GreenMount Newsletter

Greetings GreenMount Community,

In the last installment of our weekly newsletter I was hoping to include some information about the accomplishments of some of our students outside of school. However, upon reflection it occurred to me that since we will begin to post our newsletter as part of our new blog, we shouldn’t include the names of students for the world to see. Still, I would like to celebrate contests won, goals scored, artwork exhibited, etc. for the benefit of our school community. I’ve decided that we will publish a separate bulletin to be distributed on paper only that will highlight the wonderful things that our students do when they go on to their after-school activities. We’ll send this along to you on a monthly basis to start and, depending on the volume of entries, consider sending it more often. The work that our students do here is worthy of nearly constant celebration. It only stands to reason that many of them continue to be successful in other aspects of their lives. Send your information directly to me.

As we look forward to Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day I hope you will pass along some things we will be asking our guests during the morning meeting. We’ll want to know who has come the greatest distance to attend our special event. We may also ask our grandparents who has the most grandchildren. We may also ask who has the most unusual nickname. My grandmother’s nickname was “Muz”. Can you top that? I’ve been racking my brain to come up with some other categories and I hope that by Wednesday to have a couple more. Any ideas? If you have a suggestion just send it along to www.mrsteveneedscreativeideasforgivingawaydoorprizes.org . If that address doesn’t work for you just use my regular email address at swarner@greenmountschool.org .

In the October 1 issue of this newsletter I referred to the work of Michael Gurian and his research on how boys learn. We talked a little bit about how boys do not hear, as a group, as well as girls. In fact, boys’ sensory input is generally less significant than that of girls. However, there are many things that boys react to very well that involve the senses. According to Gurian, in his book, The Minds of Boys, boys are great at gathering data from movement, active visual images, and some very specific auditory input. Among his findings is the fact that boys respond positively to music ( and so do girls). This is especially true for boys who may be struggling with math (Gurian p.165). “Many parts of the brain that build math skills are the same as those that react to music. Music can ‘wake up’ the brain for math learning and keep it awake.” Gurian goes on to say that music often correlates directly with math success. “The craft of music is built on a mathematical framework of scales, chords with prescribed intervals, timing rhythm, cadence, and beat. If your son learns an instrument and practices it daily, this simple exercise can improve math performance”. So, get your sons involved with music. Let them play it when doing homework (do we dare?) and encourage an appreciation for all kinds of music – even classical!

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. For my part, I will celebrate the fact that I have been given the incredible opportunity to work for you as the head at GreenMount School. As I learn more about the values and talents that the good people in this community display, I continue to be impressed with who we are and who we can become in the future. I am grateful to the teachers here for their commitment to a rigorous learning environment that allows students to take ownership of their learning. I am grateful to parents who are responsible to their school and to every child, not only their own. I am most grateful to the students here who have given me a renewed faith in the potential of young people to take over a world that needs leaders.

If you are driving to your destination, be late – be safe. If you are flying, be patient. Good Luck!
Cheers,

Steve