Joanna's head of school blog

follow-up thought on creativity: how do you test it?

2011-12-12T17:26:00.001-05:00

This is always a fascinating topic. I was moved to muse on it further today, coming across this quote:

"The McNamara Fallacy:

The first step is to measure whatever can be easily measured. This is okay as far as it goes.

The second step is to disregard that which can't be measured or give it an arbitrary quantitative value. This is artificial and misleading.

The third step is to presume that what can't be measured easily really isn't very important. This is blindness.

The fourth step is to say that that which can't be easily measured really doesn't exist. This is suicide."

Daniel Yankelovich, quoted by Adam Smith in Supermoney.

What level has standardized testing reached on this scale? Has creativity become devalued because it is hard to test? How can we do better?

creativity and conformity

2011-12-12T13:14:00.001-05:00

Here's something interesting to think about. We are all about nurturing creativity in (and out of) the classroom. We want to enhance the learning experience for each individual child, allowing each one to develop their abilities and potential in the way that's right for them.

And we want to do this in the context of the group, with respect for others, promoting responsibility, collaboration, and good citizenship.

THe first is apparently all about individuality, the second all about conformity. Intensely creative children tend to relish individuality, and tend to resist conformity. How do we do that dance where we support the individuality with understanding of the traits that highly creative children bring to the process, without sacrificing the needs of the community of which they are a part?

Read an interesting blog on the subject here.

technology: the raging debate

2011-10-29T11:28:00.000-04:00

Technology has always been a bit of a thorny problem for an educator. At Summers-Knoll we share the point of view expressed by Jane Healey in her book, "Failure to Connect". (You can find an excerpt here for an example of her reasoning.) Her statement, "The best multimedia, interactive environment is still the real world," resonates with us and informs our approach, especially with the younger children.

Does that mean there is no place for technology? Clearly, students are excited by the extensive opportunities offered by computers and interactive software. There's a huge and understandable desire on the part of their teachers to harness that excitement. There's also a huge pressure on parents to feed their children with technological entertainment. ("But Mom! It promotes hand-eye coordination!") And just as the world of technology is enormous and complex, so are the arguments that surround it. Essential tool or poisonous creator of ADHD? Thought-promoter or thought-destroyer? Social promoter or the end of human connection? There's a lot of attraction and a lot of anxiety to navigate.

It has to be all in the choices and the applications: educational technology comes in many forms. Some are useful and some are emphatically not. Some can be used creatively and with original thinking; some cannot. It doesn't help that this is a powerful, multi-billion dollar industry with a lot at stake, and the research is conflicting and flawed by self-interest. Here's an insightful New York Times article that describes some of the vagaries of educational software research.

At Summers-Knoll we'll continue to be wary. We'll avoid technology with the younger children. We'll choose software with the older students that demands independent thought, analysis and creativity. And we'll continue to watch and question.

Wild Swan Theatre

2011-10-17T12:37:00.002-04:00

This morning I stopped by the WIld Swan rehearsal space and watched the actors brushing up on their current play, "Once Upon a Time". I was struck all over again by the magic, not just of these high-energy, charismatic actors, but also of the mirror-acting done by the sign language interpreter. She acts alongside the regular actors, using body, face and movement as well as hand signs to express the words and characters of the play, so that children who have hearing problems can engage with the action of the plot without having to look to the side of the stage for the sign interpretation. It's fascinating to watch. It's also a great message of inclusiveness for hearing kids.

Here's information about "Once Upon a TIme":

Once Upon a Time
Family friendly, for Pre-K and up!
Thursday, October 20, 10:00am
Friday, October 21, 10:00am and 1:00pm
Saturday, October 22, 11:00am

Wild Swan Theater opens its 32nd Anniversary Season of bringing the finest theater to Michigan's families with Once Upon A Time, an engaging collection of classic stories and songs!

Once Upon a Time offers three familiar and friendly tales, imaginatively staged, and is the perfect introduction to theater for young children, ages 3-9. In true Wild Swan style, three performers (Sandy Ryder, Jeremy Salvatori, and Michelle Trame Lanzi) and musician David Mosher create all the magic inherent in these timeless stories, making this first time theater experience unforgettable. Jamie Fidler, an American Sign Language Performer, rounds out our cast.

This lively and fast paced production begins with a sweet and funny version of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” Children will delight in the telling of "The Billy Goats Gruff" where the silly but very hungry troll is outwitted by three clever mountain goats.

“Reynard the Fox,” the second story in this collection, provides ample opportunity for audience participation. The children become Reynard’s shadow and echo, giving him all he needs to trick his animal friends. This delightful story ends with the audience getting a chance to trick Reynard!

Our final story is the classic tale of “The Three Little Pigs.” These are some spunky pigs that enjoy riling up the wolf. The three houses that each pig builds are beautifully and magically created, helping to make this story fun and funny at the same time.

Live music arranged and performed by David Mosher heightens the beauty, suspense, and humor inherent in these timeless tales. Besides playing throughout the stories, he also plays several songs which tell wonderful stories on their own. We are honored to have David who has been named “Outstanding Acoustic Instrumentalist” several years running by Detroit Metro Times.

Jamie Fidler’s signing is seamlessly woven into the action, adding another layer of clarity and depth to the stories while bringing the beauty of sign language to our stage. Backstage '"touch tours" and audio-description are available for blind audience members. Please call (734) 995-0530 for reservations for these services.

This production is part of Wild Swan Theater’s “Kid’s Classic Series” for ages 3-9. Our Classic Series introduces young theater goers to the joys of live theater. Gently told tales in a story-theater style provide first time audiences with the thrill of seeing favorite stories come to life with easy to follow plots, lively staging and physical humor, imaginative costumes and props, and many opportunities for audience participation.

Tickets $12 for adults, $8 for children and seniors
Discounts available for groups of 10 or more; $3 lap passes available for patrons under 2 years of age.
Purchase and Information: (734) 995-0530 or www.wildswantheater.org
Accessibility reservations: (734) 995-0530
Wheel chair seating
American Sign Language Interpreting
Audio-Description and Backstage Touch Tours
All performances at Towsley Auditorium, Morris Lawrence Building, Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Drive.

the value of play

2011-10-15T18:04:00.002-04:00

When I was a child, I spent hours and hours building houses out of branches and leaves and "living" in them. I dressed up continually, trying on different personalities from different times and places, many of them not real to anyone but me. I made potions out of flower petals and rainwater, and whole worlds out of moss and twigs and tiny plants. I spent a huge amount of time outdoors, alone and with friends, with no play set but the trees and grass of the common area that backed my family's yard.

Watching our children at Summers-Knoll when they play in our playground or in the woods of County Farm Park takes me right back there. The games that the older children have been playing over at their temporary digs at the Good Shepherd are endlessly fascinating. They have no slide, no swing set, just a rather intriguing space with grass, paths and a wildish area of native plants and marshy ground. The children -all of them- have turned it into a complex system of real estate which they buy and sell, rent and share in nuanced and ever-changing ways. The lack of a formal play structure is as nothing in the face of their blazing imagination.

Here's an article from The Atlantic, giving yet another reminder of the importance of play to developing minds. Enjoy.

Exploration Block Class Descriptions: Fall 2011

2011-10-15T10:56:00.001-04:00

Please note that, for this EB session only, the younger children and the older children will have separate EBs at different times. Next time (in the new building) we will have more flexibility to offer wider choices where appropriate. Horse riding will be offered again in the spring for the younger children specifically.

Grades K-2
Wednesdays 9 a.m.-10 a..m.

Pasta, Fried Rice and Matzoh Balls
Food, Culture and Traditions of Immigrants in America (Mrs. Carpenter)
Cooking! Based on the book of the same title, this EB will focus on the traditional food of various groups who came to this country between 1565 and 1921. This will be a combination of a history class and cooking class. Each week will focus on one immigrant group: reasons they chose America to be their home, the challenges they faced, and the special gifts they brought with them from their home country. We will cook and sample one dish each week. Please note that this EB is NOT suitable for children with gluten or dairy allergies.

Robotics (Dr. George)
LEGO! We’ll be sampling activities from The LEGO® Education WeDo™ Robotics Construction Set. This is an easy-to-use set that introduces young students to robotics when combined with the LEGO Education WeDo Robotics Software v.1.2 and Activity Pack (900097). We’ll be trying out building LEGO models featuring working motors and sensors; programming their models; and exploring a series of theme-based activities.. Exactly what we do will depend on the children and the ideas we choose to follow.

Silkscreening with Andy Warhol (Val)
We’ll be taking a look at some of Andy Warhol’s art and his use of silk screening techniques. We will study color, layering, patterning in design and we’ll produce a piece of finished work. This may be a group project or individual, depending on the interests and aptitudes of the children, and our work may be used for a fundraiser or as decor for our new building! A visit to a silk screening company will be scheduled.

Pen Pals in Korea (Marshall)
Students will dive into the Korean classroom by learning basic greetings, culture, and customs. We will learn what it is like to be a student in Korea. The final project will be to write letters to Korean students who are learning English at schools in the Republic of Korea. Students will build relationships with people from around the world, and also practice communication skills at student-appropriate levels. (Kids who are not yet writing will be given scribe support from another student or the teacher.)

Grades 3-6
Wednesdays 12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m.

Horsing Around! (Shan)
Get out your boots, we are headed out to the farm. Join me as we take our weekly trip to Corner Stone Too Acres... We will be learning all about horses: anatomy, cleaning the stalls, cleaning the saddles, feeding, grooming, as well as riding. The goal of this class is to give your child the knowledge and skill set to do well with horses. Horse riding helps develop self-confidence, empathy, a sense of pride and accomplishment. Please see attached guidelines. Please note that there is a $45 fee for this class.

Hip Hop Lives (Chris)
In this EB class, we will be studying hip hop music and culture. Students will learn the origins of the culture and explore the key elements, including MCing, DJing, Breaking, and Graffiti. Students will practice listening and collaboration skills as they compose original rhymes and beats. Movement will be incorporated into the class as students learn traditional hip hop dance routines. Fine motor skills will be honed as students examine different graffiti styles and work on crafting a style of their own.

Fine Art/Fabrication Workshop (Mr. B)
Students will be introduced to a variety of fine art techniques including book making/binding, balsa wood India ink drawing, and flute making. Students should have some experience using common art materials and have well developed fine motor skills for handling small & sharp objects.

the right to study math

2011-10-12T23:21:00.005-04:00

I stopped by Chris's classroom at the start of the day, just in time to see him become the least popular teacher in the school for about ten hair-raising seconds. Kids stared at him in horror.

"No math?"
"Why can't we have math?"
"OK, but we still want math."
"But I love math!"

No matter that the reason for the loss of math was that Nate Ayers, who is leading the class in an amazing exploration of permaculture, was coming in to work with them. No matter that they are truly riveted and inspired by that work. Math is math. You just can't deprive a girl (or boy) of her sacred right to do multiplication.

That's one of the reasons I love SK kids. Just sayin'.

overcoming adversity

2011-09-26T16:34:00.004-04:00

One of the toughest things parents struggle with is allowing their children to exist in situations which are uncomfortable for them. It's hugely anxiety-producing, and the natural desire of a loving mother or father is to dash in and resolve the difficulty, save the child and create a happy experience where there was distress. We want to protect our babies. We also don't really trust that they have the strength of resilience to cope. One of the hardest lessons we, as parents, have to learn is when to allow the child to work their own way through a difficult time and come through it on their own terms. It can be agonizing.
This article is the story of one parent's agony in this kind of circumstance. It's a great read. I hope you enjoy it and take comfort from it. Our children are strong and brave and resourceful. The future is bright.

Talking with children about sex

2011-09-25T18:12:00.002-04:00

Today I sent out a message to the parents of our oldest students concerning the natural and normal talk about sexuality that children this age need to explore. This reminded me that it's a subject all parents need to consider. There is an on-going conversation that happens between you and your child, from the very early questions right the way through to adulthood. I want to encourage all of you to listen to, discuss with and guide your children as they grow.

This web site may be a good resource for you. It has a tab that goes through appropriate subject matter at different developmental stages, as well as other tabs for useful resources. (It is simply a suggestion, one of a host of web sites online.) Please remember that children develop in different ways and not everyone has reached the same stage at the same time. Be sensitive to whatever stage your own child has reached.

Even if your child is very young and you feel that this is way too early to begin to talk about such things, I encourage you to consider it. It is much, much easier to have the more intense conversations later if you've already established an open communication and a foundation with your child from an early age. It's also worth remembering that there is no way to prevent peer to peer talk from happening, or the spread of information (correct, partially correct, or totally misunderstood). It's a natural and normal part of the growing up process. What is important is that you should be part of the conversation. While I know that those of you with older children have probably been doing this at an age-appropriate level for some time, I want to encourage you to talk with your child and make sure that his or her thinking on this subject is approached in a way that you are comfortable with. It's important that you listen to your child, and help him or her to a healthy, positive, respectful start to thinking about this sensitive subject. Again, the web site has a suggested list of appropriate subject matter for different ages.

This can be a fascinating and joyful process with your child. Enjoy it.

September 11th, 2011

2011-09-11T11:02:00.001-04:00

Peace to everyone on this day and for the year to come.

Welcome to the New School Year!

2011-09-02T14:21:00.003-04:00

Here we are at the beginning of September already! This is going to be a year of adventures - we have new faculty and many new families joining us (WELCOME, everyone!!), we will be moving to a gorgeous new building, and we are kicking off our new, shiny middle school programs under the expert leadership of 5th/6th grade teacher Mark Benglian (Mr. B.).

