As we approach the end of the school year, some of our favorite end-of-year events approach.  Two of them are Grade 3’s State Fair next week and Grade 4’s Wax Museum in early June.  There are many similarities between them.  Each student chooses a state (in the case of Grade 3) or a famous person (for our Grade 4 students), and does a deep research dive on their topic.  After weeks of work, both events culminate with an event in the Multipurpose Room where each student presents for approximately two hours.  All of that time is spent explaining their state or person to a series of students and parents who are invited to tour through.  There is no telling what sort of question may arise from an inquisitive attendee, so our students have to be well-versed in their subject.

The students gain confidence when they have a depth of knowledge in what they are presenting.  In order to give them the best opportunity to acquire this knowledge, both of these projects are what we call “cross-curricular”.  This means that multiple areas of our program work together during this preparation period to help the students deepen their learning about the state or the person.

For instance, in art class, the Grade 3 students have each crafted and painted a model of their chosen state’s bird to display.  In both grades, students use social studies and geography to locate either the birthplace of their person or the location of their state and investigate the economy of the location, its major industries, its natural resources, and its connection with neighboring states or countries.  Library class time is used to help the students do research and understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.  Technology comes into play, too, because all students are expected to use the iPads to create a slide show or iMovie to illustrate key facts about their chosen state or person.

This approach is important to helping deepen the understanding of the subject of their research and allows the children to make connections.  “Students gain such pride in their state and begin to identify with it. We often hear, ‘Oh look what I found!’ as the students get very excited when these connections come to light during their State Fair research,” says Anne Craig, Grade 3 co-teacher.

The learning goes beyond what our program normally covers as well.  It has become traditional for Grade 3 students to augment their display with a traditional or famous food from their state.  This leads to delicious learning by all the State Fair attendees who may enjoy Texas chili, Maine blueberries, or Hawaiian pineapple slices.  Our Grade 4 students fashion costumes which mirror the clothing of the era in which their famous person lived, and they use their performing arts skills to assume their subject’s persona in this living Wax Museum.

Be sure to mark your calendars to attend both of these events and celebrate the deep cross-curriculum connections these young students have made. The Grade 3 State Fair is on Tuesday, May 23 at 9:30 a.m. and Grade 4’s Wax Museum is on June 1 at 1:30 p.m.

Reading is the common denominator in all education.  In order to learn about other areas, a child must first learn to read — a very complex process.  This is why so much education time is spent on phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.   More than 80% of Americans 16 and older say they read at least occasionally for pleasure (Pew Internet and American Life Project), and we want to impart that to our students, too.  Parents can help strengthen the emotional ties to reading as a fun activity, and the active involvement of parents has been shown to have a positive effect on reading progress.

At Green Hedges School, developing reading skills is a focus from Montessori through Grade 8.  Beginning with sandpaper letters traced by a 3-year-old and continuing through the study of classics such as Canterbury Tales and Julius Caesar, our students acquire and hone reading and comprehension skills.  All grades have designated library time during which students can select books to take home for recreational reading or to support research necessary to an assignment.

We also introduce analysis skills.  In many grades, students use books from their classroom libraries for book circle discussions guided by their teacher.  While they share their reactions to the story and explore themes and ideas presented by the author, they are also gaining writer’s tools which they can then employ in their own writing.  Our teachers also benefit from having the Great Books series in their classrooms.  This series is one of several resources which promotes critical discussion, and was made possible through Raise The Paddle contributions at a recent Gala-Auction.

Parents sometimes worry about how to support their child as they grow and acquire reading skills.  Here are a few ideas, but check the links below for additional ideas.

1. Make reading a part of everyday life – have your kids read signs, menus, grocery lists, etc. to build their skills.
2. Bring books into your home – either by trips to the bookstore or the library, make sure there are books available to read at your child’s level as it changes.
3. Carve out time for reading – set aside a little time each day during which your child can read, or can read with you, depending on their age and skills. This can be before bedtime, or after homework is completed.
4. Read yourself – Children model the behavior they see. If they see you reading, they will likely make time for it themselves.
5. Stretch their vocabulary – when your child encounters an unfamiliar word, explain its meaning and help them figure out a sentence which uses it in the correct context. You could also ask them to identify three words with similar or opposite meanings.

