SEABLOGGERY

2012-01-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

We survived Snowpocalypse 2012! The ice has melted and we have been back in the routine at school this week, sharing stories of sledding and sliding and snow forts and reading books by the fire.

It got me thinking. We missed a week of school. But did our kids miss a week of learning? I asked our lower school students this morning at our weekly gathering and they couldn’t wait to tell me what they learned last week…

“Never drive in the snow and ice!”

“I figured out how to build an igloo!”

“I watched the weather all day to see if we would be able to go to school the next day or not.”

“I learned to make huge snowballs. I have a sister, you know!”

When I asked how much snow had fallen at their houses, they told me how many inches and how they had measured it. And how they got their sleds to go fast. And how to make a really big snowman. And how many layers of clothes it took to stay warm. And, for some, what it’s like to live without electricity for one or two or five days.

Our students live and breathe learning. They absorb more than just facts. They ask questions, make predictions, explore hypotheses, analyze ideas, create, critique and synthesize all the time. At Seabury, we facilitate learning that goes beyond rote knowledge and emphasizes the development of strong habits of mind and creativity. Our children, beginning with our youngest prekindergarten students, are asking complex questions and looking beyond the surface to explore ideas more deeply.

But the core love for learning, the quest for discovery and invention and exploration, is evident in our children no matter where they go and what they do. Just think for a moment about how your child spent last week. What insights and discoveries happened? What new ideas were explored? What predictions were tested? What creations emerged?

It’s important for parents to recognize that learning is not limited to school, or to that which happens with paper and pencil. Because noticing the ways in which your child learns and grows from each and every interaction is an amazing gift.

Our teachers at Seabury are skilled at asking questions and providing the framework in which learning occurs at a complex and high level. They are masters at knowing when to let an activity or discussion keep going and when to steer in a different direction. And our kids take what they are offered and run with it. Just this week, the prekindergarten kids, when making penguins out of toilet paper rolls, decided they wanted to do a play with their penguins. Suddenly sets were being created, roles rehearsed, lists of rules for the audience dictated and decisions were made about ticket prices. This was not learning that could be contained on a worksheet – it was economics and stagecraft and literacy and art and music and cooperation and organization and … that is what learning is about at Seabury.

But learning doesn’t stop here. At home, learning isn’t limited to homework time or to workbooks or formal lessons. A trip to the grocery store, a board game, doing the laundry, a discussion about politics, making a blanket fort, even fighting with a sibling – all of these are learning experiences.

It is a joy to watch your children light up with new discoveries. I wonder what learning is in store this weekend …

– Sandi Wollum, Head of School

Karen and Halley's New Year's resolutions

2011-12-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays, Team Seabury!

With only two weeks to go until 2012, we thought it apt to write a list of New Year's resolutions that we can all take part in. Without further ado, here are Karen and Halley's New Year's resolutions for 2012.

For us:

Update the Seabury logo by the end of the school year

Keep spreading the Team Seabury love through social media

Have the most successful auction ever

Get better sweaters

Stop making cheesy photo montages online

For you:

Identify and recruit one Seabury mission fit family

Volunteer to work a festival, staff a committee or help at the auction

Spruce up Seabury – come man a blower, grab a rake and let’s clean up

Invite friends to join your table at this year’s the Magic of Learning auction
Work on procuring some of the items on this list.

Surprise your classroom teacher with a thank you note

Return your re-enrollment contract by the deadline

For teachers:

Roll up their sleeves alongside parents to work on committees, generate referrals and help market Seabury

Recognize the hard work of parents and thank them profusely for the gift of their children and their confidence in you

For Team Seabury:

Be free with compliments and look for the good in everyone

Wear your Seabury gear out and about

Schedule family “hang-out” time

Read a book on gifted education

Get your teeth whitened

Go to the gym

Spend fewer hours watching Keeping up with the Kardashians

Read to your child

Tell Joslyn how much you appreciate all she does

Attend the annual State of Seabury update at the lower school on Jan. 26

Go outside more often

Happy holidays from Seabury School

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

It was the end of the day and children were heading out oftheir classrooms to go home. As I was rushing around my office trying to wrapup my day, a first grader walked in and said he wanted to talk to me aboutsomething important.

“Mrs. Wollum, I was thinking we could do a coin drive, andthat kids could collect money for the food bank to help people who are hungry.Could we start tomorrow?”

Talk about a way to melt the head of school’s heart!

As the holidays approach and the year draws to a close, oneof the things I am most grateful for is the opportunity to be part of a schoolwhose students love to serve. Whether it’s helping a friend feel better whenhe’s skinned a knee on the playground or taking part in a community serviceproject like the Pierce County Hunger Walk, our students want to make adifference.

This first grader went door-to-door in his
neighborhood to collect this food!

The student and his family participated in this fall’s HungerWalk as part of Team Seabury. Several weeks later, his class took a field tripto visit one of the local food banks to see an example of how the money theyhad raised had helped families in our area. They heard about the people thefood bank helps, and about how the numbers of families, especially familieswith working parents and children, have increased during the difficult economy.They also saw empty shelves where there wasn’t enough food to meet all the needs.When they got back to school, the children immediately decided we needed to doa school-wide food drive to provide more help – an initiative that wassupported by their teacher and so our November food drive began. Our firstgraders made posters, talked with classes, went door to door in theirneighborhoods, tracked and graphed donations every day and ended up bringing innearly 900 items. It was incredible. But it is clear from my first gradefriend’s visit yesterday that we aren’t done yet!

A December service project was also student led this year. Inspiredby a project her family supports every year, and seeing through the food drivewhat can happen when you involve your friends, a third grade student asked ifshe could ask our students to help her gather toys and coats for Allen A.M.E.’sChristmas House. This was another student led project – our staff just made thetime and space for her to work with her friends to make it happen. And as aresult, her family filled their car – twice – with donations for needy familiesin our community.

Service has become part of Seabury’s program across all ourgrade levels. Fostering our children’s desire to serve and providing opportunitiesfor them to see that they can make a real difference in their community areimportant parts of Seabury’s program – and play key roles in thesocial-emotional development of our children. But it is times like this when wesee our children take these lessons to heart that light up our days.

We often hear that gifted children have the potential tomake a difference in the world. I believe that is true. But ultimately, thechoices they will make in their lives and the work they will do as adults willbe determined not just by their potential, but by the opportunities they havehad to be inspired, to be challenged, to think deeply, to wonder, and to serve.When we provide children with opportunities to experience what is possible whenwe care and are willing to work together, and give them a chance to ‘try on”what it feels like to be involved in meaningful ways, they are inspired andwant to do more. When we introduce them to those in their community who areusing their gifts to inspire and lead and create positive change, they put aface on what is possible. The choice will be our children’s, ultimately. But ifthey have positive experiences in leading and serving as children and youngadults, how much more likely will they be to continue to seek opportunities toserve as they grow up? It is exciting to consider.

So as we get ready to say goodbye for our winter break, Iwill be thinking about my first grade friend. And my third grade friend. Andall our children. I am grateful to be part of their lives. And I am hopefulabout our future. Because they are not only going to be great leaders andservants in the future - they are leaders and servants right now!

Happy Holidays!!

-- Sandi Wollum, Head of School

Gifted education educator, advocate to visit Tacoma

2011-12-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

What: Gifted education seminar with Dr. Jim Delisle, Ph.D.

Where: Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Commerce Room

When: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, 7 p.m.

How much: Suggested donation $10-15

TACOMA, WA, February 15, 2012: Seabury School is pleased to announce a visit from Dr. Jim Delisle, Ph.D., a respected educator and advocate in the field of gifted education.

Dr. Delisle, a nationally recognized expert on gifted education, will be speaking on "Parenting precocious kids: understanding the ups and downs of growing up gifted" This seminar will appeal to parents and educators alike, and is the second in a new series of annual gifted education seminars hosted by Seabury School.

The event will be held in the Commerce Room of the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center at 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 15. Pre-registration is encouraged for this event, with a suggested donation of $15. There will be a limited number of walk-up spaces available.

Dr. Delisle has taught gifted children and those who work on their behalf for more than 30 years. He recently retired from Kent State University after 25 years of service as a professor of special education. The author of more than 250 articles and 16 books, Dr. Delisle's work has been translated into multiple languages and has been featured in both professional journals and in popular media such as The New York Times and on Oprah! A frequent presenter throughout the U.S., he has also addressed audiences in nations as diverse as England, Greece, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Founded in 1989, Seabury is the only independent school in the South Puget Sound with a program specifically designed for intellectually advanced children. Children from Tacoma, Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Gig Harbor, Puyallup and throughout the South Puget Sound region come to Seabury for its personalized approach to education and emphasis on the development of creative and analytical thinking skills. Seabury is a member of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NASC).

