Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Oct 19
PAC Meeting
5:30-6:30
Monday, Oct 24
School Picture Day
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Conservatory Lab
25 Arlington Street
Brighton, MA 02315
617.254.8904
www.conservatorylab.org
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| Family Notes
October 14, 2011
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Dear Families,
Our second grade class recently returned from conducting fieldwork at a nature reserve, abuzz with new snake facts. "Did you know," one student beamed, "that the place where a snake hibernates is called a 'hibernaculum'?" I had to confess that I didn't!
One of the great joys of Expeditionary Learning is that it encourages lifelong learning for students and teachers alike. Adults are not the authors of the book of knowledge, but rather librarians to a world of resources. It is the students' excitement for exploration - their desire to make sense of the world - that fuels each investigation. As we follow them, guiding and focusing their exploration, we too become scientists, writers, musicians, and mathematicians. We become colleagues as learners.
Last Friday I noticed this same relationship in the Dudamel Orchestra, as the resident artists joined the students for a side-by-side rehearsal. Watching the professional musicians scattered among the sections of the orchestra, the titles "teacher" and "student" seemed to be unimportant distinctions. The music was leading the learning, and the musicians were following.
Expeditionary Learning is humbling, but it is also empowering. It removes the pressure of needing to have all of the answers and opens the door to lifelong learning.
 Warmly, Diana Lam Head of School
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Studying Snakes in Second Grade
 The second grade class spent Thursday morning at the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary doing the work of herpatologists, scientists who study snakes. Guided by rangers from the reserve, students studied and looked for snakes in marsh and field habitats, and had the opportunity to hold and touch several different kinds of snakes. Favorite snakes included the milk snake and the hognose snake, which fools its predators by playing dead and emitting a foul smell.
"Snakes are important because they protect our food," explained budding herpatologist Javier R. His colleagues added that they eat mice and rats, which threaten grain crops, the source of our breakfast cereal.
This year's second grade class is generally less afraid of snakes than their predecessors, having watched last year's class become experts and enthusiasts of the species. As the year progresses, they will look forward to many similar projects, as well as some new surprises.
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El Sistema Conference: Sharing the Music
Last Friday, the resident artists joined the Dudamel Orchestra for a side-by-side rehearsal full of exuberant synergy. Conductor David Malek shares his thoughts on the experience:
"Bringing the resident artists together as a mini-orchestra or chamber ensemble has been the goal from the beginning. Learning the musical language is no different than learning any other language. As human beings, we all learn through imitation. Most of us do not remember how we learned to speak our native or primary language, but as those who speak two or more languages can attest, being immersed in that language is the best way to learn. So that is the concept behind having professional musicians in the classroom. Immerse the kids in a musical language with people who "speak" music fluently. After all, we can teach the kids the notes and the rhythms, the basics, but the phrasing and expression--the music--can only be taught through imitation.
The energy that was coming out of the room after our first encounter was electric. I'm not sure who was more excited, the students or the teachers. We all feed off of one another's energy. When the students are excited about learning then the teachers get more excited and when the teachers get more excited then the energy loops back around to the students. It's a win-win for everyone.
Another beautiful thing about bringing the musical community together is that it allows these somewhat artificial boundaries between students and teachers to come down. It is important for us, the teachers, to remember that we are students also. There is no arrival point for a musician or for anyone who is a lifelong learner. Maybe we are a little further along the road, but we are all traveling the same path. When we come together in a rehearsal space, there is no more student and no more teacher--we are all musicians."
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K1 In the Kitchen
 On Thursday the K1 culinary crew prepared the first of what will be monthly cooking projects. With help from parent experts, the class created whole wheat English muffin pizzas, a healthy snack which the children enjoyed customizing with their favorite toppings.
Kitchen projects are an interdisciplinary learning experience that encourage lifelong wellness. Students practice math skills of ordered processes and measuring. They learn the routines of hygiene and safety necessary to proper food handling and develop a repertoire of healthy snacks as alternatives to junk food. A recent editorial in the Huffington Post reports on the effects of healthy eating on academic performance.
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Assembly Dates Revised
Due to space availability, there has been a revision to the assembly schedule. We will have our assemblies the first Friday of each month from 9:00-10:00am. Join us for a school-wide sing along on these dates:
November 4 December 2 January 6 February 3 March 2 April 6 May 4 |
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Community Concert
Resident Artist Adam Eccleston
appearing in concert!
October 20, 2011
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Location: New Art Center - 61 Washington Park
Newtonville, MA 02460
www.NewArtCenter.org
Classical Guitar & Flute Concert
Beautiful guitar and flute music from great composers like Schumann, Schubert, Montsalvatge, Dvorak, Stradella, and more! Zaira Meneses is among the most exciting performers on the international classical guitar circuit, and Adam Eccleston has been awarded top prizes in US and international music competitions.
Tickets $20.00 in advance, $25.00 at the door. Students with ID pay $10 in advance/$15 at the door.
For advance student rate of $10.00, register by phone: 617-964-3424.
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Thank you K2 parent, Doug Bellow, for building us new cello racks. They are a huge help!
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