by TNCS blogger

Chinese Immersion Camp 2019—Wǒ Kěyǐ (我可以)?

From July 1st through 5th, The New Century School hosted a Mandarin Chinese Immersion summer camp that not only boosted participants’ language acquisition and speaking skills, but also emphasized the importance of having fun while learning. Xie Laoshi (a.k.a., Jewel) believes that young learners will gain proficiency faster when they are doing something while learning a new language, rather than focusing just on the language itself. Thus, camp was built around activities, and specific lessons in vocabulary and grammar related to those activities. Did you notice the name Xie Laoshi? You read correctly! TNCS campers welcomed back their dear former teacher, and she brought along some new friends from her current school to join the fun. The group also included a raffle winner from Patterson Park Public Charter School (see more about that program in this post from summer 2018)! Students came from all over the city; other schools included Greenspring Montessori and Baltimore International Academy.

You may be wondering, with such a varied group of students, how did Chinese immersion camp come together? In fact, the 14 campers ranged in age from 4 to 12, but Jewel—like always—rose to the challenge. Instead of focusing on a single theme as past camps have done (see here and here), Chinese Immersion Camp 2019 took a slightly different approach and emphasized interaction. This meant lots of practice communicating with each other and partaking in various activities in groups.

Jewel has a lot of experience in teaching Mandarin summer camps for children. (She taught Startalk camp at TNCS in summer 2014 and again in summer 2015 as well as developed her own camp the following year.) She employs the 5 Cs of language acquisition developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) that TNCS has been using all along in its multilingual language program curriculum. Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities inform every language-learning activity the day holds. The most effective language program designs activities in which these five concepts intersect, which is exactly what Chinese Immersion Camp achieves, as photos throughout this post eloquently demonstrate. Now let’s take a peek at camp!

Camp Day to Day

This year, Jewel was joined by assistant Miss Pung, which allowed the camp to subdivide for part of the day, with older campers working on skits to be performed at the end of the week and younger campers practicing conversation while working on related art projects.

Although camp was not specifically themed, each day had a standard framework. Mornings were devoted to lessons, which progressed to applying what they just learned in practice.

Even the vocabulary lessons, however, were extremely interactive. See Jewel and her devoted students in action!

After lunch and recess, afternoons usually meant art (working with clay, making dragon fans, creating blue “porcelain” plates) and other cultural activities—singing, dancing, cooking, and so on . . . even some martial arts displays!

Building Blocks of Conversation

Key here is that everything was interrelated; vocabulary was specific to the day’s activities—in other words, campers were acquiring the tools they would be using throughout the day. In addition to placards and the whiteboard to teach language, Jewel also employed Chinese Buddy, a collection of YouTube video songs designed to teach discrete conversational units and grammar points. Campers watched and sang along, clearly enjoying them. Each unit built upon the next, and campers ultimately used what they learned to write, produce, and perform their end-of-week skits.

If your child is learning Mandarin, you’ll want to meet Chinese Buddy. The songs are funny, catchy, and adored by kids. Start with the very memorable, “Stinky Tofu Song (臭豆腐之歌)” that focuses on how to communicate “want”:

Now see TNCS campers!

How about the “May I/Can I (可以吗)” song?

Move and Learn!

Attendees really did learn by doing—another TNCS Chinese program tenet. Plenty of movement and physical activity took place each day, and multiple benefits accrue from this approach. Kids obviously need to move around and release some of their boundless energy, but research shows that learning while moving deepens learning. (Read more about this theory called Total Physical Response here.) In the following short video clips, you’ll see campers competing in short physical contests. They comprehend Jewel’s commands given in Mandarin effortlessly, and she mixes in new vocabulary with the Mandarin campers are already familiar with, like counting, which gives them both practice—so important for language proficiency—and new brain food to chew on. They are having so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning! And don’t forget the cultural component—in China, school children do daily calisthenics, much like what TNCS campers are doing here!

And Now, for the Skits!