Summer is a great time to start incorporating these tips into your routine.  Each child will receive a green folder at the end of the year which includes summer reading lists.  Creating new reading opportunities in the summer could create new habits for the subsequent school year.  These steps to build and strengthen your child’s reading skills can pay off in a strong, confident reader at any age.

More tips on developing confident readers can be found here:

10 Ways for Parents to Encourage Their Child to Read

7 Ways to Build a Better Reader for Grades 3-5

We are in the midst of “Screen-Free Week” here at Green Hedges.  Although our smart devices in their various forms can be great tools for all of us, many parents worry about the effects that excessive screen time has on our kids.  Screen Free Week allows all of us to reset our systems and participate in the activities that we often don’t find time for in our normal busy days.

While your family may not be able to go 100% screen-free, there are some significant advantages to allocating screen-free time on a regular basis, or even just for a few days in this week. Here are just some of the ways you, and your children, may benefit from some screen-free time.

There are lots of activities to consider during screen-free week including:

• Play Games: Board games, card games and jigsaw puzzles are all great alternatives to being in front of a screen. Here are some lesser-known board games for younger kids.
• Explore the Outdoors: Take a camera, journal, and/or sketch book to record your observations on a nature walk or a neighborhood walk.
• Experience History: Visit historical sites, monuments, museums, e.g., the Capitol, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Mount Vernon, Monticello, battlefields, World War II Memorial, Newseum, etc. or read a nonfiction book about an historical topic.
• Read a book, magazine, or newspaper article together with your child and discuss or answer questions afterward.

Even if you don’t participate for the whole week, incorporating a day of screen-free time once in a while is a great way to reconnect with those around us.

When parents of preschool-age children tour our school, they invariably explain that they are looking for the best possible start for their child’s academic journey. They share with us what they have read, what they have explored and look to us for validation that we are ‘it’, the best possible start for their child. Their palpable tension over this choice speaks to its immensity: will the ‘wrong preschool’ doom their little person to a life of mediocrity?

In reality, there are many good choices for any one child. Green Hedges School’s preschool program is Montessori-based because it puts the child at the center of the learning process. We believe the Montessori method, where children are free to choose lessons, explore, and repeat with guidance from a teacher, provides the best foundation for lifelong learning. And this is the key to a successful choice: figuring out where your child fits in a given preschool’s philosophy of learning is where you should focus your attention as you evaluate your options.

There is much evidence that a trend toward more teacher-directed instruction is not in the best interest of our youngest learners. The Atlantic offers a thorough assessment of the impact of teacher-led as opposed to student-led learning: The New Preschool is Crushing Kids noting “The same educational policies that are pushing academic goals down to ever earlier levels seem to be contributing to—while at the same time obscuring—the fact that young children are gaining fewer skills, not more.”

So as you go about choosing the best preschool program for your child, observe how learning occurs. Do the children talk with one another, share ideas, use the teacher as a resource? Are there lots of movement as well as children focused on particular projects? If your answers are yes, then relax a bit. You are on the right track.

Our fourth graders returned from Hard Bargain Farm Environmental Center and spent two days immersed in learning about a watershed, biodiversity, and energy cycles. They hiked, milked cows and experienced first-hand the concepts they are learning about in fourth grade science.

This trip is the first of the overnight trips in our curriculum, with additional overnight trips in Grade 5, and Middle School.  However, we incorporate experiential learning in every grade at Green Hedges.  All of our students, beginning with the Montessori students, take field trips through the year to see plays and visit museums.

Other experiential learning happens right on our beautiful campus.  Art classes provide students the opportunity to photograph, sketch, or collect natural materials for inclusion in a project.   Our Montessorians maintain three gardens, and grow flowers and herbs. Grade 1 observes the development of caterpillars into butterflies and celebrates with a springtime release ceremony. We are soon to begin installation of our science garden which will provide hands-on lessons in soil chemistry, biology, lifecycle of plants, and much more.

