Beginners

New beginnings are always exciting. I consider myself lucky to live and work by a school schedule because every year I am able to experience a new beginning with my colleagues and students. This September, as we embarked on a new school year I felt the usual excitement as I welcomed families, new and familiar, back to school. But there was an additional layer of excitement in the air this year because we were also welcoming our new class of three year olds, or as we are calling them Beginners.

In considering the addition of a three's program at Elmwood Franklin, there were many things to think about. As we worked through the process, we found ourselves wondering what to call our group, just calling them the three's didn't seem to cover it. Then we arrived at Beginners, which I feel for many reasons is the perfect name for our new program. My teaching career began in kindergarten at The Buckley School in New York City. That particular kindergarten was called Beginners. I have always thought Beginners the perfect name for kindergarten in that it marks a child's beginning in their school career. To me, that milestone celebrates all of the learning, exploration, discovery and fun that lies ahead for students in their scholastic careers. My students and I were truly Beginners together during my time at Buckley. I am sentimental about the name Beginners because my five years spent in those Beginners classrooms continue to influence and inspire the type of educator I am today.

To me, our Elmwood Franklin Beginners are a symbol of many exciting, new beginnings here at school. One of the most exciting to be sure is the beginning of our work with the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Reggio Emilia is a progressive philosophy that centers around the child. It is a play and project based approach to learning that allows for exploration and problem solving initiated in large part by the child. The philosophy was founded by a gentleman named Loris Malaguzzi in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy in the 1960's. The schools established by Malaguzzi strive to create an environment for children that allows for their innate desire to inquire, experiment and discover. The classroom environment and materials are instrumental in setting the stage for learning to take place and the teacher acts as a guide for the exciting adventure.

I feel the Reggio philosophy establishes a perfect foundation for with skills that we work to build with our students throughout their years at Elmwood Franklin. In each and every grade, we have students exploring, problem solving, and creating. To begin a child's school career with Reggio, seems the perfect start to the learning they will experience while progressing through the grades. As Malaguzzi puts it, children have a Hundred Languages. In so many schools, the languages are squelched by over direction from teachers and standards from government. Reggio is a reminder to all of us that the Hundred Languages within each child create a momentum of learning that has wonderful potential.

When you begin you are new and fresh, sometimes a little nervous, definitely a bit excited and by definition poised to learn more. Our students may be beginners on some days and experts on others, so the transition goes as they build their skills. The same is true for our teachers, especially those of us at school this year embarking on the journey of Reggio. I am thrilled to begin this journey with  our Beginners and Prep teachers this year. The philosophy of Reggio is relevant not only to the learning experience of the young child but also the learning experience of the older child and adult. As we study Reggio together we will embark on a journey that will in many ways celebrate the Beginner in all of us.

Dear Lower School Parents

Dear Lower School Parents,

I hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying the last week of summer, before school begins. Although it can be difficult to say goodbye to summer, I have always found the excitement and anticipation of the new school year a quick remedy. Summer provides a nice break from the routine of the school year—but there is something about that routine that has always drawn me back with a smile on my face. I think it is because I love the tradition of heading back to school: packing up backpacks, picking that outfit for the first day, and of course taking the first day of school picture.

There are many traditions particular to Elmwood Franklin that make our days special. The school song is one that always stands out in my mind. Colonial day in third grade, the book fair in November and of course the Prep Halloween parade are just some, among many of the traditions, that we look forward to each year. Some of our traditions have been around for years; others are newer and have grown to become favorites. This element of tradition is something that has always endeared me to the independent school world—I love the sentimentality and the sense of history that stem from our traditions. I am also drawn to the world of independent schools because we have the freedom to put our own spin on our traditions. We have the ability to allow our traditions to adapt with us, so that they are truly reflective of our mission and culture.

As the new Head of Lower School, I am looking forward to returning to the traditions of my own education at Elmwood Franklin. But more so, I am excited for your children. They get the experience of living the old traditions and helping to create the new. It is the energy of our students that brings our culture to life—that is why we are so excited to see them return to the classrooms next week!

In preparing for the start of a new school year, please do not forget that it can take time for your family to adjust to the routine. Bedtimes will likely come earlier and the alarm clock will certainly be going off earlier. Children will have very busy days and therefore will be exhausted when they come home. After a week or two, things will begin to fall into place, so allow yourself the time for everyone to adjust back into the school routine. It is something I have to remind myself of each year.

Also, as you are updating your calendars for the school year, please take note that we will be hosting an evening with Barbara Coloroso on Wednesday, September 7^th at 6:30 pm. Barbara is the author of The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander, which we read as a faculty this summer. Horizons staff will be available for childcare during Barbara’s talk, which is expected to last until approximately 8:00 pm. Please RSVP to Kim Yarbrough by Tuesday, September 6^th if you would like to avail of Horizons. We hope you can join us!