In their skits, campers put it altogether. They were all, thus, variations on a theme, but each group put their own stamp on it! The basic premise was a child asking a parent permission for something, the request being denied, and the child moving on to another parent, who then grants the request. Some marital friction might ensue, depending on the group. Or, dad might be Captain America—again, it depends on the group. Jewel said, “They didn’t have a lot of practice, but they really did an amazing job and did everything by themselves.”

Míngnián Zàijiàn (明年再见), Chinese Camp!

Their last-day party was also an occasion to be remembered—campers prepared and gobbled up Chinese noodles with gusto! What did Jewel think of camp? “I was very happy to be at The New Century School and working with the students here again,” she said. The week went great, and we had fun together. I felt like I have never left. TNCS is always close to my heart.”

If you notice a bump in your child’s Mandarin skills over the next few weeks, you have the rich cultural experience of TNCS Chinese Immersion Camp 2019—and Jewel—to thank.

06.14.19

by TNCS blogger

TNCS Head of School Wraps up the 2018–2019 School Year!

Shara Khon Duncan has been Head of School at The New Century School for a full year. Immersed had another sit-down with her for a nostalgic look back at her first year, what goals she set and accomplished, what went well, what she’s continuing to address, and what she’ll tackle next.

Immediately, Sra. Duncan expressed her pleasure and gratitude for what she called a great year.

It’s really great—I love it. Friends, family, and former colleagues will say things like, ‘you don’t look tired enough,’ or ‘you’re still smiling; how is that possible?’, and it’s because I love what I do. It’s not a job. I love coming to this place everyday, where I have such wonderful people to work with as well as wonderful students and families. I tell people that this is one of the most diverse environments that I’ve been in. It’s a blessing to be here.

Diversity and languages are, indeed, important to Sra. Duncan, who was a Diversity Coordinator at one of her former schools. She is amazed that TNCS doesn’t even need one—it organically attracts a culturally diverse population and is inherently inclusive and respectful of the community’s various needs. And the languages really elevate the school for her; in fact, that’s what originally drew her to TNCS (see TNCS Welcomes Shara Khon Duncan as Head of School for her rich history with languages). She gets to use her adopted language Spanish daily, and she is even picking up some Mandarin, thanks to the perseverance of Li Laoshi. Sra. Duncan joked that, so far, she can tell you whether it’s raining or not. “In all seriousness, though, it’s just wonderful to hear the students speaking in Spanish and Mandarin,” said Sra. Duncan. It amazes me to hear kindergarten students who just started in the fall and spoke only English singing in both languages at the spring concert and sounding like they’ve been doing it all their lives. It gives me chills.”

Goals Accomplished

The year went really fast in a lot of ways, and in a lot of ways I feel like I’ve been here a long time,” said Sra. Duncan. “It presented some challenges in the sense that there was a lot of work to do just putting systems into place, trying to make it so that we can run more efficiently in the background, which was one of my goals.” She explained that in order to be as visible and out and about on campus as she’d like to be, she needed to first work behind the scenes to establish a framework.

One such system is a new student management system, which the TNCS community will learn about in the coming weeks and will launch for the 2019–2020 school year. It’s called Blackbaud, and it will provide a much more efficient platform for communication—think school delay and closing announcements—as well as much, much more. Staff will be able to readily send out notifications, and teachers will have individual web pages that parents can access to find out what’s going on in the classroom rather than receiving such information from a sometimes unwieldy email platform. Resource boards will also be available to house other kinds of information so parents don’t have to go spelunking through their inboxes to find out, for example, what is the requested dress for an upcoming student performance. It’s right there in one easy-to-access place.

“That process of vetting various systems to see which one would work best for us took a good deal of my time,” said Sra. Duncan, “but we established teams, and I talked to other schools. Things like that take time; you want to do your due diligence. There’s no one system that works well for everyone, perfectly, but our hope is that this one will probably work the best for us.”