Just to remind us all what it is that makes us special, we were recently awarded a Bezonki Award by the Ann Arbor Chronicle. What is a Bezonki Award, you may ask? Read here to find out more. It was awarded to SK "in recognition of their willingness to embrace and explore the unknown with creativity and good humor. When confronted with something that can seem baffling – like the inscrutable Bezonki! – they approach it with curiosity and see its potential. This is a skill and attitude that, when applied to civic affairs, serves our community well."

What a charming encapsulation of SK students and teachers, and their attitude and approach!

See you all on Tuesday!

Goodbyes and Hellos

2011-06-10T21:30:00.002-04:00

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to some of the much-loved, much-admired and hugely appreciated teachers who have worked with us in recent years. Renata McAdams, I can't tell you how much we will miss you. I can't even bear to think about it. Jan Biliti, Ruth Marks, Jesse Metcalf-Burton, your talent and warmth has enriched us so much. You will always have a special place in our hearts. All of us at Summers-Knoll wish you all an absolutely wonderful future, whether it holds retirement, a move to a different state or a different focus of career. Stay in touch.

And simultaneously it's very exciting to be able to welcome new faculty. Again, we have been amazingly fortunate in the people who have chosen to come and work with us at our school. Mark Benglian, Chris Swinko, Val Tibbs-Wynne, George Albercook, Cara Talaska, Tracy Gallup - I feel indescribably lucky and honored to have teachers of your caliber and commitment joining our team. You are an inspiring bunch!

It's hard to say goodbye to wonderful friends and colleagues. The consolation is that next year is looking amazing.

Poems for the Graduates

2011-06-08T18:18:00.004-04:00

Today we marked the passage from elementary to middle school for our 4th and 5th graders (our new middle school starts at 5th grade this coming fall). As always, I wrote each student a poem to mark this transition in their lives. Here they are!

ERIN

Erin
Listens to a fairy tale
And hears a story of social justice,
Human rights,
A call to action.

Erin
Writes a fairy tale
With words she found one day
At the end of a rainbow.

Erin
Has a heart that catches fire
And a spirit that snatches words
Out of the wind.

ALEC

To Alec
The world is an endless place of discovery.
He wants to see it,
Be there, explore,
Taste it.
New flavors bursting on the tongue.
Capture it, keep the recipe,
Recreate it.
Share it with friends.

For Alec,
A book is an endless place of discovery,
He enters it,
Explores it, lives it,
Tastes it like a sunburst on the tongue
Of his imagination.

My wish for Alec:
May you meet all your adventures
With this same curiosity and joy.
May the flavors be exciting
And different
In ways that explode in ideas
In your amazing brain.
And then, may you write it all into a book
So that other Alecs
Can share the endless discovery
That is your path through life.

TRENT

Trent is an old style warrior.

He can be a knight in shining armor
Upon a noble steed.
Tell him the tale of the unfortunate child
Lost in the woods
Harassed by wolves
And Trent rides over there in a heartbeat.
The wolves run for cover.
The child is saved.
Trent rides on to the next adventure.

Sometimes he is a Jedi.
He solves problems from afar,
Sending the Force of his personality
To end conflict,
Calm strife.

And sometimes he’s a Visigoth,
A Vandal or a Hun,
Joining a barbarian horde
To overrun civilization
And laugh in the face of his enemies.

He is practicing for the day
When he becomes
The champion of the world
The peacemaker of the ages
The standard-bearer of justice.

ATTICUS

The world is an electrical circuit board
And the power source is
Atticus’s brain.

The world is a gigantic robot.
Atty holds the
Remote control.

The world is a computer
Busy calculating
The reasons for
Right
And Wrong.
Atticus programs the computer
And manages the data.

When Atty talks
Lights light up,
Beepers go beep
Gears whirr
And ideas connect to ideas that lead to ideas
And the electric circuitry of the world
Hums to life.

SAUL

Saul is precise.
He explores the jungle of the world
Carefully, on paths he has
Laid out
With thought
And clarity.

Step by step
He overcomes the jungle,
Laying the next length of path
Pushing further into
The tangled bewilderment of vines.

Saul comes to a thicket
He cannot see within.
But he knows there is a tiger,
He is sure there is a tiger
And maybe it’s the kind
Of tiger that
Breathes fire.

That’s pretty scary stuff. Even the tiger is scared.

Saul points out the path to the tiger.
He points out the path to the thicket.
He points out the path to the jungle.

This is the path
Of order and clarity.
This is the path
Of knowledge and understanding.
On this path
Are justice and peace.

One day Saul will make a map
Of the paths he makes,
He will step into the jungle
With his map in his pocket
Off the track
Off the trail
Into the wild places.
Knowing where the paths are, knowing where the stars are,
He will find his way
With the tiger by his side.

LYDIA

Lydia draws a horse
And it takes off at a gallop.
It has a wild mane and tail
That tangle with the wind.
Grace and power swirl from her pencil point.

Lydia holds grace and power
In her heart.
The horse that leaps from her pencil
Runs in her bloodstream
And races across the open spaces
Of her imagination.

Run with the horse, Lydia.
You are as swift.
Go where the horse goes.
She will be your guide.
Let your wildness tangle in the wind:
The horse will show you how.

MAX

Max
Lives in an origami maze
Of his own making
More complex than ordinary mortals
Could ever comprehend,
Cunning beyond belief.

It is folded in patterns
Based on mathematical principles
That have yet to be discovered
By the world at large.

Only in Jesse’s class are these concepts known.

There is
An entire city folded
Within the paper labyrinth.
A paper White House holds
The quarters of the President.
(Max.)
The Defense Secretary (Max)
Has luxurious accommodations
Nearby,
As do the Chief of Police (Max)
The Supreme Professor of Shakespeare (Max)
And the CEO of the Humane Society for the Protection of Skeletal Devils
(also Max).

These multiple Maxes are also a result
Of mathematical discoveries
In Jesse’s class.

Sometimes they all get together
And go over to Danny’s house
For a pillow fight.

And sometimes they stop and listen
To the sound of paper folding
As the origami maze
Grows
And grows
And grows
In its quest to take over the world.

DANNY

If the world were made of pillows
Danny would be free
To go swimming in the billows
Of a pillow-crested sea.

He’d have a house built snugly
Of pillow walls and floors
He’d welcome friends in smugly
Through the soft, inviting doors.

Each one would have a weapon,
An instrument of doom
Made out of silk and feathers.
They’d gather in a room

And a challenge would be given
And they’d smite with cushy blows
And their pillows would be driven
Like marshmallows at their foes.

And when they were exhausted
With laughter and with war
They’d collapse upon their pillows
And they’d all begin to snore.

And outside the pillow cloudlets
High in the gentle sky
Would tear open their covers
And feather snow would fly.

LUKAS

Lukas plays the violin.
Music comes out of his fingers like ribbons
that wind and float and weave
they get inside children’s heads and make patterns
and the children start to work.

Ink factory. Get leaves, get berries, water.
Smush. Mix. Add more berries.
Sunlight slants through the trees like the high pure sound
of a violin.

Lukas plays. Running like the rippling notes
of an arpeggio,
Calling to friends with melodic rise and fall,
organizing funerals,
all in black,
or playing wedding marches
on his violin.

Lukas plays the violin,
like he was born to do it.
His soul comes out to play
and makes magic happen.

Special Exception accepted for our new building

2011-05-23T12:02:00.002-04:00

The City Planning Commission meeting where the Special Exception permit was approved for our new school building on Platt Road has been written up by the Ann Arbor Chronicle. If you are intrigued by the behind-the-scenes details, you can read the article here.

RIght now, the building is undergoing inspections (including environmental) and we are in the process of planning the phasing of the renovations with our architects, Brad and Theresa Angelini. I'll keep you posted!

Happy Birthday, Fran!

2011-05-21T12:27:00.002-04:00

Today is Fran Loosen's birthday. Fran is our Board President, and has played a hugely significant role in moving the school forward both in terms of its actual physical growth and move to a new building and in her support for the Summers-Knoll culture and philosophy. It's hard to imagine a more perfect person in this role at this time. Today, on her birthday, I want to celebrate Fran's presence and involvement in the school and the amazing gift that her energy and intelligence has been to us.

Thank you, Fran. May your birthday bring you blessings you have not even dared to imagine.

Happiness and Kindness: what is important?

2011-04-12T09:16:00.005-04:00

I'd love you to read this article (link at the end of the post), written on a subject that is very close to my heart. Loving a child is a difficult process, being caught between that fierce sense of protectiveness and the desire to have the small person grow up into a compassionate, useful, loving member of a healthy society.

It can be particularly hard for new parents, or parents of only children, because when the child is very young they are still in the developmental phase of seeing the world as revolving completely around them. As they move out of that phase and start to empathize and understand the concept of other people being equally valid as human beings, they run into problems of perspective. What is fair? What is kind? It's crucial that as the child emerges into the new developmental phase we allow them to learn. If we continue to insist that nothing interferes with their sense of primary entitlement and importance, we stunt their development. Of course it's not an either/or situation. All of us try to encourage empathy as well as try to give our child affirming, joyful experiences. But where does joy really come from? Getting that trophy whether you deserve it or not? Or finding a way to relieve another person's suffering? Let's find the deeper, richer ways to find and affirm our children's sense of presence in the world. What do you think?

Click here for the New York Times article.

Our thoughts are with Japan

2011-03-13T11:16:00.003-04:00

At this time of anxiety for the Japanese families and friends of our school community, I know you will join me in sending love, sympathy, hope and energy to everyone who has been touched by the disaster. Our own Penny Corbett, the SK business manager, has family and friends in Tokyo, and I'm including a link to her personal blog here as she has shared some stories of experiences from Japan that are moving and hopeful. The Japanese people are behaving with such dignity and mutual support, it's humbling. See Penny's blog here. Thank you for sharing, Penny.

middle school program planning

2011-02-03T11:07:00.002-05:00

On Monday the faculty had an amazing planning day, thanks to the generosity and talent of Anne Leo, who organized a fantastic day of learning on the theme of Mardi Gras for our students, and freed up the teachers to spend the day working and developing programs together.

We met at the beautiful Common House at Sunward Co-Housing, a space that was provided by George Albercook, who lives in the co-housing community. (More about George in a minute.) The common house is a lovely space, buttery yellow inside with a sense of sunshine everywhere. We spent the morning refreshing and revitalizing our collective understanding of what project-based learning looks like; how it works, what it does, how students engage with it, what our goals are, and how it develops from kindergarten up to the programs we are building at middle school level. The afternoon was spent designing sample interdisciplinary projects. In between we talked excitedly over lunch and returned to find the amazing Jesse, not content with being a brilliant math teacher, dancer and singer, playing the piano in a side room. So a few minutes there just to listen and enjoy the sweetness.

The whole process of designing the middle school curriculum (and consequently revisiting the elementary curriculum and ensuring that the two truly enrich each other) has been an exercise in inspiration for me. I have been having more fun than I can describe. The experience with the faculty on Monday was pure joy. I went home at the end of the day just melty with gratitude that I am able to work with these brilliant, dedicated, adventurous people. The energy and wisdom they brought to the process was phenomenal. Listening to Ruth, Jan and Elaine throwing ideas around for an approach to Reflections Night that takes it to a whole new level of student involvement and ownership, watching Renata, Shan and Imogen synthesizing the beauty and history of language with a scientific approach to physical activity, hearing George Albercook and guest Monique Sluymers expound with passion on the subject of progressive education and the constructive, powerful ways we can implement and assess it, engaging the students actively at every level - all these experiences left me amazed at the good fortune that brought all these people together.

It was an enormously productive day. I want to thank everyone who was a part of it: the fabulous team led by Anne Leo that made it possible by providing a great day of activities for the students; the brilliant faculty who poured their ideas and energy into it; and all the network of people (from EMU faculty to other heads of school to parents to students to alumni to professional consultants) who have been helping me envision, design, think through, develop and probe the details of our new middle school programs. I am grateful to all of you for the gifts you bring.

Moments

2011-01-05T08:05:00.002-05:00

From time to time tiny moments stop me in my tracks. Even after all these years of working with children, the 'awww' moments are as powerful as ever. This morning it was Laurea in morning care. She had found a book and was standing leaning up against a countertop reading. People talked to her and she simply didn't notice. It's not unusual - children do get completely absorbed in books. But it gave me one of those heart-rushes all over again.

A few weeks ago it was Renata with her class on the bus. I was driving them back from a field trip (Carolina Chocolate Drops - amazing!) and Renata started explaining something from the Mahabharata to one of the students. One thing led to another, and very quickly all the kids were hushed and rapt, listening to her tell the story of the prince who saved a woman from an unhappy marriage and how that led to her implacable hatred of him. I was rapt too. But what stayed with me was the breathless attention of the children listening to a Hindu epic on a bus.

Andrew put me completely beside myself yesterday as he asked Susan if he was allowed to go out for recess. With this one it's hard to explain, but I came over all weak at the combination of his bundled-up-winter-gear adorability, his little face with the hat on and his soft-spoken politeness as he asked permission. I think maybe you had to be there.

And then there was the rush of excitement as children checked the EB lists and we heard 'Yes! I'm in Calligraphy!", or "Yes! First choice! Winter Sports!" or "I'm writing the book!" again and again. It makes me teary when they show so exuberantly how much they love what they're doing.

OK, enough with the display of emotion. But I do want to say again, thank you for sharing your children with us. We all love them very much.

Annual Campaign!

