The Gray Area

With the Holidays upon us, I tend to paint a picture of how to enjoy the perfect traditions. When I take my family to cut a tree, I want the perfect day – snow flurries, 40 degrees, and about 2 inches of snow on the ground. Needless to say, that high bar is seldom met! Instead, our typical tree cutting  mission is somewhere in between best case and the worst case scenario – the gray area.

I have decided to write about this topic that touches every single student and person at Oakhill – the Gray Area! I always hear words such as winner, loser; perfection, failure; best, worst; biggest, smallest; happiest, saddest; peaks, valleys; easy, hard; most, least; top, bottom; fastest, slowest; strongest, weakest; nicest, meanest; and the opposites go on and on. These words represent the extremes, but there is SO much in between!

Whether we are talking about a two year old or an eighth grader; a board game or a contest; a sporting event or a math quiz – I hear these words as both a parent and administrator. These words are real and they carry an impactful punch, but much of life is found somewhere in between – in what I call the Gray Area!

At a young age, children want to win, to be first, to be bigger, to be stronger, to be faster, and to be the best at what they do. A good educator helps children see how important it is to try their best, but it is okay to not be the first, to not be the winner, to not be the strongest, fastest, and best. Teamwork and individual strengths are emphasized.

As children enter the sports world, the focus is on developing the fundamental skills, learning to be a team player, and learning to enjoy the sport. As the years go by, a good coach continues to instill the love of the game – continuing to focus on growth and development versus the win/loss column.

In the academic world, children want to do well – to receive +’s, A’s and high percentages. They realize teachers and parents want these things for them – from them. Good educators keep the main focus on progress, process, developmental stages, and growth, not simply the end product – the grade.

Now comes the Gray Area – there are many levels between winning and losing; there are many stages between best and worst; and there is a huge difference between perfection and failure. My job, as a school leader, is to create an environment where teachers are encouraged to push the envelope, to grow and stretch, and where students are nurtured, yet exposed to situations where they will win, lose, find perfection, recognize failure, and know that giving their best is all we can ask for on any given day.

As an adult, I have very few “perfect” days. To be honest, I probably have very few “perfect” hours. I don’t tend to win or lose on a daily basis. I am not the best or the worst on any given day. I am not perfect, nor am I a failure. I live every day somewhere in the Gray Area. As a parent, one of my goals for my own children is to experience the Gray Area – to recognize personal growth and development, to set achievable goals, and to not feel the need to produce all A’s, but to learn from all percentages given.

I want Oakhill students to win with pride and lose with grace; to be the best they can be even if it isn’t their perception of what is best; to realize everyone makes mistakes both big and small - and the only thing you can do with those mistakes is learn from them – not erase them – they happened for a reason.

When Oakhill students become adults, they will be the sought after employee – bright, creative, hard working, compassionate, driven, and realistic. They will experience wins and losses; ups and downs; peaks and valleys; and happiness and sadness, but most of all we hope they can navigate the Gray Areas of life – the space in between the extremes!

Everyone Stand Up... It's Time to Move!

Wondering why I pulled out Mickey Mouse Club House and what it has to do with instructional practices? Let me tell you my thoughts!

 

As a classroom teacher, you have many great “one liners” in your back pocket…

 

*shhhhhhhh

*I like the way Suzie is sitting so quietly showing me she is ready to learn

*1, 2, 3 – eyes on me!

*Clap once if you can hear me

*Da da da da da…da da

*thumbs up when you are ready

 

But, many times, these “tricks of the trade” can only be effective with crystal clear classroom expectations (the boundaries clearly defined), engaging lessons, and the element of movement integrated into the lesson.

 

Research proves that children and adolescents need to move… for their own good. Actually, I need to move, too!

 

I have been conducting my fall formal classroom observations over the past few weeks, and I have seen so many impressive and well-crafted lessons. The very best lessons showcased the importance of movement. Some lessons incorporated movement naturally such as Mr. Hall’s 5^th grade students conducting a science lab or Mrs. Scheidecker’s 4^th graders and Mrs. Manley’s 1^st grade students participating in a math game. Other lessons built movement into the lesson such as Mrs. Wills 3^rd graders divided into small groups, Mr. Feagles’ 7^th graders silently moving around the room for a roaring 20’s activity, or Ms. Ralph’s Toddlers playing ring around the rosy. A few lessons literally took a movement break midway through the lesson to get the wiggles out and get the blood flowing again. Mrs. Jackson’s 7^th graders enjoyed dancing for 2 minutes to a fun pop song, while Mrs. Stripling’s 5^th graders moved and grooved to the video above…”hot diggety dog” from Disney Junior!