Seabury School challenges gifted children in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery and creativity.

Thanksgiving reflections

2011-11-22T13:58:00.001-08:00

When I taught fifth and sixth grades, my students and I usedto get together with younger children for cross-age activities. I always prepped my students by remindingthem that the younger students looked up to them and watched them closely allthe time.

“Remember, they are learning from everything you do – even whenyou don’t want them to,” was my mantra, and more than once one of my studentslearned the hard way that their preschool buddies were eager to copy all theirbehaviors, not just the positive ones.

As a beginning teacher in my mid-twenties, I learned thatthis is the case for older children too. One of my close friends had a younger sister who was a student in myfifth grade class. Their family had ahome daycare and took care of several preschool aged children. My friend told me with great joy one day thather sister’s favorite activity was to play school with the children in thedaycare, and that she always played the teacher – ME!

To my great embarrassment, when we gottogether with our friends, my friend loved to share how I sounded as a teacher –as played by her sister. It wasflattering to know that she wanted to be like me. And some of the things that came through inher play were just how I hoped I came across as a teacher. But some of it made me cringe – she indeedsounded just like me, even at my most unflattering!

I share that not to make us even more self-conscious than wealready are as parents. All of us havehad that jarring experience of hearing how we sound or seeing our gestures andexpressions through our children. But asconscientious parents who care about their children’s learning, it is a goodreminder that while trips to museums and educational toys are wonderful giftswe give our children, we can also rest assured that the times when we are just “hangingout” as a family are valuable learning experiences as well.

Seabury is blessed with parents who value learning and whosupport their children’s education each and every day. Teachers at Seabury know that when papers gohome, parents will look at them and talk with their children about what theyare learning. They take their children to interesting places and recognizelearning doesn’t just happen at school. They want to make use of each and everymoment – to do parenting “right.”

As we approach a long Thanksgiving weekend, I encourageparents to consider how much your children are learning from the everydaymoments when you are just hanging out or doing “regular” things. Fromseeing a working mom or dad take time to slow down and read a book or take abubble bath. From spending time watchinga fun movie or playing a game together. Fromgoing grocery shopping and trying to figure out how much pumpkin pie Grandpa isgoing to eat this year. From watchingyou orchestrate how to get the turkey and the potatoes to be done at the sametime.

In our children’s lives, whether they are in preschool ormiddle school, each moment is a learning moment – not just those we plan to beintentionally educational. As parentswho care deeply about our children’s learning, we sometimes put a great deal ofpressure on ourselves to plan educational activities for our children and feelguilty when we aren’t doing something “valuable” with their time. While those moments are wonderful and important,we can give ourselves permission to just be with our children as well.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! Enjoy time with your children. And take time to read a good book - yourchildren will benefit and so will you!

- Sandi Wollum

2011-11-18T13:27:00.001-08:00

2011-10-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to see your child struggle. As a parent, one ofthe biggest challenges we face is how to handle those moments when our childrenare unhappy, uncomfortable, frustrated, angry, hurt or overwhelmed. From thetime they are born, we worry about them, try to make the right decisions aboutwhat they will eat and where they will go to school, and do all we can to helpensure that they can grow up to have the life we dream of for them.

Perhaps it’s that I’m the parent of an eighth grader who isgetting ready to head to high school at the end of this year. But I have foundmyself reflecting recently on the experiences my son has had as he has grown,and especially on those that seem to have had the biggest impact on hisdevelopment. I am so thankful that he has been able to be at Seabury from thetime he was a prekindergarten student. I’m grateful he has been in a placewhere he has developed strong friendships with amazing children who will, nodoubt, be lifelong friends. A place where he has felt safe and supported every step of the way.

But if I look more closely and am really honest about it,many of the experiences and relationships that have had the biggest impact(both in and out of school) on making him the responsible, well-rounded,incredible young man he is becoming were those that were the hardest. The timeswhen someone was mean to him on the playground. The time he left his sciencefair experiment to the last minute and then couldn’t get it to work. The timehe had to work on a group project with kids he didn’t like working with. Situationsthat made him mad or frustrated or hurt or angry or profoundly sad. They were(and are) the events that have been catalysts for some of the most profoundgrowth in his life.

As a parent, those times were (and are) hard. Even though Iknew he was in a safe environment at school, that his teachers cared about him,that he had good friends to talk to and family who loved him, it was stillheartbreaking to see him struggle. My impulse was to rescue him. To make iteasier. To fix what was wrong for him. To take the hurt away and make it allbetter.

I’m most thankful for the times I was able to make myselfresist. Because I realize that many of the traits that serve him best now –leadership, responsibility, confidence, for example – were developed as hefound his way through those difficult times. And that rescuing him not onlywould have deprived him of those opportunities for growth, but would have sentthe message that I didn’t wasn’t confident he could handle whatever challengesfaced him – exactly the opposite of what I intended. Of course in life, there aresometimes situations that require me to step in because they are too far beyondwhat he is ready for, but those are few and far between compared to those thatrequired me to step back tag along for the ride while he worked through thechallenge and made mistakes along the way.

Someone once told me that self esteem doesn’t come frombeing told you are great. It comes from coming up against something you don’tthink you can do, making up your mind to take it on, making mistakes anddealing with setbacks along the way, and then finally succeeding. The doubt andfear and pain and worry and frustration that are part of the journey are whatmake the accomplishment so sweet – and build confidence for the next time.

As parents, we need to hold each other up, because parentingis hard. We need to help each other have the courage to watch our kidsstruggle. To walk through difficult situations with them. To give them thechance to solve problems for themselves. To experience the natural consequencesof their choices – even when those consequences are hard to take. Because it’sin the times of struggle that they grow most profoundly.

- Sandi Wollum

Links:

The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, by Wendy Mogel

Parenting with Love and Logic, by Foster Cline andJim Fay

The Parents We Mean to Be, by Richard Weissbourd

Collaboration

2011-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

After years of working with gifted children, I’ve come to the conclusion that they have two main things in common.

First, they are all different. And not just “every person is unique” different. In spite of the common characteristics they share as gifted people, they have huge variations in their interests, strengths, challenges, skills, social/emotional/physical development, and more. It’s what makes working with them (and parenting them) such an incredibly rich, and sometimes incredibly difficult, experience.

Second, they are intense. It may be intensely reflective or emotional or curious or funny or interested in quantum physics … The list goes on and on. But whenever I talk to parents about their gifted children, the word “intense” seems to resonate more than any other.

So how do we meet the wide ranging interests, abilities, needs and challenges we see when we bring a group of intense, unique gifted children together in one classroom?

One important strategy that plays a key role in Seabury’s classrooms is collaboration. It might seem counter-intuitive that one of the best ways to meet individual needs is through grouping for work and play, but we have seen, and research has supported, that gifted children who get to work, learn and play with other gifted children have better academic achievement, stronger social skills and more self confidence than those who work in isolation or those who don’t get to spend all or part of their day with their intellectual peers.

Our children thrive when they have people who “get them” that they can share ideas with, create with, and be challenged by. Their giftedness makes them different enough from typically developing kids their age that the gap between the way they think and they way typical kids think can be too wide to bridge – especially at a young age. A six-year-old who thinks like a 10-year-old but has the motor skills of a four-year-old doesn’t fit well with the six-year-olds or the 10-year-olds or the four-year-olds. When we put that six-year-old together with other gifted children, they find their “true peers.” However, even then, each of our children is still unique and has a wide range of abilities and interests. So at Seabury, we provide a variety of opportunities for collaboration so that they can find their true peers in a variety of situations.

Some examples.

This year, our prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade teachers are using a common theme in their classes, and are bringing their children together from time to time during the week to share a story or activity that serves as a launching point for further study and discussion in their classrooms.

