Think Tank for Kids
Hello Everyone and Welcome to the New School Year!
Not counting the hurricane we have had two weeks of school already and I'm just amazed at everything the students have already accomplished. They have been engaged and enthusiastic about learning and all of us here believe this will be the best year ever.
Over the summer I had the pleasure to see some family and old friends I don’t get to visit with that often. They asked about our school and, of course, I expounded about all the learning the students do here. During one of my conversations, an insight was shared with me that made me so proud that I want to share it with you. One of my friends suggested that we should advertise the fact that we actually have a Think Tank for Kids in our school. I hope you’ll agree that’s exactly what we have!
From our learning-centered curriculum to our twice-yearly exhibitions, our students analyze and synthesize information, ask questions, make presentations, read and write, and generally practice every mode of thinking imaginably. In that process of idea-sharing, they expand their knowledge even further through listening and exploring concepts with each other. How proud we should all be – you included.
I include you because you are the driving force here – literally and figuratively. As parents and guardians, you make sure they get that ride to school and then you do all you can to help them engage and grow. It occurs to me you do this in many ways. You always seem so interested in what they do here at school and you enthuse over their work when they show it to you. You attend their presentations and performances and support their writing and art efforts. And you encourage their questions. Most importantly, and you have heard me say this so many times, you listen to your children and that’s the most important gift you can give them.
I know this because you ask me how they’re doing. You ask me at pick up and drop off “how are things going?” or tell me how much “she talks all the time about school” at home. That says you are having conversations with your children and, in addition to making them feel like their ideas are worthwhile, you are helping them learn how to converse – how to listen, how to let the other person take their time getting their words out, and how to ask questions appropriately. This is the platform for thinking. This is the way we process our ideas – through talking and writing about them. So, thank you for making our efforts easier. Thank you for celebrating your children’s ideas. And thank you for supporting them in their learning journey. We see you and we appreciate you.
