It Takes a Village
5/24/2021
Way back in August, I wondered how PNA could truly expect to stay open with a pandemic raging all around us. I am not a pessimist; I am a realist, and I understood the science being learned and shared at the time. I was nervous. And yet, as time went on, and the members of the class got to know and understand one another, it became clear that everyone (families included) were following protocol and staying safe. By the end of the first trimester, I knew that we were going to make it through the year. The members of the community - both inside and outside of the building - are the reason that 130 students were able to have in-person learning all year. There are very few students in Alaska that had that experience this year. While students did not get a “typical” PNA experience, in a year that was anything but typical, just being around others provided some kind of reassurance and stability that allowed for a “readiness” for learning. There were so many normal activities, games, outings, or community driven events that we could not do, yet all along the way, support from the families made this year at PNA a success. We know what is best for kids even when we are thrown into a set of circumstances we have never lived through before. It has been incredibly strange to not see parents roaming through the school or into the classroom at the end of the day. I can’t wait for those days to return! But being able to make the rules together and changing them when they were no longer working is the beauty of a school like PNA. PNA is a school that is anchored in its community and can change to meet its needs quickly. Making sure that our young people become contributing members of a community happens when the community is committed to the outcome. It takes a village to raise a child, and I can truly say that I am proud to be part of this village! Three days of PNA Middle School! We get things done! Get Out!
4/23/2021
After a year of being cooped-up due to Covid 19, people are antsy to get out! Classes at PNA are no different, but there are still cautions and protocols to follow in order to stay safe. As the year has progressed, we have all learned more about the virus. With these understandings, PNA seventh and eighth grades courageously set forth to Utah with the intention to have a final spring trip reminiscent of years pre-Covid when every class “gets out!”. The best part of these end of year trips is the bonding that happens. While there may be some “learnin’” going on in the traditional sense, the main growth is social/emotional. Students left Alaska without a family member - most for the very first time. They had group requirements - cleaning up after meals, keeping the camp clean, taking care of their own stuff, sleeping in their own tents, looking out for each other, and many additional group dynamic, naturally occurring “tests” throughout the trip. For many, it was the first time they had to look out for themselves. And while there were definitely some hiccups along the way, everyone learned something new. Sometimes, as a teacher, I struggle with what I should be “teaching”. The enormous geological wealth of Utah was all around us, but I chose to let the students ask the questions instead of delivering the natural history lessons. The stars were out in full force every night as well - and I let the students just take them in.... However, I am reassured by the idea that I have, at least, planted a seed - whether it is geology, astronomy, hiking, ancient cultures, camping, independence, or just plain trying new things. Exposure is just enough on a trip like this. This group of young people, different in as many ways as there are of them, can be friends, enjoy one another, and share in a common, awesome experience.
Get out! Pivot on a Dime
3/26/2021
One of the beauties of my job is that I can make it up as I go. OK, that is not entirely true, but what I mean is that I can choose how and what I teach based on the students, what is happening in the world, and meeting the standards adopted by the school. Before spring break, upon completing the US History Museum Project, I gave students a choice of what direction they wanted to go in science. Cell Biology or Environmental Science. Secretly, I wanted to understand the science and the risks behind vaccines because I knew I would be able to get one soon. Vaccines were just rolling out to more and more people and also there was a lot of misinformation floating around, I wanted to be informed and I wanted the students to be informed. I was particularly curious about the new mRNA type of vaccine and how it worked. After quizzing students on their knowledge of cells, vaccines, climate change, and related topics, I asked them to think about what they would like to know more about. I gave them a night to research and think about it. In the morning, they voted for vaccines. Yay!! I promise I did not lead them there! To understand vaccines, students have to understand cell structure and function which is what we have been learning since spring break - soon we will be on to vaccines! This gets me thinking about how thankful I am to be able to work in a place that allows me and my students the opportunity to choose what we want to study. In fact, that is part of the PNA overall philosophy. I also appreciate how easily it is for me to switch directions to meet the needs and interests of my students as long as I am teaching them the content standard adopted by PNA. I think back to when I expectantly had the opportunity to take my students to Utah this spring. At first, I hesitated, specifically due to Covid. But then, as I processed this chance, I picked up the phone to the Head of School (during spring break) and asked if this was something I could possibly entertain during this Covid Year. The answer, with Covid mitigation planning, was “Yes.” Pivot on a Dime. The agility of PNA makes this school an awesome place to teach. But more importantly, it makes PNA an awesome place for students to learn and grow. So Much More Than Content