Experiential lessons are an invaluable learning tool for the following reasons:

1. Enhances our curriculum—Through “learning by doing” our students are better able to grasp and retain concepts. By visiting Hard Bargain Farm last week, Grade 4 could see for themselves the local watershed ecosystem and were identifying producers, consumers and decomposers in food chains and food webs first-hand. They returned to their classroom this week ready to reflect on their observations and build upon them.

2. Increases engagement levels amongst students—Our Middle School students experience an overnight camping excursion every fall, building confidence and teamwork on ropes courses, climbing walls and zip lines at Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center. The majority of the students come back from this trip saying that they were able to connect with their fellow middle schoolers differently than when they are at school. These connections continue for the rest of the school year and often beyond.

3. Shows that it’s okay to make mistakes—When students perform hands-on tasks, they aren’t always going to get it right the first time. Experiential learning allows students to think differently and try new things and to regroup and try again if it doesn’t go their way the first time.

4. Prepares students for real life—Life doesn’t happen in a controlled environment. Adapting to a changing atmosphere, working in groups and learning to work with others in sometimes less than ideal circumstances are all factors our students experience during our trips.

5. Aligns with one of our core values of “Explore Opportunities”—Green Hedges believes that a child’s growth is fostered through a broad range of academic, fine art, athletic and other endeavors and we require all students to engage in these pursuits. Only by trying something, whether it be an instrument you haven’t played before or ziplining for the first time, will you begin to realize your potential. At Green Hedges, we provide those opportunities in a safe space.

Visitors to Green Hedges often are a bit surprised, and curious, to know why we teach French starting with our youngest students in Montessori. Our founders, the Kilmers, wanted to ensure that foreign languages started at an early age, along with the arts including music instruction and poetry.  The choice of French was because they had very meaningful ties to France—Frances Kilmer was the daughter of prominent Impressionist painter Frederick Frieseke and spent her childhood in France, immersed in the study of music, literature, art and language. The Kilmers met in France for the first time in 1934.

This early introduction of French is the foundation for our world language curriculum.  French instruction begins with our Montessori students at age 3 and continues through Grade 8. Why start early? Younger children are still honing their first language by mimicking what they hear and making sense of speech patterns. Therefore, they are well positioned to exercise those same skills to acquire a second language. And, unlike adults, they aren’t embarrassed when they make a mistake.

In Grade 5, our students have the opportunity to continue their instruction in French or switch to Spanish.  Regardless of their choice, we add Latin instruction in Grade 6 for all students to provide additional depth. On average, our students move on to high school having attained the equivalent of two years of high school foreign language credit.

Just as we introduce world languages at an early age, we do the same with music for much the same reason. “Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas,” according to an article on pbs.org.

Music also helps in language development and is similar to learning another language.  Music has its own vocabulary (the notes), syntax (the staff and measures), and grammar rules (time signatures, key notations, etc.). At Green Hedges, our students begin music class at age 3 and our French teachers often enhance the learning of the language in Montessori through the use of songs and music.

In Grade 3, each student learns to read music and play in a group setting through our recorder program. At the end of their Grade 3 year, with guidance from the Band Director, each student chooses an instrument for concert band instruction in subsequent years. All students participate in concert band through Grade 8, and many of our Middle School students also join the GHS Jazz Band whose performances are a staple at numerous Vienna community events.

Seventy five years ago, the Kilmers made a conscious effort to make the languages, music and the arts an important part of their curriculum. They intuitively realized what has been proven by recent research: there is strong overlap between these areas that benefits learning in each of them. There are long-term benefits of unifying the arts and academics to create well-rounded students and we continue to carry out these principles today.

Our graduating Grade 8 class has just received notifications from the secondary schools to which they applied months ago.  Their hard work in and out of the classroom has led to the excitement of contemplating which of their acceptances constitutes the best fit for their high school years.

Given the rich array of secondary school options in our area, finding the right next school can seem an overwhelming task.  However, when our students (and their parents) start looking into secondary schools they aren’t going it alone. They collaborate closely with Mr. Gregg, our Head of School, throughout the journey, so that when it comes time to apply to schools in their final year at Green Hedges, they know what type of school will be the right fit for them.