They are using Simms Taback’s book The House that Jack Built as the catalyst for classroom discussions and activities related to their theme, “Interconnections.” Last week, after reading the book and spending time with a page that showed lots of different houses with “classified ads” advertising them for sale, each of the students drew their own fantasy house and wrote their own ad. The students did this as part of a large, multiage group and had lots of conversation and sharing of ideas along the way – a collaborative activity. And yet because of the open-ended nature of the activity, each child approached it at his/her skill and developmental level. You will see the prekindergarten students with pictures and ads that are much more concrete in nature. First grade students were much more elaborate in their drawings and ads, and showed higher abstract thinking ability in their descriptions of things not shown in their pictures (like coffee makers or video games). As you look within each class, you will see evidence of each child’s advanced intellectual abilities for their age (vocabulary, level of detail, etc.) and you will also see evidence of their developmental level (dictated vs. written ads, detail in drawings, etc.). Within that activity, or the house building activity they participated in today, the children were able to laugh and talk and think with others who could stretch their imaginations and relate to their creative ideas, no matter what their age was.

Multiage, open-ended activities like this are incorporated into every classroom at Seabury. At the middle school, all students might be assigned the same project and essay, but expectations and results are typically much different for a sixth-grader than an eighth-grader, or for a student who is gifted in writing than a student whose gifts are in a different area. This allows for intellectual collaboration while still meeting individual academic needs.

Flexible grouping is another way we give children the opportunity to collaborate with those who can stimulate thought, creativity and growth.

Another example. At the beginning of the year, teachers spent time assessing students to see where they were in reading, writing, math, etc. These assessments were used to do initial groupings and placements. But unlike the way it was when I went to school, those placements were just a beginning point.

Day by day and week by week, placements, groupings, and expectations are reassessed and revised as needed. The use of flexible groupings within and between classrooms allows teachers to continually place students in an appropriate community of learners for a particular subject, unit or activity. Our children tend to absorb and retain everything they are exposed to, especially in their areas of giftedness. But they have not typically been exposed to all things equally. So a student who is gifted in math may have had a particular interest in or a great deal of exposure to a particular concept like computation, for example, but may have had little or no exposure to another concept like measuring angles or place value.

Flexible grouping for math allows teachers to regroup students as they start each new concept, and to tailor expectations within a group to the needs of individual students on any given day. So the students get the benefit both of individualized programming and working as part of a group.

Collaboration in the classroom and between classrooms also gives students the chance to learn to work with a variety of people: those who are easy to work with and those who are more challenging. As adults, we know that we don’t always get to work with those who are easy to get along with. And we need strategies for dealing with those challenging situations.

At Seabury, we believe it is our responsibility to provide children with the tools they need to develop those strategies when they are young and have supportive adults around to help them navigate.

As a parent of an eighth-grader, I remember times when my son was younger and when I was worried about him having to deal with a difficult child on the playground or in a group setting. I wanted him to be happy and to have fun. It was hard to see him frustrated or angry or hurt. But looking back, those were the times when he learned the most. And believe it or not, those are times I am now grateful for. He learned how to work with lots of different people. He learned that there are caring adults around to support him. He learned he has a lot of internal resources and strength. And he learned that life isn’t always easy or neat. What great lessons for him to begin to learn at a young age, so he can continue to grow in his ability to collaborate with others as he gets older.

Our children are wonderful. They are unique and they are intense. Our goal is to help them discover their passions and develop their gifts. To help them grow emotionally, physically, intellectually and socially. It is a complicated task. And ironically perhaps, it is in bringing these very unique children together that we give them the best opportunities to do just that.

If you have additional questions about this topic, or want to know more about how collaboration looks in your child’s classroom, please contact your child’s teacher or me.

References:

http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/reports/rbdm9102/rbdm9102.pdf

http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=382

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/instrctn/in500.htm

Looking Back...Looking Forward

2011-05-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

As we approach the end of the school year, we find ourselves looking both backward and forward. How have our children grown this year? What are our successes? What do we wish we had done differently? What are the next steps we want to take next year? What are our hopes and dreams for our children?

Today, as our staff gathered for inservice, we spent time talking about our successes this year. Many of us were brought to tears as stories were recounted of children who are have taken off in reading or math, who have matured and grown in their social skills or their organizational skills, who have made amazing discoveries… the lightbulb moments that make teaching such a rewarding experience.

As I reflect on this year, and begin thinking about the year to come, both as an educator and as a parent, I find myself remembering that learning and growing is often a painful experience. As a parent, it is difficult to see my child go through hard times. He has coped with disappointments and challenges and frustrations that were hard to walk through with him. It is hard to see him sad or frustrated. But I recognize, if I am honest, that it is those very times that have been the catalyst for his greatest moments of growth. That have made him the incredible young man he is becoming. And the challenges he faces today are the growth opportunities of tomorrow.

As you look back on this year, delight in your child’s accomplishments. Celebrate the incredible leaps your child has made in learning and growing and friendships, and more. But look at the circumstances that led to that growth. Was there pain involved? Was growth sometimes uncomfortable? For your child? For you?

As you prepare to thank your child’s teachers for the year, consider thanking them not only for the happy, fun times. Consider thanking them for the hard times as well. For the times they pushed and prodded and held your child accountable. For the times when you struggled to be on the same page and questioned whether this was the right path. My guess is that those are the times that allowed your child to grow the most.

Growing and learning can be hard. I am grateful that my child been able to grow at Seabury where he is loved and supported and nurtured and challenged – even when it is hard!

A Case for Creativity

2011-04-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

I was recently reading a post in the blog, This Creative Moment, by my friend, Eric Ode, a local children’s singer, songwriter, poet and writer who has visited Seabury as an artist in residence and periodically as a substitute teacher. Eric is one of the most creative people I know, and his blog explores the idea of creativity and where it comes from.

Eric refers to a recent article in Newsweek magazine about a study indicating that creativity is in decline among America’s youth. The article refers to a longitudinal study by Dr. E. Paul Torrance, that found a high correlation between a child’s creative thinking ability as measured by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking and the child’s success in college and adult careers. The article states that, “the accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful… To be creative requires divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas) and then convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best result).” Highly creative children more often grow up to be CEOs, entrepreneurs, college presidents, inventors, and diplomats based on Torrance’s research.

Eric talks about his observation of how two different teachers handled a moment in which a five year old tried to take a creative step in a classroom project. One allowed the child to take a creative step, and another shut the child down with a “we’re not doing that now” comment.

As an educator, I am concerned about the ways in which education is being more narrowly defined as a series of discreet skills rather than a broader focus on learning to observe, think, analyze and create. I talk often with parents inquiring about Seabury, and am heartbroken when I hear stories about how their child’s vivid imagination and insatiable curiosity seem to be shut down in programs that focus on the one “right” answer.

As I read Eric’s blog post, I was reminded that what we sometimes describe as the “magic of Seabury” lies partly in the big things like the fact that we are committed to process as much as to product in our students’ work and learning. Our thematic curriculum and creative projects immerse students in both convergent and divergent thinking every day. But the “magic of Seabury” also lies in the little things our teachers do, almost unconsciously, every day.

Just this morning, a third grade student walked in and announced to her teacher she had brought three encyclopedias to school today because she had gotten interested in a particular topic and just wanted to do some research on it. The teacher, rather than telling her that wasn’t part of the plan for the day, celebrated her passion for learning and made time for her to explore her interest.

As a teacher of gifted children, I found that one of the most difficult things facing me daily was deciding what was negotiable in each lesson. “Take out a pencil for this lesson,” was always followed by, “How about a pen? Colored pencil? Chalk?” Lessons that were intended to go one direction could easily end up heading an entirely different way as students began to ask their own questions and as their interests guided discussions. Sometimes I had to do more steering to get us where we needed to be. But the magical times were those when we could follow the interests and inclinations of students and see where they took us. It was always an adventure.

At Seabury, one of the gifts we give our children is the room to wonder, to ask questions, think about possibilities, and to recognize that problems in real life don’t always have neat A, B, C or None of the Above answers. Our curriculum is designed to develop that kind of creative and analytical thinking. But our teachers also encourage creative thinking in a hundred little ways every day. By letting another way of doing something be a possibility. By taking time to say, “I don’t know either – let’s figure it out.” By valuing the process of learning as much as the product.

The next time you watch your child’s teacher work with your child, pay attention to the many ways, large and small, the teacher is encouraging your child’s creativity. You will be amazed – and grateful – as I am!

Beyond the Basics

2011-04-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

At Seabury, we know that learning goes far beyond rote memorization and basic skills. Foundational skills are just the launching point for exploring big ideas, making connections, analyzing information and much more. A program that encourages the development of creativity, imagination, and critical thinking allows students to take what they have learned and apply it to new situations, to innovate, to create and to reason.

In this age of educational standards, sometimes learning is reduced to what can be learned rotely and repeated – on creating students who score well on standardized tests rather than students who are thinkers and creators.

