

During that same assembly, one of our 6^th graders stood before the entire elementary student body to describe a trip he will be taking this winter break to help children in El Salvador. He asked for donations of sports equipment and clothes to take with him. He spoke loudly and persuasively, fully expecting the respect and attention he received from the students.

How do we foster confidence in our children? How can we get them to believe in their own abilities to further their learning, problem solve, and interact positively? I think of confidence as similar to self-esteem: it is not something that parents or teachers can give to a child; it has to be developed through self-reflection, trial and error, failure and success. Confidence is one of the “attitudes” that are promoted by the IB/PYP and by Seneca Academy. Possessing confidence can lead to other positive attitudes and attributes such as independence, effective communication and risk-taking.

So what do we do to foster confidence? I think the most important thing we can do as adults is to ensure an environment that is “safe” from shame and ridicule. This will allow students to freely demonstrate curiosity and risk taking. Next, we need to facilitate developmentally appropriate opportunities for children to try new skills, experiences, interactions, and perspectives. They must be real experiences, where achievement is meaningful. Creating pretend situations where “success” is guaranteed is a ploy that most kids see right through.  As positive reinforcement has been shown to be the most effective in shaping behavior, supporting even small successes during children’s attempts and minimizing focus on the mistakes (especially in younger children) is the most beneficial way to build confidence.  As children get older, providing opportunities to consciously learn from mistakes in a non-judgmental way is also helpful.

Often times I think we as parents try to protect our children from failure or mistakes in an attempt to preserve their confidence. But if they don’t have experience “failing” or making mistakes, how will they build the confidence that they can overcome failure? How will they know that making mistakes is not “the end of the world?” I think it is by remedying our mistakes and overcoming failures that we build our own confidence as adults– which makes it so important to support and encourage our children through the same process.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

On Authorization...

In the couple of weeks since Seneca Academy received the notice from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) that we are finally authorized as a Primary Years Program (IB/PYP), our focus has been on advertising and marketing; getting the good news out to everyone we can. Throughout all of that though, I’ve been reflecting on what authorization means to me, and to the school.

I think this recognition from the IBO primarily provides validation: of the hard work we have done, and the accomplishments we have made. It means our teachers, administrators and students have lived up to a long list of standards set by international experts in education. 

But this authorization hasn't changed us significantly since we received it. We started on a journey when we first applied to become an IB/PYP school 4 ½ years ago, and we have come a long way on that journey. As a result of our efforts over the past years, our students are conversant in the learner profile (http://www.ibo.org/programmes/profile/) and the attitudes we promote, are comfortable asking and answering conceptual questions, and are more knowledgeable about the wider world. Our teachers regularly plan together, and are creative in finding ways to fully engage students in the learning process. Our Parent Association is focused on ways to integrate global awareness and multi-cultural activities into their events.

However, our journey isn’t over. Seneca Academy has always promoted lifelong learning, which is supported by the IBO. We will continue to routinely be reflective of our practices and strive to enhance them. Receiving the IB authorization at this point in time is much appreciated (and exciting) confirmation that we are on the right path, and is recognition of how far we have come. It is encouragement to continue on our journey, and we will.

Fundamentally, Seneca Academy has been implementing the Primary Years Program for some time now; authorization now gives us permission to trumpet that to the world!

PS. We would love your help with that trumpeting so please feel free to spread the word!

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

Changing Education Paradigms

Last weekend the Seneca Academy Board of Trustees met for our annual "retreat." As part of an educational workshop I lead with them, I showed this video of Sir Ken Robinson's 2006 speech on changing education paradigms. The trustees suggested I post it for all to see. Although it is several years old, it is still so relevant! It was animated by RSA in 2010 which makes it fun to watch. Enjoy!!

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348

Children will follow your footsteps...

