After looking over our notes from our last meeting, I've planned the agenda to give us opportunities to both connect with one another about our work from the year as well as to facilitate some goal-setting for next year. At the Lower School Curriculum Task Force today we looked at a daunting timeline of all the initiatives we are exploring, piloting, and implementing in Lower School. Tracy and I had a chance to talk about this after school and the subjects of simplicity and overlap came up. When planning this month's meeting, I considered these questions:
- How can our whole-school focus on inquiry help us see the common threads of the work we are doing?
- How can our own teacher inquiry serve to teach us about how to nurture our students on their inquiry journeys?
- Where will the children's questions and our questions lead us in regards to our other areas of focus (social-emotional, ICC work, enhanced math thinking, etc.)?
Instead of beginning our meeting at 3:30 with our usual reflective writing, we'll begin with ten minutes to read and mark the article we'll use in our protocol. I'm including the link to that article here in case you suspect you will arrive after 3:30 or if you'd like to bring it up on a device to read. (Not sure about internet connections there, so maybe load it before arriving). I will also bring print copies. If you need guidance about the kinds of passages to highlight, we will be using the Three Levels of Text Protocol.
Looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday!
Kirstin
PS: A spring gift, The Well Rising from William Stafford:
The well rising without sound,
the spring on a hillside,
the plowshare brimming through deep ground
everywhere in the field--
The sharp swallows in their swerve
flaring and hesitating
hunting for the final curve
coming closer and closer--
The swallow heart from wingbeat to wingbeat
counseling decision, decision:
thunderous examples. I place my feet
with care in such a world.
