Field Trips 101

“School field trips had always been a welcome escape from routine, particularly when they'd involved aquariums or grown-ups dressed in colonial costumes.”  ~Kristin Gore, Sammy's House

Why do schools take the time and ask parents to shoulder the expense of school field trips?  I have heard that question many times in my educational career.  Many schools have cut field trips from budgets or don’t want to give up time in the classroom to field trips. Due to this there has been a lot of research on the question of field trips over the past few years.  Do field trips have true educational value is a question researchers have been striving to answer.  In everything I have read the answer has been a resounding yes. The skills and knowledge students gain from going on field trips is significant.  However, the type of field trip is important.  An enriching field trip (visiting a museum, seeing a play, conducting community service) had great educational value.  Rewarding field trips (going to an amusement park, seeing a movie, going to a sporting event) do not show statistical educational value.

One researcher quote that was particularly poignant to me was, “We don’t just want our children to acquire work skills from their education; we also want them to develop into civilized people who appreciate the breadth of human accomplishments. The school field trip is an important tool for meeting this goal.”  This quote summed up what we are trying to accomplish in our Classical Education program.  I feel you have chosen Classical Education for the above stated purpose and school field trips are just one way for us accomplish the end result we strive for at Eagle Ridge Academy.  If you are interested in reading more of the research on field trips, let me know.  I'm happy to send it to you. 

So...this past week the 1^st grade students took a field trip.  They attended a play at the Stages Theater in Hopkins.  It was based on the book Goodnight Moon.  After attending the field trip, the first grade students reflected on their experience.  Below is a picture of one reflection from a student in Mrs. Sahli’s classroom.

Mrs. Sahli’s class has had a busy week.  They have been working long and hard to fill the feathers in their classroom CIPHER poster.  In order to get each feather, they have to work together to demonstrate each of the Pillars.  Every class in the Lower School does this in order to teach the all-important skills of teamwork and collaboration.  Connecting these skills to the Pillars make them even more meaningful.  Once the poster is filled, the class has a CIPHER party.  Mrs. Sahli’s class had a reading beach party with leis, juice, and a cookie cake (donated by Parth’s dad).  The best part of the party was the beach towel reading time! Check out the pictures of this special time celebrating their accomplishment below.

Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Baier

Learning Together

A single leaf working alone provides no shade. ~Chuck Page

One of the benefits of having a K-12 school is being able to make connections between grade levels.  As a Classical School, we do not have cooperative learning projects in the classrooms.  However, we do have buddy classrooms and allow older and younger students to come together to read, learn about the Pillars, and share knowledge.  Younger students look up to older students and giving them time to interact in a meaningful way is important.

 

Recently, I was hurrying down the hallway and noticed a large amount of students in one third grade classroom.  It was first and third grade buddy day.  The students were working on math vocabulary.  The older students were helping the younger students define important math vocabulary words.  It was inspiring to see the older students sharing their mastered knowledge of addends and sums, etc. with the younger students.  This wasn’t exploratory learning.   It was third graders sharing “truths” with first graders while building all-important relationships.  Thanks to Mrs. Rau and Mrs. Sahli for fostering this particular connection.  

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Baier

Beginners

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning."

~Meister Eckhart

 

As we start a new calendar year, we often think of things we would like to start doing or do better.  There always seems to be a lot of pressure on making resolutions for the new year.  I have refused to make resolutions the past few years.  I have chosen this path because I always want to be open to change and new learning, not just at the beginning of a new year.   

Each day I look at students and see the genuine curiosity and the excitement when they are learning or experiencing something new.  Every day when they come to school they are beginners in some way.  As adults, we need to remember they are beginners in most everything they do.  They haven’t developed the automaticity for tasks, although we do want that to occur over time in areas that are no longer new.  What we don’t want them (or us) to lose is the willingness to put themselves in a place of vulnerability and try something new.  We all have to start at the beginning when learning or doing something new.  That is an exciting place to be at any time of year!  

Make sure you foster that openness and willingness in your children and in yourself.  Put yourself out there and be a beginner at something with your children.  You are their best role models.  I still remember my mother learning to paint with oil paints when I was nine years old.  I can vividly see her first picture and how excited she was to complete it.  That enthusiasm has stayed with me all these years and I channel that when I am trying something new or something outside my comfort zone (like ice skating)!  Maybe you will set a resolution to be a beginner at something this year or just seize the opportunity if it comes up.  Let’s make 2015 the “Year of the Beginner.”

Last week was the 2^nd Annual Eagle Ridge Academy Scripps Spelling Bee.  Students from 4^th-8^th grade participated.  They started with written tests in their homeroom classrooms.  The top four from each grade based on those tests moved on to the school spelling bee.  Lower School representative from grades four and five our listed below.  Our own Ansh Sharma in 5^th grade was the grand champion from the school spelling bee.  Ansh will be moving on to the next level in the Scripps Spelling Bee process.  Congratulations to Ansh and all participants.  A BIG thank you to Mrs. Kirsten Walker for coordinating the spelling bee this year and to Mrs. Grabanski and Ms. LeVahn for serving as judges. 

4^th- Aniketh H., Lahari H., Ananya S., Sabinav S.

5^th- Simran D., Surya A., Eimaan H., Ansh S.

 

Mr. Anderson was busy over winter break replacing the art work in the Lower School.  He put of some fourth grade projects that connected to their study of Ancient China this year.  Their Cherry Blossom Branches are “true works of art.”  Please read the techniques they used to create these amazing pieces below.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Baier