Every year we have such a great time on Global Schools Play Day and so do the children. Play is at the heart of how children learn. We see so many of the 21st century learning skills being practiced although the Team is unaware that they are doing more than play. All day long they negotiate, collaborate, problem solve, create, think and use so many more skills that help build foundations for learning and thriving in the real world. What a privilege it is to witness Team Awesome strengthening their skills to become our future leaders and citizens of our society!
The time to begin preparing children for the challenges and demands of the future is when they are young. Children are curious and excited learners and it is our responsibility as parents and educators to create learning experiences that tap into that natural curiosity and excitement. This includes not only supporting emerging skills in reading, math, science and social studies, but also the 21st century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, technology literacy, and social-emotional development. Children need to begin to develop the early foundational skills that will help them reason, think creatively, analyze data, and work collaboratively in the future. And Global Schools Play Day does just that.
Every year we have such a great time on Global Schools Play Day and so do the children. Play is at the heart of how children learn. We see so many of the 21st century learning skills being practiced although the Team is unaware that they are doing more than play. All day long they negotiate, collaborate, problem solve, create, think and use so many more skills that help build foundations for learning and thriving in the real world. What a privilege it is to witness Team Awesome strengthening their skills to become our future leaders and citizens of our society! Just when it seems like the commercial excess of winter holidays is winding down, along comes Valentine’s Day and the advertising barrage of "stuff = love." It’s tempting to want to give our children material items and Valentine’s Day treats, often at the expense of simple acts of love and other small meaningful gifts. As parents, we may fall into this mindset because we want to provide the best life possible for our children. Rest assured, teaching the meaning of love, creating loving memories with children, and spending unhurried family time together are truly more valuable than any gift you can buy. Go out and enjoy Valentine’s Day together!
Stage One Theatre School: For over 40 years, WCT 's Stage One Theatre School has been the home for theatre education for young people in our community. These classes build confidence, and teach collaboration and communication skills. There is a space for every child in this fun and engaging program geared towards all skill levels from ages 4 -18! Stage One runs year-round, with after-school programs, week-long camps, special workshops and even performance opportunities.
Am I the only one that finds Groundhog Day bizarre? According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks. Really?! Not only that but a Canadian study for 13 cities in the past 30 to 40 years found that the weather patterns predicted on Groundhog Day were only 37% accurate over that time period—a value not significant compared to the 33% that could occur by chance. When I asked Team Awesome if a groundhog could really predict the coming (or not) of spring they all agreed that it could not- spring would come when it was ready. But it was fun learning about groundhogs and their 5 minutes in the spotlight every year on February 2. When I looked for a picture of the Valentine cards I remember giving when I was in elementary school I had to use the search term "vintage". Boy am I dating myself! Every card was printed on sturdy thin cardboard and no two were the same. They all had to be cut out by hand and one had to be very selective who received which card lest the message conveyed something unintentional. I remember spending hours cutting, choosing the perfect beneficiary, and laboriously printing names the night before Valentine's Day. No fancy stickers, toys, lollipops or candies involved, just homemade chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles to share with the class. For most of Team Awesome this will be their first experience with Valentine's Day and cards and the children will only have a vague idea what its all about. We will be doing some activities like crafts with hearts throughout the week but of course will go all-out on the 14th. Please make sure the 'From' part on Valentine cards are filled in before coming to class as we will not have time on Monday to do that. Please leave off the name beside 'To' as it makes the cards easier to hand out. We have 35 children in our class this year. Have your child bring their valentines in their zipper bag and then put the zipper bag in its usual box in the morning so they don't get lost/ crunched- we will hand them out later in the day.
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Mrs. Bowden &
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