“Children will follow your footsteps before they follow your advice” Author unknown

September, and the start of a new school year, is such a wonderful time of beginnings!  More than in January, for those of us connected to the education world (including students), this is a time of “new year” resolutions – “I will use these new school supplies more efficiently, organize my time more productively, communicate more effectively, eat better, exercise regularly…”

I’ve been thinking about the best way to help our children to follow through with their school year resolutions and achieve their goals. It occurs to me that the first, and most important step, is to be good role models for them. As we think of each goal we may have for our kids, we need to carefully examine what they are seeing in us that is guiding their way.

If we want our children to be organized and ready to learn at school each morning- do we present them with an organized and ready example? Or do they see us rushing around, trying to find car keys, routinely forgetting lunches, etc.

If we want our children to finish their homework (or other responsibilities) in a timely manner – do we allow them to see us taking care of our own responsibilities in a timely manner?

If we want our children to interact with others in a respectful way, do they see us doing the same? Or do they hear us yelling in traffic, using bad language, or interacting with one another in a less than respectful way?

We need to consistently model the values and expectations we expect of our children. As a parent myself, I know that this is much easier said than done! But I strongly believe that our greatest responsibility is to raise our children with integrity, which means aligning words, intentions, and actions. If we expect them to behave or speak differently than our example shows them, they are aware of the inconsistency- yes, even our youngest children know when we don’t do what we say! It may seem like our children are unaware of our actions, words, and tone, but in truth, we are teaching them on a daily basis through what we say and what we do.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

The Joys of Our Tweens and Teens

Back in 2005, when the first mainstream information came out regarding new understandings of adolescent brain development, I became very interested and conducted as much second-source research as I could. At that point in my career, I had worked mostly with adolescents, and I knew a thing or two about their behavior. I was fascinated by this scientific research that clarified what was going on inside their brains, and that directly supported much of my experience.

But this was back when my own children were still young. My interactions with adolescents were not those of parent-to-child, but of educator/therapist-to-child. Even though it was some years away, I knew that when my own children hit the pre-teen/teen stage, I would be in for my own challenges. Boy was I right.

Over the past year or so, it has not been uncommon for my son to interrupt a conversation with “Mom, you are SO annoying” and stomp off to his bedroom. This scene has been almost comical at times, but irritating and obnoxious nonetheless. I was unprepared for the surge of anger I feel when he looks me straight in the eye and says flatly “No” to a request I have made. And I knew he would be disorganized, but didn’t clearly work out how this would impact my life…until I was leaving the house late at night to purchase forgotten supplies or when I was talking to teacher (again) about forgotten homework.

Then this past weekend, I read some new articles and had a few experiences that reminded me that this adolescent time of life (which many of us parents, if we’re being honest, are grateful to have survived ourselves) is not all bad. In fact, it’s extremely important to understand and embrace the complexities and nuances that set it apart from all the other stages of our lives.

 The first article I came across was a National Geographic article, simply and aptly entitled “Teenage Brains.” This beautifully photographed piece explores how many of the behaviors we tend to view as problematic and worrisome in adolescents (impulsiveness, risk-taking, thrill-seeking, etc), may actually be outward signs of the brain’s adaptive restructuring as children move from “the safety of home into the complicated world outside.” The author, David Dobbs, recounts and summarizes an extensive NIH brain-scan study of adolescent development in accessible terms: “Our brains undergo a massive reorganization between our 12th and 25th years. The brain doesn't actually grow very much…but as we move through adolescence, the brain undergoes extensive remodeling, resembling a network and wiring upgrade.”

This strikes me as an important insight, as it helps us parents place within a more scientific and rational context some of the seemingly erratic, impulsive, and even thoughtless behaviors that can drive us so crazy. The article suggests we consider these changes taking place in our adolescents’ brains as a kind of “neural gawkiness—an equivalent to the physical awkwardness teens sometimes display while mastering their growing bodies.”

