Clarksville Academy

Category: Engage, Embrace, Empower

  • Fine Arts-Why they are important

    By: Debbie Hollis, Fine Arts Chair

    The study of the Arts as part of a well rounded education dates back to ancient Greece. Theatre, music, visual arts and dance were seen as important aspects of Greek society and still today we recognize the importance of these disciplines.  Children receive tremendous benefits from participating in art, theatre and music in school.  There is documented proof that academic scores are higher among students who study the arts. There is also a connection between studying the arts and improved social and emotional development.  We find even more evidence of how important integrating Fine Arts classes into the school day is to creating well rounded, well prepared learners and leaders.  

    Why are  the Fine Arts are so important?

    1. All areas of Fine Arts develop problem-solving skills.
    2. Visual art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, and inventiveness.
    3. Students who have early music training, will develop areas of the brain which help with language and reasoning.
    4. Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective and balance; all skills that are necessary in presentations of academic work and beyond.
    5. Integrating the arts with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise be engaged in class.  
    6. Fine Arts experiences boost critical thinking skills. 
    7. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math or science fair, or win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.  
    8. Students who memorize music/lyrics/scripts have a better ability to memorize material for other subject areas.

    So as you can see, it is important to have a well rounded Fine Arts program as part of your child’s education. Arts education helps students see what they look at, hear what they listen to and feel what they touch.  It allows students to develop their own creativity, it shapes abilities and character and helps students develop poise and confidence.  Engaging in the arts allows students to stretch their minds beyond the boundaries of printed text and when teachers foster their creativity, it gives students a zest for imagining and learning that will last a lifetime.  

  • Civic Responsibility Abroad

    By: Danny Magrans, World Language Department Chair

    “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi. 

    The ability to teach a World Language comes with tremendous responsibilities and amazing rewards. The world is so big and the need to make global connections are more apparent than ever before. To develop fluency in a target language should be the goal for all who teach a second language, but so should developing life long learners of all the beauty that surrounds us. Especially when we serve. 

    So far my students and I have been honored to travel to Costa Rica, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Each of these trips were built to tour the countries, speak the language, engage in and create cultural experiences and most importantly serve. I am so proud of the work we have completed and trust that greater opportunities are in the horizon. No matter what the mission, the end results have been consistently the same; those who give are usually the recipients of the greater gift. I agree with Gandhi’s statement, in order to understand who we are… we should commit ourselves to the service of others. 

    “There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” Woodrow Wilson

    Many ask me why do we serve? Doesn’t it take a tremendous responsibility to organize a trip, and prepare students for the experiences? In short….yes it does. A lot of work is put in to prepare and while on the trip, but to be perfectly honest I can’t imagine living without serving. I can’t imagine teaching without motivating as many students as I can to make a difference and reach as many hearts as possible. While it may sound cliche, we all have beautiful gifts that others need to see. To not share our gifts would be to deny the One who gave them to us. It would also be to deny the opportunity to grow from the magnificent differences that exist all around us. Our goal should be to gain understanding and reach conclusions based on experiences earned. This works best for me and my students when we are able to roll up our sleeves and dig, paint, build, supply, buy, laugh, play, and share a meal with those we serve. Over the course of  the last few years, we have dug a water line in Costa Rica, worked alongside locals to build and supply a girls school, and volunteered with the Dream Organization in the Dominican Republic, to name just a few. Two worlds divided by such great distance but yet so similarly bonded by a common theme, LOVE.

    “The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

    Many years ago I was asked the question, “What do you teach?” For some reason it just forced me to think more profoundly.  I said, “I teach life and use Spanish as my catalyst.” I really meant my response.

    So why do we serve others while traveling abroad? Because we are blessed with the gifts to extend to others. I strongly believe most students long to make a difference in this world. As a result I will continue try to extend the opportunities to all who are willing and able to go. I am forever grateful for those who have taken this walk with me. 

  • Brain Training: Moving beyond Fact Storage to Critical Thinking

    By: Kyle Christmas, Upper School English

    Let’s go back in time for a moment. When I was in school—not too terribly long ago, I might add—there was tremendous value in fact gathering and memorization. We memorized all sorts of things, from poetry and historical dates to geometric proofs and chemical equations. (I can still recite the first few lines of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Talesin Middle English if ever you catch me in the halls of CA!) Of course, this rote memorization is still important today in education, and our brightest and most successful students tend to have a mental catalogue of useful material from which they can draw on call. However, in the age of Google, iPhones, and smart homes, a major question regarding the fundamentals of education has emerged: Should fact storage still be our prime focus in the classroom when just about any fact necessary is a few keystrokes away?