 

Regardless of how we move, the why we move is pedagogically sound. Movement means everything to a truly great lesson in the classroom!

Teachers, want more information on Classroom Movement... Here is a great download containing 10 fun, active games to incorporate into your classroom!

The First Day is the Best Day

How the first days of school
have changed. This is me in my
First days of school!

I absolutely LOVE the first day of school! As an educator, this is my 23^rd first day (I won’t tell you how many first days I have had if I go back and count Kindergarten through college)! Each first day brings high energy, anticipation, and a fresh beginning! The entire faculty and staff has been working around the clock the past few days and weeks preparing for this important day… and, it is HERE! My,  how all of the children have grown and changed!

This is me on this year's
 First day of school!

I spent my morning watching parents and students take pictures and celebrate a new beginning. First day of school pictures are so impactful – you visually see the children grow year over year! I have a composite frame where I place all of the first day pictures. Many years ago I had so many spaces left to fill – the frame was so empty! But, after today, my daughter only has 6 spaces to fill and my son only has 3 more to fill! That is truly unbelievable! It almost brings me to tears!

So, here is my advice after 23 first days of school, and, after watching my own children grow… hold on to the moments! Enjoy each and every day… not just the first! Don’t countdown to some event or the “end” of a grade… make each day count! That little Preschooler will soon be a big Eighth Grader – time will fly, but please enjoy the view!

Here’s to another “first” day,

Suzanne 

And... They're Off!

Goodbye Graduates!

The 8th grade graduation is always bittersweet… we have taught them, watched them grow up right before our eyes, and have become quite attached! On graduation night those 8th graders who used to be little Toddlers and Preschoolers and Kindergartners are all grown up, ready to spread their wings and fly! Although we are so very proud, we are also so very sad to see them go… and, for me, personally, this year was extra hard… my own son was a graduate!

I only wish each and every family could come to graduation… to see the handsome young men in their black suits and teal and black Oakhill ties and the beautiful young women in their gorgeous white dresses… to hear their speeches… to watch their heartfelt legacy videos where they thank their teachers for all they have learned. Graduation is such a special night for the students, the families, and the faculty – a night none of the graduates will ever forget.

The student speeches always bring many laughs and many tears! The message they deliver is one we should use for marketing on our website – straight from the heart - reminiscing about the good times at Oakhill and preparing for life beyond these walls. This year’s message can be seen in the following excerpts:

Brady McCanles

We came into the (basketball) season fresh off a championship, so you'd think that would make the other teams worry. But for some reason, they didn't. They just looked at us and saw that we had lost four key players, that we had new and inexperienced kids, and they wrote us off. And that was true for the most part, we did lose some key members of our team, we did have new kids, but they forgot one thing about us, they forgot we fight, they forgot we don't give up just because the odds are stacked against us. So when tournament time came around, we had a low number six seed, and no one paid any attention to us, but that was their mistake. We had become a true team by that point, and no one could stop us. We beat the number two, number three, and number one teams on our way to our Championship win. And that was because we have formed a bond that was beyond a group of athletes, we had become brothers. I think that's what Oakhill is about, it creates lasting bonds that will withstand the test of time, and are almost impossible to break. More friends will be added along the line, but we will all always be here for each other. We will go on to our respective high schools, but this, this building on the little street of North Cherry, will always be home. Oakhill has become a school that will never be overlooked again. Everything we succeed in will come back to the knowledge and lessons we have learned here, and for that, I will be forever grateful. Each and every one of us came here separately as kids, but we leave here, a family.