2/26/2021
All too often in education, we focus on content and understanding. We test for knowledge and zero in on process over product. Presentation is often glossed over. Yet in the working world, we know that employers would never accept sloppy or unpolished work. Presentation is a form of communication - it must be organized, interesting, eye-catching. It can’t be too much or too little - it has to be just right. Seventh and Eighth graders researched topics of their choice from 20th Century US History and created museum exhibits to present their understanding. The most challenging thing for them to do was to narrow their topic to one Big Idea and then tell that “story” sensically and cleanly. Then, students were asked to “present” their Big Idea in an intriguing way, using visual images and graphics to help them tell their story. They studied displays at the Anchorage Museum, and researched exhibit techniques to help them form their own ideas. It was harder to put together this cohesive exhibit than students initially thought. Fonts needed to be readable and big enough, pictures labeled and credited, graphics designed, spaces filled creatively and purposefully, and the organization had to make sense. Redo, Reprint, Add color, Check for typos, make the image bigger, Fill the space, Etc. While the project was about events in 20th Century US History, students also honed skills in research, citing references, presentation, perseverance, nonverbal communication, and a host of others. As a result the 7th and 8th graders were quite proud of all the work they had done. And when the 5th and 6th grades came to the museum, these younger students were wide-eyed impressed that each exhibit was completed by just one person. Well done! Due to Covid, parents were unable to visit the museum. Students decided to present their projects via video...which will be ready by the end of Spring Break! An Image Is Worth a Thousand Words
2/5/2021
Humans rely on sight to interpret the world around them. Often, much of the interpretation happens in a split second, subconsciously occurring as a feeling or emotion, and it may not be fully processed. It is a skill to be able to recognize the intentional composition and meaning many artists present in their pieces. Practicing this skill requires students to think critically, converse, ask questions, and acquire background information. Such was one of the reasons for our recent trip to the Anchorage museum. Applying this learned intentional art will be the focus of the next few weeks in the 7/8 classroom as we turn our classroom into a 20th Century US History museum exhibition. As students begin to plan the exhibits they are creating in the classroom, they were tasked to seek out ideas that they could incorporate from professionally arranged displays on a variety of topics. After the visit - students were asked to reflect. Here are a few of their reflections: Ella is researching Child Labor in the US (1930s) The display that gave me an idea for my own exhibit had an array of tools. Ms. Mariner had mentioned maybe making some models. This exhibit made me think that I could do this with different machines or tools that people in the mills used. One of the machines they used was a Cotton Gin so maybe I could make a model of that. Another exhibit that inspired me was the video because it's a visual of what that person is talking about. Also then you can incorporate photos into the video which may help explain what you were talking about. As a result of this display, I plan to make a video about Lewis Hine and facts about him. I will incorporate photos that he took into my video. The most useful thing I learned from our trip to the museum was that there are different ways you can express your knowledge and it can be fun and interactive or just photos with explanations. You should also have explanations of what everything is so people know what you are talking about. Lucas is researching US military aircraft WWII The title of the graphic is “Movement Map”. The type of graphic is a map with a timeline. The purpose of a Movement Map is to show what was happening at different times and where. One critical observation that I made was that sound along with the graphic makes the experience better. This is important because you want people to be drawn into your exhibit. I reached a number of conclusions through my analysis of this graphic. First, this type of graphic would be hard to replicate. Second, I feel that this would be very good at showing a visual representation of how things changed over time. Finally, I think if you made your map interactive the display will be more interesting. Noah is researching the Space Race circa 1950 - 60 My favorite display at the museum was the room where you sat in the middle and listened to all of the voices and sounds of Alaskan history. This display was my favorite because the room was dark and it made you feel like you were in the time or place that the sounds or voices were describing. Another reason I feel this way is because there were exhibits on the other side of the wall in that room that talked about certain events in Alaska and other places, one of the events in the exhibit was the cold war. For my U.S. history project I am doing an event that took place during the Cold War, so that helped me and gave me some ideas for my project. Most importantly, I think when you can listen to an exhibit it seems a lot more realistic and easier to picture yourself in the story being told. For these reasons, I believe that the sound room was the best exhibit we saw while at the museum. And while you ponder these eloquent reflections, here are some other photos of Middle School Life over the last two weeks: Celebrating the Arts