2010-12-09T13:42:00.005-05:00

In morning meetings, or even just standing in the passageway as children come in, I often feel a pair of small arms circle my legs, or a small body lean up against mine. I look down, and the person smiles up at me, or just gazes off into the middle distance while we hug. It might be Sophie, Arwyn, Adrian or Emma. It might be Arnav or Nilay. It might be Sydney. Old as she is, sometimes it's Melissa. You just never know.

These children are so special to me, and to all of us here. From the oldest children (who wouldn't be caught dead hugging the head of school any more) to the little brothers and sisters of our students who so often join us for the first few minutes of the day - all these people are individually and uniquely important to us. And the community of families we have is so appreciative and warm this year, it's an amazing feeling of privilege to me to work with you all. The whole atmosphere of the school is one of energy and love.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for being part of our school. Thanks to all of you who have made the first, amazing donations to the annual fund. I appreciate it so much. We need the support of all our families -it's great to know that we are all working together for the benefit of the children.

A couple of points to clarify: Summers-Knoll is a non-profit organization so your donation is 100% tax-deductible. If you want to claim it in your next tax return you need to make your donation before December 31st. (That would be wonderful for us too!) If you want to leave it till the New Year, you can still claim it the following year.

Thank you again to those of you who have already given - and thanks in advance to everyone else who will be participating in this campaign! This is a crucial way to keep the school healthy and moving forward in the best way for our children. I am so grateful to all of you for understanding that and stepping forward so willingly to offer your support.

The Benefits of Imperfection

2010-12-01T13:39:00.003-05:00

I remember when my first child was born. He was so perfect, so tiny, so vulnerable, and he needed me 100%. Now look at him - an enormous eighteen-year-old with talents, brilliance, geeky charm and a whole range of complications that I certainly never planned for him. There's a huge desire when we are parents to control our children's lives so that they will never have to deal with fear, pain, disappointment, unfairness, or any of the other scratchy problems that this world offers us from day to day.

Unfortunately, that's life. It's part of the human experience. It's not possible to avoid it, and if it were it's surely not desirable. Our capacity for happiness is deepened by our capacity for sorrow. Our empathy for others comes from an understanding of what it means to suffer. Without experience of disappointment, triumph is a shallow thing. Every child has a journey to go on, and as parents and educators we need to be able to celebrate the milestones of these developing minds as they learn to tackle life with all their emotions engaged. Learning to negotiate the rapids now will give them tools and strength to cope with the avalanches and earthquakes that are inevitably going to shake them up later in life.

Click here for a great article, and wonderful food for thought. Enjoy the read!

A tip from Love and Logic

2010-10-27T13:31:00.003-04:00

Periodically I get messages from the Love and Logic Institute, some of which are invitations to events or updates about publications, and some of which are tips to pass on to parents. The one that came today seemed useful to me as we all strive to help our children grow up honest and honorable. We use a lot of Love and Logic at SK, and I am passing this advice on to you as one way to communicate our approach and share it with our families.

"There are few things that leave parents angrier, or more worried, than when their kids act "truthfulness-challenged." The good news about lying is that kids do it. What I mean is that all youngsters experiment with bending the truth, and it doesn't necessarily mean that they'll end up becoming con men, criminals or politicians. That is, as long as we can help them see that honesty really is the best policy.

One way of achieving this goal is to apply the following steps:
Use "I feel like you lied to me" rather than "You lied to me."

If your kid replies with "No, I didn't!" this allows you to say, "I know…but I feel like you did."

Help the child see lying as an index of maturity.

Achieve this by saying, "When I feel lied to, it makes me wonder whether you are mature enough to handle some of the privileges you enjoy around here, like television, your video games, and things like that."

In an empathetic way, let the child know that privileges will return when maturity goes up.

"The good news is that when you can prove to me that you are more mature, I'll know that it's time for you to have these privileges again."

Remember that parenting isn't like a jury trial: There's no need to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Far too many parents get snowed by their manipulative kids and begin to wonder whether they are jumping to conclusions. I recommend trusting your heart and saying, "All I know is that I feel lied to, and I know that your life will be a lot happier if you learn how to avoid leaving people feeling that way."

More information at www.loveandlogic.com.

An Empathic Civilization

2010-09-17T18:55:00.003-04:00

If you have a few minutes, please take the time to listen to this, and think a bit about what we are all striving for with the children - community, global empathy, the future. It's a lot of fun to listen to and watch, as well as being thought-provoking. Find it here.

The Land of Oz

2010-09-16T17:32:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our new and returning families!

Here's an opportunity to kick off the year, and a little background on it.

This October Renata's class will be partnering with students from the U of M's Residential College to work in the woods of County Farm Park on defining and creating spaces for inspiration and imaginary play. This will be done under the aegis of Elizabeth Goodenough, author of 'Secret Spaces of Childhood' and the documentary 'Where do the Children Play?' (Of course, I am hugely excited by this - it's another great project that our kids get to be part of through our relationships at the U of M, and another chance to connect them with learners and thinkers in the wider community.)

Another project loosely linked to this is a series the RC is doing based around the novel 'The Wizard of Oz', which Renata is also reading with her class right now (no coincidence). A series of panel discussions will be held at the RC on various Oz-related topics. I'll send an email with a flyer listing them, but the one I'd particularly like to draw your attention to is the one on October 14th:

Fearless Girls, Other Worlds: OZ in the Land of Children's Literature

"More than a century after its first publication, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ continues to inspire contemporary children's fiction writers to create distinctly American heroes on travels of self-discovery in fantastical, but very real, lands. Come join our discussion as we examine OZ's ongoing influence on the landscape of children's fiction with Jack Zipes, Professor of German at the University of Minnesota Emeritus, an acclaimed translator and scholar of children's literature and culture; Jennifer Allison, author of the GILDA JOYCE: PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR series for young adults; and Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College Professor of Visual Arts at the University of Maryland, a journalist and international lecturer on children's literature and culture."

This is a great way to look deeper into this book and some of the ideas it presents, and through that to support your child's reading and help take it further. This is obviously of particular benefit right now to parents of students in Renata's class, but all and any of you may read, or may have read the Wizard of Oz with your child, and may be interested in this program.

I hope to see you there!

Graduation

2010-06-09T22:38:00.002-04:00

Our two wonderful 5th graders graduated today. They are both moving on to Greenhills School. They will be much missed. I find it hard to imagine Summers-Knoll without them.

The performance that was presented by students in honor of Graduation was sweet, funny, erudite and adorable. From Shakespeare to Calvin and Hobbes to Winnie the Pooh, the students put their hearts and considerable talents into their performance. Thanks to all who took part! And thanks to Renata and Elaine for guiding and supporting them.

In keeping with tradition, I wrote a poem for each of our graduates. Here they are:

Maria’s Poem

I want to tell you something
Of a place that I have seen;
It’s a warm and shining country
Where Maria is the queen.

The sea is gold and sapphire,
The shore is jewel-bright,
The forests full of creatures,
The hills are full of light.

And on a mountain summit
Sits Maria, crowned with flowers,
And she gives her minions orders
For hours and hours and hours.

Her temper is volcanic
But her joy is like the sun;
When she’s sad there’s a tornado,
When she laughs the stars have fun.

Maria is Maria,
And she is all our own.
Even though she is a queen
Upon a mighty throne.

Michael’s Poem

Michael steers his ship
Carefully through complex waters.
He navigates the syllables
Of fiendishly elaborate
Words and phraseology.
His ship slides easily
Through mathematical rapids
And negotiates with whirlpools of work
And academic waterspouts.
Mike’s ship conquers all
Because he designed it himself
And built it
With the lumber of his brain and the fabric of his heart.
His own hands formed it:
A ship like no other
That will cruise uncharted waters
With unshaken calm and skill.
Take your ship far, Mike,
But stop by our port again.
We will be watching for your sail.

Human flourishing in education

2010-05-25T21:04:00.003-04:00

Sir Ken Robinson has done it again. A while back I linked to a talk he did for TED: here is another. At one point he talks about 'human flourishing' and I couldn't help but think about Eudaimonia, and why we chose that word for our event name. I encourage you all to click here and listen to what he has to say. (He is a great speaker - entertaining as well as thought-provoking!) Enjoy!

The Human Development Index

2010-05-17T10:13:00.005-04:00

For when you have a few moments to reflect… What is HDI and why should we be pondering it?

I just read a New York Times article that questioned whether GDP, Gross Domestic Product, is an accurate way to capture the health and progress of a country. We hear GDP a lot; it’s simply a sum of all economic activity. But it ignores some of the important factors which contribute to quality of life, such as education and health. How could a more encompassing quality of life, health of a nation, be measured?

Well, check out HDI – the Human Development Index, a model being used by the United Nations. Reading the article caused me to reflect on what’s important and how it can be measured. Of course, I thought about schools too. What would a Human Development Index for a school look like? What should be measured and how should it be measured?

What do you think?

New web site!

2010-05-10T16:28:00.006-04:00

Our new web site is live! This is hugely exciting to me, for a number of reasons.

We now have a web site that reflects the spirit of our school. The old one was functional and informative; this one takes it to a new level in the way it communicates the philosophy, community spirit and pedagogical approach we embrace.

The process of creating the site has been inspiring. I am enormously grateful to Linette Lao (Clementine's mother) and Anjanette Bunce for their tireless work designing and building the site. Their understanding of the things that make our little school important and special radiates from their work. Leisa Thompson, the photographer, also made a special connection with our school, and you can see the results of it in the luminous images she has captured.

I think both Fran and I have benefited also from the reflective process of writing the copy. I know I have. It is re-invigorating to spend so much time sitting with the ideas and ideals that underlie our work, and weighing the language that communicates them.

Maybe the most exciting thing to me was the input of our community - the parents who talk to us constantly, especially those of you who shared your thoughts at the community meeting, the faculty who are the living flame of our pedagogy, the board members who are so supportive and passionate about our mission, alumni who have offered help and who remember us so warmly, the friends who have become linked to the school through all kinds of different projects and have lit up in appreciation of the work they have seen - all of you have had a significant impact on the way this site has evolved. I am grateful to all of you.

Go take a look! And while you're at it, follow us on Twitter and join our Facebook page. Let's celebrate SK!

Standards and Accountability - what are they really for?

2010-04-30T20:59:00.005-04:00

I'm catching up on my reading, and came across an article in the Washington Post that makes some interesting points about the direction education, or at least publicly funded education, is taking. The quote below particularly resonated with me.

"When did we abandon our belief that educating wasn’t about filling industry job slots but about exploring the dimensions and potential of humanness?"

I'd be interested to hear what you make of it. To read it, click here.

Something to ponder

2010-04-15T13:01:00.004-04:00

An interesting quote from Judith Browne-Dianis came to my attention today, in connection with the suicides of Phoebe Prince and Carl Walker-Hoover after suffering relentless bullying. Judith Browne-Dianis is currently co-director of the Advancement Project, a national civil rights organization in Washington D.C. Her work on discipline policies in public schools has received national recognition.

She said: "Misguided use of 'zero tolerance' school discipline and high-stakes testing poses a serious threat to the educational opportunities of America's youth. While they are usually considered separately, these two policies are actually closely related. Together, zero tolerance and high-stakes testing have turned schools into hostile and alienating environments for many of our youth. The devastating end result has been a "school-to-prison pipeline," in which huge numbers of students throughout the country are being pushed out of school and toward the juvenile and criminal justice systems."

I'm sharing this with you because, again, it was a moment of reinforcement for me that at SK we have chosen a strong, positive path for our children. Supporting, nurturing and encouraging on an individual basis, avoiding punitive policies in favor of mediation and respect for all, and in academics avoiding comparative testing as much as possible, have powerful effects on our children's character development as well as their intellectual growth.

More Alumni News - Mathematical Maestro

2010-03-22T21:02:00.003-04:00

Today, the mother of an alum student sent me this account of his continued adventures in the world of mathematics. She asked me to omit names (I don't think she wanted to feel as if she was bragging about her kid in public), but those of you who know him will probably recognize the description. This child was one of those SK kids who was in constant need of challenge and stimulation for his amazing math brain. I am posting his mother's account here, partly in answer to the question I am asked periodically: how will students who are racing in math at SK ever be able to cope with the boredom and repetitiveness of math that is not at their level when they leave? This is a living example of how one family makes it work, taking advantage of the opportunities this wonderful city has to offer, and keeping their astonishing math student inspired and challenged. (It also speaks a little to whether a low-testing environment like SK prepares students for tests after they leave.) The child is in 7th grade. He's an exceptional kid. But all our kids are exceptional, in their varied, different, constantly astonishing and individual ways.

"We've been very blessed that many opportunities have come by since our son became a Davidson Young Scholar (DYS). That includes many scholarship opportunities, as well as opportunities to take Math classes at the University of Michigan. Both his SAT scores (and numerous awards following them) and just being a DYS member have helped a great deal in establishing his credentials, including getting the permission to take U of M's most rigorous & demanding Honors Math program for the Math undergrads. He aced the course last semester, and he's been doing pretty well so far this semester too, and most importantly, he really enjoys the materials and challenges there :)

And yes, he's still currently doing his 7th grade at middle school, and both my husband & I are taking turn to take him to UofM for his classes, then drop him back at school after UofM. It's a lot of work, but luckily, we manage to juggle all these so far with our flexible work hours. We're just extremely thankful that both his homeroom teacher and principal have been extremely flexible and accommodating to allow us 'tweak' so much of his school-day in order to allow him the opportunities to take classes at U of M."

Save the date: Eudaimonia, June 5th!

