Guest Blog from Phil: 21st Century Progressive Education
Late last year I had a fascinating conversation with a group of middle schoolers about the technology that is so central to their lives. I mentioned that when I was a kid we did not have answering machines or VCRs and that I remember the very first calculator I used—four functions, bright red LED numbers and completely amazing to us all. I told them that we used to have to get out of our chairs to switch the channel on the TV and that we had to carry change in our pockets in order to make phone calls from the street. How different the world is now and how quickly technologies come and go! The students had a fairly easy time grasping the changes in concrete “things.” Harder for them to grasp the ways in which life and lives have changed—careers that have come and gone, pastimes that have passed and societal norms whose evolution has fundamentally altered everyday human interactions. Our conversation ended with the logical question—what’s next?
“What’s next?” A question we at LREI frequently ask ourselves. The middle school students with whom I was speaking will graduate from high school in 2016 or so. Their kindergarten schoolmates will move on from LREI in 2023. Move on to what? What’s next for them? What options will these, now, children, soon to be young adults, have when they graduate from college in 2027? Most immediately, what sort of preparation must we provide to them for success in a world that we cannot imagine?
We discuss “What’s next” a lot during various administrative and faculty meetings. More formally, and focusing mostly on the high school, we have been examining what new strands our current program, as innovative and demanding as it is, might require in order to prepare our graduates for what will come just a few years down the road. What are the competencies that will allow your children to be successful no matter what the future holds? In order to support this investigation and the creation of new program, we applied for a grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation. Late last June the Foundation informed us that, through a highly competitive process, we had been awarded a $50,000 grant to support this effort. The grant will be matched by an equal sum from within our community. We will use this $100,000 to fund the faculty’s work in creating the curriculum for the coming decades. While our initial focus will be the high school, we intend for lessons learned to quickly filter down through the middle school to the lower school. We will visit other schools, meet with leading educators in a variety of settings and attend conferences all in coordination with LREI’s historic mission. We are thrilled that the E.E. Ford Foundation supports our vision of 21st Century progressive education. Through our initial research, we have been pleased to find that much of what we hear will be essential in the future is currently at the core of LREI’s historic mission—connecting school learning with life, the ability to work with colleagues, resilience, adaptability, cultural sensitivity, sound reasoning and communication skills and a deep understanding of a variety of content areas. Much of what we have been doing so well for the past 90 years is what will be required in the coming century.
A committee of teachers and administrators is beginning its work. In the coming months this group will team with the faculty as a whole and will invite the high school students and interested parents into the discussion. We are looking forward to this challenging work and to the conversations that it will create.
I invite you to join me to discuss our efforts to prepare our students for the future on Tuesday, October 19th at 8:45 A.M. in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
In addition, I invite you to meet Carey Socol, our new Director of College Guidance, and to hear about LREI’s college guidance process on Tuesday, November 9th, 8:45A.M.-9:15 A.M., in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
I hope to see you soon,
Phil
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LETTERS FROM LOWER SCHOOL TEACHERS
(click on the links below to view and print notes from teachers)
Beth and Stephanie’s Fours: Click here to hear from Beth and Stephanie about the Fours’ sense exploration and learn which books the class has been enjoying recently.
Luise and Bianca’s K: Click here to read a letter from Luise and Bianca about the many things Kindergartners are doing to work together.
Elizabeth and Samson’s K: Click here to read about name celebrations in Elizabeth and Samson’s Kindergarten and hear some of their observations about apples.
Vonick and Jason’s Third Grade: Click here to read a letter from Vonick and Jason with important reminders about the farm trip and some helpful strategies for studying spelling.
Gina and Emily’s First Grade: Click here for an update for all first grade families on first grade homework and to learn about the first graders’ “word wall.”
Galen and Christine’s First Grade: Click here for an update for all first grade families on first grade homework and to learn about the first graders’ “word wall.”
Rebecca and Jessi’s First Grade: Click here for an update for all first grade families on first grade homework and to learn about the first graders’ “word wall.”
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LOWER SCHOOL REMINDERS AND EVENTS
For the most up-to-date information visit the school’s online calendar at www.lrei.org/calendar.
Click here to download the one-page 2010-11 school calendar.
SCHOOL CLOSED: Friday, October 8th 2010 (Teacher Professional Day) and Monday, October 11th (Columbus Day Holiday)
Shop News: Third Graders have been making xylophones in woodworking. Many of the xylophones are now on display in the Sixth Avenue lobby. Please don’t miss them!
3rd and 4th Grade Farm Trips:
- Tuesday, October 12th-Friday October 15th: Vonick and Jason’s 3rd grade and Kate and Nicole’s 4th grade farm trips.
- Tuesday, October 19th-Friday October 22nd: Dan and Jessica’s 3rd grade and Dina and Farrah’s 4th grade farm trips.
“Learn Your Library,” October 13th, 8-9am: Families of Fours-1st graders can drop by the library to chat with the librarians, check out what books are on the shelves, find out about our databases and ask any burning questions about the library program or the library itself! Click here for a flyer with more information.
Walk to School Green Day, October 13: Red is Green is sponsoring our first Walk to School Green Day for this school year on Wednesday, October 13. So wear your walking shoes or take a “green” mode of transportation to school – bike, scoot, public transportation or car pool.
