Dear Families,
All of our classes engage in a practice called Guided Discovery, a teaching strategy used to introduce materials in the classroom. The primary goal of Guided Discovery is to generate interest and excitement about classroom resources and help children explore their possible uses. Guided Discovery also provides opportunities to introduce vocabulary, assess children’s prior knowledge, and teach responsible use and care of materials. This practice also lends itself to class routines that foster independence and teach children about taking care of the space they will be learning in. A Guided Discovery can take as little as fifteen or twenty minutes, but the interest and excitement that is generated and the skills that children practice support learning throughout the year.
Guided Discovery has a deep impact on children’s learning. Children get interested in classroom materials and learn how to use them creatively. They have opportunities to stretch their thinking and work independently. Perhaps most importantly, children are at the center of the process. Every aspect of Guided Discovery encourages children to offer ideas, act on them, and share the results of their work with others, which stimulates everyone’s thinking about future uses of the material. It also gets children into the habit of engaging in conversations amongst their peers, which can lead to collaborative work and collective responsibility for their classrooms and materials. Check out the pics of our children’s work from Guided Discover happening around the school.
COVID cases are rising at school. We no longer report cases to the city or families. The DoE has also stopped sending home test kits, but they are available if you request them. Please let your child’s teacher and the office know if your child tests positive. Your child must stay home for five days (counting the day they test positive as Day 0). They can return on the sixth day if they have no symptoms or their symptoms are improving, and they have been fever-free without medication for 24 hours. They must continue to wear a mask until day ten following the start of the symptoms or when they tested positive.
Warmly,
Dyanthe and Shaquawn