2010-03-21T21:34:00.002-04:00

Remember Eudaimonia, our fantastic book launch/silent auction fundraiser last May? We are doing it again! We'll be using the same warm and beautiful venue, the Ann Arbor Art Center on Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor. Imagine a beautiful arty building, filled with interesting auction items and a really gorgeous book display, and you and your friends having the time of your lives along with other parents from our school, teachers, alumni parents, and members of the wider community. Last year it was a blast. I'm really looking forward to it. (Note: this is a party for adults and alcohol will be served. Children will need to stay at home.)

(It's called what? Eudaimonia? I hear you ask. What is that word? Eudaimonia (you-day-moan-ia) is a Greek word for happiness, used by Jefferson as the meaning of the pursuit of happiness in the Declaration of Independence. The meaning as he interpreted it is human flourishing, self-actualization, knowing who you are and what you believe and having the courage to live according to your beliefs. We call our event Eudaimonia, because this is the kind of happiness we encourage our children to pursue at Summers-Knoll.)

The children have been working on illustrating another book under the guidance of our own Ruth (this is well on its way to being a tradition). This one is called "Salmon of the Sun", and it is currently at the stage of having illustrations and words put together into book format by the indefatigable James Marks (Amelia's father). Thank you, James! Just like "Moon Wolf" last year, "Salmon of the Sun" will be launched at Eudaimonia, and we will celebrate the creative vision of our amazing children.

Karen Bayoneto is managing the event, and has established a committee of wonderful parents that is currently putting a lot of work into gathering items for a really great silent auction. Last year it was a huge success, with amazing art work, great vacations, wine tasting and all kinds of other goodies. We'll be looking for your help! We all know people, and know people who know people, who could contribute something really fun for this, to make the evening a success and raise funds for the school. A packet will be going home to you from the parent committee for the auction detailing all the ways you can help.

So don't forget! Mark your calendars! June 5th, 7 pm, at the Ann Arbor Art Center! Celebrate our wonderful children, support this great school, and pursue happiness!

Billy Jackson, Alumnus

2010-03-05T15:24:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful surprise this morning. A former Summers-Knoll student came to visit out of the blue! Billy is currently at the University of Michigan majoring in Film with a minor in Mathematics. He had left SK by the time I arrived nearly eight years ago, but we had a lovely time this morning trading stories and looking around the school.

A brief background on Billy: he attended Emerson for Middle School, Pioneer for High School, and now he is at U of M. This is his first year at U of M, but he has entered directly into his Sophomore year because he covered so many accelerated classes at Pioneer, including a bunch of college math and science at U of M alongside college students. ("Math was always what I was best at when I was at Summers-Knoll," he said.)

I asked Billy how he fared with the transition from SK's small, warm environment into the larger schools he attended later. He said that, for him, he felt as if the transitions were stepped really well. From here to Emerson took him to a larger, but still very manageable size. Pioneer was a step up from that, at 3,000 students. U of M has 14,000 students, and he said smilingly that he is perfectly comfortable there.

So why Film? Well, said Billy, he had assumed that he would study Engineering at college level. He is good at math and science, and it seemed the obvious thing to do. But then he took a class in Film, and a passion was born. He lit up when he was talking about it, how it incorporates math, art, technology, philosophy, business, language... "All things I love!" He is writing a screenplay - a cool goal for a math and science guy.

Billy reminisced about various things from SK ("I was a trouble-maker! I spent a fair amount of time in the office getting to know Dr. Cole [the head of school at the time].") He also remembered a particular project - a self portrait with writing that everyone in his class contributed to a class book. I thought it was fitting that a student from this school would remember an expression of the community bonding which has always been so important to us here. "I still have that book," he said.

You may be seeing Billy this summer - he is a Taekwondo instructor and may be training young Jedi to channel the Force at our Star Wars camp - maybe also to make their own original Star Wars movie. He made an instant connection with the kids here at school; it gave me a huge kick to see this former student and our current students chatting together.

Welcome back, Billy! It was wonderful to meet you, and to reconnect with a member of our family in such an delightful and unexpected way.

Progressive Education and Project-Based Learning

2010-01-21T09:59:00.006-05:00

As interested visitors come to look at our school and I walk around with them, looking into classrooms, explaining the way we work at Summers-Knoll, I often find that the conversation turns to the progressive philosophy of the school. It's always inspiring to see people take on the ideas and start to light up as they consider the opportunities that a truly engaged, connected approach to learning could offer their child. Sometimes they are concerned, also. This is an unfamiliar way of doing things to many people. They want to know - rightly - how they can be sure that their child will learn fundamental skills, or be tracked effectively in the learning process.

There's an article I'd like you to read here called Powerful Learning. Click on 'articles' and scroll down to the last one on the page. It describes some of the strategies and benefits that research has identified in the kind of learning we embrace here, much more eloquently than I could. It explains the importance of project-based learning and assessment. It was a welcome reminder to me of why we do things the way we do them, and I hope it will resonate with you too.

While you're there, the site that is hosting the article, the Watershed School site, belongs to an amazing school in Colorado which is the natural high-school big brother of Summers-Knoll. Its philosophy of progressive, community-based learning is deeply in tune with our philosophy here, and the web site does an excellent job of explaining why. If you have time and interest, it's well worth checking it out.

Happy reading!

Reaching out with compassion: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2010-01-12T12:46:00.003-05:00

I want to pass this blog space over to Susan Carpenter for a minute. She and the rest of the faculty have been organizing some community service activities which we want to share with the whole community rather than on a classroom by classroom basis. I am very excited about these projects, both of which are beautifully connected ways to reach out within our school, within our families, and within our wider community to express support and love. My thanks go to our teachers, our students, and you our families, for your warmth and caring efforts.

This is what Susan wrote, to introduce you to the projects she and the other teachers are planning:

"Martin Luther King Jr. Day. is fast approaching, and there are a couple of very special activities afoot. Both projects are a way for children, families, and school to give back to their community, and to promote Dr. King’s message of service and peace.

Our first project is a way to reach out to our neighborhood. In conjunction with Trader Joe’s, Summers-Knoll children will be decorating 50 grocery bags with the theme “I have a dream of peace”. These bags were donated by Trader Joe’s and, after they are decorated, will be given back to the store. They have promised to use these bags during MLK weekend, to spread our dreams of peace to the wider community. Please consider thanking Trader Joe’s by giving them some of your business – and who knows? You may even get your food bagged in one of our masterpieces!

Another, rather larger and wide-ranging, project will involve you more directly. We will be making a school quilt for Project Linus. According to their website:

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:

'First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”

Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.'

Each child will receive a quilt square on Thursday, January 14. Over the weekend, families will be encouraged to do a “Day of Service” by decorating their squares with the theme “family love”. A more detailed note with ideas and inspiration will be attached to your square, but perhaps you could start thinking and talking about this around the dinner table. Later, all the squares will be joined and made into a beautiful quilt, and donated to give comfort to a needy child.

Thank you for being part of our amazing community."

Tears in my Eyes

2009-12-16T09:12:00.002-05:00

Two things happened over the past twelve hours that made me tear up. The first was a Facebook status updated by a Summers-Knoll alumna, saying she 'really kind of misses school the Summers-Knoll way a lot.' It popped up on my Facebook page, and the tears just sprang into my eyes. It means so much that this talented, confident girl who is doing powerful things in her high school career stops and remembers us with the same fondness that we remember and think about her. She may be a Junior in high school, she may be winning prizes and exploring distant horizons, she may be on a fast track to save the world, but she is still our baby. :)

The second time I got misty was just a moment ago when a parent stopped by the office. She told me that she had been chatting with a Greenhills teacher, who brought some of his students here to do a Shakespeare workshop with Renata's class a short while ago. In the course of their chat he said to her, 'That teacher is fabulous, and you should be really happy about what's going on in that school.'

So it's lovely to be reminded that what we do has enduring importance for our children. It's lovely to know that other educators can come into this school and see the vitality and significance of our work. And it's doubly lovely that everyone - our visitors, our students, and you, our wonderful parents, are moved to let us know that you understand and care about the experience the children are having here. Thank you for the vote of confidence.

Thanksgiving is Here, For Sure...

2009-11-23T18:35:00.004-05:00

This was an amazing day; I feel as if everywhere I turn there is kindness, appreciation, honesty, generosity and open-heartedness.

Today marked the first giving to the Annual Fund Campaign, which was launched through the mail last week. Our goal is $70,000 - a bit of a mountain for our little school, but as a percentage it's in line with the goals other school communities need to raise each year, and it's a necessary one at this crucial moment which marks our steps away from years of generous support from the Andrah Foundation. Today I was given checks and pledges exceeding $11,500. Incredible. The response of one family to thanks was this: 'Believe me when I say that sometimes the beauty of this school and its role in our lives brings tears to my eyes as well. So it is an easy thing to do...'

So in one day we are 16% of our way to our goal. And I was reminded today of why we do this, why raising the money is crucial, why these children are so important. Today a seven-year-old asked if he could speak with me, and he laid his thoughts, hopes and fears squarely out before me with trust and faith that we could make things work. Another child talked with me about a struggle she had witnessed, and came to a new realization about her power to make a difference. Both these students talked openly and honestly, putting their points of view fearlessly and listening with open hearts to mine. Our children are not cookie cutter perfect angels, they are complex people exploring the world and their place in it. The joy is that they are in a place where they can do so with the support of a community that loves them. Because of that, they grow up to be complex people who still have open hearts, who still want to make a difference, and who have confidence and self-knowledge to back them up. A couple of weeks ago, one of our alumni went to Washington DC because the high school newspaper she works on was nominated for the prestigious Pacemaker award – the Pulitzer of high school journalism. I watched a pair of Summers-Knoll alumni performing at a local theatre, along with a whole bunch of adult professional actors, and the two of them owned the stage. Their confident mastery of the Shakespearean language and their comfort level with their professional colleagues was consummate. Another won an award in middle school writing last year. Yet another was one of six high school students from across the country to be awarded a spot in the Coast and Ocean Science Training Internship. I could go on, but the point is this: these are people who know they can move mountains, and they CAN - in part at least because they learned to do so here, with small hills that were more their size. They, the past, present and future students of Summers-Knoll, are worth every ounce of energy we give to them day by day. And they are the reason that our Annual Fund goal is worth striving for.

And then (back to my day, here) I got to spend time with a wonderful woman from the University of Michigan whose team is working on a marketing plan for SK. She was incredibly generous-spirited, showing total understanding for why the work we do - progressive, nurturing, flexible education for children with creative minds and unique gifts - is important.

And THEN, back at school, I was faced with Renata (whose talent, energy and love for her students radiate from her) who was asking about a space to perform 'As You Like It'. Now, this was a project with a mind of its own, if ever there was one. Much like Susan Carpenter's students with the plastic bag campaign a couple of years ago, Renata's students have picked up the ball on this and run with it harder and faster and with greater joy than any of us could have anticipated. It has grown from a little dalliance with the Bard to a Play That Needs To Be Performed, and as such, it needs a space. So I picked up the phone and called Deanna at the Kerrytown Concert House and she gave me an incredible and completely unexpected deal. When I tried to thank her she told me how wonderful she thought it would be to have these children and our school community at the concert house (Wednesday December 16th, 7pm, by the way). People are amazing. Our school community is amazing. Our wider community is amazing. Today was amazing, in its parade of wonderful, loving human beings. And guess what, it's Thanksgiving. I could not be more thankful for all of you.

The Play's the Thing...

2009-11-05T17:32:00.004-05:00

I am sitting in the office during aftercare hours, and Ollie G just ran in to let me know that it may be one more minute until the play is ready. (Actually, on second thoughts, he says it might be two more minutes.) He gave me a lovely rhombus of paper, colored brown, to be my ticket.

They are making a puppet show. This all came out of nowhere - Quinn colored an image of the wicked Queen from Snow White, then cut it out and stuck it on a popsical stick to make a puppet. That fired up all the others, and they started work on a Star Wars idea. Erin got a xylophone and started work on learning the Star Wars theme. They have been making character puppets, working on a story, and setting the school alight with single-minded passion ever since. Toussaint is the director, David is the vice-director... (I can't help smiling at that one.)

I just watched Act One... I am having a hard time writing because I am laughing so hard, but (calming myself down here) I have to say that even though the story is hard for an adult to follow, the sheer exuberance of the children is a delight to see. It is very much in rehearsal mode right now, scenery and characters generated as the moment demands, and music improvised to cover a sudden need for an intermission - but the drive and the hunger to create are electrifying. There is an amazing sense of action and stepping into the gap - we need scenery, I'll make it; we need time, I'll play some music; we need more people to run the puppets, can I help?

So, tomorrow they are going to work on rehearsing, and who knows what will happen? All I can say is that I can't wait to find out.

Curious Epicures: The Feast was Fabulous!

2009-10-19T12:46:00.014-04:00

I want to send huge thanks out to all of you who attended or helped with the North African Feast for our Curious Epicures event yesterday. It was a glowing occasion, full of laughter, warm light, mesmerizing music, exotic flavors and aromas, beautiful art and most of all, you. The community of SK families, alumni, friends who were there is very special to me; I can't describe the feeling I get when I think about you all together sharing this amazing experience in support of our kids and our school.

There are many people whose hard work made this event the runaway success that it was. Alex Young, the master chef behind Zingerman's Roadhouse, worked with our children to produce the phenomenal meal and was unfailing sweet, kind, warm, generous, and just plain adorable throughout. Thank you, Alex, for making this such a special experience for these children. I know for a fact that it is a memory they will carry with them. My own two boys have worked with you twice now, and you have semi-divine status.