A recent article in Slate, Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School: New research shows that teaching kids more and more, at ever-younger ages, may backfire, by Alison Gopnik, points out the limitations of learning that is confined to direct instruction and rote learning. It is a great reminder of the value of the kind of learning we provide in our classrooms. Learning that promotes the development of a strong foundation of skills, but that uses those skills as a launching point for going farther and deeper, for taking learning in new directions, for promoting inquiry, and for developing creative, inquisitive minds.

One of the greatest joys of being at Seabury is seeing where our students take the material we give them. Students in fourth grade who studied revolutions in their classroom earlier this year, looking at the similarities and differences between revolutions happening currently and throughout history, nearly staged their own revolution when they felt they had been treated unjustly at a competition several of them participated in. Second grade students learning about the human body regularly use medical terms in conversation to talk about what is going on with them, or to describe what part of their brain is working on a particular activity. Preschool students who appear to “just” be building with blocks are having complex discussions about working together, engineering, transportation, and much more.

Learning in an environment that values the questions as much as the answers, that provides opportunities to go beyond the basics, that promotes exploration and discovery is at the heart of Seabury. Miracles happen every day as our students make discoveries, get excited about new ideas, and make new connections. It’s what makes our school such an exciting place to be!

Spring Break Is Here!

2011-04-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Is Here!! The school has been buzzing this week as students and staff prepare to head out on spring break adventures. Whether your family is staying close to home or heading somewhere exotic, we wish you a safe and happy week!

Spring break is a great time for families to share experiences together. You know, as we do, that our children remember the places they go and the people they meet, and that learning naturally happens in all kinds of circumstances. Helping dig the family garden can be a time for discovering how plants grow or what soil is made of. Meeting people, from a docent at a museum to the cab driver that takes your family to your hotel, can provide opportunities for discovery as well.

Learning at Seabury focuses on experience – learning by exploring, touching, wondering, building, doing. This week, our preschool students learned about the human body, including learning how long their intestines are by measuring 23 feet (the length of an average intestine) of spaghetti noodles, cooking them and then seeing how they fit in the bowl when they are all twisted together like intestines are in our bodies. Middle school students went to PLU to meet with a chemistry professor who is working on experiments with nano technology, something students are experimenting with at Seabury. Not only will these first hand experiences help them remember what they’ve learned, they will give students chances to see what a college campus is like, to find out a bit about what professors do, to think about what it must be like to be a doctor. The richness of these experiences provides for learning that goes far beyond simple facts.

As you work and play with your family this week, I encourage you to stop from time to time and think about what your children might be learning from the experiences they are having. Not just when they are doing “educational” things like visiting museums, but when they are doing regular things like riding in the car or helping with the garden. Listen to their questions and observations. Pay attention to the connections they make as they interact with people they come across and situations they find themselves in.

Children learn by doing. Have a great time this week doing fun, relaxing, family activities together!

Building a Strong Foundation

2011-03-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

This has been parent-teacher conference week at Seabury. A time for celebrating the progress students are making. A time for identifying and addressing areas for growth. Conferences, both the ongoing, informal discussions that happen every day and the formal conferences held this week an important elements of the partnership between parents and teachers that supports the success of Seabury’s students.

Often, we find ourselves talking about the priorities in our academic program. The conversation often centers around the question, “How can we be sure our children are getting what they need?” In this era in which discussions of public education often focus on how we ensure students meet minimum standards, learning is often described as acquiring lists of distinct skills. Parents of Seabury students recognize that learning is more than that, particularly for gifted children. But the question remains, “Where should the emphasis be?” That our child is able to write in grammatically accurate sentences with correct punctuation and spelling, or that he communicate complex ideas through writing? That our child can add, subtract, multiply and divide correctly, or that she understand mathematical reasoning and algebraic thinking? That we develop a strong set of core skills and competencies, or that we focus on big ideas, deeper understandings, more complex connections?

Of course, the answer is yes to both – students need to develop a strong set of foundational skills in reading, writing, communication, mathematics. They need to develop basic knowledge and understandings in social studies and science. But they also need to think deeply, grapple with complexities, express themselves creatively, and develop skills in critical and analytical reasoning. A person with amazing ideas needs to be able to communicate them in a way that others understand, including with correct punctuation and spelling. Foundation skills are just that – a foundation. But the ultimate goal is to develop thinkers, dreamers, innovators and problem solvers.

You only need to read our classroom blogs to see how this happens at Seabury. There are examples to be found every day in every classroom of students becoming thinkers. Asking profound questions. Grappling with difficult problems. Applying knowledge in new and unique ways. Creating alternatives and new applications for basic ideas.

But the question often remains. How can parents be sure their children are getting what they need? Here are some of the questions I ask myself when I am thinking about my own child:

Is he happy at school? Gifted children are typically not happy if they are not adequately challenged. While he might not love every part of every day (who among us loves every aspect of our jobs?), is he generally finding school to be a place where he wants to be?
Does he feel safe and understood at school – among kids and teachers who “get” him and who he “gets?"
Are activities at school thought-provoking, inspiring, and challenging? Is he finding topics that capture his imagination, provoke questions, or stimulate his interests? Does he bring home interesting ideas or want to debate with us on topics that he feels passionate about?
Is he growing in his ability to ask relevant, interesting questions? Gaining knowledge and having answers is important, but is he also encouraged to ask great questions? Is he digging deeper, inquiring more fully, and debating more vigorously?
Are his communication skills growing? Is he, over time, expressing himself more clearly orally and in writing? Is he showing steady improvement in the mechanics of his written work, but also showing growth in the thinking behind his oral and written expression?
Is his mathematical reasoning growing? When life presents him with a problem, is he showing increasing ability to call upon his mathematical knowledge to solve the math problems he encounters?

Last month, when Dr. Linda Silverman talked with parents about raising their gifted children, she encouraged parents to focus on what they can do to build the relationships they want to have with their children when they are adults. For me, that also applies to learning. As educators, we ask ourselves what we can do now that will move our students toward becoming the thinkers, communicators, leaders, inventors and learners we want them to become? As I think about the future that awaits our Seabury students, I can hardly wait to see where life will take them. But I have no doubt that they will march into their future as learners, leaders, innovators, and problem solvers. And that our job is to open the doors to the possibilities that await them as widely as possible!

Reflections on Dr. Silverman's Talk

2011-02-26T11:22:00.000-08:00

On February 16, Seabury was proud to host Dr. Linda Silverman, director of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development and its subsidiary, the Gifted Development Center, in Denver, CO, for a presentation to parents and educators of gifted children. Speaking on the topic, “If Our Child is So Smart, Why Aren’t Our Lives Easier?” Dr. Silverman addressed the characteristics of gifted children and their gifted parents, talked about how we can support the learning, growth and development of our gifted children, and talked about the joys and challenges of parenting our intense, sensitive, inquisitive, creative kids. It was a wonderful night for those who love and support gifted children.

Since that night, I have found myself reflecting on one small side note at the end of Dr. Silverman’s presentation regarding introversion and extroversion in the gifted population. Research, including Dr. Silverman’s own research, has shown that about 60% of typical gifted children tend to be introverts, a higher percentage of introverts than is found in the general population. Research has also shown that the more profoundly gifted a person is, the greater the likelihood that the person will tend toward introversion. As she explained this to participants, Dr. Silverman pointed to me and asked, “Sandi, would you say that more of your Seabury students are typically introverts than extroverts?” I agreed – yes, the 60/40 percentages she talked about seemed about right for Seabury students.

In and of itself, that is an interesting tidbit to think about, and something for parents and teachers working with gifted children to consider when setting expectations and building programs. But it struck me this week, as I have given tours of Seabury to visitors and prospective families, that the majority of our students don’t look like introverts to visitors. And I think that says something important about our school.

Introverts, by nature, have a strong interior life. They tend to keep much of who they are and what they think to themselves until they feel comfortable enough to begin to reveal their true selves. Extroverts, by contrast, tend to be more outwardly focused and are usually comfortable opening up to people they meet right away. When you meet extroverts, you often get to see the best of who they are immediately. When you meet introverts, at first you only see the small fraction of themselves that they are comfortable sharing right away. It is only as you begin to build a relationship with introverts that they begin to open up and you get to see the best of who they are.