A few days later, I read a piece on the Parenting website called “The 6 Best Things about Tweens” that highlighted some of the more wonderful aspects of having an early adolescent in the family. These include a maturing sense of humor, more help around the house, and increasingly interesting and complex conversations. The author also offers a nice combination of helpful advice and commonsense reminders on how to maximize these positive situations.

And then I had some wonderful interactions with my own children, who are now sliding into this magical mystery tour called adolescence. Uncharacteristically, my 10-year-old daughter volunteered to go grocery shopping with me last Saturday morning (okay, fine—so I lured her with shoe-shopping first)! We had a great time roaming the aisles and picking out snacks for the week—many of which I had no idea she would like—and she even helped carry everything to the car. When we got home, my 13-year-old son asked if we could make cookies together…and somehow, while we were rolling out the dough, we all started tossing lines back and forth from Monty Python and Bill Cosby. After we cleaned up (together!), we sat down and listened to a Bill Cosby recording (together!).

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that tears were running down my face from laughing so hard. Something about the surprise, relief, and pleasure of enjoying these intimate moments with my children—who are increasingly insistent upon their own independence— touched me, and it reminded me of what a special and complex time this must be for burgeoning young adult minds.

So for this weekend at least, I forgot about the moodiness, arguments, forgetfulness, etc. that have impacted my kids and my relationships with them; instead, I welcomed the chance to enjoy the helpful, clever, and hilarious people they are so quickly becoming.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

Why are Preschool and Elementary Educational Experiences So Important?

The longer I am involved in preschool and elementary education, the more I am convinced that our efforts with young students are among the most important and long-lasting. Recently a colleague sent me a link to a New York Times article that bolsters my own philosophy: that investing time, focus, and money in our children’s earliest years of schooling is crucial to their continued academic and life-long success.

In their first years of school, children establish their self-identity as learners. Based on their experiences with challenging situations and new information, as well as the feedback they receive from adults and their peers, they decide—in the most basic sense—whether they are “good students” …or not.

If a student decides, because the school-work is confusing, boring, not connected to his experience of the world, etc., that he is a bad student, or that school is not relevant to him, then this concept of self and school will be difficult to change later in life, no matter how good his middle or high school may be. If, on the other hand, a young student is convinced that he is capable, shown that he is valued, and invited to engage in meaningful work every day at school, he will carry this concept of self and school with him into each new environment. Students who are ready and excited to engage in the activities of school can jump right into those pursuits, without first having to wrestle with the decision of whether school is important to them or not.

Preschoolers participating in a balls and ramps science unit

Routines of mind and body also begin to solidify at a very young age. We all know how hard it can be to break bad habits and learn new ones as we get older! When young students learn the habits of paying attention when others are talking, taking turns, managing frustration, being patient and flexible when solving problems, reading quietly for extended periods (the list goes on and on), these skills propel them to be productive learners in the future, both inside and outside of the classroom.  Meanwhile, the child who fails to develop and value such habits is at a disadvantage.  Her future teachers will need to devote valuable instructional time to dealing with and correcting behaviors in order to teach basic learning skills.

So how do we help students gain a positive self-concept of themselves as learners and develop productive habits of mind and body? For starters, small class sizes are a must, in my opinion. Teachers need to be able to get to know students in-depth, to become intimately aware of their interests, skills, strengths and weaknesses. This is a crucial step toward ensuring that every student feels valued and understood. Small class sizes also allow teachers to respond to individual learning abilities in order to challenge each student appropriately.

Another issue is the ability of schools to build and teach curricula that are relevant and developmentally appropriate for the community they serve. Small and independent schools have the flexibility to tailor their programming to meet the needs of their particular students. National standards help frame skills that are essential for every learner to master, but teachers and administrators need the autonomy to determine the best ways to ensure that each student will be able to apply these skills in real life. 

Finally, I believe that the most successful schools pay attention to—and intentionally program for—the development of social and emotional skills. Large institutions charged with meeting stringent testing requirements have little time to spend on character development and social skills practice… and too often, the time that is spent in these pursuits becomes another token exercise in covering, rather than internalizing, ideas that are essential to personal growth.

