Fly on the Wall by Heidi Blokland

One of my joys in working as principal designate is being able to pop into classrooms and be a fly on the wall. I get to see learning in action, relationships being built, and God’s kingdom everywhere.

Let me share with you a bit of what I experienced today.

My first stop was Grade 1 and 2

They were having morning devotions. Miss DeKleine read a devotional and together they discussed what they learned from it and how they could build God’s Kingdom here. After, students shared things they wanted prayers for. Many asked for prayers for their grandparents and family members. Together they prayed for their concerns and for their day. What a blessing to see this group start their day with Jesus. They also added a number to Pete the Cat … the number 76. That is how many days they have been at school. You could hear the buzz as they got excited about how close they are to the 100th day of school!

I then headed to Grade 6-8 where Mrs. Geertsema was teaching math.

You could see engagement and students excited to be learning new things. The Grade 7 and 8 students were struggling with some thought provoking tasks, trying to do Japanese geometry puzzles called Zukei. They were struggling and some were getting stumped, but they didn’t give up!

The Grade 6 students were working on their Math Almanac. It is a resource that they create together and refer to often in their learning. When I asked a student if it was useful he said, “Oh yeah!” I experienced a wonderful culture of learning.

Finally I visited Grade 3 and 4.

You could hear a pin drop when I entered the room. All students were laser focused on their phonics. Mr. Johnson moved around the room to answer a few questions. They were working very hard and their determination was evident. It was also evident that Mr. Johnson and his students have worked hard to create an community of learners, filled with respect and joy.

What a joy to be a part of this school, God’s school.

Do you want to be a fly on the wall? Come to our Celebration of Learning, Wednesday, January 25 from 1:30-3:30 in the afternoon. Come and see learning in action and God’s Kingdom being built.