Welcome Parent Potluck Parties:
Wednesday, October 13th:
- 6pm, Diane’s 4s/K Welcome Parent Potluck Party (off-site)
- 6pm, Rebecca’s 1st Grade Welcome Parent Potluck Party (off-site)
Friday, October 15th:
- 6pm Luise’s Kindergarten Welcome Parent Potluck Party (off-site)
Math Parent Education Sessions Begin Next Week! Learn more about our constructivist math curriculum and our mathematics teaching approach at math parent education sessions. You will meet Rose Reilly, Lower School Math Coordinator, and learn real ways to support your child’s math learning. See below for date, time, and location information. All education sessions begin at 8:45 am.
- 1st grade Math Parent Education Sessions: October 15th in the cafeteria
- 2nd grade Math Parent Education Sessions: October 22nd in the cafeteria
- 3rd grade Math Parent Education Sessions: October 28th in the cafeteria
- 4th grade Math Parent Education Sessions: TBA
Save the Date- Parent Teacher Conferences: Lower School Parent teacher conferences are coming Friday, November 5th and Thursday, November 11th. Look for more information in next week’s blog about signing up.
Save the Date – The Lower School Family Math Nights are coming – The Lower School Family Math Night is an event designed for families to come together in a celebration of mathematics. Join us from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Sixth Avenue Auditorium for an hour of games and activities. You can count on plenty of family fun!
- Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010 – 3rd & 4th Grade Family Math Night
- Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010 – 1st & 2nd Grade Family Math Night
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Red is Green recycling drive: Did you know that approximately 500 to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide? Did you also know that plastic bags are not biodegradable and take from 500 to 1000 years to decompose? It would help the environment if we all used less plastic bags. But, it is sometimes unavoidable so let’s recycle the bags we have. Red is Green is kicking off its 2010-’11 school year recycling drive with plastic bags. We will collect clean plastic bags in the entryway of the lower school throughout October. After that, you can bring your bags to most chain stores for collection.
LREI Knights Volleyball: Both the Middle School Co-ed team and the Varsity Girls are having a great season so far and its always fun to have some fans in the bleachers cheering on our student athletes. Wear your team colors and join us!
Upcoming games:
- Wednesday 13th October 4pm Varsity Girls vs Calhoun
- Thursday 14th October 4pm Varsity Girls vs BWL
- Monday 18th October 4pm Varsity Girls vs Garden
All home games are played in the Thompson Street Athletic Center (145 Thompson, just below Houston). All game schedules and news can be found at www.lrei.org/athletics.
Upcoming MS and HS home soccer games:
- Thursday, 10/14 Middle School Soccer vs St. Lukes, 4:00PM Pier 40
- Tuesday, 11/2 Middle School Soccer vs Garden, 3:00PM Pier 40
Adult r(ED): There is still time to sign up for the first term of Adult r(ED), LREI’s adult education courses. Click here to see this term’s offerings. Classes begin next week. Contact Rowena Penaranda Askins to enroll, rpenaranda@lrei.org.
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PARENTS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
All parent association meetings are held in the LS Cafeteria at 8:45 am, unless otherwise noted
Wednesday, Oct 13: 8am-9am, 6th Ave. Library, Learn Your Library
Wednesday, Oct 13, 2010: Cookbook Committee Meeting
Thursday, Oct 14, 2010: Big Auction Meeting, in Kate’s 4th grade room
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LOWER SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
All Lower School Assemblies are held in our Auditorium at 8:45 a.m, unless otherwise noted.
Wed, Oct 20, 2010: 2nd Grade Music Assembly
Wed, Oct 27, 2010: First Grade Music Assembly
Wed, Nov 3, 2010: 4th Grade Music Assembly
Wed, Nov 10, 2010: Ks Music Assembly
Wed, Nov 17, 2010: Fours/Fours K Music Assembly
Wed, Dec 1, 2010: 3rd Grade Music Assembly
Fri, Dec 17, 2010: 10:15am, Lower School Winter Assembly
Wed, Jan 19, 2011: 9:00am, LS MLK Jr. Assembly
Wed, Feb 23, 2011: 9:00am Families Assembly
Wed, Apr 13, 2011: First Gr. Assembly
Wed, Apr 20, 2011: K’s Music Assembly
Wed, Apr 27, 2011: 2nd Gr. Assembly
Wed, May 4, 2011: 4s/4k Assembly
Wed, May 11, 2011: 3rd Gr. Assembly
Wed, May 18, 2011: 4th Gr. Assembly
Wed, May 25, 2011: K’s Movement Assembly
Wed, Jun 1, 2011: 4s/4k Movement Assembly
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LOWER SCHOOL PARENT REPRESENTATIVES 2010-2011
Beth’s Fours
Maren Berthelsen
Becca Markley
Fours/K
Marjorie Goldner
Sara Taplitz
Elizabeth’s K
Juliet Burrows
Carmen Lenzi
Luise’s K
Shannon Barden
Yael Goverover
Gina’s 1st
Diane Hoffman
Ceci Van Blerkom
Galen’s 1st
Dawn Eig
Christine Boyle
Rebecca’s 1st
Hilary Meltzer
Mishi Hosono
Tasha’s 2nd
Mary Gerzema
Linda Phillips
Deborah’s 2nd
A.M. Homes
Fia Hatsav
Julia Wilbur
Dan’s 3rd
Hillary Butler
Holly Glass
Denise Roederer
Vonick’s 3rd
Heather McMaster
Beth Dary
Dina’s 4th
Connie Butler
Lara Olivieri
Kate’s 4th
Susan Harris
Liselotte Vince