(So go to Zingerman's Roadhouse, people, and if you see Alex, thank him again. And while you're there, have lunch, or dinner, or coffee - the food is pure poetry.)

Julie Martin provided henna art, and she was the sensation of the evening. Upwards of sixty children surrounded her and she decorated them with elegant, exotic designs, and treated them all with her wonderful, warm, gentle sweetness. If you ever want to treat yourself or your friends to a beautiful henna tattoo, her web site is here. Thank you, Julie!

Laith Alattar played the oud as you might hear it in an Arabian Nights story. Our very own Summers-Knoll children followed with singing, playing and dancing from their North African music classes. The wonderful Jan Biliti led them, and Jesse Metcalf-Burton and Renata McAdams danced sumptuously. It is such a treat to work with faculty that have so many varied and fascinating talents! Thank you, Laith, and thank you to all our children and teachers for the gorgeous entertainment.

Thank you also to our sponsors and donors, who made this event possible. Our deep gratitude goes to the following organizations: please thank them by patronizing their business. You can reach their web sites by clicking on their name:

Eat Local, Eat Natural
Whole Foods
Hillers
Kroger
Mighty Good Coffee
Weber's Restaurant and Hotel
Invisible Engines Design
Main Dish Kitchen
Tantre Farms
Maplewood Lanes
Aladdin's Market (no web site for this one, but it is a great little grocery store at 3188 Packard, Ann Arbor 48108)

And of COURSE, Zingerman's Roadhouse and Arbor Henna.

Huge thanks also to our wonderful volunteers:
Students of Pioneer High School
Christine Moellering
Robbin Hitchins - and the amazing support team she brought with her
Anthony Nitsos
The SK faculty

And last but absolutely not least, I want to give a huge shout-out to the incredible team that brought this whole event together. Heidi Robb, Fran Loosen, Karen Bayoneto, Linette Lao, Ruth Marks - your dynamic energy, constant attention to detail, forward-thinking, ability to collaborate and problem-solve, and fantastic good will and generosity made this event happen. You are the Power team, goddesses all. Thank you so much.

SK Graduate in the News: Congratulations, Katie!

2009-10-14T15:10:00.004-04:00

Sometimes people ask me what happens to our students after they graduate from Summers-Knoll. Of course, they go many and varied routes and do many and varied things, but right now Katie O'Brien, a Summers-Knoll middle school graduate and currently a senior at Community High, is part of a team that works on the Communicator, the Community High School student-run newspaper. Katie and her fellow journalists recently found out that their work is up for the highly prestigious Pacemaker award, and they will be going to Washington DC for the ceremony. As Katie told me, 'We are 1 of 7 news-magazine style school papers up for the Pacemaker award which is considered the Pulitzer of scholastic journalism.' There is an annarbor.com article about it here.

Katie told me how she found out about it:

"A few weeks ago, Tracy, our adviser for Communicator, pulled up the web page for National Scholastic Press Association to talk about our upcoming trip to D.C. There is a convention ever year where they hand out awards. So we are looking through the pages of different awards and when she gets to the Pacemaker she starts scrolling really really slowly then stops and we see the cover of the Communicator and we're all really excited. She had known for a while but was pretending she didn't. It surprised all of us, because the Communicator has never been up for this award! She was a good actress, because some people thought she hadn't known and were asking why NSPA wouldn't contact her."

So, congratulations, Katie! I'm so proud of you! I can't help thinking back to the days of our 'Gorgeous Writing' EBs, when you really started writing with joy. Remember the hot chocolate? Have a great time on your trip to Washington DC, enjoy the awards ceremony - and whether the Communicator wins or not, know that your hard work and creative spirit have paid off and you have made a difference. I can't wait to see what you do next!

'Moon Wolf' update

2009-10-11T13:56:00.002-04:00

I want to share a little bit of news with you about the book our children created last year. Today Susan Carpenter sent me a response from a preschool teacher friend in Boston, to whom Susan had sent 'Moon Wolf' some time ago. She says:

I wanted to let you know that we are introducing our moon curriculum next week and we are using Moon Wolf to do that. We are learning about pumpkins this coming week and then turning to the moon. Rosh Chodesh is a jewish holiday that comes once a month and celebrates the new moon. Thanks for sending the book to me.

Our SK children have created curriculum for children in Massachusetts! One small step in our quest to take over the world. ;)

Preparations for the Summers-Knoll Eco-Fair

2009-10-10T13:25:00.006-04:00

The end of October is approaching fast, and I want to alert you to a great SK tradition: Eco-Fair! This is the Summers-Knoll version of Halloween, and it happens like this.

Between now and October 30th (a Friday) the children need to spend time with you at home, making costumes to wear for our festivities on the 30th. We hugely encourage costumes to be made out of re-used and recycled materials - a big part of this is helping the children understand the fun and satisfaction that can come from earth-friendly practices. It also encourages creative thinking, problem-solving, out-of-the-box (or sometimes inside the box, in the case of Maria's tree costume above) strategizing, as well as a host of practical skills. As you can see from the photos above, pretty much anything can play a role in creating a fun costume - they don't have to be extensive or sophisticated; it's the children's input that makes them special. (I wore a white sheet and was Mount Everest...)

On October 30th, we hold our Eco-Fair. Details will come later through the classroom teachers, but as an overview I can reveal that there will be different stations throughout the school where the children can participate in a range of ecological activities - hands-on making, experimenting, discovering, creating - that encourage the students to think about the value of the natural world and things we can do to help sustain it.

There will be healthy and earth-friendly snacks. If your child has allergies, please send a special treat for him or her on this day.

More information later!

Back to School Picnic

2009-09-13T19:51:00.010-04:00

I don't have space here to do everyone justice, but here are a few snapshots of the day. Happy children...

Happy adults...

Great cookies...

Amazing smiles...

Cool conversations...

New worlds conquered...

New worlds created...

Thanks for a great day!

What a Week!

2009-09-11T21:12:00.010-04:00

I want to thank the Summers-Knoll students all for the joy, the wonder, the enthusiasm, the delight, the friendliness, the thoughtfulness, the wit, the creativity and the love that they lit up the school with this week. I want to thank their parents for joining this amazing community. I want to thank the teachers for the atmosphere of warm, eager, loving exploration that has permeated every homeroom classroom and every specials class. I am so proud that I am part of this school, it's hard to find ways to say it adequately.

Alumni Surprise Visit

2009-09-02T22:32:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the new school year, everyone! It's that time again - goldfinches are at the sunflowers, and the September sunshine feels good. It seems odd that the school year, full as it is with new promise and the certainty of new explorations and adventures, begins as the days start to cool towards winter. But there it is!

The new year was heralded for me by a wonderful, unexpected visit from a bunch (gaggle? horde? What is the correct collective noun?) of Summers-Knoll alumni, who had gathered for an informal party celebrating the rare in-town-ness of our own Jacob Fauman, whose family left SK and Ann Arbor some years ago. They stopped by the school in a drove, amazingly tall and adult-looking, and caused me immense pleasure as they swarmed over the play structures as if nothing had changed except the size. (They would have me believe that it's the school that has shrunk, not they who have grown. They were highly amused by the size of the little chairs they used to sit in all those years ago.) I was so happy to see them all - if you are reading this, people, please come by again. We miss you all, and talk about you often. You are ALWAYS welcome.

And now the little ones are about to arrive, and they will sit on the little chairs, and play on the structures, and everything will seem big to them. Some day I hope they will return as teenagers and laugh together over memories - exciting, hilarious, adventurous - from this year that is about to start.

Eudaimonia - a truly joyful event

2009-05-12T09:48:00.005-04:00

I want to give an enormous shout-out of thanks to all who helped with or attended our wonderful book launch party and fundraising event. It was a genuinely warm, fun, beautiful party, with great food and wine, lovely company, and gorgeous art. Thank you for celebrating with us. This is a small, unique, and very special little school, and I truly appreciate your supportive energy.

Our celebration was also a fundraiser, and it was hugely successful! We raised over $12,000 for school programs and scholarship funds. I'll let you know the exact figure when we have finished processing receipts etc. Thank you for your generosity: I hope you all enjoy the artwork, vacations, spa experiences, children's activities, wonderful food, and other fabulous offerings from the silent auction. I hope you also enjoy sharing our book with your children.

Special thanks for organizational help and amazing hard work go to David Alber, Micky Arvoy, Jan Biliti, Kristen Boudia, Marco Bruzzano, Melissa Bruzzano, Susan Carpenter, Steve Chapel, Sunny Chapel, Julie Cohen, Shan Cook, Kathleen Dergis, Johanna Eriksson, Mark Fancher, Nick Giardino, Imogen Giles, Kim Guziel, Ingrid Kock, Fran Loosen, James Marks, Ruth Marks, Robert Meyer, Christine Moellering, Elaine Neelands, Anthony Nitsos, Miina Ohman, Lisa Ortiz, Will Purves, Paul Resnick, Jeff Rhodes, and Heidi Robb.

Huge thanks and appreciation to the Ann Arbor Art Center, who donated the space for the event.

I also want to thank our wonderful sponsors for their gifts and support. Please support them in return! They are all great businesses, and do fabulous work. Visit their web sites by clicking on the list below:

Ten Thousand Villages
The Affordable Vet (Dr. William MacArthur)
Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Ann Arbor Hands On Museum
The Ark
Cafe Luwak
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore (who is also hosting a Moon Wolf Reading and Book Signing on May 31)
DaVinci's Salon and Gallery
Divers Inc
Findings
Georgetown Country Club
Gym America
Paul Hickman
Huron Valley Tennis Club
Integrative Pediatrics
John J. Boudia, J.D.
Keith Hafner's Karate
Kerrytown Concert House
Rebecca Kurtz
Liberty Spa
Logan
Maplewood Lanes
Marnee Thai Restaurant
Ruth Marks
Morgan & York
Motawi Tileworks
Olga's
Palio's Restaurant
The Peaceable Kingdom
PRP Wine International
Roosroast Coffee
Seva Restaurant
Leslie Sobel
Teahaus
VGKids
Wild Swan Theater
Woman Safe Health Self Care Room

And a final thanks for special donations to our auction to:

Nancy McClain
Police Chief Barnett Jones
Fire Chief Samuel Hopkins
Micky Arvoy
Cesar Bayoneto

Ann Arbor Book Festival

2009-05-12T08:55:00.002-04:00

This coming Saturday, May 16th, is the annual Ann Arbor Book Festival. Summers-Knoll will have a booth, of course - we always do. It's a fun and active way to reach out to the community and show people a little bit of what we do. This year we will have the Moon Wolf book to share, as well as the school information and summer camp brochures that we typically have on hand. It's perfect timing for our little hot-off-the-press publication. We will also have a make-your-own-book activity for children to enjoy. Come by and say hello! Or better yet, volunteer to man the booth for a little while - the more the merrier! We will be outside the Michigan League on N. University, booth # 51 & 52.

Another good reason to come to the book festival is the headliner speaker. The Festival is hosting Dr. Perri Klass as the headliner at 6:30 pm in the Chemistry Auditorium #1800 on N. University. Admission is $5. Information from the book festival director is below.

Perri Klass, M.D., F.A.A.P. is the Reach Out and Read National Center Medical Director. She is a professor of journalism and pediatrics at New York University, where she works in the clinic at Bellevue Hospital. Klass participated in the Early Childhood Cognitive Summits and the Global Literacy Summit at the invitation of First Lady Laura Bush and is currently a member of the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council at the National Institutes of Health, and a member of the Health Literacy Project Advisory Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Klass received her M.D. from Harvard University and completed her training in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital, and in pediatric infectious diseases at Boston City Hospital. She writes the "18 and Under" column for the New York Times.

She is the author of Quirky Kids, Treatment Kind and Fair, and novels and short stories.

Here is a link to the Book Festival website with all of the details:

http://aabookfestival.org/HTML/event_2009_perri_klass.htm

Thanks very much,

Kathy Robenalt

Exec. Director, AABF

Will Purves: 4th/5th grade homeroom teacher

2009-04-25T21:42:00.003-04:00

The other day, I was showing a prospective family around the school and Will's name came up in conversation. 'We've heard of him,' they said. 'Our friend's daughter says he is the best teacher she ever had.'

Will started teaching in the 1980's and has worked in schools in New Hampshire, Colorado, and Michigan (teaching students in grades K through 12). He has taken his passion for education outside the classroom: he has run his own educational game company, taught teaching methods and poetry as an adjunct professor at the UM, supervised student teachers, and started a tutoring and writing services business. He is a published poet and the father of two amazing girls (one an SK alumna).

Will's goals for his students are that they should be self-motivated, playful, energetic learners and thinkers, exploring for the joy of exploration, internally motivated, confident, with a solid skill-set to take them into the future. I always say to families who are interested in SK that our goal is for each child to be the most - and best - themselves that they can possibly be. That is Will's focus and intent. So how does he get there?

Much of the work that is done in Will's classroom is project-based learning and exploration. It engages the students' own ideas and sense of direction so that they are passionate themselves about the journeys they make. 'As a teacher,' he told me, 'I know I'm doing a good job if I'm in the background, as a guide, I get to start the ball and watch them run with it, roll with it, play with it...' His role as a facilitator is to respond to the energy his students bring into the classroom. Along the way he encourages, gives feedback, develops skills. 'I help them see that there is a more difficult road ahead - one that's worth taking - you need better shoes. No cop-outs.' The result is that he has students who clamor to come in from recess so that they can continue working and take their activities further. When they find they have five minutes of time they ask to bring out other work: 'Yay, I get to work on math!'

