Brittany Kaszas, Author at Gillispie School - Page 31 of 31

December 3, 2017

0

Early Childhood, Learn by Doing, Preschool, Reggio, Values and Community

Preschool Feast Builds Community

Our Preschool classes held their annual Fall Feast in the gym recently. Students made hand-printed placemats and table decorations for the event. The meal was potluck style, with each family bringing in a dish specially requested by their child to share. During the event, families wrote down things they are thankful for on cut-out feathers that were attached to a shared turkey display. Shared mealtimes in Reggio are held in high regard, and our educational philosophy values children, educators, and family...

by Brittany Kaszas

November 30, 2017

1

Community Service, Elementary, Learn by Doing, Values and Community

Grade 4 Visits Feeding San Diego

As a kick off to the school-wide food drive, Grade 4 students recently visited Feeding San Diego where they sorted, packed, and weighed potatoes, pears, and squash donated by local farms. By the end of the three-hour shift, the children had packed 2500 pounds of food. The food was later delivered and distributed to the organization's mobile pantries around San Diego as well as the UCSD diabetic wellness program. Feeding San Diego feeds over 65,000 people a week, and...

by Brittany Kaszas

November 16, 2017

1

Elementary, Learn by Doing

Grade 5 Explorers Fair

This week, the Grade 5 students participated in Gillispie's annual Explorers Fair. Each student researched an explorer from the Age of Exploration and became that explorer for a presentation for families, teachers, and fellow students. The students shared letters they’d written to gain funding for their expeditions, quill pens they made to write the letters, maps of their proposed routes, and technological innovations that helped navigators of the era. Students entertained their audience as they informed them by dressing...

by Brittany Kaszas

preschool fine motor skills

November 2, 2017

0

Early Childhood, Experts in Education

Preschool Students Developing Fine Motor Skills

Learn by Doing Fine motor skills are those that involve a refined use of the small muscles which control the hand, fingers, and thumb. With the development of these skills, a child is able to complete important tasks such as writing, feeding oneself, buttoning, and zippering. These abilities gradually develop through experience and exposure to a variety of toys and materials. This includes the ability to grasp, pick up, release, imitate, and copy patterns. As a provocation, Preschool...

by Brittany Kaszas

October 11, 2017

1

Elementary, Gems, Values and Community

Grade 6 Team Building at Crystal Cove

Values and Community It's a tradition for the Grade 6 students to start off their final year at Gillispie with an overnight team building trip. Last week, they packed their bags and headed out for an excursion full of activities, including mountain biking in Mission Beach, kayaking on the bay, and camping at Crystal Cove in Laguna. This annual trip helps the class bond, build community, and learn to work together! About Gillispie School: We are an independent toddler through Grade...

by Brittany Kaszas

October 4, 2017

0

Learn by Doing, Preschool, Reggio

Hands-On Science in Early Childhood

Learn by Doing Science in our Early Childhood program allows children to participate in discovering, exploring, and questioning a topic or activity together. This week, it was all about blowing bubbles. Students used modified pipettes, natural bubble solution, and the air in their lungs to create cups full of bubbles. They discussed their separate techniques and explored the ways that airflow effects the bubble formation; using a lot of air creates many small bubbles, and a slow stream of...

by Brittany Kaszas

September 21, 2017

0

Gems, The Journey Matters

Grade 5 Design Thinking Process

Learn by Doing Students in Grade 5 worked in groups to solve a real problem in their classroom: How to organize the classroom library. They used a design thinking process to understand the problem, empathize with users, design solutions, receive expert feedback, and share their revised plans. In the photos, students pitch preliminary solutions to experts and answer the experts’ questions. This mini-project followed the same steps that the fifth graders will use in a year-long project to study...

by Brittany Kaszas

September 21, 2017

1

Early Childhood, Events, Learn by Doing, Preschool

Artisans in the Atelier Fall Workshops

Registration is now open for the Fall Artisans In The Atelier workshop series taught by Porschia Talbot of My Art Shed in Gillispie School’s beautiful atelier and community garden! During each art workshop, students will explore the natural beauty that surrounds us every day and see how even the smallest flower can inspire wondrous art. They will slither paint like a snake, design and build tiny houses fit for a fairy queen, breathe color into fallen leaves, and plant seeds that will one...

by Brittany Kaszas

September 14, 2017

0

Gillispie Values Build Community

Recently, we had our first elementary assemblies and the focus was on Gillispie Values. During both large-group, then small-group discussions, students provided excellent definitions and examples of how integrity, compassion, attitude, respect, and effort can look on the playground, at the lunch table, in the classroom, and even off campus. Particularly impressive was the newly-minted kindergarteners’ understanding of the Gillispie Values. Some thoughts shared (in the words of the children): Integrity • When you don’t complete an assignment, don’t...

by Brittany Kaszas

August 20, 2017

3

Parent strategies

6 Keys to a Drop-off Without Tears

The start of preschool or new school year is such an exciting time! As parents, we are imagining all the exciting things our children will learn and how much they will grow over the year. It’s bitter-sweet, watching our little ones take their first steps to independence. At the same time, we’re excited, we are also feeling anxiety and sadness about letting them go, especially that moment when we have to say goodbye. We worry about...

by Brittany Kaszas

« Previous Page