     

    If we as teachers are honest, we’ve seen this coming for a while. Fifty years ago, I’d be a “sage on the stage” with a corduroy coat, spewing a mindful of material that students would frantically scratch down into their Cornell Notes. That role, however, simply cannot exist anymore, for our students have no desire—and frankly, no true need—to sit in a chair and be pelted with facts. The “sage on the stage” has been replaced, and Google is a far more accessible schoolmaster.

     

    Not everything found in a simple Google search is useful, though, and therein lies our new challenge. The role of the teacher in education today has less to do with fact mongering and so much more to do with mind training. Too many students leave K-12 education with heads full of great information (that which they could find on Wikipedia within thirty seconds), yet they lack some of the fundamental problem solving, analysis, and logical reasoning skills that are truly necessary in a 21stcentury workforce. If we’re honest, we all know that a 2019 company will be more apt to hire candidates with the skills above rather than someone who can recite pi to the twentieth digit. Thus, whether I teach science, literature, algebra, or history, what my students need most from me is training in how to think critically about the information and concepts presented.

     

    We’ve all heard it a million times, but what is critical thinking? If you ask a dozen teachers, you may just get a dozen different answers, all within the same vein, but slightly idiosyncratic nonetheless. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy puts it in this nutshell: “careful thinking directed toward a goal.” This definition seems less than useful, but ultimately, this is a formula for exactly what we must train our students to do. When presented with any problem, scenario, or opportunity for analysis, they are essentially given a goal in the form of a solution, viable action, or plausible idea. To achieve this desired end, they must carefully consider not just the outcome, but also all of the information and variables that are at play. Thus, “careful thinking directed toward a goal” is simply a paradigm that can be applied in any academic situation.

     

    Pushing our students to think carefully, to consider information deeply, and to come to certain conclusions on their own is nowhere near as simple as the definition above. A teacher’s job could be simplified by providing step-by-step instructions with minimal margin for error, requiring little more than the application of a target skill from the student. For example, instead of asking my students to consider the symbolic value of a character’s ultimate decision in a novel, I may instead simply ask them to point to the climax of the story. Instead of analyzing what the author may be trying to communicate with a certain relationship between characters, I might ask them to identify a protagonist and antagonist. There is a place for this in education, but only in the rudimentary phase of skill-mastery. Removing the scaffolding requires extra effort on behalf of both the teacher and student, which may account for the staggering fact that higher-order critical thinking is only specifically included in the curricula of about 5% of US schools (Bouyges). Nevertheless, 100% of students will be far more successful with stronger critical thinking skills. Training them to think on this level, regardless of our content area or curricula, is our task as teachers in the 21stcentury. When we succeed, we lead our students to be more creative, more empathetic, and more productive in all aspects of their lives.

     

     

    Works Cited

    Bouyges, Helen Lee. “How Critical Thinking Improves Life Outcomes.” Forbes, Nov. 2018, https://www.forbes.com/sites/helenleebouygues/2018/11/21/how-critical-thinking-improves-life-outcomes/#10e3a1348117.

    Hitchcock, David. “Critical Thinking.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2018, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/critical-thinking/#DefiCritThin

  • A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

    By: Cindy Williams, Third Grade Teacher, Reading Specialist

    We all remember some of our very first picture books that were read to us at an early age. One of my favorite books from my childhood is, Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman. Following the little bird on the journey to find his mother was captivating and the line drawings depicting the story demanded my attention.

    Do we abandon the joy of reading picture books too early in our children’s lives? Could they help our children develop a love for reading?  Are picture books a beneficial tool for students in the middle and upper school grades to promote a deeper understanding of complex ideas?

    There is research that suggests we are pushing some of our elementary students into chapter books before they are ready. Picture books have language that is often more sophisticated than some of the first chapter books that children read. Children can enhance their vocabulary, imagery,  and  increase their comprehension of the text by reading illustrated books. Those who read illustrated stories may be more motivated to develop stronger reading skills faster than when a child is only reading chapter books. Picture books are more interesting and exciting to children. The pictures add a better understanding of the action and a better sense of the plot. Even before children begin to read, the picture books allow them to decode the meaning of words as they listen to the story. Picture books appeal to children’s curiosity and sense of wonder, motivating them to read independently.

    When students are encouraged to read text-only stories or chapter books prematurely, we may be limiting their joy of reading and slowing their growth as independent readers.

    A ”text only” story cannot use the rich vocabulary choices that illustrated stories use due to the fact that some students are still developing their basic vocabulary.