Everything, from working on spelling to major units like the hybrid car project, involves choices that the children can buy into on their own terms, and different facets of skill-training and higher level thinking. Spelling development is based in their own work and study, and they are given creative options to enhance their understanding as well as memorization of the vocabulary. In this as in other projects, Will says, 'I'm not the one saying you have to do A, B or C. I offer them creative opportunities that give them a sense that learning doesn't have to have boundaries, which is really important for kids to experience learning as exciting, joyful for its own sake.' That internal motivation is a big part of Summers-Knoll's philosophy. It's why we don't give grades, why we de-emphasize testing. We want the children to learn with passion, not depend on external expectations.

Will's students spill out of the classroom on a regular basis, and bounce happily around the school measuring, discussing, experimenting. You have to be careful coming out of the office sometimes in case you get a helium-powered gondola disputing your right-of-way. The children come into the office too, to get what they need. 'We want to measure you!' some of them told me a short while ago, and pulled me out to stand me up against the wall. It turned out they were trying to find out where in the world had an average yearly rainfall that was equivalent to my height. They write creative poems and stories that are uniquely their own. They write letters and essays on social justice that come from their hearts. They do independent projects that give them opportunities to delve deep into their own interests. They engage themselves in their work, and their studies are in large part self-studies, explorations of who they are and how they relate to their world on many levels. Over all this, Will's gentle presence supports, encourages, questions, and laughs with them. It's a very happy classroom.

I'm honored to have Will as a teacher in this school. He is an unusual man and an exceptional educator. He is a great example of what progressive education is about. He has been a guiding light to me for most of my SK teaching and administrative career, and his values have informed and inspired the whole school. I'll never forget the moment last year when I told one of our parents that he would be teaching her child. She turned to her daughter and said, 'You lucky, lucky girl.' The child looked puzzled, and the mother said, 'You've been taught by Joanna, by David, by Catie. Now you get to be taught by Will. They're all different, they're all bring their different passions to the table. What a great experience.' For me, that summed up our faculty as a whole: each one is different, each one has something new to offer the students who enter their classrooms, and each one offers his or her interests and inspirations wholeheartedly to the children.

Next profile: Susan Carpenter! Watch this space.

Summers-Knoll Faculty Profiles: an introduction

2009-04-01T17:06:00.003-04:00

Prospective parents inquiring about our school ask me from time to time; what is the teaching style at Summers-Knoll? The truth of the matter is that it mixes different styles, in no one single tradition, and that is a big part of our success. A former parent wrote to me the other day about her son, 'We're amazed, as are many of the teachers at his current school, at the depth of knowledge he has in relation to many of the other students at his school -- not just in math, but across the board.' The reason this student has this knowledge is that he has been taught by a variety of teachers - Susan, me, former SK teachers David Cyrus, Matt Perry and Catie Quist, and most recently by Will Purves. All these educators have very different styles: the combination of a variety of outstanding teachers makes an amazing, eclectic experience for a developing mind. Another parent mentioned to me when Will took over the 4-5 classroom last year how privileged her daughter was to have him as a teacher after the array of other spectacular teachers she had already been lucky enough to work with. What an opportunity to open new doors and think ever more deeply and creatively!

What all the teachers have in common is a commitment to honor each child as an individual and help them in their unique educational journey. Teachers love to work here because their own individuality is also honored and celebrated; each one is a passionate educator, a brilliant teacher, a loving guide, and each one has his or her own style of being in the classroom. They are free to educate in the best way that they, with their particular strengths, possibly can. They are trusted to respond to the children in their class and evolve the curriculum with those particular individuals in mind, with the flexibility to meet the needs of the children in the best way that they can. What I want to do over the next few posts is introduce you to each of our homeroom teachers as an educator, to give you some insights into their personal styles and what they are accomplishing in collaboration with your children. So watch this space! First up, Will Purves.

Moon Wolf

2009-03-20T18:02:00.004-04:00

I'm sitting looking at a printout of the computer draft of 'Moon Wolf', the book that has been put together with a poem I wrote and a number of staggeringly beautiful illustrations created by our children under the guidance of Ruth Marks, Amelia's mother.

I want to ruminate a little on the process by which this book has come together. It has been a journey - one that is not ended yet, although the end is in sight. It started at the Ann Arbor Book Fair last May, with children stopping by the Summers-Knoll booth to make little books for themselves with pictures and stickers and words. Kim and I were staffing the booth, and of course we started making little books too. How could we resist?

Long story short: Kim made some little pictures and showed them to me. I improvised a little story to go with them, and a tiny book was born. But more than that, a seed of an idea was born which Kim nurtured and watered until quite recently. Then she said, 'Why don't you write a book and have the children illustrate it?'

Well, before I knew where I was, Melissa Bruzzano had picked up on the idea, and now I had two of them asking me what I was going to write. What I actually did was take the opening stanzas of a long narrative poem I had written some years before, and I offered that to the children. It was called 'Moon Wolf'.

Ruth Marks, who is an amazing professional artist, agreed to work with our children on the project, and all through the dreary month of February she and the students from the whole school made the winter seem brighter by working on enormous and largely collaborative pieces of art in different media. The K/1 children worked on washes and sweeps of textured color, colors of sunrises and midnights, backdrops for a wolf's journey. The 2/3 class was interested in the wolf's run through New York City, and they worked together on a huge cityscape, with tall buildings, streets and traffic. The 4/5s focused on landscapes: mountain ranges, polar ice, forests. Several of the children of all ages made portraits of my wolf. When everything was done, all the illustrations were taken in a huge pile to James Marks, who worked like a hero to sift through them all for the perfect images to create each page of text. He scanned them, photoshopped them, entered the text, and the book took shape.

Most of the images were developed by several children. When the selections were made, no one knew who had drawn what. Each illustration is a collaboration and a fusion of energy from each class. That is what makes them so special, and makes me so proud of the finished product. I feel as if every child's spirit is represented in the overall response.

There were many, many wonderful images to choose from, and relatively few pages on which to place them. Because of that, we are including a final page with a collage of images that we didn't have space for within the story itself. I hope that everyone will recognize something that they helped create.

The book is currently in to the printer, and we will receive a mock-up copy in due course. After alterations, it will be printed as a bound paperback book. We are selling it as a fundraiser for the school's Scholarship Fund, and the proceeds will be used to support student tuition for those who need it. Melissa has given out pre-order forms, but the actual launch of the book will be at Eudaimonia, our auction fundraiser at the Ann Arbor Art Center on May 9th. This event has really become an art-and-auction event: the children are in the process of making one-of-a-kind collaborative art pieces, Ruth and several other artists are donating unique and original works of art, and 'Moon Wolf' original illustrations will be up for auction too. It is a celebration of the creative spirit of our children and our whole community.

Update on Reusable Shopping Bag Campaign

2009-03-19T08:45:00.002-04:00

Some of you will remember that last year, Susan Carpenter and her class of social activists mounted a campaign to educate the community about the negative effects of plastic grocery bags. They put a huge ball of plastic grocery bag trash together and presented it to the Mayor at a City Council Meeting, showing eloquence. poise, self-confidence, and passion for their cause as they made a speech in front of the councilors and general public.

At that time, the Mayor told our students that plans were being drafted to ban plastic grocery bags in Ann Arbor. Then, just the other day, I received information through the Chamber of Commerce about a survey and focus groups that have been set up to gather public feedback on this issue. I have included the information at the end of this blog entry. If you would like to participate in the survey or in a focus group discussion session, the links and contact information are listed below.

I can't help hypothesizing that our fledgling 2nd and 3rd grade activists helped this process along. Our students can be very proud of themselves: they made their voices heard, and helped the decision-makers in our community understand the sincerity and commitment of our young people. Kudos to all of them!

City of Ann Arbor Seeks Input on Shopping Bag Use

Survey & Two Business Focus Groups
Tuesday, March 31
Zingerman's Road House
2501 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor
8:30am - 9:30am
&
Thursday, April 2
Downtown Development Authority Office
150 S. Fifth Ave, Ste. 301, Ann Arbor
8:30am - 9:30am

City of Ann Arbor officials are considering policies that reduce the litter and waste from disposable shopping bags and encourage consumers to choose reusable shopping bags. The public is invited to provide input on a range of possible local shopping bag policies through online surveys and business focus group sessions. The comments received by early May will help shape future City Council actions.

· Surveys are posted at www.a2gov.org/bags through April 30, 2009. Two variations of the survey are provided: one for general consumers; and a second designed for business owners, managers, and employees.

· Interested business representatives are encouraged to attend one of two business focus group discussions to be held on Tuesday, March 31, 8:30am - 9:30am at Zingerman's Road House or on Thursday, April 2, 8:30am - 9:30am at the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Office at 150 S. Fifth Ave., Suite 301. Pre-registration to these free sessions is appreciated. Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Katie at 734.794.6000 extension 43728 or to recycle@a2gov.org.

· Requests for mailed copies of the survey and general comments on promoting reusable shopping bags are being handled by Katie at 734.794.6000 extension 43728 and through recycle@a2gov.org.

Heal the Child Workshop

2009-02-11T17:04:00.002-05:00

This workshop may be of interest to you. It is open to all. The information was sent to me by Amy Cherry, who is a Brain Gym practitioner with an organization called Learning through Movement.

To those who have children's best interest at heart. International presenter, Jon Bredal will be in Hastings, Michigan, March 13th and 14th , presenting his Heal the Child Program. Jon has been achieving outstanding results with children for over 20 years. He has worked with pioneers in the field of integrative movement, child development, kinesiology, and natural family systems healing.

Each one of us knows a child with ADD/ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Sensory, Speech Difficulties and other learning challenges. This is an opportunity to learn specific, step-by-step processes that get to the core of the challenges these children face. There are no prerequisites for the class and it is encouraged for parents, grandparents, teachers, OT's,PT's, counselors and anyone who has the interest to assist children in their full development and growth.

For more information and registration contact: Amy Cherry, M.S.Ed., amychry@sbcglobal.net 269-945-4568

Creativity and Education

2009-02-08T12:30:00.002-05:00

Please try to find fifteen minutes to watch Sir Ken Robinson's speech on the TED talks site (really wonderful mini-lectures on all kinds of subjects, for those of you who haven't discovered it yet). He discusses the need to foster children's innate creativity, and what that means. You can find it here.

It is a very timely reminder to all of us that intelligence is not only cerebral, that creativity springs from multiple kinds of intelligence, and that a creative approach to life and learning is essential for our society in these times of rapid change. Being locked into an educational system where mistakes are unacceptable, test scores are the measure of success, and students are directed down a narrow path with predefined required outcomes, ultimately destroys our chance of achieving excellence. It's a great speech, and also highly entertaining.

The Pursuit of Happiness

2009-01-24T14:53:00.005-05:00

Following the inauguration of a new President of the United States, what better time to reflect on the founding principles of this country? 'We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men [and women, incidentally] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness'. Ah, goosebumps!

Last week it was brought to my attention that Jefferson (and the other signers of the Declaration of Independence) was basing his ideas of 'happiness' on Aristotle's 'Ethics', of which he owned a heavily annotated copy (in the original Greek, of course). This isn't any surprise - of course Jefferson studied Aristotle. It was expected at that time. What is more enlightening is to think about what Aristotle actually meant by the concept. He used the word 'eudaimonia', (which if you break it up must surely mean 'spirit of good'), and he interpreted it as human flourishing, self-actualization, knowing who you are and what you believe and having the courage to live according to your beliefs. That is the principle that was invoked in the Declaration of Independence, and interestingly enough it is also the principle we invoke at Summers-Knoll when we talk about a child's happiness. What we are seeking here is not the superficial happiness of every child at every minute of the day, a happiness brought about by having everything go smoothly, never coming into disagreement or irritation with another child, never having to try anything demanding or disagreeable, never having to experience conflict. To aim for that kind of happiness would be a huge disservice to our children. Watch Will's students responding to stories written by Sudanese refugees, or debating the meaning of life as they prepare for class. Watch Elaine's students racing to read books that will bring donations to kids in need. Watch Susan's class in math grappling with concepts of fairness (or unfairness) as they learn about probability. Watch them find power in helping each other through their 'Tribes' activities. Watch what they each come up with when they discover the intensity of Degas, or the ancient resonance of stories from Homer and Ovid. The happiness we're looking for here comes from self-actualization: the quest to become the most 'themselves' - and the best 'themselves' - that they can possibly be. We want to foster in our children the insatiable curiosity of the Elephant's Child (if you haven't read that story, it's a must. Look for it here), to help them grow to new awareness, new understanding, to develop in them the ability to think deeply, flexibly and creatively, to make connections, to explore their beliefs and have the courage to live accordingly, to discover passion in knowledge, skill, and service. (Albert Schweitzer famously said, 'The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.' I think his notion of happiness fits right in here.)

If you have a chance, go here, and listen to what Ben Dunlap (president of Wofford College) has to say about the living of a full life. The people he describes and whose stories he tells did not necessarily live the most comfortable lives. They experienced suffering and injustice - more than we may be equipped to understand. Their happiness certainly didn't come from getting everything their own way. They found fulfillment through a passionate, empathetic engagement with life and an unfailing curiosity and zest for new experience. That's what we're shooting for here: the pursuit of happiness as an open-hearted exploration of life.

