Dear Lab School Families
Yesterday was the annual Black Alliance assembly. It was a beautiful show with signing, dancing tributes and social action. The Black Alliance is a student group that is open to all Lab Middle School students. One of the things that the club has been active in this year is a social action project involving getting rid of the n-word in popular culture. Earlier this year the group had a speaker come in to explain the origins of the n-word and its long term impact on race in society. The group did a teach-in yesterday around their learning and then passed around a petition for students to sign asking rap stars and singers to take it out of their lyrics. This petition is an example of authentic action related to student learning and student passion. I am so proud of my Black Alliance student leaders. Thank you to Ms. McCormick and Ms. Marilyn - the faculty advisors to the club.
In 7th grade science students are studying body systems. Ms. Bhatt's classes have just started the nervous system. When I was in class on Tuesday we all took the Stroop test. It is a cognitive test to test color and word recognition. I have included a link from NOVA so you all can try it as well http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/exposure/stroopintro.html. It is not as easy as you think - I promise :) This activity helped students start exploring and asking questions about how their brain works. It was a wonderful introduction to the unit.
Earlier this week I found myself surrounded by 200 6th graders and about 400 cupcakes in the cafeteria. Monday was the culminating event in the Cupcake Wars mathematical cooking challenge. The student have been working on a math project for the past two weeks. Over the weekend groups were each asked to bake cupcakes - the final product of the project. During math class students presented their projects and children sampled cupcakes to pick a class winner. The top cupcake in each homeroom was then tasted by me and the other judges. Now I love cupcakes but after the second one I was on a sugar high...and after the fourth one I was starting to feel a little sick. By the sixth one we were all only able to take a little nibble. In the end 606's cupcake - the S'mores cupcake won. The remaining few hundred cupcakes were eaten by our hungry sixth graders and hungry faculty. Thank you for all the families who lent their kitchens for this math project.
Spring is almost here. Remember that it is daylight savings time this weekend and we spring forward on Sunday. Set your clocks accordingly so we all get to school on time Monday morning.
Warmly,
Meg
Friday, March 11, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Rejoice
Dear Lab School Families,
I tried to write this blog many times over the course of this week. It is hard to capture all that has been felt and experienced by our school family. Death is a hard, if not an impossible thing to understand - especially the death of a child. It was hard to say goodbye to our dear friend Jabu. Through all of this sadness I have been so moved by the work of our children and our faculty.
Monday began on a somber note. Students gathered in homerooms to be told of Jabu's passing. Teachers then led students in reflection and remembrance. Students wrote, talked and created art in honor of their classmate. Throughout the day a makeshift memorial tribute was formed for Jabu outside of the seventh grade classrooms - a bulletin board filled with notes, cards and pictures, a collection of flowers filled a large bucket and a remembrance paper chain was made.
During 7th period the entire 7th grade made a banner in memory of Jabu. A sheet of butcher paper was rolled all the way down the 7th grade hallway. Students gathered to share messages of love and comfort with Jabu's family. Students wrote notes, painted hearts, shared memories and stories. The banner was given to Jabu's family at Monday night's memorial service.
The day ended in celebration and appreciation. Students were all asked to write about someone that they appreciated. The students were then invited to share their appreciations in a 7th grade-wide assembly in the Cafeteria. Students shared all sorts of appreciations. Some humorous - "thank you for sharing your grapes with me everyday at lunch". Some more serious - "thank you for always cheering me up when I am feeling low". And some directed towards Jabu. Having students reflect in this way was an important way to the end the day.
Jabu will be remembered as a dancer, an actor, an author, a comedian, a friend to all...a kind and generous young man. I learned on Monday that the name Jabulani is Zulu for rejoice. I could not think of a more fitting name for this young man. He always brought such joy and happiness to our Lab School family.
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Jabu's friends and family as we all mourn his loss.
I find that times of sadness and struggle are also moments where I become most thankful. The week started in sadness and ended with significant blessing. The most amazing part about being an educator is that children are remarkable - they constantly amaze and inspire a belief in what is possible. My first students (from when I was a teacher both here and in the Delta) are seniors. Today I learned of the first college offer. This may seem commonplace - of little significance. But for the one who taught them so much, who held their struggle as her own and who believed in what is possible it means the world. I am reminded that I am a teacher and I am blessed to be one.
Warmest,
Meg
I tried to write this blog many times over the course of this week. It is hard to capture all that has been felt and experienced by our school family. Death is a hard, if not an impossible thing to understand - especially the death of a child. It was hard to say goodbye to our dear friend Jabu. Through all of this sadness I have been so moved by the work of our children and our faculty.
Monday began on a somber note. Students gathered in homerooms to be told of Jabu's passing. Teachers then led students in reflection and remembrance. Students wrote, talked and created art in honor of their classmate. Throughout the day a makeshift memorial tribute was formed for Jabu outside of the seventh grade classrooms - a bulletin board filled with notes, cards and pictures, a collection of flowers filled a large bucket and a remembrance paper chain was made.
During 7th period the entire 7th grade made a banner in memory of Jabu. A sheet of butcher paper was rolled all the way down the 7th grade hallway. Students gathered to share messages of love and comfort with Jabu's family. Students wrote notes, painted hearts, shared memories and stories. The banner was given to Jabu's family at Monday night's memorial service.
The day ended in celebration and appreciation. Students were all asked to write about someone that they appreciated. The students were then invited to share their appreciations in a 7th grade-wide assembly in the Cafeteria. Students shared all sorts of appreciations. Some humorous - "thank you for sharing your grapes with me everyday at lunch". Some more serious - "thank you for always cheering me up when I am feeling low". And some directed towards Jabu. Having students reflect in this way was an important way to the end the day.
Jabu will be remembered as a dancer, an actor, an author, a comedian, a friend to all...a kind and generous young man. I learned on Monday that the name Jabulani is Zulu for rejoice. I could not think of a more fitting name for this young man. He always brought such joy and happiness to our Lab School family.
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Jabu's friends and family as we all mourn his loss.
I find that times of sadness and struggle are also moments where I become most thankful. The week started in sadness and ended with significant blessing. The most amazing part about being an educator is that children are remarkable - they constantly amaze and inspire a belief in what is possible. My first students (from when I was a teacher both here and in the Delta) are seniors. Today I learned of the first college offer. This may seem commonplace - of little significance. But for the one who taught them so much, who held their struggle as her own and who believed in what is possible it means the world. I am reminded that I am a teacher and I am blessed to be one.
Warmest,
Meg
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