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Letter from Lynne |
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Dear Parents,
Back in the ’70s, when I was getting my feet wet in the educational field, I started my career as an elementary school teacher. And, at that time, the great debate was “Phonics or Whole Language?” In other words, was it better to teach early readers using an old-fashioned phonics approach, or was it better to have them experience language in a more organic fashion, learning through invented spelling, creating language, recognizing words in context, etc.? The answer, as it turns out, was “Yes.”
Recently there was a piece in the New York Times about teaching history…should courses cover great spans of time in the model of a survey course, or should they, instead, go for narrower and deeper coverage, thus challenging students to consider themes and dig down into causes, philosophies and motivations of particular eras or phenomena? The answer, again, is “Yes.”
Similar arguments exist in virtually every discipline – skill and drill or manipulatives in math? Memorization and precision, or immersion and risk-taking in foreign language? And, to further complicate matters, should learning be assessed by exams, or papers, or projects or problem solving? By now, I suspect you know the answer: “Yes!”
In my opinion, one of the really great things about Agnes Irwin is the collaborative and intentional work our faculty does with regard to curriculum. Neither sticking in a rut of tradition nor jumping on every trend and bandwagon means that our decisions can be based upon a variety of factors, including current research on teaching and learning, knowledge about girls as students and experience with our girls, in particular. We know that there is not one way to teach or to learn, and we know that doing our very best as educators means careful, critical and constant reflection about what and how we teach.
Much of this collaboration among teachers occurs during the summer and in meetings after the school day, but this week we are fortunate to have a day just for professional growth purposes. I hope that you and yours are able to enjoy the long weekend, and I want you to know that part of it is devoted, here on campus, to continued work on behalf of your daughters. Author and Johns Hopkins professor Judy Yero writes, “We must not entrust the future of our children to habit.” I assure you, we do not.
- Lynne
P.S. Just a brief update for you: our international students have been thriving here at AIS! Please remember these four vibrant and friendly girls when planning family outings in the coming weeks and months. Ninth grader Elena and tenth graders Olivia, Angela and Leilei have diverse interests - running the gamut from science exhibits, professional sporting events and experiencing new cuisines to musical performances (classical and popular), theater, trips to the countryside, the shore and the mountains, and shopping. If you would like to extend an invitation to one or more of the girls, please contact me or Mark Myavec. |
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Coming Up at AIS... |
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Mon. 10/10 NO CLASSES – Columbus Day
Wed. 10/12-Fri. 10/14 Grade 8 NYC Trip
Thurs. 10/13 Grade 7 Trip, 9 a.m.-1:45 p.m., Phila. Museum of Art
Fri. 10/14 CAG Launch Event, 6 p.m., National Constitution Center, Phila.
Wed. 10/19 Barksdale All-School Retakes
Fri. 10/21 Big/Little Sister Lunch
Thurs. 10/27 MS/US NOON DISMISSAL – Parent/Teacher Conferences (see additional information below)
Fri. 10/28 MS/US NO CLASSES - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Sun. 10/30 All-School Open House, 2 p.m.
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Conferences with Teachers |
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Please be advised that parents and guardians will receive an email regarding conferences with teachers by Thurs. Oct/13. Registration will open on the web through pickAtime.com on Mon. 10/17 at 9 a.m. |
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Do you always struggle to decide what to make for dinner on Halloween night? Mom's Bake-at-Home Pizza is the answer to your dilemma! Order your pizza today, and pick it up on Halloween in the Moran Gallery between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Click here for an order form. Orders must be received at the Middle/Upper School front desk by Wed. 10/12. Additional information regarding this sale and other Parents' Council Meetings/Events is located on the Parents' section of the AIS website. Please contact Suzanne Zelov with any questions. |
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5th Grade Math Night |
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A successful night of fun and games with parents and guardians that uncovered the excitement in learning math! |
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| THIS IS A NO HOMEWORK WEEKEND in
the Middle School. If your daughter was assigned any papers, projects,
research or other work, that was an oversight on the part of her
teacher(s). Please assure your daughter that she is not responsible for completing any homework
this weekend. Also, there will be no quizzes or tests given on Tues.
10/11, so no studying for assessments should be required. I hope you
will encourage your daughter to relax, rest and have fun! |
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New contact information: Please use email as the first point of contact for the MS/US Administrative Assistants, hsnyder@agnesirwin.org and dpage@agnesirwin.org. The second point of contact will now be direct dial line numbers for Helen Snyder (484-380-4119) in the Middle School and Donna Page (484-380-4115) in the Upper School.
The Lower School Admission Open House on 10/5 was a great success. Thank you to everyone who placed a lawn sign. Kindly return the sign and stand to Barbara Silverman or Barbara Massaro. Lawn signs for the All-School Open House on Sun. 10/30 are ready for distribution. Please contact the Admission Office if you are willing to help. Please visit the AIS Parents page to view the new 2011-2012 AIS Directory and for current forms, news and notes. |
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