In thinking about Seabury, it struck me that many of our kids who tend toward introversion, those who were extremely shy in other school settings or who are quiet when they are with people they don’t know, feel safe enough and comfortable enough to let down their guard and be themselves at Seabury. Some of the students who have become our leaders, especially in our upper grade classrooms, are introverts who were extremely shy when they were younger. Being in a safe environment among intellectual peers who understand and appreciate them, and among teachers who support and encourage them, gives our students the confidence to take risks and step outside their comfort zone, something that is vital to learning and growth. Our students who tend toward introversion will always be introverts, appreciating time alone for reflection and re-energizing. But when introverts feel safe enough to reveal their true selves, they are willing to explore, discover, take risks, and develop confidence.

Perhaps this resonated with me because I tend toward introversion, and so does my son. I have watched my son blossom and grow in his years at Seabury, going from being a preschool student afraid to talk to his teacher to someone who is a leader in his classroom, on his baseball team, and in many areas of his life. I am grateful that he has had the chance to grow up at Seabury, and to develop the self-confidence that he will need as he moves on to high school and college. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of a school community that supports and encourages all of our children to discover their gifts and develop their talents. And I am grateful to Dr. Silverman for helping me see the value of what we do at Seabury in a new light.

Advocacy

2011-02-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

Funding for gifted education in Washington is at risk due to the current budget challenges our state faces. Parents, school personnel and others are working hard to make sure that the needs of our state’s highly capable children are addressed through our schools. The Washington Coalition for Gifted Education is working to make the voices of those advocating for gifted children to be heard in Olympia.

What does this have to do with Seabury, an independent school that is not tied to the public system? At Seabury, we recognize and are committed to the unique learning needs of gifted children. As the only PK-8th grade independent school with a program designed for gifted children in the South Sound, our voices need to join those in the public school community working to raise awareness about our children and the kind of education they need and deserve to discover their gifts and develop their talents.

Seabury’s program is designed with these understandings in mind:

Gifted children are not better or more special than other children. They are simply children who learn differently and who deserve school programs that allow them to learn and grow and be challenged each and every day.
Giftedness is not just a quality related to school. It is a way of being. A way of experiencing the world. It not only affects the intellectual life of a person, but impacts all of how they perceive and interact with the world. Effective gifted education is not simply academic programming – it encompasses the development of the whole child including intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth.
Gifted education is different from academically advanced programs. It takes into account the fact that gifted students are not typically equally gifted in all areas, and that the degree of giftedness impacts the pace and depth in the curriculum that is required to provide adequate challenges. Tailoring the pace of instruction, and providing adequate depth, breadth and complexity of study are necessary if a gifted student is to be appropriately challenged in all subject areas.
Gifted students benefit when they have the chance to learn and grow with other gifted students who think and learn like they do. As important as classroom instruction is the opportunity to interact with other students who “get me.” Developing a strong sense of identity starts with finding a community of those who can relate to me, and with whom I can relate. Bringing gifted students together benefits their intellectual, social and emotional growth, and leads to students who have a strong sense of identity and confidence.

It is important that Seabury be a voice in the gifted education community, advocating for the needs of our unique children. We need to continue to reach out to find children in the community who would benefit from the program we offer, and to advocate for gifted children who are served in other places. We need to promote understanding of this often misunderstood population, and educate parents, teachers and the public. We look forward to continuing to be part of the conversation!

Join Seabury at Gifted Education Day in Olympia on February 11. Learn more at the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education website.

To learn more about parenting gifted children, join us on Wednesday, February 16 to hear Dr. Linda Silverman from the Gifted Development Center in Denver. Seabury is sponsoring her presentation entitled, “If Our Child is So Smart, Why Aren’t Our Lives Easier?” at the Tacoma Convention Center Commerce Room. Reserve your space by contacting Halley Griffin at Seabury Middle School.

Thinking Differently

2011-01-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

When people ask me how a person can tell if a child is gifted, I often find myself telling them, “They think differently. They see the world from a unique perspective. Once you’ve known gifted kids and spent time with them, you kind of just…know…” There are lists of characteristics, such as Dr. Linda Silverman’s Characteristics of Giftedness checklist , and descriptions of various types of giftedness such as Betts’ Profiles of the Gifted. They are helpful tools to use when identifying gifted children, but after working with these students for many years, I still am always challenged to describe that special quality of thinking that makes gifted people so interesting, and makes it hard for gifted children, sometimes, to find their place in classrooms of students who just don’t think like they do.

Earlier this week, Seabury’s first grade teacher came into my office with a great story about a lesson she had just taught that, for me, gives at least a glimpse of the difference our students bring to their thinking and learning. And speaks to what a gift we give them when we give them the chance to learn with other gifted children.

The first graders have been learning about maps – what they are used for, elements of maps, common symbols, map keys, etc. Relatively simple, but still more complex than you would find in most first grade classrooms because our students crave more details and are ready for greater depth of study. To reinforce what they have been learning, the teacher divided students into groups and asked each group to work together to create their own map. The teacher purposely left the activity open ended – something that is very important in working with bright children – so that students could take the lesson in whatever direction made sense to them. The directions were to create a map that had labels and a map key – their own version of the maps they had been studying in class. She expected students to draw maps of neighborhoods – with houses and schools and businesses in various forms, since those are the kinds of maps they had focused on. She expected that each group would have their own unique map, but that the maps would look like maps we typically use to find our way around.

But these are gifted first graders. Their minds and imaginations often take them out of the box and to places we were not expecting. As students began working, the teacher began checking in with each of the groups. The first pair were having a vigorous debate about whether their map should be a map of Kansas or a map of a different state. They were very worried about how they could get their map to be exactly, factually accurate. The teacher reminded them that their map could be of a real place if that’s what they wanted, but it didn’t have to be a real place. The boys stopped, and then huge grins broke out on their faces as, at the same time, they shouted, “Harry Potter!!!” They then went to work on a detailed map of the wizarding world of Harry Potter, including a detailed discussion about Hogwarts and Harry and his adventures.

Another group was deeply involved in their creation of an intricate, magical fairy world. It wasn’t just streets and parks. It was a whole world with mountains and rivers and villages on the map and even more detail in the children’s discussion about what they were creating.

A third group declared, “We’ll make the human body!” Another student in the group said, “I think for it to be a map, it has to show someone going somewhere.” All agreed – maps were about moving from one place to another. So the group set about creating not a picture of the human body, but a map of the human body, showing how an imaginary person could move through its systems.

It’s hard to describe, even through this story, what it is like to be in a room full of 6 and 7 year olds having complex discussions that are far beyond their years in some ways, and yet full of childish wonder. This is what gifted kids are like. And when gifted kids get to share a classroom with other gifted students, magic happens. Ideas spark other ideas. Creative minds go places together that they wouldn’t go on their own.

Giving gifted children the chance to work and play and learn with other gifted children is a gift that allows them to explore their own creativity, expand their horizons and challenge themselves in ways that is difficult with others their age who don’t think like they do. It’s an amazing thing. And a privilege I get to witness each and every day in each and every classroom!

Governor Proposes to Cut Funding for Highly Capable Programs

2010-12-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Governor Gregoire released her budget proposal. Devastating. So many programs cut and so many people, particularly children, impacted. One of her proposed cuts is the elimination of all funding for highly capable programs in the state – ironic in that just a year ago, the legislature passed ESHB 2261 which states that, “for highly capable students, access to accelerated learning and enhanced instruction is access to basic education.”

Highly capable (gifted) children are not more deserving or better than other children. To be identified as highly capable is not an honor or a privilege. It is simply recognition that you learn differently. That you are ready for more complex ideas earlier than your peers. That you can move through the curriculum faster than typical students your age. In a school system designed around the factory model in which, if you are 6 years old, you must be ready to learn addition and subtraction facts and must be a beginning reader, highly capable students don’t fit. We recognized years ago that there are kids who need more time or alternative strategies to learn because they are not ready for the same learning as their peers, and so special education and remedial programs were created. Highly capable students don’t fit either. They are ready to go faster, think deeper, and make more complex connections.

As Head of School at an independent school for highly capable children, I talk with parents every day who are simply interested in making sure their child gets to be appropriately challenged at school. The parent of a kindergarten girl who has been reading since she was three, but who has hidden that from her teacher because she didn’t want the other kids who couldn’t read yet to feel bad. The parent of a third grade boy who has been labeled a behavior problem because he constantly wants to know “Why?” and wants to invent his own ways of doing things. They come to our school because their child is getting lost in a system that wasn’t designed for the way s/he learns. They just want their child to have the chance that all children should have to learn something new at school every day.

