From the category archives:
School
“Good Dancing Restores The Community To Wholeness”
(African proverb)
The third grade at Germantown Academy has been studying Africa since they returned from Christmas vacation. Among the topics they’ve studied are masks, stories, food, culture, geography, music; but, mostly importantly, they studied DANCE.
The students have been working each week this year with Jeannie Osayande, director of the Dunya Performing Arts Company, and drummers from company.
Yesterday, just before early dismissal for yet another (!) snow storm, the third grade presented their dance performance to a full house of parents, friends and all the Lower School students in the arts center. It was a fabulous show.
There was even a surprise appearance yesterday by a Chakaba, a masked stilt dancer. The Chakaba brings blessings to festivities. There was also a demonstration of the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira. And the show ended with a rousing dance by the entire Lower School faculty!!
Owen’s class did a dance from the West African countries of Mali, Guinea and Senegal called the “Mandiani.” It is performed traditionally in the celebration of ‘Coming of Age’ ceremonies. Mandiani is also performed at weddings and other social events and is also one of the fastest, most energetic and exciting dances of West Africa.
Then it was back to the Lower School and the third graders read aloud their original African fables. Owen’s was titled “How the Leopard Got Its Spots,” and was a beautifully illustrated and bound book that he had made. (He hasn’t brought his book home yet, but I’ll scan the pages and post when he does.)
For some reason, the quick time movie didn’t work for everyone, so try clicking here to see a video of Owen the woodworker in action.
It takes a minute to load, and you can’t really hear him at the beginning, but the audio gets better about halfway through.
A slideshow of some photos are here.
Jack’s class has been studying major 20th century events. This was what he wrote for one of his assignments.
A Polish Cavalryman Remembers WWII
The tanks came over the hills like iron mountains.
Planes in swarms like hornets filled our skies.
My brave Polish brothers swept back like unwanted leaves.
The Germans came into our land.
Their put their chambers of death on our land.
Fellow citizen who were only different in German eyes, not ours,
Annihilated by the invaders, but not forgotten by us.
The Germans put death on our land.
I had been trained to fight with my bay stallion.
Together we went to war.
Flesh and blood fought iron and steel.
We fought the Germans on our land.
Against their tanks, we stood no chance.
But, sabers aloft, we charged them full force.
So many died, but their spirits still live.
Riding away, rivers of blood followed me down the hill.
The Germans could never take the soul from our land.
They may have held our land for many years,
They may have killed many of my fellow Poles,
They may have caused a never-ending circle of death,
But as long as we kept hope,
The German never took over our land.
The big-deal Halloween parade at Germantown Academy was today. Everyone looked wonderful. The whole school, from pre-K to seniors comes out to the quad and parades around.
The PK teachers were famous GA athletes from the past, the 3rd grade teachers were Phillies “fans,” and the 5th grade teachers were bats in the belfry.
More photos are here.
Owen had to give his first book report this week. He read an abridged version of The Man in the Iron Mask by Dumas.
Over the past two weeks or so, once he’d read the book, Owen wrote an outline with setting, characters, plot summary and high point all detailed. The assignment was to deliver the book report to the class, using props.
Owen, being Owen, of course, had to take things a step further and BECOME the main character, Philippe. So he delivered his report in the first person, wearing the iron mask.
Our goals for the project diverged a bit. I thought he should [click to continue…]
Ever since he heard the school orchestra last year, Owen has wanted to play the cello. Only four third graders get to play cello, so we had to get up very early one Monday morning to get to school extra early so he could put his form under the music teacher’s door and be sure to be picked. It worked.
Owen got his cello this week and had his first lesson yesterday. He will take one lesson (during school hours) a week and have one 3rd grade strings ensemble practice once a week.
He came straight home yesterday and did his 15 minutes practice. Unfortunately, at this point, he only knows one note. (I have to say that beginner cello is a lot more pleasant to listen to than beginner saxophone!)
Stay “tuned” for more cello news throughout the year. Maybe I can post an MP3 for your listening pleasure. 
It is worth every penny we pay in tuition if Fiona goes to sleep before 8:00 PM the rest of the year!!
BTW, everyone had a great first day. Fiona said that “lots of different teachers came to our room and told us stuff.” She said one or two kids cried but she didn’t. She also said that “nappy wasn’t long enough. I wanted to sleep more.”
Jack immediately gave me the recess playground football report and Owen was quite happy about lunch.
Everything is back to normal!!
YEAH! School started today.
Everyone got up, ate breakfast and got ready with a minimum of fuss.
Jack was worried the whole time that he was going to be late — we weren’t. (There’s a very narrow window between 7:45 and 7:50 AM that is “acceptable” to Jack to arrive. Really, they don’t need to be there until 8:00, but he likes to be early.)
Owen was pretty blase about the whole thing and Fiona was so excited.
I tried to get them to cooperate for photos, but I wasn’t very successful (either in the quality of the photos, or getting them to pose.) Jack was cold and panicked about getting on the road, Owen was giving me his goofy smile and Fiona was vogue-ing for the camera. (I think her skirt might need to be hemmed, it looks too long for her.)
Once we all finally loaded into the car, Fiona watched a DVD movie and Jack & Owen listened to a new book on tape.
Jack was out of the car and up the stairs before I’d hardly stopped. Owen announced he was nervous, but as he got out of the car, one of his friends immediately started talking to him, so they ran off together into the building.
Fiona said she didn’t want me to walk her to her room. She said she could go by herself like the brothers. She jumped out of the car, put her backpack on (“just one strap on, Mom, because that’s how it looks cool”), opened the door to the building and went straight into her classroom.
A few more photos are here.
Jack’s immigration and Ellis Island movie is below.
(Be patient. It made take a minute to load and the audio doesn’t begin immediately. Click on the little “play” triangle to start the movie.)