1/22/2021
painting by David Sears On Tuesday, we had a MIddle School Information Night via Zoom for rising middle schoolers. To prepare for this, I went to the experts. One expert, Dr. Thomas Armstrong, lists a number of requirements for best educational practices for early adolescence. Those instructional requirements include:
When I read through the list, I felt really proud of PNA. As an independent school we can decide on what we provide to our students. This list just reinforces my belief that what we have been doing in the classroom, really is what we should be doing. With that being said, I will just let you read from the Dr. Armstrong’s chapter on middle school from The Best Schools: How Human Development Should Inform Educational Practices about the expressive Arts. Due to Covid, we have only just begun to resume this specialized programming for middle school. Since we are studying U.S. History, Laura Bruni, the art teacher, is focusing on art from the U.S. Expressive Arts Thomas Armstrong “Given all of the emotional and physical tumult roiling inside of young adolescents, it's a wonder that more focus has not been placed on the expressive arts at the middle school level. Expressive arts should be considered a core component of any middle school plan. The arts provide opportunities for young teens to express themselves in an atmosphere that is without judgment in areas such as sculpture, painting, drama, music, and dance. It's virtually impossible to fail in the expressive arts. In the course of expressing themselves artistically, students can sublimate sexual energies, channel violent impulses, sort out emotional conflicts, and build a deeper sense of identity. These are all critical developmental tasks in early adolescence. ... Young adolescents should have the opportunity to do some type of creative art activity every day, whether it is integrated into the regular curriculum...or engaged in as a freestanding activity. When young teens write poems, work in clay, draw, paint, dance, and sing, they are creatively involved in the act of forming themselves as autonomous individuals. The benefit to society could not be greater.” hiSTORY
1/9/2021
Historical Fiction (Adapted from a blog piece written by Martina Henke 2018) We are wired for story. Tell us a story and we are hooked. A simple search on the topic of storytelling will quickly show that we humans learn through story, connect through story, grow through story. So it just makes sense that we would use story to connect students to the reality of historical events. This week our middle school students began our Units of Study unit on the genre of historical fiction. This is not necessarily a genre that most students clamor to read, in the way that fantasy and science fiction flies from our shelves. But it is a genre that can take the stark facts of our history book and set them within compelling stories that help students understand the contexts, times, and people that shaped them. It’s a way to combine the “vitamins” with some “chocolate cake." As they learn to read this unique genre, students will be learning about historical events and time periods, but they’ll also learn about how to read the genre: how challenging setting and character development can be; how the internal traits of characters conflict with external conflicts raging around them; how themes develop in these kinds of books; how to go outside the text to shore up background knowledge so the story makes sense (Hello nonfiction and -gasp- textbooks!) They’ll learn to differentiate between the fiction in these books and the facts that surround the great stories. They'll examine multiple perspectives; begin to understand the complexity of issues that seem, on the face, simple; and have the chance to break through stereotypes. They will go deeper into topics that interest them, and wrestle with difficult questions. Most importantly, they can learn something about themselves, since most characters in their books are young people like them. How would they react in similar circumstances? Was that the right choice? How might things have been different, if only…? The topics of our books can be heavy, because if it’s worth writing about, it’s likely a tough topic. Students will be reading about things that expose them to some hard truths about our world. Already this week several have come into class railing at the unfairness they are reading about. It’s a perfect starting point for discussion. "You’re right! It WAS unfair. What kind of world will YOU be creating as you grow up? How can you change our future?” Our emerging young adults are interested in the world and how it works; they are passionate about justice and equity. This unit will hopefully kindle an interest in this genre. But our best hope is that it generates an awareness of how much we have to learn from history and the stories of people who’ve struggled, suffered, persevered, and triumphed - and continue to today. And who knows... they might even find a reason to read that textbook every now and then! |
Sarah Mariner
Ms. Mariner earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science from Colorado State University, and was awarded a teaching certificate through the University of Alaska, Southeast. Her varied background includes being an environmental education field instructor in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Baja, Mexico. She also served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Archives
April 2021
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