Eliminating funding for highly capable programs will save money. But at a huge cost. Those children who have the potential to become our nation’s leaders, creators and innovators will spend their days waiting. Hiding their talent to fit in. Becoming behavior problems because they can’t take the boredom. Marking the time until school is over so they can go home and learn something new on their own. Highly capable children don’t deserve better education. They simply deserve education – the chance to see what they are capable of and to learn something new at school every day. Isn’t that what we want for every child?

Gifted Girls

2010-11-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

Some gifted children are easy to spot. They show their boredom with classroom work that is not sufficiently challenging by becoming verbal pests or by acting out. They are clearly bright, but are underachieving because the work they are asked to do is not meaningful to them. Or they just demand to know, “Why?” about everything, all the time.

But there are gifted children that are overlooked. Those who are bright, but who are compliant: willing to do what is asked of them because they don’t want to make waves. Or those who hide their gifts in order to fit in socially. Too often, these overlooked gifted children are girls.

My son needs to be in your school. He is bored in his current classroom and is becoming a behavior problem. We are pretty sure he is gifted and just isn't being challenged enough. His sister? No, she isn’t gifted. She gets A’s in school, has friends and likes her teacher. She is fine. She doesn’t need anything different.

I have heard those words so many times from so many parents. The daughter, who is more socially aware at an earlier age than her brother, has looked around her classroom and has realized that the way to make the teacher happy is to be polite and do what she is told. And the way to make friends is to do what everyone else does and not raise her hand too often. It’s not a conscious choice she has made. It is more of a subtle process of recognizing what it takes to fit in and following the social rules. And yet when she and her brother are both given IQ tests, more often than not, her scores are as high or higher than her brother’s. Her talent is not recognized and is, therefore, often not being nurtured or developed.

Advocating for gifted girls is a passion for me. Perhaps because I was one of those girls. If you had asked my parents if I needed something different in elementary school, they would have said no. I was fine. I liked school. I liked my teachers. I had friends. But then I got to junior high school and was placed in a gifted program humanities class. I had no idea school could be like that. That discussions could be so stimulating – leaving me thinking even after I left class. That I could connect with other kids my age on such a deep level. That we could share ideas and insights and be excited about making interesting connections or tossing around intriguing ideas. It was in that classroom that my passion for gifted education was born. Both for those kids who obviously need something different, and for those kids who are doing “OK,” but who could be doing so much more if they were given the chance to be in a stimulating environment in which being bright was an asset – not something to hide.

In an article on the NYU Child Study Center’s website titled Gifted Girls - Many Gifted Girls, Few Eminent Women: Why?, Dr. Anita Gurian, writes about some of the challenges gifted girls face in school. As I read her article, I found myself thinking about my own experience as well as the experiences of the gifted girls I have been privileged to work with both in public school and at Seabury. I look around our Seabury classrooms and see girls who are not afraid to raise their hands. Girls who see being smart as an asset rather than a liability. Girls who relish being part of interesting discussions and who are willing to step up and show their leadership ability. Girls who get to spend the day laughing and learning and exploring with their intellectual peers. Girls who have had the chance to attend a school where it is safe to be smart.

Do all gifted girls hide their talent? No. Does this phenomenon apply only to girls and never to boys? Of course not. But as we look around at the girls in our families, our neighborhoods and our communities, it is good to be aware that the girls (and boys) we see may have potential that has not yet been discovered or developed. And as we look at our Seabury girls, we can be grateful that they are in a place where their talents are nurtured and developed. Where they can become the creators and leaders and thinkers they are capable of becoming. Where they can discover the full measure of their gifts in a safe, supportive environment. What a gift...

Gratitude

2010-11-19T15:48:00.001-08:00

It is the time of year for reflecting on those things that we are grateful for in our lives. I find myself thinking about how grateful I am for my family and friends, for the opportunity to live in such a wonderful community, for my health… and for the opportunity to work with the amazing kids we serve at Seabury.

People often remark that when I start talking about Seabury, I can hardly contain my excitement. They are right. I am passionate about our school and our mission because I see the difference we make in the lives of kids every day. And I am thankful to be at Seabury, because I have the privilege of spending time with and learning from our kids every day. I get to hear the complex stories they tell. I get stumped by the fascinating questions they ask. I witness their creativity, their enthusiasm for learning, and their astounding sensitivity. I laugh at their jokes and am amazed by their insights. I go home each and every day with a sense of profound gratitude for the opportunity to be part of their lives, and for the ways in which they enrich mine.

Our kids are amazing, but are often misunderstood or underappreciated, especially in educational settings that aren’t designed for the way they learn. Kids who are highly creative can be seen as unwilling to follow directions when they come up with their own ways of doing things. Kids who are intensely sensitive and idealistic, especially when they are young, can have their worries trivialized or dismissed. Kids who always need to know why, or to correct others when they make a mistake (especially if the other is an adult) can be seen as disruptive or defiant. And kids who are able to do or think about things that others their age aren’t ready for can decide to hide their talents to fit in, and their ability can become invisible to parents and teachers.

I am so fortunate to have the chance to work at Seabury with a faculty and staff who are as passionate and committed to our mission as I am, with parents who team with us to support their children’s learning and growth, and with children who are unique and challenging and incredible. As we gather with family next Thursday and give thanks for the blessings in our lives, Seabury’s children will be high on my list!

Sometimes Growing Hurts!

2010-11-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

As the parent of a teenager who is growing faster than we ever imagined possible, we sometimes deal with growing pains at home. Bones sometimes grow faster than muscles, and feet grow faster than we can get new shoes. Sometimes growing hurts – and not just physically.

As a parent, one of the biggest challenges we face is letting our kids experience the pain of growing. It is so tempting to swoop in and rescue them when things get hard or when their feelings get hurt. It is painful to see our children hurting – whether from a skinned knee or the aftermath of an argument with a friend. But it is a necessary part of growing. It is in the times of challenge and frustration that children (and adults if we are honest with ourselves) are most open to letting go of old patterns and embracing new ways of thinking and doing.

The Polish psychologist and psychiatrist Dr. Kazimierz Dabrowski calls it a process of “Positive Disintegration.” His theory is extremely complex, but in essence he says that when we face a situation that causes us to come undone in some way (to dis-integrate our understanding of ourselves and of how things are supposed to work), we have the opportunity to put ourselves back together in a way that is more mature or advanced or at a higher level of being. To grow. And Dabrowski believed that gifted people are more likely to experience this process to greater degrees because they often experience over-intensities or over-excitabilities that make them more tuned in to potential conflicts and challenges. Our job as parents and educators is not to prevent this process, but to support our children as they walk through these challenges – to allow them these opportunities for growth.

It is a delicate dance, as a parent, to know when to step in and protect the safety of our child and when to let go and let him work his way through the challenges he faces. Certainly there are times to step in and say, “This is too much for you right now, and for your safety, I am going to take you out of this situation.” But most times, we need to find the courage to come alongside and say, “Yes, I know it is hard. And it will get better. I have confidence in you and know that you will figure it out.” Different situations and different stages of development call for different levels of intervention and interaction with our children and, as a mom, I often feel like just when I get things figured out a little, my son changes again and I am back to the drawing board.

At Seabury, we can support each other as parents. We are all raising children who think and learn differently than typical children their age. Children who often have a disparity between their intellectual maturity and their social/emotional maturity. Being at Seabury gives us the opportunity to support each other on this journey. Share your stories – your successes and your mistakes. Get to know each other and lean on each other when it is hard. Laugh and cry together (I often find myself doing both at the same time!). Educate yourselves about the unique challenges and opportunities that come with raising gifted children. Take advantage of PBC events and Seabury learning opportunities to come together as we support and nurture our children (there are several opportunities coming up next week!).

Growing sometimes hurts. For our kids. And for us as parents. But avoiding the hard times is not the answer. Walking through it is the key to learning and growing and evolving. Let’s support each other through this adventure of learning and growing!

Read more about Dabrowski’s Theory and its implications for gifted children on Hoagies Gifted Website.

Learning...Growing...

2010-10-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Each day, we ask our children to challenge themselves in new ways. To learn and grow. To take risks. To make mistakes and learn from them. The reason most families have chosen Seabury for their children is that Seabury is a place where their students learn something new each and every day. For children who learn quickly and think deeply, Seabury provides opportunities to stretch themselves that are often not available in programs designed for more typically developing students.

Seabury is all about learning as a school as well. In two weeks, Seabury will host an accreditation visiting team from the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS). This visit is the culmination of a three year process in which teachers, administrators and board members have gathered information from one another and from the school community, have looked at all aspects of the program, administration, services for students, facility, and more, and have asked two key questions.

