Year-End Memories and Learning

Memories and Learning

During the last week of school I asked students what they remember most about this school year if they think of all they have done since September. Here are some of their answers:

“Recess when it was cold and snowy was really fun because we got to make a snowman with my friends.” (JK)

“Gym class was amazing. We got to play tag – INSIDE!”  (SK)

“I liked Track and Field Day because I got to see the big people jumping. Water Fun Day was really fun because I got soaking wet.” (Grade 1)

“Tundra Swans and Daily Five are things I will always remember.” (Grade 2)

“I liked taking the city bus for our trip because I always wondered what the inside looked like. I also really liked being able to sit in different places. [classroom with flexible seating] (Grade 3)

“I’ll remember that Ms. Appendino really, really likes art and that our classroom always get messy even after we cleaned it up.” (Grade 4)

“I didn’t know Shakespeare could be fun until we did the play. Seeing the eagles in the gym was amazing!” (Grade 5)

“The Fun Fair was noisy, but I liked the games. Our field trip to Uncle Tom’s cabin was my other favourite because it was something I hadn’t seen.” (Grade 6)

“Studying a novel study the way we did, and going to L’Arche with the LITs. It was neat to see how they did activities. (Grade 7)

“Well, Camp Medeba for sure, and all of the cooking and baking, especially making Cinnamon Buns..” (Grade 8)

It’s delightful to listen to our students summarize a year of God’s blessings. We’ve had an excellent year of growing and exploring as a community of learners.  May the Lord bless your family with safe times of exploration, connection, and relaxation as the summer holidays begin at the end of the week
.

Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading as the board and school administration get a new school year organized for September.  

SJ

Adventure Camp and Graduation at Our Christian School

Hours and days and years and ages,
Swift as moving shadows flee;
As we scan life's fleeting pages,
Nothing lasting do we see.
On the paths our feet are walking,
Footprints all will fade away;
Each today as we enjoy it
Soon becomes a yesterday.

Our soon-to-be grade eight graduates left last week to head to Camp Medeba, an outdoor adventure camp in Muskoka. God blessed them with safety, growth, and fellowship for three days. It was a memorable trip that I was blessed to be a participant in. Swinging from trees, campfire conversations, and washing dishes with students helps you know them better. 

When our daughter was born someone sent us a congratulatory card and included “class of 2027” in the handwritten message. The sender obviously had sensed how quickly time moves our children from crib to career. I’ll have to admit, holding my 3 week old daughter at the time in my hands as I read it, the thought of a grade eight graduation felt a little far off.  I know it is coming though. I’m so thrilled that Christian education lies in wait to help my wife and I boldly assert “as for us and our household, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15). 

At birth, did the parents of our current graduates have any idea of the nature of the world their children would call home in 2019? Did they know the joys and challenges that awaited them, the unique identity of who their children would become, or the ways in which they would need the Lord’s help along the journey to graduation and beyond? Likely not, but I trust that the gift or Christian education in their lives for part of that journey has been a strong voice of patterning God’s truth into their lives.  I trust the same will be true for those entering JK/SK this fall!

SJ

Answering Children's Questions at Our Christian School

What’s in a question?

I heard a psychologist say that pre-school aged children ask an average of 100 questions of their parents each day. Perhaps that sounds low based on fist-hand experience with hours spent in close proximity to a curious young mind. I love to hear our student’s questions. Here are few of recent favorites:

Mr. Janssen, is Scooby-Doo non-fiction?

How did the first people make tools if they didn’t have tools?

What is a disk? Is it like a whisk? It sounds dangerous.

Mr. Janssen, is it the same weather up there? (J)

While we might become exasperated with the seemingly endless onslaught of questions, it is key to recognize that these questions represent young image-bearing children of the Lord attempting to figure out all things – from abstract ideas like love and heaven, to physical things like making a leaf whistle between their palms and painting things with water to see what they look like when wet.

The treasure of childhood discovery is a crucial time for questions to be answered in a way that causes them to grow in the life of faith. “Is there a distinctly Christian way of asking and answering questions?” asked a favorite wise voice of mine years ago. My answer would be yes! Questions and their answers should provide opportunity to see the connected nature of God’s world. It is complex in its design, and yet often simple in its beauty.

·         The story of a perfect world, sin, and its restoration back to what it was meant to be should be frequent touch stones since questions intersect faith and observations so naturally.

·         The time given to them should include the ability to stop, reflect, and marvel at who God is and how he designed the world as our home.

·         Answering questions should always leave room for our students to push the edges of known understanding. Fulfilling the commandment to “subdue creation” (Gen 1:28) remains their calling and their contributions may be different than their parents. New ways and means are possible to use the world around us in God-honoring ways that he intended.

Praise God for the opportunity to have our children’s questions in the context of a Christian school!  SJ