How can we talk about child hunger without pity, stereotypes, or making students uncomfortable? Our food drive is going strong this week (check it out here!), and students in the Lower School are excited. But in my work with kids, I’ve realized that they don’t always know who or what they’re helping, or why people […]
Hi! My name is Sarah, and I’m on a journey to become a better Antiracist. I’m not an expert. I am learning. Have you ever heard or read Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum’s moving walkway theory? “I sometimes visualize the ongoing cycle of racism as a moving walkway at the airport. Active racist behavior is equivalent […]
A message from 7th and 8th grade students in the the How Can We Help the Hunger Crisis? Quest: “After watching that video, you know that 1 in 5 children in America doesn’t have enough to eat. But did you know that right here in Charlottesville, the number is 1 in 6? 57% of children […]
How do we know if we like something? How does it make us feel? What happens in our bodies, on our faces, in our minds? Developing an identity as a reader means learning what you like and don’t like. But my work with social emotional learning has taught me that before we can start sorting […]
As 5th graders start each new Humanities unit this year, teachers Mrs. Thomson, Mr. Reed and I are trying something new to kickstart the excitement – Book-Trailer-a-Thons! On these special library days, students gather in the “FitzHenry Theater” and watch anywhere between 4-8 book trailers right in a row, however many can fit into approximately 20 […]
6th graders are beginning a long journey into using stories as mirrors and windows , a concept that is invaluable to know (you can learn more about it here, or by researching the work of Rudine Sims-Bishop) but so tricky to teach. Sixth grade English teacher Mr. Passmore and I decided to start at the […]
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein. School should be a place for all types of learners and thinkers to shine. This year, Learning Village Librarian Sarah FitzHenry learned about the idea […]
What is Ms. Fitz reading? Here’s the view from January 4! In August, I set a few reading goals for the 2019-2020 school year. One of them was to focus on our collection when I was choosing my books to read, in order to highlight books that my students have access to and to increase […]
Insta Review gives you a new book recommendation in under a minute. Go ahead, time it! View this post on Instagram It’s #worldmentalhealthday. What are you reading? . . . What does anxiety feel like? What does it sound like? What does it do to your thoughts, your body, your appetite? For as much as […]
Mr. Fitz and I have a bit of a road trip problem. We’re both big readers, but we haven’t been able to agree on an audiobook since The Great Hunger Games Road Trip of 2012. We’ve tried and tried over the years, but with no success – it’s a whole thing at this point 🙄 […]