Classrooms are Abuzz and Learning is palpable

Faith Hunter
January is a time when classrooms are abuzz and learning is palpable. I am struck by the sheer level of engagement taking place across so many disciplines and the ways in which these processes empower our students to contribute to our community and to the world beyond the walls of our school.
 
Just to give a snapshot: last week, a Fourth Grade student opened our Lower School gathering by leading the division in a mindful moment; he modeled how taking a pause before starting something new helps us focus and reach our potential. Meanwhile, our third graders dove deep into thinking critically about Lenape communities and began building longhouses by lashing branches together. Second graders worked in differentiated reading groups, some having rich conversations about stories and others manipulating words to learn about syllabification. First graders demonstrated their strategic approach to solving addition and subtraction word problems in a math assessment. Kindergarteners started a unit on fairness and social justice that coincided with the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And, last but not least, our Fours worked on their pencil grip, fine motor, observation, and artistic skills as they practiced sketching figures. 
 
As I contemplate how best to communicate all that is happening in the Lower School in greater detail, I find myself thinking about my introduction to our Fourth Grade journalists last year when they interviewed me as a candidate for the new Lower School Principal. This year, I have seen how Fourth Grade students are introduced to the idea of journalism as a tool to shine light on important issues. Since the start of the year, students have studied how to read and process news and then how to write articles. I thought this week’s Push Page could come from the voices of our journalists as they write about what they see happening in the LREI Lower School. Some of the headlines by our Fourth Graders include, “First Graders Come Up with Amazing Interview Questions,” “Hallway Behavior at LREI has Changed Dramatically, But Why?” and “Kids’ Math Strategies Rip Through Charts.”


Best, 
Faith
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