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
 

A Random Act of Kindness

As I was walking through the Gathering Room a few days ago, I encountered a preschool class carrying some artwork back to their classroom. These 4-year-olds stopped to show me their collages. As I was commenting on their creative use of materials, one child turned to another and said, “I love the smile you made on that picture.” To which the other child answered simply, “Thanks.”

This struck me at the moment, and it is still in my mind days later.  I think it’s because this seemingly simple interaction was completely unprompted, genuine, and thoughtful. These young children were not trying to impress anyone, they were just interacting in a positive, caring way that was normal to them. I was delighted, since we intentionally and consciously teach the attributes of caring, appreciation, and respect. Here was a demonstration of those qualities in some of our youngest students.

In an environment where caring and respectful behavior is normal and expected, students feel safe enough to be the inquirers, communicators, and risk-takers that we want them to be. We know that stress impedes our ability to focus, process information, and remember what we have learned. Creating a caring environment frees students to focus on thoughtful pursuits, rather than having to worry about their emotional or physical safety. These two students unwittingly provided me with proof that our purposeful focus on respect and positive reinforcement not only helps children to feel safe, but also helps them to be good people who care for and appreciate each other…and that might just be the most important thing for young people to learn.

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

Nurturing the Joyful Learner

I believe that almost all students enter school full of joy and excitement. The thrill of engaging in novel activities, the anticipation of learning new things, and the satisfaction that comes with mastery, all make children look forward to coming to school. However, if we do not actively nurture that joy – if we stifle it with uninspired, developmentally inappropriate programming and curriculum – we actually encourage children to disengage from the learning process. It is very difficult to recapture the interest of a student who has decided that school is not worthwhile.

It is particularly important at the preschool and early elementary levels of education to provide a learning environment that is engaging and developmentally responsive. This is children’s first experience with school and will solidify for years to come their concepts of themselves as learners. If they learn that school is an interesting place where they can be challenged and successful, they will carry that feeling forward into the upper grades. Alternatively, if children learn in their early years that school is dull, or too difficult, or unfair, then these are the feelings they will carry forward. Thus, the early years of schooling provide the foundation, not only academically, but social-emotionally, for the rest of a student’s life. Early childhood educators must take on this responsibility with deep thought and respect.

It seems to me that many lifelong learning skills are best taught to young children, so that they have the maximum amount of time to understand them, practice them, and integrate them into their concepts of themselves in the world. I see little sense in waiting to introduce higher order thinking skills later in life, after patterns of thought and behavior have been well established. If we expect our high school and college students to be critical thinkers – able to apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate new information – then we must help them to begin developing these skills early on. If elementary school children learn only by rote memory, call and response, and artificial application of facts, they will have difficulty learning to think critically and independently as older students.

I experienced this phenomenon when I taught international high school students. Many students who had grown up in traditional educational systems were frustrated when I asked them to analyze situations critically, or to develop their own personal voices. One student even exclaimed, “Just tell me what you want me to say.” He was frustrated because he had not developed the confidence and thinking skills necessary to formulate and express his own original ideas. Who could blame him?

Problem solving and interpersonal relationships are also skills our children need to begin learning at an early age, because their successes or failures in these areas will build upon themselves over the years. In addition, students need basic “core knowledge” upon which to layer further learning. We know from the brain-based research how long-term memory and understandings are created; it is not through repetitive worksheets and meaningless homework. We all learn most deeply when we connect new information to our past knowledge, and when we can personally interact with information. This means we remember a story or passage in a book much better when we have to retell it, or act it out, or draw an interpretive picture of it, than when we just read it. The same holds true, of course, with concepts in math, science, social studies, and other subjects. Most children learn to add, subtract, multiply and divide. But do they really understand the mathematical interactions that are going on? Can they apply those skills in a variety of authentic, real-life situations, or only with pencil and paper in a classroom exercise?

These are the things we talk about and focus on in our school. We know that in our quest to produce lifelong learners, we must instill in our youngest students a deep sense of competency, curiosity, and enthusiasm for learning that they will carry with them into future learning environments.

Learn more about Seneca Academy at www.SenecaAcademy.org

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