Excellent Video: Pediatric Neurologist gives his take on education

While we don't identify as Montessori, what he's discussing here rings true for IA.

Nurturing Empathy

The capacity for empathy seems to be innate, but parents can encourage it in children by teaching them to relate positively to others and by modeling it themselves.

Playing to Learn

Here is a great piece that speaks volumes to what we're doing at IA:

In our theoretical classroom, children would also spend a short period of time each day practicing computation — adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Once children are proficient in those basics they would be free to turn to other activities that are equally essential for math and science: devising original experiments, observing the natural world and counting things, whether they be words, events or people. These are all activities children naturally love, if given a chance to do them in a genuine way.

What they shouldn’t do is spend tedious hours learning isolated mathematical formulas or memorizing sheets of science facts that are unlikely to matter much in the long run. Scientists know that children learn best by putting experiences together in new ways. They construct knowledge; they don’t swallow it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/opinion/02engel.html

School Closure

Hello IA Families,

Though we are safe and sound here at Innovations. We are encouraging parents to pick up their children early as the flood waters are rising at the river and we fear that traffic conditions will only worsen after 3:30 as the storm picks up. Additionally there are very few children at school today. Please come to get your child early.

If you are in the Extended Care program and cannot pick up your child by 3:30pm please call Donna at the front desk, 619-501-6327.

Additionally, tomorrow we are closing school as it does not look like the already flooded areas will get any better until after the weekend. All school activities will resume on Monday.

Thank you,

Danielle

Rain or Shine?

We are due for a lot of rain tomorrow and Friday. Though we know that this area is prone to flooding we are not canceling school just yet. We have heard conflicting reports that the morning may be dry making it possible to commute to school. That said, if conditions get worse over night we will do another phone blast at 6am tomorrow morning to cancel school (and all school related activities) and we will also put it on our website. Assuming that we have school tomorrow, please be prepared in the event that we need to shut down early which would mean an early pick up.

Remember to drive with your lights on, slowly, and cautiously. It will be wild out there! Be safe.

Free Workshops in San Diego

We'll be doing some training with Dr. Katz later this month. We really love what his business does and also love that they give free talks! They focus on learning disabilities and child psychology.

http://learningdevelopmentservices.com/

Happy New Year!

Enjoy a couple pics from year end

An 8th grader reading to a Kinder student

Our chorus kids getting ready to liven up the Barnes and Nobles!