Daily epiphanies in the classroom

Every week as I sit down to compose my letter that appears on the MPI website, it doesn’t take me very long to think of the week’s key learning and teaching experiences, all of which seem to be epiphanies. Take the meeting I had Wednesday morning with a small group of four-year-olds from the preschool who composed a petition opposing the installation of artificial turf in the playstructure area. They stepped into my office, said to me, “Mrs. Hussey, we have something to show you,” then promptly handed me two sheets of paper with the following message written in their own inventive spelling:
    To. Ms. Husse Plez dont put fak gras becau we dont like the idea .We want to find crystals fire wth stiks and       bfs. 0 fake from presol.
Translated: Mrs. Hussey, Please don't put fake grass because we don't like the idea. We want to find crystals, fire with sticks, and bugs. 0 (zero) fake (grass). From, Preschool

One member of the group presented me with the signatures they had garnered from their classmates, friends in the adjacent three-year-old class, and even the preschool teachers. I learned from Ms. Leslie, one of the teachers, that the children mustered their best handwriting because they were aware that I needed to be able to read their names (and I did!).


When I explained that one of the concerns the Maintenance Department had was about the mud being tracked across the playground and into classrooms, one child responded quite matter-of-factly, “Well, then, we just take off our shoes! We wash our shoes,” and proceeded to show me the clean soles of her shoes after having left the playground. I was taken by their clear rationale and the seriousness of their intent.  I promised to share theirpetition with President Rice and the other administrators at our regularly scheduled meeting. I will be meeting with the children to talk more about their concerns and to see if there are alternative play areas where they can indeed find crystals, build (imaginative) fire with sticks, and find bugs. There will be a chapter two or three to this story, which has little to do with “cute” and everything to do with meaningful applications of writing, thinking critically about reasons for taking a stance, collaborating with peers to develop a position, honoring the image of the child as authors of their own development and risk takers. And this is preschool!

Today, I visited Ms. Field’s multiage 1-2 class to view their novel iMovie, the genesis of which began with their inquiry about Wailele Spring on the MPI football field (all of the multiage first and second grades are investigating various aspects of this natural spring) as part of our 100th-year-in-Manoa inquiry. The children wrote an original script, which they read and recorded, accompanied by corresponding illustrations. Parents were invited to this inquiry presentation, followed with several learning demonstrations in physical science.

This Thursday and Friday, the entire multiage third and fourth grades will embark on an intensive study of the ahupua’a of Manoa (another 100th-year-in-Manoa inquiry) by visiting historic and cultural areas of interest in Manoa (e.g., Manoa Chinese Cemetery, Koganji Temple, etc.) and down through Waikiki.  From the mountains to the ocean, students are exploring land uses one hundred years ago from Manoa to Waikiki. Part of their two-day experience includes a visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center to investigate hale and food production methods. Then on Friday evening, the students and their families will gather in Scudder Hall for dinner and displays of their research.

Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth graders are preparing to take the Stanford Achievement Test in the next two weeks.  Students will complete multiple-choice and open-ended tests in reading, writing and mathematics. Test-taking preparation includes working in practice workbooks, discussing problem-solving strategies, and continuing the daily business of learning. We do not shut down the rich learning of the classroom — literature groups, Math Investigations processes, science experiments, independent reading and writing, art, music, p.e., and character education — just to take a standardized, norm-referenced test. A balanced approach is always best.

We hope you’ll allow your children to attend the upcoming MPI boy’s varsity volleyball game versus Kamehameha on April 25, 6:00pm, in the gym. The team will be visiting the elementary school for the assembly on April 17 and on April 22 to have lunch and play some volleyball. We are not providing supervision because the game begins when the afterschool program ends at 6:00pm. However, this might be a great family activity on a Friday night.

The MPI Parent Community Association (PCA) is currently accepting nominations for officer positions (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) for the 2008-2009 school year. Nominations must be mailed to Noren Kawakami at noren@hawaii.rr.com no later than Monday, April 14, or may be submitted in person at the PCA meeting April 15, 2008, at the Elementary School, from 5:30 to 6:30pm.  I know there are many of you who are qualified to assume school leadership roles in the parent community. Please consider sharing your expertise in this capacity. It appears that many former elementary parents are stepping forward to assume leadership roles. What wonderful spirit!

Consider contributing to the Hawaii Foodbank Annual Food Drive on April 19, Saturday, 8:00am-4:00pm.  The most-needed items are financial contributions, canned meats or tuna, canned soups, canned vegetables and fruits. The drop-off sites are Koki Marina Center, McCully Shopping Center, Restaurant Row, Pearl City Shopping Center, Town Center of Mililani, Windward City Shopping Center, Waiokeola Congregational Church in Kahala, and various military locations. We very much appreciate your donations to our monthly food drive; your contributions go to the Palolo Food Pantry, which we have serviced for over ten years.  

Another reminder about t-shirts: Uniform MPI green or beige shirts or 1908 commemorative t-shirts should be worn daily, except on Fridays when students may wear any other MPI-related t-shirt such as any Ho`olaule`a shirt, MPI Junior Owls baseball camp, Big Island, etc.).

The Kahalaopuna opera music that the children are rehearsing is growing on me.  It’ll be amazing to see how all the pieces will fit together in the end! Invitations are being mailed to all preschool and elementary families. The opera performance May 9-10 will be a great time to bring family members (e.g., grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins) and family friends.

For our children,

Edna L. Hussey
Principal

Posted on April 10, 2008 9:55 PM | Permalink