    Many middle, upper school, and even college instructors have recognized the importance of using picture books in their lessons. Reading a picture book does more than any other literary format for connecting people with one another.  If you have a difficult idea to express, a picture book is the perfect place to start. The Butterfly, by Patricia Polacco demonstrates the hardships endured during Word War II and Goin’Someplace Special, by Patricia C. McKissack gives a glimpse of bigotry in the 1950’s. Both are difficult topics to discuss, but are easily approached through these picture books.

    The Caldecott Medal, awarded each year for outstanding children’s book illustrations, “defines the picture book audience as birth to age 14” (Fingerson & Killeen 32). Many topics tackled by picture book authors are more appropriate for middle school students and are created with the adolescent reader in mind. Their topics are sophisticated, inviting in-depth discussion. Issues that are important and very real to young adolescents—homelessness, crime, environmental problems (Beane 1993)—are easily explored through picture books. The mature content of these books, written specifically for middle school readers, lends itself to opportunities for thoughtful analysis and critical thinking.

    It seems that  picture books are worth a thousand words and offer a positive reading experience for everyone.

  • Homework–Do we need it?

    By: Patrick Miller, Intermediate Math Teacher

    Why is Homework Important? What does my child gain from doing work outside the classroom?  These are questions parents often ask when it comes to assignments outside the classroom. Homework should be positive in the eyes of the children.  It should be short and to the point. The goal is to practice on the concept that was just taught in class and to be a review of previous concepts.  Also, if a student feels confident about the homework assignment, it will translate in the test scores on the particular concept.  If a student struggles on the concept, it gives the student a wonderful opportunity to reach out and ask for help.  Homework teaches children major life skills they will need for the rest of their life.  Three major life skills are time management, problem solving, and self-discipline.

     

    The time management piece is one of the most difficult for children.  If a student learns about time management and how to prioritize all of their tasks, deadlines will be met on time.  Learning to complete assignments on time and prioritizing assignments based on length of assignment and due date will help them in the future. Time management has a real-world connection, such as, paying bills as an adult.

     

    The problem-solving piece is a wonderful way for students to overcome challenges at an early age. Having students think through a problem to reach a solution is valuable and beneficial in the childhood development. Every challenge is not going to be a one-step process.  Challenges in life often require multi-step problem solving.  Also, another valuable life lesson in problem solving is every challenge is not going to be solved the same way.  For example, 2 x 1 = 2 and 4 x ½ = 2.  One person might have said that the correct way to solve the problem was 2 x1 while another person may have said 4 x ½.  If students get the correct answer and justify how they arrived at their answer that is most important.  If there was a minor mistake, a student can learn from their mistake if work is shown.

     

    The self-discipline is another challenge that students face each day.  Do I want to go to the movie with my friends or stay at home and finish my homework?  We all know what is probably the most fun choice.  However, if we teach self-discipline at an early age it makes all the outside distractions easier to work though.  This will be very beneficial for students later on in high school and college.   Also, this self-discipline will equip everyone to being a life long learner.

     

    Homework isn’t something teachers take lightly.  The goal isn’t to punish the students or to give busy work. Homework serves a purpose in your child’s education and one that will help them throughout their life.

  • Fitness & Weight Training

    By: John Crosby, Fitness Instructor

    At the high school level, the importance of fitness training through use of the weight room should be strongly emphasized.  Fitness classes offered to students in grades 8-12 is a strong trend in education today. Many classes are in session 5 days a week, with an emphasis on weight training 4 of those days, separated by an active recovery day in the middle. Several scientific studies in recent years support the idea that fitness groups during the school day can greatly enhance the learning abilities of a student in the classroom. Alongside this, athletes see great improvement on a weekly basis for their respective sports. 

    The first thing that is emphasized in weight training classes is safety. Students are taught the importance of correct exercise form, as well as weight room etiquette. Once these practices are effectively managed, students will demonstrate the ability to warm-up the body through pre-workout exercises. These exercises are done for both short term and long term injury prevention. For example, rotator cuff strengthening is a point of emphasis for upper body days that involve pressing from the chest and shoulders. Active dynamic warmup exercises are done at the beginning of each workout as a way to prepare the body to be at its best for the workout to come. 

    Once the workout is in session,  a goal should be to improve several aspects of the student’s performance. These include, muscular strength, muscular endurance, explosion, mobility and flexibility. Some workouts are more focused on a strength building/ low repetition approach, while others are primarily focused on a high repetition/ endurance approach. There is an equal amount of targeting the anterior chain, as well as the posterior chain of the body. Each student should be pushed to reach their full physical potential regardless of the focal point on a given day.  