These are just some of the reasons I believe that a positive, carefully designed early educational program is vital to students’ future success. When parents ask me why they should spend money on a private elementary education, as opposed to saving for high school or college, these are the reasons I give. Our own students are both witness and testimony to the efficacy of our programs; they move easily and successfully into a variety of educational environments when they leave us, including public schools as well as small and large private schools. It is with pride and excitement that I watch them charge forward, driven by the positive concept of self and school that is a direct result of their experiences at Seneca Academy.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

Raising Grateful Children

I was pleased over the past 2 weeks to see several articles in newspapers and online discussing the importance of intentionally teaching children to be grateful. I don’t believe this is a habit that necessarily comes naturally to every child. However, gratitude is something that can be modeled, taught, and reinforced by parents. Here are links to 4 sites that highlight the importance of teaching children to be grateful, and provide good recommendations for conversations and strategies parents can try as they work to instill a sense of gratitude in their children.

Teaching kids to be grateful may have long-term benefits even though it’s not easy

Teaching Children to Be Grateful

Raising a Thankful Child Great ways to teach (and show) your preschooler generosity

Gratitude: Teaching kids to appreciate what they have!

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

Seneca Academy moves forward with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program

Seneca Academy has taken the next step in our process of becoming an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB/PYP). After having implemented the PYP for the past 2 years as an IB/PYP candidate school, we have now submitted the final application for full authorization. We will be visited by an authorization team sometime within the next year, that will meet with administration, teachers, parents and students to determine if we have met all of the IB standards. After that visit we expect to be fully authorized. We will let the community know when the visit is scheduled, as there will be opportunities for parents to meet with the IB team.

First Graders with their Friendship Puzzle

Over the past 2 years, the implementation of the IB/PYP has definitely strengthened our school. Our teachers have regular time together to collaboratively plan units of inquiry. We have found that we are able to be more creative and comprehensive when we plan together than we were previously when we planned alone. Our 5-6 week units of study, which are guided by a central idea and lines of inquiry, have allowed our students to gain a more comprehensive and  deep understanding of concepts, and have enabled them to practice skills for longer periods of time. In addition, our focus on inquiry learning (where students take some responsibility for asking questions that guide the direction of the study) have empowered students to become better learners. With focus on attitudes (e.g. appreciation, commitment, integrity) and attributes (e.g. inquirers, open-minded, principled) that are consistent across the school, our students now have a common language and common goals to work towards socially and behaviorally. We have become even more international-minded as we have explored how local issues and realities are manifested around the world. These are only a few of the ways our school has been impacted by the adoption of the PYP.

As we have journeyed on the path towards IB/PYP authorization, it has become clearer and clearer that this program is a good match for our school and that it promotes best practices in education. The practices we are utilizing and the network of international professionals we are connected to are making our teachers better educators and our students better learners. I invite all members of our community to learn more about this program and how it is enhancing Seneca Academy.

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348
 

My thoughts on a Blog...

I must admit, I’m a reluctant blogger. Broadcasting my opinions on various topics does not come naturally to me. However, I recognize the value in allowing a community to be aware of the perspectives of the head of an institution, and I am willing to share my thoughts and feeling on a variety of topics including education, child development, parenting, etc. What I would really like though, is to use this blog as a dialog between community members. I believe that conversation sparked by parents’ (and other’s) comments, questions and suggestions will enhance anything specific I may write about. Increased and improved communication is the goal here.

So lets start things off with some questions and see what happens!

1.      How do you think a “Head of School’s Blog” could best be used or structured?

2.      What other ways can we at Seneca Academy increase or improve school-parent communication?

Seneca Academy
15601 Germantown Road
Darnestown, Maryland 20874
Phone: (301) 869-3728
Fax: (301) 869-3348