Wednesday, September 29, 2010

And So It Begins...


Our school has been in session for 7 weeks now. The marathon of juggling motherhood, teaching and teacher training has begun. I didn't think that this year could possibly be harder but it is. However, I know that I'm right where I belong. I love this island, its history, its culture and its people. Over the summer I worked on a curriculum that begins with what our students know and draws ever broadening circles outward, allowing students to make connections so that school feels less like a compilation of subjects and more like an unfolding story. I am most excited about our science curriculum. The focus is what students living in Hawai'i know...ocean, volcanoes, mountains and geckos....and only about 4 mammals. But by starting with what they know and teaching the history behind the science, our students will not view science as an isolated body of facts. They will learn the story of the discoveries behind the periodic table as it unfolded in history so that they will have a solid understanding of the facts. They will study the plants and animals of our island (my class is studying fish), learning the English, Latin and Hawaiian names for each. My hope for our students is that they see the world with clearer vision and curiosity. Curiosity is the greatest scientific skill of all.