    The end goal of a fitness department at any academic institution is to teach and promote how to live a healthy/active lifestyle after high school. If a student can take any of the ideas that are taught during their time in a fitness class and apply them to their life outside of school, then the instructor’s goal has been accomplished. 

  • Collegiate Funding

    By: Denise Walker, College Counseling

    Kindergarten to college, it happens in the blink of an eye. Therefore, it is importantto start saving for college early.  Speak with your financial advisor about retirement, college savings, and investments early in the planning process.  There are many ways to fund college, and there isn’t one clear path.  Let’s discuss some of these options….

    The cost of college tuition continues to increase each year, but college costs are much more than tuition.  College costs can also include: orientation fees, freshman fees, campus fees, room and board, books, a meal plan, lab fees, transportation fees, athletic fees, tech fees, and commencement fees.  These fees don’t even include the cost of visiting colleges throughout the college search process. Needless to say, college is expensive.  However, there are things that can be done to relieve some of the financial burden with early planning.

    Students can increase their chances of receiving tuition assistance, scholarships, merit aid, and grants by earning good grades in high school.  Most colleges set grade point average (GPA) minimums for students to obtain, or keep, tuition assistance.  Encouraging strong study skills and attention to strong academic performance is key.

    What is tuition assistance?  There are several types of tuition assistance, including grants, merit based aid, scholarships, work-study, and loans.  Tuition assistance can consist of any combination of these.  Scholarships and grants do not need to be repaid.   Work-study programs enable students to work part-time at the college.  Loans should be a last resort and MUST be repaid, usually with interest.

    How can you help?  Work with your child to help him or her develop good study habits.  Stress the importance of studying and taking courses that will set them up for success.  Encourage them to compete in local essay contests in high school, as many award cash prizes.  The scholarship process should never hinder a student’s academic success; rather it should be an ongoing process.

    We all know procrastination is every teenager’s middle name.  This is where the parent’s encouragement and attentiveness to what their child is doing is imperative.  There are scholarships for every student; they just require time and attention to detail.  Every child’s maturity level and drive is different.  However, as a general rule, junior and senior year seem to be the best time to start looking at scholarships.

    The cost of college depends on choices you and your family make.  Become familiar with terms like FAFSA and the CSS Profile.   It is also important to know if there are in-state benefits such as the HOPE Scholarship or the Tennessee Promise Scholarship.  Tennessee residents can earn the HOPE Scholarship, a scholarship worth $16,000 over four years, if they graduate with a 3.0 (GPA) or score a 21 on the ACT.   The Tennessee Promise will pay for a community college or trade school if the student satisfies the requirements and meets the deadlines.

    Remember, it is important for families to discuss the cost of college, and to consider and plan what works for your individual family.

  • Inquiry Based Learning

    By: Carol King, FUSE Instructor

    As the world that our children are growing up in is changing, the way they view and learn about it needs to change as well. Schools are tasked with continually adapting to best meet the needs of students. There are several modern ways to approach teaching and learning that help children become 21st century learners who collaborateand problem-solve, are digitally literate, and can think critically. One effective method used in many classrooms today is called Inquiry Based Learning.

    What Is Inquiry Based Learning?

    Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) is a way for students to learn through exploration and investigation. Students are presented with a question or problem,then are allowed the time and freedom to discuss with their peers, research information, and engage in hands-on activities. Students are required to base their discoveries on evidence and often delve into data to support their investigations. Communication of their findings is also an important part of the process. Whether by writing or presentation, students share what they’ve learned with their peers.

    What Does It Look Like In The Classroom?

    There are many ways to use IBL across all subject areas. In a science classroom, this might come in the form of creating a water filter out of recyclable materials or determining a correlation between genetics and certain diseases. Social Studies students may determine alternate ways that the American Revolution could have been handled or plan and design a functioning community. In reading class, students could explore characters in a novel, participate in in-depth character study discussion groups, determine how a character’s decision in a novel could have changed the outcome,  and then justify a character’s choices. These are just a few of the many applications of IBL in the classroom. By allowing students to investigate and collaborate, what they learn has depth and meaning.

    The Benefits

    There are several benefits to teaching students through inquiry based learning methods. Students are at the center of this process, therefore are often more engaged due to feeling ownership of their learning. This investigative approach challenges students’ thinking and places a priority on evidence, logic, and imagination. By sharing their outcome, students practice communicating using appropriate vocabulary and learning to justify their conclusions.

    Why Is It Important?

