As college students around the country returned to school during the past month, we wanted to share the list of some of the colleges to which our graduates have been accepted. New colleges and universities added to our list by the Pardes class of 2011 include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, Dickinson College, Duke University, Lehigh University, Pitzer College, Rice University,  Syracuse University, University of Maryland, College Park, University of Michigan, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington and University of Wisconsin, Madison. Click Here  to see a comprehensive list. Perhaps there are Pardes graduates attending your alma mater!

Beginning with next month's issue, we look forward to introducing you to some of our alumni.

The beginning of Kindergarten is a time of new possibilities.  

Kindergartners come to school ready to read and write like big kids, to learn alongside their classmates and to take on the world! 

 

At the start of the year, we began the first writing unit of study, Launching the Writing Workshop.  This unit captures the children's excitement and focuses it into writing all-about books and stories.  When we first introduced the children to the writing workshop program, we let them know "You are an author."  We are teaching the children how to think up a topic, draw it and then do their best approximation of writing.  We are then showing them how to go back and add more detail and words to their writing before they go on to begin a new piece (revision).  The children are using letters as well as pictures to represent meaning.  They are developing phonemic awareness as they stretch out, listen to, distinguish and record the sounds in a word. They are learning to use tools to help them create independence:  word wall, letter/sound chart, date stamps and staplers.

In reading, we launched the unit We are Readers.  In this unit, we are trying to show the children that they are already readers.  They can read by themselves and with others, and that they can learn about the world through that reading.  At the beginning of the year, we walked through the school and read the school walls, honoring their approximations.  We are inviting the children to read non-fiction texts (learn-about-the-world books) and emergent storybooks- old favorites that are read over and over again.  Our favorite by far has been Mrs. Wishy-Washy!  Both of these allow children to approximate reading as they look over the pictures and reread familiar texts, while building excitement and energy.  As we help guide children to develop identities and habits as readers and the motivation to read, we are developing foundational skills that will allow them to take off as readers!  We are focusing on concepts of print, phonemic awareness and phonics.  These skills are also worked into other times during the day:  Writing workshop, shared reading, read-aloud with accountable talk, interactive writing and small group instruction (balanced literacy).

In Humanities, our eighth graders are coming together each Wednesday afternoon to focus on discussion of current events and the practice of debating ideas in a positive environment where students can share ideas productively.  The focus is on the idea that historical events can be viewed from different perspectives and that a deep, critical look at both sides increases knowledge of the world around us. In prior debates, students were assigned a topic and a perspective from which they had to argue.  For example, a prior debate tackled animal rights from the perspectives of research scientists, animal rights activists, zoo owners, and animals.  One class period was devoted to research, so the students could effectively argue from their assigned point of view.  The students were actively engaged in the process, and we were impressed with their ability to carry forth these newfound skills into this week's debate.

As an extension of the growing study of historical thinking and perspective in our Social Studies portion of Humanities,  Mr. Maley and the students explored Christopher Columbus's role in the creation of the Columbian Exchange.  The eighth graders participated in a "mock trial" charging five groups with the mistreatment and murder of thousands of Taino Indians.  The role play activity was designed to allow the students to conclude who should take the majority of the blame between Columbus, his men, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, the Taino Indians, and the System of Empire.  Students were provided with the indictment of their assigned group, and they used primary and secondary sources to create a fact-based defense to present their views on which groups were most complicit in this crime.  A lively debate ensued, in which the jury presented a verdict that placed the bulk of the guilt on Columbus and his men. The eighth graders showed a great deal of enthusiasm in these debate-based activities and their knowledge of the subject material was nothing short of impressive.