The administrative team and a few teachers had the opportunity to attend the 2016 FCIS (Florida Council of Independent Schools, our accrediting organization) annual convention this past week.  We walked away feeling affirmed and reenergized.  One of the keynote speakers, Paul Tough, renowned author and journalist, spoke on helping children succeed:

What Works and Why.  Tough challenges -- our  culture's belief that intelligence, endlessly measured by test scores is the sole indicator of value in our education system.  He ushers in a tidal change in thinking and argues that non-cognitive skills or character are better indicators of success: curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, self-control, and grit.  Children need opportunities to collaborate, think critically, create, make mistakes, and play!

See the adorable attached video, just one of five videos produced by Emily Blomquist, our Tinkering Lab teacher. It describes the wonderful process the kindergarten students have enjoyed as they prepare for their big show this Wednesday -- The Three Piggy Opera!  You can see from the expressions on their adorable faces that our K-5 students are quenching their curiosity, learning optimism, practicing lots of self-control, and developing grit!

 

See the adorable video -- click HERE

To participate in an important discussion and learn more about helping your child succeed without too much stress, come to our Parent Chat this  Tuesday, November 8th at 8:15! All parents are invited!