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Letter from Lynne |
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Dear Parents,
Aside from the amazing humans involved – our students, families, staff and faculty – our most precious commodity at AIS just might be time. Always, there is more collaborative time needed by the teachers. Always, students could use a bit more time to confer with one another, put the final touches on a project, or work in the lab or studio. And the more we have moved toward the interdisciplinary work we know is the desired approach for teaching and learning, the more it becomes evident that the present organization of time in our day is not helping us!
My friend and colleague Donna Lindner tells me that last year your daughters were in school a little over 1200 hours. And by all means, every one of our girls learned and grew and matured in a myriad of ways over the course of those 1200 hours. Nonetheless, just as you must do with evening and weekend hours, it’s our responsibility to make thoughtful decisions about how we utilize the finite quantity of time at our disposal: how we build in flexibility, how we combine and overlap endeavors that could operate symbiotically, how we balance the many needs and wishes for those minutes that are compelling but, ultimately, in competition with one another.
As a day school, we operate within an 8ish to 4ish day. But beyond those pretty familiar boundaries, we are no longer talking about your grandmother’s schedule! We’re not even talking about the schedules you and I had growing up. Oh…wait…those were the same as our grandparents’. While some schools have successfully moved to longer blocks of time (rather than 40 or 50 minute periods), or an occasional co-taught class, and some have gone with a reduced number of “modules” that change by term, most have continued to put science in one silo, English in another, and all the remaining disciplines in their own, safe containers. This lack of change might make sense if the past fifty years had seen no advances in technology; no new knowledge about how we learn; no new pedagogical approaches or techniques; no changes in world relations, economics or politics; no new competencies expected at the collegiate level; and no transformations in the career opportunities that lie ahead for our students. Suffice it to say, then, this lack of change doesn’t really make a lot of sense.
The Middle and Upper schools are examining longer and fewer periods in a day. We are exploring the possibility of STEAM (science, tech, engineering, arts, math) blocks; the overlap of arts and language, arts and history, history and English; and the “whole being greater than the parts” results that can occur when 1200 hours are divvied up in a way that truly supports creative, meaningful teaching and learning. Challenging learning that revolves around students mastering skills to solve interdisciplinary problems, think critically, and make curricular connections should not happen now and then during “special units” or “special weeks,” but should be an integral element of hour 1, hour 1200, and a whole bunch of the hours between. This work takes time – time to feel that any changes we adopt are in the best interests of the girls, time to imagine what could be, time to learn new things ourselves, and time to talk about it all…a lot…but I thought you’d like to know!
- Lynne |
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Coming Up at AIS... |
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Mon. 12/12 MS/US Winter Concert, 7-9 p.m., Laura Thomas Buck ’49 Pavilion
Fri. 12/16 Winter Break Begins at Noon
*Classes Resume Tues. 1/3/12
Wed. 1/11/12 A Reading with Big Timber (Montana) Roundup Poet Paul Zarzyski, 7:30 p.m., The Haverford School, Ball Auditorium
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Please click on the events to view all committee meeting dates & information:
Winterfest – Sat. 3/10/12; Next Meeting: 12/12, 8-10 a.m., MS/US Meeting Room
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The sixth grade history classes will embark on “world religion” field trips. Medieval History sections 6-2 and 6-3 will attend a Muslim Midday Prayer Service on Thurs. 12/15 at the Mosque of Shaikh M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen in Overbrook. Prior to the service, the girls will have the opportunity to meet with the imam. They will be in uniform but should bring scarves to cover their heads during the prayer service. Girls are to bring a bagged lunch, which will be eaten on the bus. Those who are on the debit plan will be able to order a bagged lunch from the school cafeteria. Departure time is 10 a.m. and they will return around 1:30 p.m. |
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The Winter Service Bazaar on Tues. 12/6 was a huge success! The students raised over $1800! The money will be used throughout the year to support Middle School service projects. Thanks to all of the families and students who helped. See the Media Gallery photos
Please visit the AIS Parents page to stay updated with all current information.
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Vote for the Choir |
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The Upper School Choir has made it to the B101 Christmas Choir Contest semi-finals! On Wed. 12/14 the song "Walking in the Air" will be heard throughout the day. To vote for the choir, log onto the B101 Web site up until 9 p.m. on 12/14. First prize is $5000 for the choir and the opportunity to perform with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops! Please help them out by voting! Click here to see the semi-finalists. |
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New "Extra" Session |
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Extra Session is expanding to the Middle School's fifth and sixth graders – Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. Winter programs will start Mon. 1/23 and finish Thurs. 3/1. Sessions run from 3:45-4:45 p.m. Offerings include knitting, yoga sport, ASL and Chinese! Click here to register and check out our website for updates and course information.
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