The Tip of the Iceberg
11/9/2018
So often what you see is just the tip of the iceberg of the work your little one does at school. At PNA, we so desire you to have a glimpse into the depths of what we do, to share and celebrate it with you through our blogs, online portfolios, home assignments, and family events - but I am afraid even those fall short of capturing the entire enormity of the work your children do here every day. I know you see it in the results, in the conversations you have with your little ones, in the way they carry over the language and wonder and excitement in their everyday interactions. You see the math homework, which they should be able to do with relative ease by the time it comes home, but what you do not see is the practice they have done to think, speak, and write like a mathematician. You do not see the lessons and the work that they have done to use "math talk" more naturally, to explain the world through numbers and patterns, to conceptually understand that numbers can be composed and decomposed into parts and wholes and that we can represent that through equations ... but you do notice that your little one is beginning to think and speak in the language of math, that they are beginning to explain the world like a mathematician, that they see the connection between 6 and 4 making 10 and 6 being 4 less than 10. We do this work when they compare beads left over on a number rack or empty boxes on a ten frame. They do it when they play games with their classmates and make observations and talk about what is happening in the game You see them read (like, actually read!) the words on the page, but what you do not see is the practice they have done to think and read like readers, to learn snap words, to track the print, look for patterns, use context clues, and read with understanding to bring the story to life. What you do not see is the work they have done to understand that letters are not just the alphabet; rather, they form the system that we use to communicate with one another, to learn, to enjoy stories and connect with others. You see them writing books, but you do not see the hard work they do to form the letters correctly, record the correct sounds, plan their stories across the pages, and make sure others can read it. You see the products of our PBL projects, but what you do not see is the books they have poured over, the research they have done, the questions they have asked and sought to answer, the mistakes they have made and overcome along the way, or the courage they have mustered to try something new. You do, however, notice their excitement when you pick them up and they tell you that they filmed their weather report or made a stop motion clip, and it makes me smile because I know they are engaged in meaningful learning. You know we have a social-emotional curriculum and that we focus on twenty-first century skills, but you do not see it acted out in our everyday routines or the way it is embedded into every subject. You do not see the work your little ones do to learn to compromise, choose kindness, and work with others even when it is not easy or how they practice disagreeing or agreeing politely, building onto someone else's statement, supporting their argument with evidence, and being a respectful learner. It might seem like I am being dramatic, but the work your little ones do each day truly is important work. You know this because you have CHOSEN this for your kids. Some of you have sacrificed to give them this gift. Each and every day, your little ones are learning how to learn, how to choose kindness and work with others. They are learning new ways to think and explain the world. And, perhaps most importantly, their desire to know more, to understand and explain the curiosities of our world, to notice and solve problems, continues to grow. We are so thankful that you trust us to partner with you in your child's education and that you support and encourage them in the important work they do each day to become lifelong learners, innovators, and citizens of our world.
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Saania AliMs. Ali graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She specializes in Early Childhood Education, ESL, and Special Education. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and painting! Archives
April 2021
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