From the Preschool/Elementary School Principal

 

The Start of a New Year

The 2024-2025 school year is off to wonderful start. There is an amazing buzz of positive activity throughout the classrooms, corridors and playgrounds. I am excited about all the learning opportunities ahead for all of us, and I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to work with everyone in our school community as the Preschool & Elementary School Principal.

As of today, there are over 40 new students in the Preschool and Elementary School alone. Many of them were able to join us for the New Family Orientation on Tuesday, where they had the chance to meet the teachers, see the classrooms and hear a few things about the values and educational philosophy of the school. I thought it would be a good idea to restate a few of the main points here so that we can all begin the year on the same page.

Firstly, at ISA, we do everything we can to ensure that the classrooms, corridors and outdoor spaces are as safe and inclusive as possible. Safety is more than just protection from physical harm; safety also refers to social, emotional and psychological safety. As part of the learning process, people need to make mistakes; therefore, children need to feel safe enough to make errors and, occasionally, fail. We know that sustained, deep learning and conceptual understanding is impeded when children feel threatened. As noted educational researcher, theorist and practitioner Alistair Smith once wrote, “The enemy of learning is stress.” For this reason, safety is at the heart of all we do. 

Secondly, we know that people learn by doing. This is what author and teacher John Holt meant when he wrote:

“Not many years ago I began to play the cello. Most people would say that what I am doing is “learning to play” the cello. But these words carry into our minds the strange idea that there exists two very different processes: (1) learning to play the cello; and (2) playing the cello. They imply that I will do the first until I have completed it, at which point I will stop the first process and begin the second. In short, I will go on “learning to play” until I have “learned to play” and then I will begin to play. Of course, this is nonsense. There are not two processes, but one. We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way.”

For this reason, our classrooms are characterised by activity, experimentation, inquiry, conversation, play and engagement.

We must also remember that we learn by doing and not giving up. Perseverance and determination are necessary ingredients to achieve a new skill, a breakthrough understanding or a workable solution. We are more likely to persevere when we know, deep down, that we sense that a mistake or failure is something to learn from rather than something to hide - which, of course, gets back to the importance of safety.

Last, but certainly not least, we know that we learn by working together. Other people (and their ideas, insights and alternative perspectives) are key to making the most of our learning experiences. Yes, the teacher is a very important person in a child’s learning experiences. But, then again, so are his/her peers, students in other grades, as well as parents and other family members. This idea of a team, or community, approach to learning leads naturally to some points I’d like to make about communication

I love the fact that teachers and parents at ISA are comfortable sharing information and coming together as partners in the learning journey for the children. Open lines of communication really make a huge difference in our pursuit of ambitious progress and prevent the surfacing of unexpected surprises, which can hinder a great education. If there is anything you feel we need to know about your child and their experience at ISA, please don’t hesitate in contacting us. 

When it comes to day-to-day communication (including, but not limited to, things like changes in pick-up routines or questions about PowerSchool), please get in touch with our dedicated and ever-helpful Elementary Assistant, Diane McBain (dmcbain@isa.aberdeen.sch.uk). 

And, finally, a few last minute notes:

• The first assembly of the year took place this afternoon! This year, the weekly assemblies will take place every Friday at 2:15pm in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (QET). You are always welcome to attend. If you choose to attend, please check in at reception and then use the far door to the QET (the one nearest the cafeteria), which will be open from 2:10pm onwards. Please note that parents/carers and family members are welcome to attend, even if their child/ren aren’t specifically performing on that day. Children celebrating a birthday during the week of the assembly will be recognised and will take part in an activity on stage. In addition, we take time to highlight the ISA Values (Balanced, Risk-takers, Open-minded, Caring, Knowledgeable, Communicators, Thinkers, Reflective, Inquirers, Principled) and what it looks and sounds like when we actively bring them to life.

• After School Activities for students in the Elementary School will begin on Monday, August 26. A list of choices will be published soon. A PowerSchool form will be ready shortly after that. Use this form to select which activities your children are interested in. Signing up is not the same thing as a confirmation that your child has a place. If an activity is oversubscribed, some children will be placed on a wait list. Please don’t send your child to an activity unless you have received confirmation (on their PowerSchool schedule) that they indeed have a place. 

• Many families like to gather informally after school hours at the playground in front of the school. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to relax together - especially if the weather cooperates. I would like to ask for your help, however, to make sure the playground expectations we have during school continue to be followed by the children. This includes proper use of the slide, not climbing on the roof of the shelter and (of course) treating each other with the type of care and kindness that we would expect at our recess times.

• Lastly, I hope that you will all be able to attend the Ice Cream Social next week (Saturday, August 24) from 12:00 - 2:00pm. If you are able to volunteer, I know that the PTO would be hugely appreciative.