    Inquiry Based Learning is an engaging approach that keeps students excited and accountable for their academic experiences. This teaching style forces them to be creative thinkers and explorers who can support and justify their findings. It provides opportunities for students to gain 21st century skills and thought processes needed to be valuable members of our community and future workforce, as well as lifelong learners.

     

    For more information about the Clarksville Academy FUSE program visit: http://j9f.23f.mytemp.website/academics/lower-school/fuse/

  • Why STEM?

    By: Paul Mittura, Upper School Science

    You get up on cold winter morning and the sparse clouds are beautiful reds, pinks, and oranges. Why? You are trying to head a soccer ball and can’t quite find the right place to be. Why? The breaker keeps tripping when you use your curling iron. Why? You are cleaning your bathroom and the new cleaner is making your eyes water and your throat scratchy. Why?

    As a science teacher, people are constantly asking me why.

    Most behaviorists would agree infants are born with innate reflexes like grasping, sucking, and blinking,but most behaviors are learned through exploration and experience. Most children will look at, pick up,and taste everything they can reach in their environment. As adults, we discourage the touching for fear of embarrassment and the tasting for obvious reasons. We encourage our children to explore in our predetermined “safety” filtered environment. This environment is usually inundated with the interests of the parents. For example if the parents are sports enthusiasts the toddler will be dressed in team apparel and every type of ball known will be in the playpen. We expose our children to what we know and like.

    This behavior is both normal and expected.

    As educators, it is incumbent upon us to introduce children to all disciplines. With STEM education, students are encouraged to explore the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Quality STEM educators can produce environments with “safety” parameters that allow each individual to experiment with disciplines they may not have had the opportunity to explore in a home environment. Early introduction is important for the formation of accurate concepts in a controlled environment with respect to the 4 disciplines. Continued exposure (grades 1-12) to these types of explorations is an important part of STEM instruction. One of the biggest obstacles for any educator is the dispelling of a misconception caused by misinformation or misinterpretation. Continually introducing STEM activities hopefully prevents these misconceptions from developing.

    Now here comes the tough part. It is impossible for teachers to become “experts” in all areas of the educational process. Only through collaboration and pooling of resources to include expertise can pure STEM education be achieved. Vertical teaming (elementary and secondary teachers) and cross curricular teaming (science, math, English, social studies, fine arts, etc. teachers) is a good start. Ideally this would occur with each new unit,but as little as once each semester can capture a student for future studies in a discipline. This concept looks good on paper,but the logistics of moving teachers around and finding time for collaboration is a potential nightmare. Large group presentation is an option but is far less effective than single class presentations and hands on exploration. Regardless of the obstacles, STEM is a worthwhile endeavor. Capturing the interest of students is every educator’s goal and a school dynamic rich with STEM opportunities should be every institution’s goal.

    To learn more about CA’s STEM program visit: http://j9f.23f.mytemp.website/stem/

     

  • Re-Enrollment

    By: Sally Allen, Director of Marketing & Development

    February is the time when independent schools across the country begin their re-enrollment process. This is a time of excitement and anxiety for both the school and parent.  Excitement for parents, as they look ahead to a new grade, and a new experience and excitement from the school for all the wonderful opportunities in the new school year.  Anxiety from parents as they look ahead and envision their child in a new grade level and as they commit to another year financially for their child’s education. During this exciting time, it’s important to remember why you chose a private education.

     

    Traditionally, parents choose private education for smaller class sizes, more intimate learning environments, specialized course selections, athletics, expanded collegiate scholarship opportunities, etc.  Click here and here to read our past blogs reflecting on choosing the right private school for your family. It is important to weigh the facts when deciding whether to re-enroll.

    Making the commitment to re-enroll your child, often times causes families to reflect on the past year and evaluate your commitment to your school choice.  A few of things you may consider as re-enrollment begins are:

     

    • Do you feel your school is meeting the needs of your student?
    • Does your school adhere to their mission statement?
    • Do you and your family feel an active part of the school community?
    • Is your child able to meet the expectations set forth by the school?
    • Is your family able to continue the financial commitment to send your child there?

    If you answered yes to the above questions, then you should immediately re-enroll your child in their current school.  If you answered no to any of the above questions, it is important that you reach out to your school faculty and administrators to address any concerns you may have and engage in conversations regarding your child’s educational future. Keep in mind many schools have a set re-enrollment period, giving priority to current students and families. Failing to meet those deadlines could result in loss of space at the school and late fees.

    For more information on Clarksville Academy, it’s programs or the re-enrollment process, please visit: www.clarksvilleacademy.com or contact admissions@clarksvilleacademy.com.