First, we asked ourselves if everything we do in line with our school’s mission to, “…challenge gifted children in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery and creativity.” Are we challenging our children appropriately through our curriculum, and is it aligned to ensure students meet benchmarks for learning from year to year? Are we supporting students as individuals, celebrating their gifts and building on their strengths? Are we inspiring and providing opportunities for students to take charge of their own learning – to discover new ideas and applications for information and to express themselves creatively?

Second, we asked ourselves if our program, operations, and strategic goals are in line with PNAIS major standards, based on research supported best practices for independent schools. Do we have a curriculum that is clearly defined and articulated, and that is in line with our mission and philosophies about how children learn? Do we have a sustainable financial model for the school and a strategic plan that outlines how we will pursue our mission in the coming years?

The result of our efforts over the past 3 years is a comprehensive self study document which, in nearly 150 pages, outlines Seabury’s program, operations, goals and aspirations. Creating the self study document and preparing for the self study, including completing a comprehensive review of the curriculum, have already been learning experiences for Seabury. Now, as we prepare to welcome our visiting team, we look forward to learning even more about ourselves, and about how we can improve our effectiveness as a school.

Teachers model learning for students each and every day in the classroom. Seabury’s staff and board look forward to learning as an institution as well. Learning is what we value as a school, and we look forward to this amazing opportunity for growth.

It Takes a Village...

2010-10-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

Seabury’s rich educational program is made possible, in part, through the generous donations of those who support Seabury’s mission and vision. Seabury supporters, including parents, extended family, alumni, and community members, generously give of their time, talents and resources to ensure Seabury has the resources to “ …challenge gifted students in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery and creativity.” Parents chaperone on field trips, including the multi-day excursions the Explorers and middle school students have been on this month. Parents and community members share resources. This week, we had firefighters, police officers, local religious leaders and others spend time with Seabury students to enhance their learning. Parents, through PBC, provide enhancements to classrooms, and provide opportunities for parents to get together for fun, family activities. The activities and experiences that are made possible through the time and expertise shared by parents and community members have been life-changing for Seabury's children.

Tuition helps provide the small classes, highly trained teachers, and the unique experiences Seabury's students benefit from. But to supplement tuition, and to support enhancements to programs, Seabury relies on two major fundraising efforts each year, the annual fund and the auction, to provide exceptional education for students and to expand Seabury's program

You will soon be hearing about the first of Seabury’s two major annual fundraising initiatives. The annual fund will launch this month, and you will have the opportunity to participate in supporting Seabury’s students through your donations. In addition, Seabury is entering the second year of a three year Program Enhancement Campaign, which is raising funds to support the start up of the middle school program, fund facilities enhancements at the lower school, and has already provided for the lower school arts program. More information about how you can participate will be coming soon.

Seabury’s parents and friends understand more than anyone the value of the Seabury experience. Seabury’s faculty and staff appreciate the generosity of our parents in giving their time and resources to support our work on behalf of your children. Thank you!

Learning Out of the Box

2010-10-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Education has been in the news this week with the release tonight of the new documentary, Waiting For Superman by director Davis Guggenheim. The film has prompted discussion about education reform, and about the qualities of great schools.

As I have listened to the debate this week about how to reform our country’s education system and about how to prepare our nation’s children for the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century, I was encouraged by the passion I saw for our nation’s youth, and for providing them with exceptional educational experiences. But I was also concerned when I heard simplistic solutions to complex problems, solutions that typically regarded education as an assembly line in which the same formula is best for all students in all situations. Seabury exists because not all students learn and grow in the same way, and because equal access to appropriate education does not mean doing the same thing for all children all the time. It is recognizing and building on the unique strengths of each child, and using the child’s strengths to address areas for growth. It is building skills for life and for solving the complex problems and unique challenges our children will face in their work and their world.

Education, as we understand it at Seabury, is more than a list of skills to master or a series of tests to pass. While skill development provides an important foundation, it is only the beginning. Education is grounded in rich experiences, is rigorous and relevant, and explores ideas deeply and from a variety of perspectives.
This week has provided great examples of the rich quality of the educational experience at Seabury. Seabury’s middle school students have been on a four day field study experience in Vancouver, B.C. as part of their study of “Perspectives” this year. They visited a Buddhist center, met with an imam, took a tai chi class, attended a physics day at a local amusement park, and explored the international flavor of our neighbor to the north. Seabury’s Explorers class has been at Olympic Park Institute (OPI) this week, participating in a three day science field study experience in OPIs beautiful location on Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. The Sharks and Beacons classes have initiated a “Team Seabury” for Sunday’s Pierce County Hunger Walk to raise money for the Emergency Food Network, and lower school children have initiated a Seabury Service Club to organize participation in global and local service projects. Our Superstars and Bear Cubs have taken field trips in the neighborhood and to a local environmental center to observe the natural environment and to see signs of fall approaching. And Seabury’s Navigators students initiated publication of a school newspaper, which hit classroom “newsstands” today, and included stories about students’ favorite books and a profile of Seabury’s business manager, Janice Spika.

These experiences have not only provided students opportunities to develop specific academic skills, but have gone far beyond, immersing students in relevant, engaging experiences prompting deep discussions, thoughtful questions, problem solving opportunities, social skills development, and much more. The lessons learned go beyond what can be taught through a worksheet or measured on a “bubble sheet” test. They are life experiences that will shape our children’s future learning and growth.

Talk to your child about what they learned this week. Listen not only for the answers they have learned, but to the questions and discoveries their experiences have prompted them to contemplate. Ask them about successes and challenges in the classroom, on the playground and beyond the school. Learning is complex and watching our students grow, not only in specific skills but as thinkers, problem solvers, and members of the community is the greatest joy of our lives as educators. Thank you for joining us on the journey!

Welcome to School!!

2010-09-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Our first two weeks of school have been an amazing time of learning, laughing, reconnecting with old friends and making new friends. Several parents have remarked to me that their children are so happy to be back at school and immersed in discovery in their classrooms. Our teachers have been bragging about how great their students are, and are already moving full steam ahead into the curriculum.

As we begin another year together, I’d encourage parents to consider the following ways you can support your child and make their experience at Seabury the best it can be:

Be in contact with your child’s teacher about both questions and successes. Teachers want to do the best they can for your child. Your input is critical to their success, and your child’s too. Let them know both what is working and what isn’t as effective. Let them know about issues at home that might affect your child's experience at school. Let them know what your child is doing and accomplishing outside of school so we can celebrate with you. Our teachers work incredibly hard tailoring the program to meet the needs of individual students. They not only love to hear how they can make things better, but love to hear what you are happy about!
Get involved in family activities. Attend PBC meetings and events. Get together with other families from your child’s classroom. You will find that parents at Seabury share many of the experiences you are having with both the challenges and joys of raising gifted children. We have found that it isn’t only our children who form lasting friendships at Seabury, but their parents do as well. Our community is made up of amazing people – get to know them and you will be glad you did!
Educate yourself about gifted children and gifted education. Check out the Hoagies Gifted website, http://www.hoagiesgifted.com/, a clearinghouse for information about gifted children. Take a look at the SENG website to learn more about the social – emotional – developmental needs of gifted children (http://www.sengifted.org/), and while you are there, vote for them in the Pepsi Refresh Everything grant competition. Take part in classes Seabury will offer during the year for parents, and tell others about them. Knowing more about how gifted children learn and grow will help you as a parent, and will help you understand the unique elements of Seabury’s program and curriculum.

The staff and I are doing everything we can to make this a positive, successful year of growth for your children. Thank you for entrusting them to our care. We are privileged to do the work that we do, and are grateful for your support!

Friends Forever

2010-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

What a gift a friend is! Whether you are a preschool student or a middle school student or an adult, finding someone who cares about you, understands you, and who is just plain fun to be around is one of the joys of life. Whether it is a friend you can share favorite activities or hobbies with, or someone you can pour your heart out to, friends support us, ground us, and help us feel valued.

This week, I have been reminded again about the value of the connections Seabury’s children make with each other. On Monday, we returned from Spring Break, and as I walked through classrooms, I found students in one classroom after another who could hardly contain themselves, they were so excited to be reunited with their friends and to share all the experiences they’d had over the break. Teachers of all grade levels told me they had to take time to allow kids to reconnect before there was any hope that work could get done. This kind of connection between kids, and between kids and their teachers, is unique and valuable.

