Wednesday, April 1, 2009

NCAIS Conference and Junior Retreat































OK, so I said I wouldn't be blogging for 2 weeks...not until after spring break, and this is my 2nd blog since making that erroneous statement. There's just too much going on with US students. I have to share it! On Sunday afternoon, we took 18 US students and 4 MS students to the North Carolina Assoc. of Independent Schools' annual Student Diversity and Leadership Conference. As is always the case, I was so proud of our students. They were actively engaged from start to finish. You can see photos here of Jazmun and Shane meeting new friends. I also included a shot of Jon and his African American History class as his students led a workshop entitled Teach Me Tolerance. With Jon sitting in the back of the room, his students were in charge. They were knowledgeable, respectful, and well organized. They did an excellent job of listening to and engaging with each other and the adults and students who attended their session, some of whom had strong feelings to share. This workshop really was the best possible example of student-led learning!
Last night (Tuesday), I had the honor of joining the junior class at Quaker Lake for their junior retreat. Once again, I was proud of their accomplishments and excited about their hopes and dreams for their senior year. In the photos above, you can see Bob cooking hamburgers, Marley and Xiaona roasting marshmallows, Emily creating Henna tattoos, and the entire class discussing plans for next year. Chloe and Esther led a discussion on leadership, which was thoughtful, honest, and spot on. We all agreed that the juniors don't have a choice about whether or not they will be leaders. They do have a choice about the ways in which each of them chooses to lead. I came away from this retreat excited about our leadership possibilities for next year, eagerly anticipating positive changes that this class has envisioned...and just a little tired!
2 days until spring break...not that I'm counting. Have a restful and wonderful break with your families.




No comments: