ISY Elementary School Faculty Blog

September 11, 2020

Rain and Rainbows

Mike Simpson

I’m not sure about you, but I have had an up and down kind of week. I was part of some really great planning conversations that had me buzzing about our Quarter 2 units and felt really flat at times with not as much happening around campus. But a couple of things brightened my mood at the end and I thought I should share them with you. 

Firstly, check this email out from a parent:

Just a quick note to thank you and the ISY team for the Zoom call last night.

I wanted to share that while we are only two weeks in, the school’s approach to classes and education during these challenging times has been reassuring and impressive.

When I compare it to our experience from hard lockdown in Canada last spring, there is no comparison.

While we all wish the kids were in school physically, we know it isn’t possible and seeing the kids engaging with their teachers and fellow students in real time has been a very positive change over remote learning from Canada.  I can tell they are engaged and learning.  They are happy to have engagement with other kids even if over Zoom. They are thirsty for engagement with their teachers. 

This must have been hard for all of you.  And I am sure there are challenges still to come.  But thank you for the efforts you’ve made to make learning as best as it can be in these circumstances. 

Secondly, check out the double (if you look closely) rainbow in the picture below. 

‘The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.’

Dolly Parton

NEXT WEEK:

Monday:

Faculty WASC Overview for Online Visit @ 3:15pm

Tuesday – Thursday:

Grade Level Collaboration Meetings

Looking Ahead to Quarter 2

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD:

October 5-9: 

WASC Online Accreditation Visit

Volunteers for After School Critical Thinking Activities

We need to start providing some form of ASAs from September 21. The first session will be four weeks long. To spread the load, I was this thinking we offer two Critical Thinking ASAs for Grades 1-2 and Grades 3-5. One ASA will be setting problems to solve and the other will be posing philosophical questions to answer. That means we would have 16 sessions to fill over four weeks. I plan to do the four philosophy sessions for Grades 3, 4, and 5. So leaves 12 sessions to be filled by teachers. These activities will require no preparation other than deciding upon a problem to solve (see the picture above from de Bono’s book) or some questions to ponder. I can help you source both. There are plenty of philosophy resources for children that are fun to use. Please email me if you could spare 30 minutes one afternoon (or more if you are keen) over four weeks from September 21.

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