Going Back to School

By: Amy Burchett, Admissions Director & Christie Burger, Admissions

Whether you are new to your child’s school community or have been there for years, is it time for you to consider walking the halls again alongside your child? Research shows that increased parent participation at a child’s school directly effects student performance and emotional well – being. So, grab your backpack and your sack lunch and let’s explore the importance of becoming, or continuing to be, an active member in your child’s school community.

Getting involved within your child’s school community can be much easier than you think. From filling-in your name on a classroom sign-up sheet, to holding an office in your schools parent association, every effort makes a difference. Here are a few ideas about how you can get involved:

1. Attend a home or away sporting event.

2. Visit your child for lunch or even volunteer to be a lunchroom monitor.

3. Become a member of your school’s parent association.

4. Offer your expertise for school events and fundraisers.

5. Become a club or team sponsor.

6. Volunteer to be a guest speaker or reader in a classroom.

Over time, you will begin to see and feel the benefit of going back to school. Chances are, your child will too. Not only will you have the opportunity to build new relationships with other parents and school staff, you will be showing your child the importance of school, community, and service. On average, students will spend 1,000 hours in school each year. How can you make just one of those hours better?

Understanding the Teen Brain!

By: Denise Walker, School Counselor

The mind of a teenager can be perplexing. Do you ever wonder why your teen makes the decisions they do? Does it seem like all logic and reasoning have gone out the window? Or, you may be wondering why your child can’t remember to take out the trash, bring home their study guide, or do their homework. It may be reassuring to know their brain is not fully developed. A large part of the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved in decision-making, planning, and self-control, is the last part to mature.

It’s not that teens don’t have frontal-lobe capabilities, but rather, their signals are not getting to the back of the brain fast enough to regulate their emotions. Things can be further compounded when the emotional part of the brain and the rational part don’t develop at the same rate. But wait, it gets better. Then, sprinkle in excitable hormones and peer pressure and you have a teenager with overwhelming emotions.

Whew…what is a parent to do? You are the most important role model in your child’s life. Your teen is watching how you respond to each and every situation, which can have a profound effect on them. Remember your teen is still developing and maturing and they are not fully equipped to strategize the most logical way to problem solve. Talk with your child, get to know what is important to them, remind them they are resilient, and help them explore various consequences for their actions. Most teens are not capable of making mature decisions and benefit greatly from guidance.

It is easy to get frustrated by the teen brain, but it is important to remember decision-making takes practice. Next time you have to make a big decision, show your teen how you work through this process. While it might be easy to step in and solve your teen’s problems, help them navigate the decision-making process that comes with problem solving. With your guidance, as they grow they will learn to make the right decisions. You want to provide your teen with tools to do this on their own instead of making decisions for them.

Teens experience a lot of physical changes, and it’s easy to forget the cognitive changes happening inside their brain. Just remember to enjoy watching your teen blossom into a young adult. Always be an exemplary guide, offer support, love, and advice when necessary. Understanding the development of your child’s brain can help you support them in becoming independent, responsible adults.

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?

All areas of Fine Arts develop problem-solving skills.
Visual art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, and inventiveness.
Students who have early music training, will develop areas of the brain which help with language and reasoning.
Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective and balance; all skills that are necessary in presentations of academic work and beyond.
Integrating the arts with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise be engaged in class.
Fine Arts experiences boost critical thinking skills.
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.
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 21^stcentury 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 21^stcentury. 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

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.

Supporting your child during Exams

By Denise Walker, CA Director of Counseling

Midterms are just around the corner. Is your family ready for exam season? Do you know how to navigate that thin line between encouraging your child and creating excess anxiety? This could be the first time your child encounters this kind of stress. Being well prepared for the exam is the best way to reduce anxieties over testing.

The stress of exams can affect the entire family. Are you wondering what you can do to help your child through this strenuous time? Remember you have the help and support of your child’s teacher and they will ensure students have all the information they need to be successful.

There are things you can do to help support your child during this demanding time. You can show support early on, by providing encouragement. Talk to your child about nerves and realistic expectations. Creating a study plan can help alleviate stress, maybe even modifying chore schedules to enable more study time. This will also help prevent cramming! Students should focus on the areas that need the most attention.

It is also important to help your child create a study environment that is conducive to studying. Minimize distractions, such as the television or cell phones, while studying is helpful. Listening to background music is also helpful for some students. Don’t get too comfortable; a bed is for sleeping, not studying. Studying also requires the correct attitude, do what works for your family and encourage confidence.

Students should space out studying over a week or longer, and continually review class material, until the exam. Let your child know you are there in the background ready and willing to help!

You can help the morning of the exam by ensuring they are up on time, and they have a healthy breakfast! Encourage brain foods, such as bananas. Wish them well.

When the test is over, don’t let your child dwell on if they did well or not. It is important to help your child move their focus to the next exam.

Be sure to take care of yourself in the process. Remember to celebrate the wins!

Social Media and Your Child Part 2

By Cara Miller, CA Director of Technology

On Tuesday we discussed what social media is, today we will discuss the benefits and effects of social media.

How does Social Media make them feel?

For most users of social media, online social life and offline social life are one and the same and include similar highs and lows. The unique difference with social media is users have instant reach to a wide audience very quickly, giving kids an opportunity to magnify their lives in a way that’s different from the offline experience. Social media platforms are central to every aspect of teens’ lives, from how they stay in touch with friends, determine the popular trends and even engage with such topics as politics, music and fashion.

Are their benefits to Social Media?

Many children use social media as a means of personal creativity or expression. It allows for connections with those of similar interests.

It allows them the ability to stay in touch with friends and provides easy and instant communication. Social media allows for instant information on news, sports and other social events.

This influx of information could provide a great opportunity to have meaningful conversations with your kids about what they view and watch. Parents can make it an opportunity to discuss happenings and share how they feel about topics they have seen or read about on social media.

There are also teachable moments in how to deal with digital drama. Digital drama isn’t all that different than normal social drama, but the lessons can begin early on how to properly respond to comments or posts online. Teaching children that comments and posts created without proper evaluation of the widespread audience can be one that saves potential digital drama or harm somewhere down the road.

How much is too much?

There are no easy answers when trying to determine how much screen time or social media is enough. It really depends on the child. If your child will put the device down to pursue a more interesting hobby you are probably teaching a good balance. Less time on social media may be beneficial for some, especially becoming more intentional in how they use social media. Following people who enrich them, and adjusting notifications so that devices become less distracting, are all steps in the right direction.

Social networking provides a convenient and compelling supplement to personal relationships in life, but when we use social networks as a substitute for relationships we face the risk of voiding our lives of meaningful and valuable connections.

The answer is not a one-size-fits-all for all children when it comes to screen time and/or social media. And, the truth is, there is no exact science in raising aware, thoughtful, empathetic and self-confident children. Certainly, modeling these behaviors in our own lives is a wonderful start. There is no doubt that our children are exposed to social media, both good and bad, but the key seems to be in finding a way to ‘teach’ them how to handle the information and to process it in a healthy way.

As always, if you would like more information in how to deal with your child and social media as well as other technology issues do not hesitate to contact me at cmiller@clarksvilleacademy.com.