At GHS, the secondary school process begins with a breakfast in February for our Grade 7 students and parents.  They are given an overview of both the application process and the support they will receive over the next year and a half. Mr. Gregg always invites a representative from one of the independent schools in the area. This year, we were fortunate to welcome the Director of Admission at the Potomac School, Carson Roy, who provided our students with valuable tips such as how to approach and interact with secondary school representatives and how to conduct yourself on a tour.

There is regular communication between Green Hedges, the parents and students during the application process.  Family interviews help translate the broad experiences our students have at GHS into what they want in a secondary school.  Mr. Gregg’s deep knowledge of the secondary school world helps them create a list of schools to visit.

By the time our students start visiting secondary schools, they are already well versed in speaking confidently with teachers and other adults.   Mock interviews conducted by Mr. Gregg prepare our Grade 8 for their visits to prospective schools. On-site preparation for the SSAT helps ensure they are ready for the standardized testing required by the secondary schools.

Faculty members write personal letters of recommendation which are included in the student’s application packet for each school.  Finally, Mr. Gregg personally visits most of the schools to which the students apply and is in personal contact with the respective admission offices, constantly advocating for our students and supporting their candidacies.

The Green Hedges secondary school process is one of collaboration and preparation amongst our Head of School, faculty, parents and students. We are fortunate to have a community that understands that choosing a high school should not be done in a vacuum, but through a process that ensures that our graduating students go on to a school where they will thrive.

Right now, our Middle School students are hard at work in rehearsals for their performing arts production of “Macbeth: The Musical” which they will debut on Thursday, March 16^th.  Although the performing arts season at GHS culminates each year in May with the highly-anticipated Grade 1 play, the Middle School musical is a pinnacle of another sort.

These students, our most experienced thespians, put together a demanding musical each year which demonstrates their comfort with singing, dialogue, character, emotion, costumes, lighting, and makeup – all under the glare of stage lights and the gaze of parents and friends!  How do they do it?  Although not quite adhering to Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000 Hour Rule”, the fact is these students have benefitted from the Green Hedges curriculum designed to provide practice, practice, and more practice at being in front of an audience.

It starts with our Montessori Kindergarten classes, who prepare and present a short play entirely in French to their parents and siblings.  After that, each year of instruction at Green Hedges includes a speaking role onstage in a performing arts production, beginning with the fairy tale-based plays of Grade 1 and continuing to the musicals of the Middle School.  All of our students also sing in our Winter Concert. Even the most reticent of speakers is encouraged to find their voice before the footlights.

Echoing our comprehensive curriculum in other areas, we teach poise throughout the grades by repeated exposures in increasingly challenging ways.  Grade 3 students perform as a historical figure each year in a virtual Wax Museum, and Grade 4 students put on the GHS State Fair celebrating many of the American states.  In both, the integrated research across geography, history, and art is presented by the student “expert” to attendees.  The students are encouraged to make eye contact, discuss the topic in an organized manner, and incorporate technology while sharing their knowledge with the questioner. By Grade 8, our students are moderating Opening and Closing assemblies in front of the entire student body and responding with ease to unexpected questions or occurrences.

These and many other intentional opportunities build the sense of poise that we begin to instill at an early age here at Green Hedges. By building self-confidence, character and balance, we are preparing our students with skills which will be important in high school classrooms, college seminars, and business meetings.

The PTO’s March meeting will also focus on poise and performance. Join fellow parents for the meeting on March 14 at 8:15 AM.

There is always a hot, new app which pops up and starts trending. What if your tween’s device suddenly has that app? Or an unfamiliar app?  What are the important steps to be a responsible parent in these cases?

Last week, our StratEdgies blog post focused on what parents can do to help raise wise digital kids. Earlier this week, Green Hedges welcomed Iris Beckwith, President of connectED4safety LLC, to campus to share tips for parents on navigating the ever-changing cyber world in which we, and our children, live. She also presented to our tweens in Grades 4 and 5 and our Middle School teens.