The literature about characteristics of gifted children typically describes gifted children as being more likely to be loners, or to prefer the company of adults or older children. In my experience, both at Seabury and working with gifted children in a public school setting, this is an incomplete description. It is true that gifted children do gravitate toward adults or older children, or keep to themselves UNLESS they have the opportunity to interact with other gifted children. Our kids think differently than other kids their age. Just as we adults choose friends who have common interests and ideas, children connect with children who are similar in terms of interests, maturity, and ideas.

If you are a 6 year old who thinks like a 9 year old, you are likely to have difficulty relating to the other 6 year olds, and may gravitate toward the 9 year olds or the adults who understand your sense of humor or want to think about the kinds of things you want to think about. But you are still 6, with a 6 year old attention span and 6 years of life experience. So there are still going to be gaps in your ability to connect with those who are older than you. If that same 6 year old has the chance to spend time with another 6 year old who also thinks like a 9 or 10 year old, how much more will they have in common? You can share your interest in Captain Underpants as well as your deep knowledge of the solar system. Your friend “gets” you on a variety of levels.

Over and over again, we see students come to Seabury who have been trying to find a place to connect in previous school settings. They have tried to make friends with their age peers, and sometimes have been successful in finding friends who share a common interest in a sport or an activity. But when they come to Seabury, they suddenly find themselves in a place where it isn’t only the adults who get their jokes; where they aren’t the only ones who want to know everything about a given subject. Who don’t think it is odd to lay awake at night worrying about global warming.

Gifted children want and need friends, just as all of us do. Sometimes our children need help making and keeping friends. But at Seabury, gifted children have the opportunity to share experiences with others who are not age peers, but who are true intellectual peers, and the synergies that come from those relationships are amazing to watch. It is one of the most precious gifts we give our children. And it is beautiful to see those relationships blossom and grow.

What If...

2010-03-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have been visiting Lower School classrooms recently. One of my greatest joys is spending time in classrooms, observing students as they learn and explore new ideas.

Today, in the Sharks (1st grade) classroom, students participated in an inquiry science project about plant growth. Students had learned previously that plants need air, water and soil to grow, but wanted to explore what would happen if they made changes to these elements. Stop by the Sharks room over the next week or so to see what happens as seeds they planted today try to grow in sea water, in 7-Up or Coke, in sand or rocks, or in the dark. Students had a million questions related to plant growth! Once each student decided on his or her question for investigation and wrote up their hypotheses, the planting began. The discussion in the classroom as they talked about controlling variables and about stating questions so that answers can be measured was far beyond what one would typically think first graders were capable of. That’s the gift of Seabury. The opportunity to explore the “what ifs” and take ideas as far as they can go.

I have been fortunate to frequently witness this process in every Seabury classroom, because inquiry is at the core of what we do. Recently, I observed the Explorers (4th/5th grade) experimenting with prisms and then with bubbles. I could hardly keep up with the rapid fire questions that each new observation generated. Earlier this week, the Navigators (3rd grade) tried to figure out how to use a battery and wire to light up a light bulb, and then went on to new questions about circuits and electricity. The Superstars (PreK/K) tried to figure out how the smell of vanilla escapes from a balloon when the liquid doesn’t. And the middle school students explored the best way to program their LEGO® vehicle’s computer to get it through the FIRST LEGO league obstacle course.

The inquiry process not only gives students the opportunity to BE scientists (as opposed to passively learning ABOUT science), it develops their thinking and problem solving skills, and allows them to explore ideas in greater depth than in a more traditional / fact directed lesson. The process of inquiry is at the heart of Seabury’s program, and is infused in all subject areas.

Later this spring we will be expanding our ability to offer inquiry science as we purchase additional materials with monies raised through our auction’s Fund an Item project. We can only imagine the new “What Ifs” these materials will allow our students to explore. We appreciate the generosity of all who contributed to the project, and look forward to sharing our new discoveries with you!

This I Believe

2010-01-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Just before the holidays, Seabury's middle school students participated in a writing project based on the NPR radio series, "This I Believe, in which people share essays about the core values and personal philosophies that influence their lives. After working through a variety of activities designed to encourage students to consider their own core values and beliefs, each student wrote his or her own "This I Believe" essay.

The insights our sixth and seventh graders had into the people and events in their lives that helped shape them were incredible. Students wrote about injuries and illnesses and things their parents have done that let them know they are loved. Funny things. Tragedies. Special experiences. Many of the students wrote about incidents that happened at school - like getting sick at camp or being injured and not being able to play soccer. Incidents I had witnessed in many cases, but had no idea what transformative experiences they had been for the students.

One student, sixth grader Nick Schulaner, wrote about the experience of losing his stepfather, Patrick Maher, a police officer killed in the line of duty, when Nick was in kindergarten. Nick's essay, in which he shared his wish to offer hope to the families of officers involved in recent shootings in Seattle, Lakewood and Eatonville, was featured in a local news story and on a local news blog. His words not only had a profound impact on his classmates, but brought comfort to many who are grieving in the community.

What a gift these students are. It is a privilege to work with such insightful, inspiring young people!

What if...

2009-12-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

I love the way Seabury kids think! Their minds are filled with limitless possibilities for everything, so discussions with them can go in such interesting directions...

Last Friday at our weekly Lower School Gathering, two girls from the Explorers class (4th and 5th grade students) presented an issue to the student body. It seems that we had thirteen playground balls available to students for recess on the first day of school and now we now only have five because so many balls have gone sailing over the fence and down the hill. What to do?!

Our girls had discussed the issue with Ms. Nancy, our PE teacher, and offered both the problem and a solution to students at Gathering. Their solution? For every ten days in a row students can go without kicking balls over the fence, Ms. Nancy will add a new ball to the playground equipment. They asked students to work together to keep balls on the playground so that they can earn new balls and have more to play with.

Immediately hands shot up all over the room. "What if a ball goes over the fence, but is still in the driveway on school property - does that count?" The girls pondered the question and determined, yes, that counts as over the fence and they would have to start the ten day count over again.

Another child asked, "What if the ball lands in the street, and a neighbor walking or driving by picks it up and throws it right back - does that count?"

Pause. Hmmm... "Yes, that counts."

"What if the ball goes over the roof rather than over the fence?"

Thoughtful silence. "Counts."

"What if the ball goes over the net, but lands between the net and the fence, so it is still, technically, inside the fence?"

Hmmmmm... "That wouldn't count. That would be ok."

After about twenty questions like that, it was time to "continue the discussion in classrooms and move on," but the discussion could have easily gone on all day. What a Seabury moment!

Our kids love to think about possibilities. To dream about all the "What if's" they can come up with - about why the dinosaurs died out, about what it would be like to visit Africa, about what would happen if robots took over the world, about how it must feel to be homeless on a cold night like last night - about everything under the sun. It's one of the things that makes working with gifted children so much fun and so challenging at the same time. There is no end to the wondering. What a gift to celebrate!

Getting Started

2009-11-30T14:42:00.000-08:00

It's my turn! Seabury's teachers have been doing a great job blogging about life in their classrooms at Seabury. I've decided it's time for me to join in the fun and share some of my thoughts and observations about life at Seabury and about the adventure of working with gifted children.

Just for the record, I struggle every time I use the term "gifted." It is the term used in the educaton community and in the media to talk about the children we serve at Seabury. But it can conjure up so many myths and wrong assumptions about our students and about our attitudes toward children. Many times in my career in gifted education I have had both parents and educators tell me, "I don't believe in gifted education - I believe ALL children have gifts." I couldn't agree more. It is true. ALL children - without exception - have gifts. And all children deserve to have their gifts recognized, nurtured and supported.

We generally recognize that students who show exceptional promise in athletics or in the arts require special training tailored to their individual ability level if they are to develop those talents. One writer pointed out that we don't train our Olympic swimmers by having them teach beginning swimming. "Gifted" education is nothing more than that. It is appropriate education for students who think and learn differently than typical kids their age. They are kids who might be reading early or showing exceptional ability in math. Students who understand things that others their age don't, or who have the insatiable desire to know everything there is to know about a subject that interests them. These children aren't more special. They just think and learn in a special way.

That's why I'm at Seabury. Because I believe every child deserves to learn something new at school every day. Because I believe all children have gifts and can use those gifts to make the world a better place. And because "gifted" kids, just like all kids, thrive when they are challenged and stretched and have the chance to think big thoughts and explore big ideas.

I look forward to sharing stories about our kids and their educational journey with you!