Jon Bluestein, Author at Gillispie School

Gillispie School

February 20, 2020

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Elementary, Events, Experts in Education, Gems, Kindergarten, Learn by Doing, Parents, Specialties, The Journey Matters

Design Thinking: A Way Towards Being Prepared for the Future of Work

What is the best way to organize our classroom library? How might we reduce food waste at our school? How can we combat pollution on the La Jolla coastline? In what ways could we address the homelessness issue in San Diego? Questions like these, whether small or big, drive the work of students in classrooms that take a project-based approach to learning. They also look a lot like the types of questions adult professionals face daily...

by Jon Bluestein

March 12, 2019

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Elementary, Experts in Education, Kindergarten, Parent strategies, Technology

Preparing Children for a Future that is Increasingly Lived Online

At Gillispie, we recognize the importance of preparing children for a future that is increasingly lived online. We give students opportunities to research, communicate, and create using online tools across the curriculum and across grade levels. As children develop these important skills, they must also develop the ability to protect themselves and to behave appropriately while online. Digital citizenship is a recurring theme throughout Gillispie's program in Media Literacy classes and in any other class where online...

by Jon Bluestein

November 29, 2018

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Early Childhood, Elementary, Kindergarten, Specialties

P.E. Specialty Spotlight!

This week in Physical Education class, Early Childhood students worked on performing Jumping Jacks. They followed the cues of "Toy Soldier" and Rocket Ship" and repeated! The Prekindergarten through Grade 2 students also continued with their underhand throwing practice at targets which included a Thanksgiving Turkey! Elementary students completed their Football unit and played Gaga (Israeli Dodgeball) in the gym. It's been a great, active week in P.E.! Ed Whelan and Cheyenne Kibblewhite PE Teachers...

by Jon Bluestein

September 6, 2018

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Elementary, Kindergarten, Learn by Doing, Values and Community

A Very Busy (and Fun-Filled) Monday!

Gillispie elementary students kicked off the first full week of school with a Monday to remember. The day began with a new tradition: Morning Announcements. K-6 students gathered on the Sport Court at the morning bell to hear announcements, celebrate birthdays, and learn about upcoming events. These new Monday morning meetings will occur every week that school is in session and are open to all parents, who may watch (quietly!) from the entrance to the play yard....

by Jon Bluestein

Constructivist learning

February 22, 2018

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Experts in Education, Learn by Doing

Understanding the Constructivist Classroom

Now more than ever, it is crucial that children learn how to become creative and empathetic solution builders, and the development of the skills needed for success can begin as early as preschool. In order to give children the opportunity to hone their creative problem-solving skills, it is important for them to be allowed to construct their own knowledge and understanding of the world through both experience and reflection on those experiences. This approach is referred...

by Jon Bluestein

November 9, 2017

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Values and Community

Students Practicing Kindness Daily

Working on this year’s goal of building empathy, at a recent assembly kindergarteners through second graders discussed the importance of practicing kindness daily. I challenged these children to perform two acts of kindness—one at home and one at school—that were to cost nothing monetarily and where nothing was expected in return. Some heartfelt examples are described below. One kindergartner explained, “Last night when my brother wasn’t feeling that good, we went to go get ice cream and...

by Jon Bluestein

October 18, 2017

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This Year’s Big Project Brings It Back Home

The Gillispie School Big Project last year reached for the stars, asking students to imagine settling a new planet. The three-day multi-discipline experience allowed children to think collaboratively about what goes into developing a new society and required them to use skills and content knowledge to plan for the roads, buildings, vehicles, laws, and jobs we would need in our new other-worldly community. This year, and for the foreseeable future, we will be turning our focus to...

by Jon Bluestein