Inauguration Day

2009-01-17T12:46:00.004-05:00

I opened up my blog to write about Inauguration Day, and found that Susan Carpenter had beaten me to it. I encourage all of you, no matter which classroom your child is in, to read her blog entry - it is relevant to everyone. History is being made right now - live in the moment! Experience it! No amount of school can be a substitute for that.

Annual Fund Thanks and Celebration

2009-01-05T09:31:00.004-05:00

With deep respect and gratitude, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the Summers-Knoll Annual Fund. We have raised an amazing $23,000 to support Summers-Knoll programs and operations. In the current economic climate, that figure is a huge indication of your support and belief in our unique little school. Thank you for your recognition and appreciation of the important place that Summers-Knoll fills in the educational community - this school truly is like no other in this area. You, our community, play a tremendous role in making our school what it is: your children are our raison d'étre, and your involvement in their education is a crucial part of our success.

I want to extend special thanks to Sunny and Steve Chapel, who funded a $5,000 match for donations in December. Sunny and Steve, I am always in awe of your involvement and commitment to the school. You share so much love, warmth, support, and wisdom with us, it is truly an honor to have your family be part of our community.

Our goal for the Annual Fund was $30,000. The generosity you have already shown has contributed hugely to our current financial stability and I am thrilled with the level we have reached. I am keen to continue the Annual Fund and maintain our goal of $30,000, with a focus on building scholarship funds with contributions from this time on. Summers-Knoll is passionately committed to supporting a diverse community of families and students, and currently has 23% of families receiving some level of financial aid. I will be fundraising for 2009-10 scholarships enthusiastically for the remainder of the year. If you have not yet contributed to the Annual Fund (or even if you have, but wish to contribute to this great cause) now is your moment!

Last but not least, Fran Loosen and Nick Giardino are very kindly hosting a thank-you party for contributors to the Annual Fund on Saturday January 31st . I am delighted to have this opportunity to celebrate with you. Watch for your invitation in your email!

Alpha House After Care Project

2008-12-22T21:28:00.002-05:00

I want to thank all of you whose children took part in the after care activities to benefit the Alpha House for Mothers and Children. This two-week, multi-faceted project included cooking, a bake sale, buying gift cards at a local grocery store, making multicultural ornaments, visiting a tree farm and cutting down a tree, and finally bringing it all together by setting up the tree at the Alpha House shelter, decorating it with the ornaments, and giving the residents the gift cards funded by the bake sale. Phew. That was a lot of work, and our students were enthusiastic and dedicated throughout the process. Some of them were there for a little of it, some were there for all of it - every child who participated did wonderful work to help homeless families feel supported and cared for this holiday season. Congratulations to all of you! I applaud your kindness and your energy in helping others.

The Ann Arbor News sent a reporter to Braun's Tree Farm, and the article she wrote can be found here:

http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1229960435198520.xml&coll=2

(You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser.)

Thanks to Shan and Sabriena for leading this project. Thanks also to Braun's Tree Farm for the donation of the tree, and to the Alpha House for allowing our children to participate in this wonderful experience.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Writer's Workshop

2008-12-18T16:03:00.000-05:00

Today I had a rare opportunity to work with the students in Will's room on writing. I love this kind of work - it is so inspiring to see children developing their unique writer's voice and learning to trust their instinct for language. They have been doing some pretty interesting work (through the mythology theme) on creation stories, and the creation of new worlds, so we combined that idea with an exercise on atmosphere and mood development in writing. The students all generated notes, and from that point worked on a piece of writing more like a painting of words than a story or logical progression of thoughts. They all got absolutely caught up in their writer's bubble, creating their own thoughts in their own way with some striking results. I had so much fun reading their work, I wanted to share some of it with you. (Please bear in mind that not everyone had a chance to fully correct for spelling and punctuation. I have not corrected unedited work.) These are snippets, to give you a flavor, and names have been omitted to protect the artists from paparazzi.

'...They reek of sadness
angry at nothingness
sad at everything
the core like bread being ripped
apart
the forest so sad
frost
ice
rain
snow
cold
forest
blue forest...'

'You think of lime as beaing calm. You think of red as anger. You think of blue as beaing sad but I beg to differ...'

'...I see a young shadow of me, he hums and walks away - I try to follow but a huge drop of water falls and... my ears hurt as they are listening to metal scraping the edge of nothing...'

'...I see a bleached, bright
yellow, then comes
a calm blue. A burning
red comes flaring
at me...
...Something
tapped me. It was
a great warrior,
he said: The people need you. So bring me there I said...'

'...Only bubbles popping on the brook
dare disturb the sacred peace
The trees beside are still
all is still, all is still'

'The beach is flotty with its pretty blue water. It makes me feel so wonderful and happy. I hear a bird chirp, I hear the wind blow...'

'The tiger is stuck in the tree. Crying. Yelping. It's madness. I try to help but I can't. The tiger can't get out... It's yellow red and orange swirling and swirling...'

'If you look down the sea looks blue when you swim in it. It might look clear or white to you. The sun bright yellow the cherrys ripe red...'

'...Then it breaks into tiny particles of snow. But it is still very dark out. Then it gets darker and darker. Black now. Then my head goes blank.'

Thank you to all the students for making my day!

Two Great Events

2008-12-11T09:59:00.000-05:00

Zara Zangana, from Will's class, is dancing in 'The Nutcracker' with Ann Arbor Dance Classics Ensemble. The performance is on Sunday, December 14, at 2 p.m. at Milan High School auditorium, 707 Marvin St, Milan. Tickets are $12, available by calling 734-302-4248. I won't be able to see this myself - I'll be out of town for the weekend - but I'm sure it will be beautiful. Good luck, Zara!

I also wanted to mention an event which has nothing to do with Summers-Knoll specifically, except that all families from anywhere are welcome. It sounds so lovely, I wanted to bring it to your attention:

Community Menorah Lighting and Sing-a-long: Families are invited to a Community Menorah Lighting and sing-a-long on Friday evening, December 26, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. inside
St. Clare's Church / Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Street, Ann Arbor (near Stadium Blvd). Refreshments, musicians, choral works, and sing-a-long with the children's choir, cantor Annie, and Rabbi Levy. Bring a menorah and candles if you have one, for the largest menorah lighting
celebration in the city. All are welcome.

Cooking

2008-12-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

Our organic lunch program is about to begin a new era. Rather than having lunches brought to us, we will be making them ourselves, and involving the children as much as possible in the preparation, serving, and communal eating of the meals we provide.

Our children love to cook! The bake sale last Thursday is a wonderful example of what happens when they get inspired. They baked breads, cakes, custards and cookies from different cultures and traditions, and sold them to benefit children at the Alpha House shelter. They were passionate about what they were doing, took it very seriously, were proud of their work and their cause, and were dedicated cooks, organizers, and salespeople. Now they will take the $70+ they made on the sale, and use it to buy holiday gifts for homeless children. This coming week they will complete the overall project by making multicultural holiday ornaments, cutting down a holiday tree (generously donated by Braun's Farm), setting up the tree and decorating it at the Alpha House, and leaving their bake sale gifts beneath the tree for the children.

The power that our students feel when they are able to do something so effective for others, and to use their skills and time to such clear good purpose, is palpable. They glow with it. They move and speak with authority and resolution. And, especially where cooking is concerned, they have so much fun! So, from here on, we will be enlisting their help in cooking lunches, and we will be serving the lunches family-style, to enjoy the community spirit that comes from a job well done and good food to share. The children have been great at cleaning up after meals for some time; now they will have the chance to cook and serve the meals also. We will also have occasional after-care shopping field trips to local ethnic grocery stores, and to the Food Coop, where the children can buy local organic produce, sugar, flour, and other bulk foods. When spring comes, we will make some trips to the Farmer's Market on Wednesday mornings.

If you have any thoughts as to meals you would like to see on our lunch menu, please share! We want to reflect the cultures and lifestyles of the many different families in our community - we want to try recipes from all around the world, as well as experiment with regional American recipes, vegetarian and vegan, and regular gluten-free meals to enable all our children to participate. And if you would like to come in and help cook, and be an honored guest for the meal, you would be very welcome! We would be delighted to have you there.

Please remember, we will only be able to cook food that is peanut and tree-nut free, so please bear that in mind as you share your favorite recipes.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T11:08:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was well-timed to give everyone a chance to relax, revitalize, and get healthy. So that in itself is something to be thankful for!

As an Englishwoman, I find the festival of Thanksgiving fascinating. It is such a lovely idea; people reconnect with their loved ones and families, sitting down to enjoy unabashed comfort food and remember how much they care about each other. Many people have told me it is their favorite day of the year, and with good reason.

It also has a dark side, and it is hard for me to think about it without the complications of its history kicking in and confusing me. The story of the first Thanksgiving is attributed variously to the joy of the first good harvest brought in by the Pilgrims, after training in good agriculture from the Wampanoag; to the gratitude those first settlers felt towards their God who enabled them to survive and enjoy the fruits of the earth; to the triumph of a huge massacre of Native Americans, including the helpful Wampanoag, in which horrible atrocities were committed by the white settlers; and to the good thinking that led the first settlers to abandon their failed attempt at communist principles and embrace the beginnings of capitalism, thus enabling the crops to thrive and the harvest to prosper.

Everyone who takes a particular angle on this seems absolutely sure that they are right. They know the origins of the tradition, and they have a monopoly on the truth. I would have to go far deeper than I have into the documents of the time to be able to say who has more historical evidence on their side, but I am sure they all have some basis in fact. How the facts translate to today, how thanks are given now, how blessings are counted, how injustices are remembered and resolved, these are things that each person and family will think through to their own satisfaction.

The conflict of opinions here strikes me as being one of those golden opportunities to show children that sometimes different versions of the truth co-exist. Sometimes things are not just one way or just another. Sometimes it's important to listen to other people's versions of things and take them into account - even if you don't abandon your own version in the process. Sometimes other people's stories are worth looking into for the sake of truth and accuracy - not to make one person right and one person wrong, but to find out what is real. And sometimes it's there are seeds of reality in many places. Our children have a hard time with that concept sometimes, and take any disagreement with their own opinions very personally. It's good to find opportunities to help them see that people don't really have a monopoly on the truth, and finding out what the truth really is can be more satisfying than simply holding on to an attitude. Let's encourage them to consider shades of gray, and look for higher truth over that instinct to be the one who is right.

Evolving Definition of Giftedness

2008-11-18T11:41:00.000-05:00

Back in October there was a lot of discussion about the nature and terminology of giftedness. It remains a term that many people misunderstand, and construe as somehow bragging, or elitist. Those who work or live with gifted children (or gifted adults), know that it is a condition of extreme intellectual ability, often complicated in various ways by asynchronous development or co-existing issues, some of which are endemic to giftedness and some not. If giftedness is ignored or mishandled in a young person, it can cause extreme distress, frustration, and anger. These in turn can lead to disconnection, depression, and other problems.

There is an on-line text chat on theories of giftedness and its definition tomorrow at 4 p.m. It sounds interesting. I believe it focuses on definitions of giftedness that are specified by test results. Details and the link to the chat are copied below. It is open to all.

The Evolving Definition of Giftedness
When: Wednesday, November 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time
Where: http://www.edweek-chat.org
You can submit questions in advance.

For years, giftedness was considered to be a static category, with children either possessing the trait or not. But developmental theory has now led to more nuanced view of what makes some people gifted. Instead of being innate and immutable, giftedness can be nurtured and even taught—and if ignored, it can also be lost. Please join our guests, the three editors of the upcoming book The Development of Giftedness and Talent Across the Life Span, who will talk about what researchers currently believe about giftedness, and its implication for classroom practice.

About the guests:
Frances Degen Horowitz is a university professor and president emerita at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
Rena F. Subotnik is the director of the Center for Gifted Education Policy at the American Psychological Association.
Dona J. Matthews is currently a visiting professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, engaged in several writing projects, and working with families and schools on issues relating to gifted education. From 2003 to 2007, she was the director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Education at Hunter College, the City University of New York.

For background, read "'Gifted' Label Said to Miss Dynamic Nature of Talent," Education Week, Oct. 15, 2008.

No special equipment other than Internet access is needed to participate in this text-based chat. A transcript will be posted shortly after the completion of the chat.

Results: Walk to Cure Diabetes

2008-11-11T13:29:00.000-05:00

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has published its results for the Walk to Cure Diabetes that took place in September. The walk raised an amazing total of over 1.7 million dollars for diabetes research. Zara Zangana's family and friends, walking in honor of Ava Zangana as 'Ava's All-Stars', raised $3,463! Thank you to everyone for helping us support Ava, the Zangana family, and diabetes sufferers and their families everywhere. If you would like to find out more, you can visit the JDRF web site at http://www.jdrf.org - and put October 4th, 2009 on your calendar to join us for the next Walk to Cure Diabetes!

Thanks again to everyone for your support, love, and positive energy. You are a wonderful community, and it is a privilege to work with you.

Food Allergy Support

2008-11-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

There are a number of on-line discussion groups for parents, and I just now became aware that there are two in particular which deal with food issues. Since we have many families who have an interest in managing allergies of various kinds, I thought I would share the links with you here. They are easy to join. The first is for people who want to trade thoughts about being gluten-free:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/glutenfreeannarbor/>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/glutenfreeannarbor/

And here's the one for parents of children with food allergies:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arborkidsallergies/>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arborkidsallergies/

Maybe this will provide interesting, useful, supportive information to some of you. Wishing you all healthy, nutritious eating!

Reactions to the Election

2008-11-05T14:23:00.000-05:00

There was a lot of excitement in school after the election. Children came in eager to talk about the results, and to share their enthusiasms or disappointments. It really seemed, however, that they were trying to be mindful of each other's sensibilities despite the strength of their feelings. I was very impressed by a particular McCain supporter who entered generously into the spirit of his friends' jubilant energy.

