A View Clear and Wide
22 Jan 2012 1 Comment
As we start up Session 3, it’s been remarkable to look back and see how far we’ve come in such a short time. What started with a “spark” of an idea last July (and just seven students) has grown to more than twenty part and full-time students, and a community that feels connected, relaxed, and empowered. For some it’s been an easy transition. Most of our parents, students, and teachers were ready to More
Lunch anyone?
20 Oct 2011 5 Comments
So, about lunch at One Spark… I bet you’ve never seen middle school age children eat lunch like this.
When we talked about having “Healthy Lunch”, we weren’t kidding. Each week, Laura carefully plans the menu for the next week, often including fresh, donated vegetables and eggs from our families’ gardens. Our mornings start with students having the opportunity to help prep the day’s meal, from the chopping of vegetables (for salads, sauces, and sautés), to the cracking of hardboiled eggs, to the breading of eggplant, to the gutting of pumpkins (to make a pie we enjoyed the same day). Our students are learning to not only eat well, but to be a More
The Case For Healthy Lunch
25 Sep 2011 6 Comments
This past Friday, I had the pleasure of spending time with a few of our students at the park, and then offered to provide a ride home for two of them. During my conversation with one student on the way home, something miraculous happened. The student told me he had gone to Burger King recently and, to his surprise, he wasn’t as interested in the burger as he once was. In fact, he said, it kind of made him a little sick. Now, I don’t mean to pick on Burger King, but there is a good reason this was a miraculous statement. More
A New Journey Begins
04 Sep 2011 2 Comments
What better way to signal the start of a new journey than with an 8 mile hike through a canyon?
Last week, One Spark Academy opened its doors to a handful of bright, creative and motivated students…and equally motivated and excited teachers! Four days of lessons and, in a sense, what seemed like private tutoring, was combined with downtime in the game room playing pool and in the gym playing dodgeball. For lunch, we sat down together and enjoyed a healthy meal each day courtesy of Laura’s amazing menu planning and culinary prepping skills. The productivity was so high, the concentration so apparent, that very little independent work (if any!) was needed to be done at home. More
Connection
24 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
Real relationships are the result of authentic connections. Without people we can truly connect to, the stuff around us means little-it’s just empty packaging. We often recognize when we’re not our true selves around others, right? It’s important to nurture and be nurtured by the relationships we have with those we work with, our families, the friends we choose, even ourselves. If we are healthy, safe, happy and authentic around others, we find inspiration and light. We accomplish much.
The Tests That Matter
19 Aug 2011 3 Comments
Last week, families received back the state test results from this past school year. Within a few days, I received several emails from parents telling me how their kids did in my class last year. Most were very positive (i.e “What did you do? My child is advanced!”), and a few were concerned (“My child dropped x-number of points. What can I do to help?”). Ironically, no one told me their child scored the same as the previous year. The reason this all sticks to me is that each parent who emailed me told me they really don’t care about the tests. And I know they really don’t. So, then, why does it matter? Well, it matters because we have been conditioned to ensure it matters. More
Inspiration
07 Aug 2011 3 Comments
Do you have a story that reminds you why we all must work hard to make education better? I have many.
This is a story that one of my mentors used to share with her students. I then shared it with mine. It reminds me how each child is unique, and how important it is to create environments where each child can thrive.
