Reentry

Well, we won't lie. Reentry from Winter Break has been rough. On top of illnesses -- sore throats, stomach ailments, and fevers -- the "in-school" dismissals and security guard have made everyone feel a bit off kilter. And if that weren't enough, January is always the time of the year when the girls are wondering, "Why am I here? Who am I as an SGS student?" And then there's report cards. "What will my teachers say about me? What will my parents think? How will my LTM go?"

Oh, and let's not forget the need for independence. We've seen this a lot in class. The girls are speaking up. They're voicing their opinions, they're questioning procedures, they're asking for things to change. We laugh (sometimes) because we spend a lot of time teaching them that it's okay to question, it's okay to be apart of your learning and if that means questioning your teachers, then go ahead. Of course, teaching them to "question authority" always comes back to haunt us because now they're doing it and we must take lots and lots of time to process the questioning.

Recently, the girls asked for a class meeting without having us present. When they were done, they asked to meet with us the next day. We spent 2 hours the next morning listening to their concerns and then, for the last 15 minutes, were granted the opportunity to share our perspectives.

We're here to tell you that it was a rewarding and painful 2 hours. That afternoon, Marja carried on the discussion during Internships. She put 3 columns on the board. One labeled STUDENTS, on labeled TEACHERS and finally one labeled PARENTS. She had the girls brainstorm the responsibilities each group had in the education of the students. They did a wonderful job listing out the qualities of a good student, teacher and parent, but once had all the responsibilities listed, Marja asked them two very important questions.

First, how would they grade themselves on the qualities they listed under the STUDENT category? They were honest, but in their honesty they realized they hadn't held up their end of the bargain consistently. Especially when it came to listening.

Next she asked, if parents or teachers don't hold up their end of the bargain, is that a good reason for a student not to reach their full potential? For instance, does that mean they can't become an astronaut or a politician or a nurse or vet?

It was a brilliant follow-up to our class meeting because the girls grew in their awareness that THEY are in charge of their learning and that with this privilege comes a whole lot of responsibility.

Now, as we type this, the girls are writing their own REPORT CARDS that they will share with their families during Learning Team Meetings. Please remember that Learning Team Meetings are scheduled for Friday, February 1 and that you need to contact Ms. Jessica (jwilliams@seattlegirlsschool.org) to set up your LTM time.

We're excited for the girls to share their evaluations of their performance with you and then, later this week, compare their report cards with the ones they'll be receiving from us. We look forward to our discussions with you about your daughter's progress in 5th grade.

We won't lie. This has been a challenging group. They are all unique individuals who have tested us on many levels. But through these tests we believe everyone of us has shown growth.

Despite the bumpy reentry, we have no doubts that LTMs will set the right tone for the rest of the year.

Onward!
Ms. GreNini

Garbage!

We're kicking off a new project in 5th grade that requires the collection of garbage and recycling. We've outlined the requirements on this week's Weekly, but we wanted to let you know via email as well that bringing garbage to school is EXACTLY what your daughters should do!

All we ask is the you refrain from bringing in garbage that is, shall we say, questionable (stinky, dirty, rotting, etc.). We'll be building a map from the garbage we collect so it's important that it doesn't "sour" over time.

Additionally, we have a 2008 PACKED with Field Trips. We've posted a listing of those field trips and all corollary information. Please take a moment to check out the Field Trip Link.

Have a great weekend and save your garbage!

Ms. GreNini

Welcome to 2008

We're excited to be back for many reasons, but chief among them is the thrilling curriculum we have planned for the New Year.

Now that we've studied balanced Ecosystems and Ecology, we're heading into a new direction -- unbalanced systems and the pressures those systems face, how they deal with it, and how well they are doing under such pressure.

To begin our discussion, we’ll be watching a series of films. The first on our list is “Nanook of the North” a film shot in 1922 by Robert Flaherty. The film chronicles the life of Nanook, an Inuit from the Arctic. It’s a fascinating silent film demonstrating Nanook and his families amazing connection to the environment in which they live. We’ll use this film to kickoff our discussion of Balance and Connection and the IMPACT we have on the world around us.

Next, we’ll be showing two films that require permission from families. “Never Cry Wolf” and “The Snow Walker.” These are dramas, again set in the Arctic, exploring the difference between cultural experiences. “Never Cry Wolf” is based on writer Farley Mowat’s novel and his own experience tracking wolves in the Arctic. “The Snow Walker” was directed by the star of “Never Cry Wolf” and also based on a novel by Farley Mowat. The film explores the misconceptions of survival.

Both films are rated PG for language and some nudity and require parent permission.

If you DON’T want your child to see either or both of these two PG films, please email us back and let us know. We invite you to watch the films yourself, if you haven’t done so already and discuss the themes with your daughters.

Again, only respond to this email if you DON’T want your child to see the film or films (specify which ones) and we’ll find another activity for her to participate in.

Thanks and have a great week!
Ms. GreNini