I shared a small part of Barack Obama's acceptance speech with Susan Carpenter's class, because the message behind it - that everyone is important, whatever race, whatever age, gender, orientation or political affiliation, everyone is part of the whole and we must work together - was one that I felt has particular significance for the children. Susan talked about John McCain's gracious speech in which he also stressed the importance of working together for the common good. Feelings have run high amongst the children in the lead-up to this election, and when children like these engage their passions, they do so with intensity. It's a perfect opportunity to help them practice using the strength of their experiences to connect with each other. How can they use their own experience to understand someone else who has a similar emotional response but comes from a different direction? How can they learn to listen to other points of view, and understand that 'different' does not mean 'wrong'? How can they use that knowledge to understand each other better? The political leaders whom they have supported so eagerly are both advocating a move into the future with tolerance and cooperation. Let's harness the children's support for their political heroes to this idea of mutual support. How can we all work together to make this a better country and a better world? What do the children think?

Also Starring....!

2008-10-29T13:41:00.000-04:00

Maria LoCicero, the talented and glamorous celebrity of our 4-6 class, is also acting in the Ypsilanti Youth Theater's production of 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon', along with Eli, who I mentioned in my last post. Maria will be playing Garth, the strong elder brother, AND a troll, demonstrating great versatility in her acting skills. Maria, my apologies for omitting you! I did not realize! Congratulations, and break a leg!

Alumnus in the Limelight

2008-10-27T20:10:00.000-04:00

We have been blessed over the years with many amazing and talented students, who are now out there being amazing and talented in different arenas. One such is our much-loved Eli Tell, who is starring as Justin, the prince who has been turned into a bear by the trolls, in the Ypsilanti Youth Theater's production of 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon'. Look on our community notice board for the flyer. The play will be performed November 14, 15 and 16.

Eli discovered theatre - or it discovered him - here at SK when he played Banquo in our production of Macbeth two years ago. He has never looked back. Last year he played Arlecchino in the Commedia del'Arte production the kids devised and performed for our Graduation ceremony. It was about the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. It makes me very proud that he is continuing to act - he has a great talent! Congratulations, Eli. I look forward to seeing you on stage!

And on the subject of recess...

2008-10-23T14:57:00.000-04:00

You might want to check this out. Liz Goodenough is the wife of Gil Leaf, who was Head of School here at Summers-Knoll when I first came on board as a teacher six years ago. Her film has become something of an icon, and is well worth watching.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A SCREENING OF

WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY?

Thursday, November 6, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Leslie Science and Nature Center
1831 Traver Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and WDCP?
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Come see the Emmy award-winning documentary that has sparked an international discussion on the importance of open-ended outdoor play and the relationship children and the natural world must have in order to thrive and be sustained. A talk with Originator/Outreach Director Elizabeth Goodenough and NWF Regional Education Manager Rebecca Nielsen will follow the film. Refreshments will be provided. For more information on the film please visit: http:www.wfum.org/childrenplay/

DVD/Book Prizes will be given to first 20 people to RSVP to: wdcpscreening@gmail.com

Energy Consumption at SK

2008-10-22T09:08:00.000-04:00

Trying to model good ecological practices for our students is an on-going process - we are constantly trying to do better, to re-evaluate and ensure that we are managing our environment as mindfully as possible. There are things about this building that it's hard to combat - it was not built with lightness of footprint in mind. But there are definitely things we can do, things we are doing, and things we can learn to do more effectively.

One thing we are doing that is working really well is managing our electricity consumption. We have reduced our use of electricity by almost 20% since we consciously decided to 'become' green. We are enthusiastically turning off lights, we've changed over to fluorescent bulbs, we've reduced the length of time that parking lot lights are used in the evenings - and all that adds up to a significant amount. Dave Alber (Mike's father) is looking into installing motion-sensor light switches in the children's bathrooms. (Thank you, Dave!) This helps reduce our environmental impact; it also helps reduce our costs. The savings allow us to focus more on programs and teaching, and less on utilities and bills.

Our gas bill savings are not as dramatic (although we are going the right direction): we're brainstorming right now for ways to reduce our heating and cooling consumption. We're looking into replacing the thermostats in each room to give us more control; that will help. We're also investing in some draft-stoppers for the outside doors, to reduce cold air coming in (perhaps the children will make them in aftercare...). If you have ideas to contribute, please let me know! Get your child involved in the conversation - it makes a great over-dinner discussion: how can we all become more energy-efficient? What gets left on that could be turned off? How can we keep heat from escaping? The children are often the ones to come up with the best, most creative solutions.

Recess Thoughts - and conference

2008-10-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

Recess is important to all our children in so many ways. It gives them a time to let their thoughts wander and flow. It develops creativity. It refocuses brains and recharges attention spans. It allows social relationships and physical health to develop effectively. It enables those magical moments we all remember from childhood when our time was our own and we reinvented the world. At Summers-Knoll we have watched with delight year by year as the children have played together (kindergarteners, third graders, sixth graders all muddled in together), created forts from leaves or snow, swung and slid, made mazes in the woodchips, climbed trees, made landscapes from leaves and twigs, dug holes through the sand to the center of the earth, collected bugs, and so much more. Recess is a time for rejuvenation and joy. Without it, learning is harder, concentration is fragmented, and quality of life suffers.

There is a one-day conference on October 25th called 'Rethinking Recess', co-sponsored by the Rudolf Steiner School and a local not-for-profit organization called Generations to Come. You can find details here: http://www.fgtcsanctuary.org/RethinkingRecess/. It is open to families, teachers, anyone who has an interest in the benefits to our children of play and connecting with nature.

Presentation TONIGHT: Life with the Gifted Child

2008-10-13T09:18:00.000-04:00

There's an event coming up TODAY which I only just heard about, but want to get the word out just in case you have time and interest:

Monday, October 13, 2008—PORTAGE, MICHIGAN
EVENT SPONSORED BY PLUS of Southwest Michigan, Region 4 Affiliate of MI Alliance for Gifted Education
TOPIC: “Life with the Gifted Child: Practical Solutions for the Home and Classroom”

WHEN: Monday, October 13; 6:30 – 8:00 pm

LOCATION: Kalamazoo RESA Building; 1819 E. Milham Rd., Portage

Does your accelerated student deal with issues associated with his or her advanced abilities? Do traits common to the gifted create difficulties in their life – and yours?

Characteristics of gifted children that can be difficult to live with, both at home and at school, might include:

· Perfectionism

· Intensity

· Heightened Sensitivity

· Introversion, and

· Questioning of Authority

To aid parents and teachers of advanced and accelerated children who could use coping strategies to make life easier for them - and you - Partners in Learning for Unlimited Success of Southwest Michigan is proud to host Dr. Michele Kane of Northeastern Illinois University.

Dr. Kane will discuss effective strategies and techniques for dealing with these personality traits, as well as ways to help kids to deal with the unique stresses of giftedness.

This FREE presentation is open to the public.

We hope that all of you will be able to attend - and tell a friend!

Thanks!
Nan Janecke, President, PLUS, 269-353-3757

Over coffee the other day, various of our parents and I were discussing common perceptions of giftedness: how the word is interpreted and what it actually means. Why would these children - who are ahead of the curve already, with brains and talents exceeding most others - need special care and attention? Don't they have more going for them than other children already? Why give more to those who are already privileged? We who live and work with these children know that their abilities are matched by needs, and that if their needs are not met the children become miserable, blocked, frustrated, self-doubting, stressed, and often angry. Their 'gifts' don't mean that everything comes easily to them. On the contrary, often issues of perfectionism, uneven development, processing, extreme sensitivity and others can make their journey intensely difficult for them. Our goal - parents and teachers alike - is to give our children the resources, attention, and environment to develop happily, deeply, effectively, responsibly, confidently. We want them to become the amazing adults that they deserve to be, for their own sake and the sake of the world they inhabit. To do that, they must be given a learning environment that supports their unique needs. If you have the chance to attend Dr. Kane's presentation tonight, I'm sure it will be worthwhile. If not, please know that I and the teachers are here to discuss your child's needs with you at any time. Don't hesitate to ask.

Annual Fund Kick-Off

2008-10-06T14:03:00.001-04:00

Today the Summers-Knoll Annual Fund hit the ground running with a very generous donation from Steve and Sunny Chapel. Donations to the Annual Fund support programs and services, and have a direct impact on the experience of your child.

Summers-Knoll is what it is because of the quality of our teachers, the size of our classes, our commitment to support and nurture the individual gifts and spirit of each child, our dedication to educational opportunities such as languages, art, music and PE for all, and because of the richness of the exploratory, multi-faceted learning experience to which we are all committed. The Annual Fund helps us provide all these things and take them to new levels each year.

The Annual Fund is open from now until December 31st. Our goal is $30,000. Your donation is crucial, deeply appreciated, and 100% tax-deductible. No matter at what level you are able to give, whether $25 or $2,500, you are directly affecting the lives of our students.

Summers-Knoll exists because of the strength and generosity of our community. I am truly grateful to all of you for being a part of our school experience this year.

Thank you again to Steve and Sunny Chapel for making the launching gift to this year's Annual Fund drive. You are wonderful!

Garden Party

2008-09-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

Thank you, all of you who turned out yesterday to make our Garden Party such a successful event! You all worked so hard, and the whole place looks wonderful. Thanks also to those of you who could not make the actual event, but who sent donations to help us along. I appreciate all of your efforts.

The children who came worked very hard, especially on the sand area! They helped empty all the sand bags, and then they worked assiduously at mixing and testing the sand. Thanks to them, we know that the sand is effective for building, tunneling, designing offices and studios, pouring, sieving, and making pizzas.

Thanks again to all of you!

Supporting Local Businesses

2008-09-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

Currently one of the things that is happening in the SK administrative world is that we are doing our annual check into our regular vendors, taking bids for things like snow removal and groundskeeping, and generally making sure that we get good work done at competitive prices. One of the things that is really important to us here is that we support local businesses. If we can also support businesses from our own SK community, that's even better - we just recently discovered that the Zangana family has a carpet-cleaning business, for example. I feel bad that I didn't know this before... so I'm making a general inquiry right now. If any of you are in a line of work that we might be able to support here at school, I'd love you to let me know. Also, I'm designating the area between the 'under 6' and the boys' bathroom as a community notice board where you can put flyers, business cards etc, or let people know about events. That way we have the opportunity to support each other, to build the collective health of our community - and we will get to know each other better in the process. So please feel free to post!

Thanks,
Joanna

Green School Meeting

2008-09-25T09:03:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful, inspiring, informative day at Upland Hills yesterday, working with other Michigan Heads of School on the theme of ecological awareness and what that means for schools. It made me proud to be part of a community of schools that values the environment, the concept of the 'wild', nature, and the future of our children's world.

There is a Buddhist prayer that goes: "We venerate the four treasures: teachers, the Wild, family, and friends." The first treasure - teachers - honors the role that a really great teacher plays in our lives. It also encapsulates the others, in that friends, family, and the Wild - nature, the natural world - are teachers for all of us, lifelong. A child who develops without a sense of connection to the earth, the Wild, has been deprived of a fundamental part of what it means to be a healthy person, just as if she were deprived of family or friends. Yesterday as I walked through the woods at Upland Hills, I met two young boys, each with a handful of salamanders. They were wandering in the woods too, exploring, observing, discovering, connecting. I came away wondering: how can we, as a community of learners and a community of educators for each other and our children, do more to encourage this connection to the earth as teacher?

The meeting brought up other questions: not necessarily new ones, but I find I need to be reminded often! How can we go further in being mindful of the implications of our behavior? What is the dynamic we are communicating to our children? What do they make of it? What kind of footprint are we leaving for them to follow, and how do we assess that? It's a complicated business, and most of all yesterday's meeting left me musing, thinking things over, not answering or even trying to answer. Questions feel better at this point. I'd welcome your thoughts and input on any of this. Let's ask the questions as a community and see where the children take us.

You are welcome to post comments on this or anything else I write, or just email me, or catch me at school. I want to know your thoughts.

Thank you all.

Joanna

2008-09-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

I will be out of school on Wednesday, September 24th, for an AIMS (Association of Independent Michigan Schools) Heads of School meeting at Upland Hills School. The theme of the meeting will be Green Schools. Kim will be available all day, and Shan will be in the office from 10 a.m. on. Please go to either of them if you have questions or concerns.

Thanks!

2008-09-23T08:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Families,

Here is my blog, finally up and running! I'd like to draw your attention to the list of upcoming events, in the upper left corner of this page. This is a quick way you can see what is in the works: opportunities to meet with the board, opportunities to meet with me, opportunities to volunteer or help out at the school in a variety of ways. Right now we have the Gardening Party coming up this Sunday (I'm hoping to really make the outside areas of the school fun and beautiful - revitalize the sand area, neaten up the flower beds and bushes, and get the bird feeders ready for the cold season - as well as laugh a lot together and eat apples and donuts). Also, don't miss the Community Meeting on October 2nd, which is a great chance to meet Anthony Nitsos, the board president, and get the full picture of where the school is and where it's going financially. And then, the very next morning I'll be having coffee at drop-off time, so if you think of more questions after the meeting, or if you just want to hang out and chat, I will be there.

Thank you all for your great feedback since the beginning of the year. I'm glad people are so happy. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, or just to say hello - it's always good to hear from you.

Warm regards,

Joanna