Sailing
Last week, the Grade 4 students had the opportunity to do some sailing in Peterhead. This was a first time event for many of the students, and the children were excited (and a little nervous) about the opportunity. After all, we are in the north of Scotland and that water can be seriously COLD! Working together in pairs or groups of three, the children learned how to work together to sail between two points. In doing this, they showed great teamwork. At the end, a number of students chose to purposefully leap into the waters of Peterhead marina. There was much excitement and a few screams as they entered the cold water. But, as they emerged onto land, everyone had big smiles. Walking back along the sandy strip of beach, several students exclaimed, “Let’s do it again!” Many children proclaimed that their day sailing was "the best field trip ever".
The instructors from the Aberdeenshire Sailing Trust went out of their way to praise our students, stating that they thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the day-long sessions and were impressed with the children's team spirit and focus. Granted, sailing is what the instructors love to do, but the real satisfaction for a teacher or instructor or coach comes from being able to share your knowledge and passion (for a subject or a skill) with new people. These instructors were able to work with joy and freedom because our students approached the activities and challenges with attention and care. They supported one another, offering guidance when a classmate was unsure or a smile/joke when someone needed a quick pick-me-up. In short, because the children actively created and maintained a safe learning environment with their words and actions, they were able to experience and achieve the maximum that could be expected for a day trip. Relying upon this atmosphere of safety and support for each other, the instructors were able to provide the children with greater opportunities for challenges.
The ability to work productively and positively alongside a classmate - especially one who has a different set of strengths, weaknesses, interests, fears and prior experiences than you - is not something that we can take for granted. To develop and sustain a classroom environment that is characterised by respect, care, support, safety and joy takes time - and can be hard work. And yet, this is perhaps the most important task for any teacher, for it is what allows children to spread their wings and take a risk (or, in this case, to stand up in the boat and purposefully jump overboard in order to practise getting yourself safely back out of the water). This is why we (in the Preschool and Elementary School at ISA) emphasise the importance of positive relationships and the understanding that we are part of a team of learners. There will be times when these relationships are strained; after all, we are talking about young people who are coming to terms with the give and take that is necessary for all functioning relationships. The hard work that goes into nurturing positive relationships is ongoing - and succeeds when there is an open, supportive partnership between school, students and families - but it is clearly worth every minute and ounce of effort when we witness our students coming together to excel in an unfamiliar setting. As I visit classrooms and meet with children and staff over the course of each week, I witness this work taking place in countless ways - some obvious, some subtle.
The calendar might have said this was a Grade 4 sailing trip. In so many ways, it was a Grade 4 life experience and team-building trip that tested our ability to marshal the positive power of ISA’s values. I’m happy to say - based on the smiles, the stories and the feedback from the children and the sailing instructors - this was an end-of-year challenge that they passed with flying colours.
Special thanks to Clare Hodder who organised the sailing trip, as well as to the Aberdeenshire Sailing Trust and their wonderful instructors - not to mention Peterhead’s weather!
Assembly notice
Please note that there will be NO Monday morning assembly on the 27th of May. Instead, we will have the Spring Concert on Monday afternoon, featuring the Grade 4 choir and Grade 5 band. The concert is due to start at 2:00pm in the QET. Although parents are invited, priority will be given to parents of Grade 4 and Grade 5 students - as well as parents of children whose birthdays fall between 27 May and 2 June.
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