I have written this letter to you in the form of a blog entry as a means of introducing you to my blog. I plan on writing a weekly blog that you will be able to find by going to the EFS website and looking for the link on the right hand side. You can also sign up to follow my blog and receive email notifications of a new posting—please do! I look forward to getting to know you all this year. Please feel free to stop by my office, call or email should you need to speak to me or even just want to say hello. See you on the morning of September 8^th. It will be here before we know it!

Sincerely,

Sarah Duddy

I have always been one who has found it difficult to decide on favorites. As a classroom teacher, I have often faced groups of students asking me about my favorite color or food. In conversations with adults I have always been stumped when people ask me whether I have a favorite movie or book. My problem is that I like so many different things, I have always struggled to hone in on the one that is ultimate above all the rest.

Recently, I was putting together a postcard to send out to students, welcoming them to the school year and also introducing myself as the new lower school head. I decided to list a few favorites by way of introduction - funny considering the struggle that I often face in deciding on a favorite. I listed my favorite flavor of ice cream as mint chocolate chip. Confession - it is not my ultimate favorite, but is certainly has a high ranking, among a select group. I then listed my favorite children's book author - Tomie dePaola. This was an easy one, because by picking Mr. dePaola, I did not have to settle on just one of his books, which would have been far too hard. The Strega Nona series alone boasts eleven books and I could never pick between the bunch!

As I was writing the postcard, I began to wonder about my all time favorite piece of children's literature. This favorite came to me quickly and certainly - Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White. Why, I wondered did that favorite come to me so easily? Quickly, the reasons came flooding in. First and foremost - for the five years that I taught kindergarten and three that I taught first grade, I always started the year off by reading Charlotte, to my students. Sometimes, on the first day that we settled in to read Charlotte, I was faced with a few complaints - "We've already read this," or "I saw the movie," but I would press on because I knew that within minutes, I would have them all mesmerized, and I was always right. Then next day, the students would come into school asking, "When are we going to read Charlotte?" I cherished that cozy time with my students. This tradition lead me to read Charlotte again and again, year after year, and I loved it every time. I found that I discovered something new each time I opened the book. Just a few of the many reasons that Charlotte's Web is my favorite children's book.

Charlotte's Web is a story of friendship. White builds his story around the friendship between Fern and Wilbur, the friendships between all of the farm animals, and of course the ultimate friendship between Charlotte and Wilbur. As a teacher, I found it fitting to begin school focusing on the theme of friendship with my students each year. Friendships are so important, especially when you are in elementary school and just beginning to figure out what friendship entails. The beginning of the school year marks a time to reconnect with friends that you have not seen all summer as well as begin new friendships - perhaps with a student that was in the other homeroom last year or a new student - what an exciting prospect!

My oldest and dearest friendship started when I was a student at Elmwood Franklin, on a field trip to the pumpkin patch in Prep II. When I look back over my friendship with Lauren, I think about all I have learned - how to manage hurt feelings when she chose to sit with someone else at lunch, how to encourage her when she had hurt feelings, how to compromise when she wanted to watch Punky Brewster and I wanted to play the board game Life, and eventually how to support each other as we worked to figure things out as roommates in New York City. We have grown together and continue to grow to this day - our friendship is truly a treasure.

As educators, we are faced with the important task of teaching academic content to our students. However, it is important for us to remember that the scope of our curricula need reach beyond simply the subject matter of our grade level - we need to teach our students how to navigate friendships. It is a social skill they will use throughout their lifetimes and one that sometimes does not come easily. For children, it can be difficult to understand why friendship is sometimes painful or what role they are supposed to play in a friendship. It is our job, as teachers, to be aware of these elements of friendship that are evolving among our students and guide the development when it is required.

The themes and elements of friendship in Charlotte's Web are abundant. Charlotte supports Wilbur when he is sad that Fern is spending more time with Henry Fussy. She teaches Templeton to be a better friend to Wilbur, and search for the perfect word for her web. The gander and sheep in the barnyard grow to love Wilbur, when at first they found him pesky and a nuisance. Finally, Charlotte saves Wilbur and in turn he takes care of her three children: Joy, Aranea, and Nellie.

I could go on and on about why Charlotte's Web is my favorite piece of children's literature - but there are really two reasons that stand above all of the rest. First, Charlotte's Web reminds me of the start of a new school year and the exciting potential of new beginnings. Second, Charlotte teaches us about the treasure of friendship. Maybe it is time for me to read Charlotte again. Maybe you will decide to read it with your children - again or for the first time - it really never gets old.