While each presentation was geared towards very different audiences, the one common theme was the importance of being proactive, when it comes to cyber safety.

Here are 5 takeaways from Iris’ presentation to parents:

1. Be the owner of your family’s electronic devices and set parameters. Set limits early on and emphasize that access to apps, messaging, video games and social media are privileges and not rights. Regular check-ins, especially with teenagers, allows for a conversation about what is working and what isn’t.

2. Periodically check the browser history on all your family devices. It sounds intuitive, but periodically checking the browsing history of computers, laptops and iPads can help you see where your child has been online and allow you to remind them about appropriate sites based on your family rules. Seeing a cleared browsing history? Well, that may signal the need for a conversation as well. Also, you should not only know all of your kid’s passwords, but check them regularly to see if any of them have changed.

3. Sharenting. The “term used to describe the overuse of social media by parents to share content based on their children. It is related to the concept of ‘too much information’.” While no one wants to tell you not to post photos of your adorable kids online, it may be helpful to stop and think about the digital footprint of your child it is leaving behind. Always make sure your privacy settings are what you want them to be before posting on social media. Here’s a helpful link on navigating privacy settings on Facebook.

4. Always ask yourself and ask your kids “who has access to this?” Again, be aware of what your privacy and location settings are and how to turn them off. There can often be hidden data available when you post online, so just be aware of who is seeing what and how much information they can ascertain from one post of yours. Learn about privacy settings on social media here.

5. Conversations around cyber safety should start early and continue on a regular basis. While supervision of online activity is certainly an important factor in keeping our kids safe, we also want them to be equipped with the right information and tools to know what is safe and unsafe at an early age. It only takes a few minutes to share something you shouldn’t online, but could takes months to years to recover from it.

As with many topics in parenting, open lines of communication are critical. Talk with your kids and listen to their worries, concerns and questions so you know where they need your support and guidance.

“Well, as you know, I’m not on SnapFace and all that …”

—Bill Belichick, New England Patriots Head Coach commenting on social media.

It’s hard to keep up with social media in today’s cyber world, as the above quote illustrates.

We begin teaching our children behavioral expectations at a very young age, teaching them to say “please”, “thank you”, and look people in the eye.  Raising wise digital citizens requires you provide the same sort of instruction, guidance, oversight, and support (in age-appropriate ways) as they learn how to interact appropriately in digital settings.  This is important because there are considerations related to safety, digital footprints, and etiquette where missteps by young users can be difficult to deal with after the fact.

Here are some useful suggestions for children no matter their age:

1. Think before you type – it can seem easy to post things that may be hurtful to others or simply too blunt when you are looking at a screen and not a person. Some websites suggest a “WWGS” (What Would Grandma Say?) rule to illustrate this to tweens.  If you wouldn’t say it in front of your grandma, don’t type it to another person.

2. Don’t talk to strangers – Children need to be taught that everyone online is a stranger. Profiles are not always lined up with who that person is in reality, which may be a surprise to tweens.  Messaging during online gaming, chat rooms and social media apps can create a feeling of shared experiences leading a child to “speak” with strangers in a way they would never do in real life.  It should be emphasized that it is never okay to share information about their address, family, school, friends, etc. with someone online.

3. Privacy is not guaranteed – Children need to understand that nothing online is ever as private as it may seem, and posts and photos can live on forever. Even on apps which tout that their messages or photos are only available for a short time, a screenshot of the live post can easily defeat that expectation.

On Tuesday, February 28, Iris Beckwith, President of connectED4safety LLC, will be at Green Hedges. All parents are invited to her presentation at 8:30 a.m. designed to help you find concrete options for understanding, managing and talking to your children about their online lives, as well as helpful hints and guidelines useful for monitoring your tween/teens digital activities. Presentations to students in Grades 4-8 will follow.

Keeping up with what is new and trendy while setting appropriate limits and instilling good behavior and habits can seem like a daunting job, but resources like Iris Beckwith’s presentation can help. More information on this topic can also be found at:

13 Tips for Monitoring Kids’ Social Media

How to Raise Respectful Digital Citizens

5 Social Media Rules for Teens and Tweens