Outdoors or Indoors?

Here's a question for you...where did your children spend their time this past weekend?  Indoors or outdoors?  Watching TV...playing video games...or exploring the world?

Homestead National Monument

Sunday afternoon (September 23rd)  I joined several hundred (maybe a thousand or more) people at the Homestead National Monument near Beatrice.  We came to see and listen to Bill Nye.  Yes, THE Bill Nye, the Science Guy.  It was a thrilling time for me being able to see, in person, a man who has excited people of all ages for many years about the wonders of the world.

Bill Nye, The Science Guy

During the Q & A time, he was asked about what got him excited in science.  Yes, he did have family members who were interested in science but he also mentioned the times that he spent outdoors exploring the world.  Watching the bees...flying balsa wood airplanes...and yes, even taping fireworks to those planes and then watching them explode in mid-air.  (Based upon the chuckles from the crowd, I believe that many others had had a similar experience.)  Those experiences early in his life had an influence on him and the life he has experienced to this day.

In school, I expose the children to as much science as possible during our school day.  However, it can't match what can be learned from just being outdoors.  Exploring what is under a decaying log.  Hiking through Wilderness Park or searching along one of the bike trails in Lincoln.  Sitting by a pond or stream and observing the insects, fish, birds, and other wildlife.  Observing the seasonal changes in your backyard or neighborhood.  These are the experiences our children really need to establish a more comprehensive understanding of the world.

I would encourage you to make the great outdoors a part of your child's education.  Get them outside and let them explore.  Maybe they'll discover something that will, as Bill Nye would say,  could possibly... "Change the World!"   

"Science Rules!"

Go MUSTANGS!

Parent--Student--Teacher Conferences

Our first conference of the 2012-2013 school year will be held on either October 2nd or October 4th.  Notes will be coming home soon for you to verify the date and time that was chosen earlier in the school year.  If you need to change the time that is listed, please indicate alternative dates and times that will work for you now.  I'll do my best to accommodate those requests.

I call your attention to the heading of this posting...Parent--Student--Teacher Conferences.  This may be a new practice for you but I do welcome students at these conferences.  Rather than have a student sit in the hallway or at home, I would rather see them take an active part in our discussion.  My past experience shows that students know best how they are doing...problems that they are experiencing...goals that they want to accomplish.  So why not include them in our discussion.

Over the next few weeks, I will have each student prepare some written thoughts about their progress at school.  I will ask them to share parts of this during the conference while I add additional information (test results, etc.).  Due to our short amount of time, we won't be able to go through all of their comments.  I would encourage you to use this information for further discussions at home.  I hope that all of the students will be able to attend.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about including students in our conference, please let me know.  Please use my school email....cmann@lps.org.

Go Mustangs!