Darcy Bond

Tonight we’re leaving the place we’ve grown up in and leaving the people who are more than just friends. All these people, the students, teachers, and staff, are my extended family. Just like Oakhill is my other home. High school is a place where each of us will go our separate ways to make new families. But I can guarantee that none of us will forget the memories we’ve made at Oakhill as well as the relationships we’ve formed with each other. I’d like to end with a quote that I feel fits tonight’s situation. The quote is from a famous poet whom most of you know, his name is Dr. Seuss. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” 

On our final day of school, our Kindergarten students graduated and joined our 8th grade graduates and families for a wonderful brunch. After the celebration, our 8th graders walked through the hallways for a final time, handed the “torch” to the 7th grade, boarded a limo with Mrs. Ganaden, our Middle School Division Head, traveled to their respective high schools, and enjoyed a final afternoon together at Schlitterbahn water park. Mrs. Ganaden focused her graduation message on “home" by quoting Alexander Hemon, "Home is where somebody notices when you are no longer there." Oakhill will always be home to our alumni – we will always welcome them with open arms and cannot wait to see the places they go. The "Graduating" Moms & Dads - Moving on it hard for us too!

Are field trips and experiential trips really meaningful?

Pony Express Museum (In the Old Days)

When I think back to my elementary, middle, and high school days, I don’t truly remember the day-to-day academics, the units studied, or the tests taken… but, what I do remember are the field trips I experienced. I remember my trip to the zoo in first grade, the journey to Fort Osage in 3^rd Grade, the Pony Express Museum in 7^th Grade, and our Senior Trip in High School. When I compare what Oakhill’s students experience to my experiences, there is NO comparison! From the time our students are in Preschool, we strive to create experiences off campus that will tie in with our curriculum – bringing various aspects of the curriculum to life.

2014 Omaha Zoo Fieldtrip

Since Spring Break, our students have been afforded the opportunity to be enriched with various trips. Our 3^rd Grade students spent an entire day (7:00 am – 5:45 pm) at the Omaha Zoo. Each and every minute of the trip was scheduled to allow ample time to explore what the students had been studying! Our Kindergarten students spent last Friday at the Paul Mesner Puppet Show. Our 7^th and 8^th Graders left at 5:45 am on Monday, April 14^th to spend the day in Northern Arkansas at the Crystal Bridges Art Museum. When they returned at 7:30 pm that night, they had enjoyed more than “just” the art museum, but had enjoyed one another.

In another week, our 5^th and 6^th Grade students head to Washington D.C. for a 4 day/3 night adventure while our 7^th and 8^th Graders travel to the Florida Keys for a 5 day/4 night excursion! I have been on both trips… and, I cannot say enough about how the students benefit from this travel – the independence, the responsibility, the learning, the exposure… they truly “grow up” on this trip! The Washington, D.C. group experiences all the great things the city has to offer: monuments, memorials, museums, Arlington Cemetery, the White House, the Capitol Building, Mt. Vernon, and so much more! The Florida Keys group experiences the Keys from Miami to Key West, all the great sites of Key West including the southernmost point, the Hemingway Home, and Smather’s Beach, the turtle hospital, and the main attraction – SeaCamp! SeaCamp is like nothing I have ever experienced – on the boat, snorkeling, wading, dissecting squid, swimming with sharks, and so much more! When the students return from the trips, they have truly changed, AND, they have memories that will last a lifetime!

Oakhill Takes on Hermann, MO

From pumpkin patches to Kaleidoscope; from 18^th and Vine to Hermann, MO; from Discovery Center to Union Station; and from the Zoo to Steamboat Arabia – each and every trip is impactful! Our students are truly lucky!

Check out this link... It gives more information about the Heifer Experience, our Middle School trip this coming October – Senora is taking the group back to Heifer International’s Overnight experience in Perry, Arkansas. 

Check out photos from our last trip to Heifer!

Travel makes one wiser and more appreciative!

All Snow and No Play?

Snow days… what do you visualize when you hear the words snow day?

Here on the Oakhill snow day has multiple meanings. It can mean the inability to have a normal school day due to inclement weather OR it can mean a great day for sledding! As you can see in some of these pictures, our students truly enjoy a “snow day”! I do love a great snow… finding the right hill, grabbing a fast sled, and hitting the slopes!

We have been fortunate to have a PE coach who appreciates the snow. Coach Speer is actually unhappy when I call a true snow day… she likes being here, on the hill, watching the children’s eyes light up as they race down the snow on their sleds. She and Coach Scheidecker and Coach Beckham had a fun-filled few days on the Oakhill slope!

Sledding is just one reason we look forward to winter at Oakhill Day School!
(Click on the link to see more photos of winter fun!)

There aren’t many great sledding snows in a given season, so when we do have one, we HAVE to take advantage of it! And, there is nothing better than sledding with all your friends!