ISY Elementary Blog

Elementary Update – May 8th, 2020

Sandy Sheppard, Elementary School Principal

Dear all,

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey this week. The feedback you provide is so important to us. An email will be sent out soon that will summarize the feedback given.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for the enormous contributions you are making to your child/rens learning. Your support an encouragement is outstanding. We appreciate all your feedback. Together we are ensuring our students are receiving a quality Virtual Learning experience. 
We can’t wait to be back on campus and in the classrooms with our students.

Wishing you all the best.

Sandy Sheppard

 

Congratulations to Ms Jordan and her husband Phil on the birth of their gorgeous baby boy Gray Prescott Benson. Mother and baby are doing very well.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM:
Elementary School Welcome Back Slides
We wanted to welcome everyone back to school and let you know how much we missed our community and how ready we were to continue with Virtual Learning. See the slides here.
PE Newsletter
Mr Wyatt and Ms Lisa put together their first PE Newsletter, this newsletter has important information about the PE program and can be found here.
 A Musical Message
Just in case you missed it here is the video made by the faculty at ISY.  Wherever you are in the world, you can count on us!  It’s on both the Facebook page and the YouTube Channel. Enjoy.
Message from the Director
Dr. Hedger’s third message for the whole community can be viewed here.
Dr. Hedger talks about reimagining school and our commitment to reopening.

UPCOMING DATE

13th May – Global Citizens, Virtual Wednesday

3rd June – End of year virtual assembly celebration

4th June – Report Cards go home

10th June – Last day of school for the 19-20 school year

EMAIL CONTACTS

Principal – ssheppard@isyedu.org

Counselor – escounselor@isyedu.org

Office – office@isyedu.org

Assessment at ISY in a Virtual Learning Context

All assessment practices at ISY are designed to provide a fair and accurate picture of a student’s achievement and progress in relation to the ISY curriculum standards. 

In a virtual learning context, insofar as it is practical, teaching and learning will cover the same content and skills as in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. However, the unique methodology and challenges of online teaching and learning requires a unique approach to assessment. 

Assessment at ISY in a virtual learning context will be: 

  • Fair to students, 
  • Strive to develop an accurate picture of what a student is capable of in relation to ISY curriculum standards,
  • Compassionate to students and acknowledge the unique challenges that each student faces in a virtual learning context.

It is important for teachers to assess student work and to provide feedback to students so they continue to grow academically. However, ISY teachers acknowledge the fact that teaching and learning virtually might not allow for the development of a fair and accurate picture of what a student is really capable of. ISY teachers are also very aware that circumstances beyond the control of the students may mean that students cannot always complete work to the best of their abilities. 

In assigning final grades to students, ISY teachers will show compassion to students. This means that teachers will consider past academic performance to assign grades. This permits grades to better reflect what a student’s current academic performance would be in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. In assigning final grades, ISY teachers will also take into account any other circumstance beyond the control of the students that will adversely affect academic performance. 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

This week’s Wednesday lesson was entitled Courageous Chinthes.  Students were asked to be risk takers, struggle with a task and reflect about their learning journey.  A major theme in the lessons was having a growth mindset.  Growth Mindset comes from a set of research from Stanford University professor Carol Dewick.  Growth mindset influences many attitudes of learning, including how one views feedback, effort and lack of success.  ISY consistently seeks to encourage a growth mindset in our students.  We encourage mistakes as opportunities for learning and seek to set challenging tasks that encourage persistence and hard work.  So how can you recognize if your child has a growth mindset?  Well, an individual with a growth mindset tend to:

  • Seek out support and ask questions:  They understand that their own learning can be enhanced by others.  They are not threatened or jealous when others succeed.  Instead they celebrate others’ success as it helps their own learning.

  • Be energized by constructive feedback:  They understand that effort and practice brings out higher quality.  They see feedback as opportunities to improve not as criticism. 

  • Practice:  People with a growth mindset continue to practice and change strategies even when they have done well.  They don’t stop just because they have found “success” in comparison to others.  They are driven to do their personal best always.

  • Admit their mistakes:  Those with a growth mindset know that mistakes are needed to improve.  They don’t feel a need to hide or cover up mistakes because they understand that mistakes are proof of learning not proof of inability.

It must be stated that individuals are unique and varied.  One might have a growth mindset in one area and then to have a fixed mindset in another area.  For example a person might have a growth mindset regarding math but a fixed mindset regarding art.  This is not uncommon and but often a parent can see themes in their child’s learning attitudes.  We hope in your observations and work with your child during virtual learning you have seen the qualities of a growth mindset, but if not, don’t fret it is possible to change one’s mindset.   Supporting your child when challenged, providing helpful feedback and demonstrating failure can all support your child toward a growth mindset.  If you’d like to learn more about growth mindset or have other concerns, Ms. Patty is available through email to support your family.   escounselor@isyedu.org 

RESOURCES:

Mindset: A New Psychology of Success, Dewick C. 2007

Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck 

Visual: Brilliant Now Hero’s Journey Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset (2) – Be Brilliant Now

Virtual Learning

Below you can see some of the pictures from our Global Citizens, Virtual Wednesday.

Courageous Chinthes

On Wednesday, our Courageous Chinthes shared with us their success stories in the form of ‘Courage Icebergs.’ They reflected on something they are good at and shared all the challenges and difficulties and help they had as they learned their special something.

It is important that children understand that success is usually preceded by frustration and failure and it is ok to ask for help to overcome difficulties and challenges. Our Courageous Chinthes understand this and we are very proud of their achievements. Here is a selection of their ‘Courage Icebergs.’

‘BALANCING AN EGG’ FEEDBACK

Hi Ms.Patty

I managed to get my egg to stand up twice without the salt trick. I felt very motivated to make the egg balance. I got everyone in my family to try. My mom was the first to get it to balance and she got it on her first try. I was very proud when I got it and I felt even better when I did it a second time.

Shanne

Dear Ms Patty

I balanced an egg!

Reeya

Hi Ms. Patty,

when I did it I was thinking

– what am I doing wrong?

– how do I do this?

I liked it when I got the salt out and it worked.

From Eleaor

Ben and Jacob:  We tried and tried. We ate chocolate eggs. We broke one on the floor. We tried tape. We thought it was impossible. But we kept trying and we finally got one to stand. How?  We got down to the egg’s level, let the yoke settle, calmed down and became one with the egg!  And it worked!

When I told my mom that I was doing a challenge with the egg, she said there was a trick to it and she told me. So I put salt on the flat surface and balanced my egg after a few tries it worked. But then I wanted to do it without salt but never managed.

Julien

Hi Ms Patty,

Hope you are doing well. I just did the egg challenge. I had to use gloves because have egg allergies but it was a lot of fun and it worked. I never thought it could work but it did. Stay safe stay home.

From Emma

Hi Ms. Patty,

I actually tried to balance an egg for an hour and in the process, cracked two eggs. I did it because I was like “Well, I have nothing else to do, so why not?” 

Brian

Dear Ms.Patty,

What happened was I could balance a egg!!

My strategy was to put play doh on the a flat surface then put the egg on top.

What I was thinking that I can do this.

Maanya

Egg Successes

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