Blackbaud will also facilitate the application process as well as the administrative workflow for teachers and other staff so that they can maximize their time. “When you’re a small school, you wear many hats. But anything we can do to make people’s jobs better, so they work smarter not harder, is really important. We can, including me, find ways to use our other skills more effectively,” said Sra. Duncan. Curriculum is one thing that is very much on her mind that Blackbaud will help streamline.

See what other successes the year held in Thoughts on the First Half of the Year from TNCS Head of School Shara Khon Duncan, and read on for what’s to come!

What’s Next

One important change is with the upcoming implementation of i-Ready supplemental work. “We used to use SuccessMaker, but it didn’t really work for us the way we wanted it to this year. What we found through our research is that i-Ready will give students the ability to practice their skills in ELA and Math in a classroom rotation,” said Sra. Duncan. The advantage is that, as a supplemental program rather than a primary curriculum, it will help diagnose any problem areas students might be having and feed that information to the teacher.

Narrowing the focus a bit, with TNCS having graduated its first-ever 8th-grade class this past year, the Middle School is very much on everyone’s mind. One thing that this class showed Sra. Duncan is that test-taking skills are critical. “It’s a double-edged sword,” she said. “Being a school that doesn’t do standardized testing, per se, we nevertheless have to prepare our students for the standardized testing they’ll need to enter high school. So, we’re working on test-taking skills for our middle school students, in particular, and they all took the ISEE test this past year.”

She says she wants to make the TNCS Middle School the best it can possibly be and is focusing on strengthening that program over the summer.

Our goal is to help people understand that we go all the way through 8th grade. We want people to see this as a school that doesn’t end after preschool or even after elementary, it ends at 8th grade, and we want families in for the long haul. Families who enter in preprimary or primary believe that something is good about our program, so why not see how that can continue in their child’s life? They know that language is important, and they get to see it in action. I’m in awe everyday of what our teachers do, but we want that to continue all the way up. So that’s something we are working on.

Another thing the first crop of 8th-graders revealed to Sra. Duncan and to Curriculum Coordinator Adriana DuPrau, TNCS’s “resident expert on high school applications,” is that middle schoolers must get used to doing daily homework, so they increased the amount mid-year. “That may sound like not a popular thing, but it helps them get that time management piece down that they really need in order to be prepared for high school,” explained Sra. Duncan. “Students adapted to it wonderfully, and parents were right along with us!”

With the test pilot of increased homework having gone so well, this new initiative will continue for the coming year. Additionally, research and other long-term projects are on the horizon. “There’s a lot more that we need to teach our students, such as understanding how to use and be critical of technology. There are pieces that they have to learn about the whole process, and what’s important is helping them understand what goes into the process of researching. It’s almost as important as the writing process,” said Sra. Duncan.

She continued: “We feel very good about our first graduating middle school class, and we learned an awful lot about the whole process. Ultimately, we just want to make sure that we have everything we need to make sure our students are prepared for when it’s time to move on from here.”

It’s a Partnership

With everything that Sra. Duncan and the rest of the school is doing to ensure that TNCS students are learning and flourishing, it’s vital to remember that parents also play important roles in this process. One big theme of Sra. Duncan’s is the importance of two-way communication and that her door is open. When community members hear things thirdhand, for example, but don’t bring their concerns forward, uncertainty spreads. “When people are talking to others about something they’ve heard regarding the school, but they don’t come to me, I can’t address it. If you have a concern, I’m happy to talk to you about it,” she said.

She’s going to be straight with you, but she also really wants to hear what you have to say and is going to be very fair about that. “I know I have more peace of mind if I just say my piece or ask my questions. I don’t want anyone to ever feel like they can’t come talk to us. This is your child. Come talk to us. We may not agree, but we’ve got to talk about it. I get it—I’m a mom, too.”

A second important theme is that TNCS is a work in progress—a very innovative and exciting work in progress—and that there’s no such thing as a perfect school.

The advantage is that we will always keep trying to be better. We are a young school, but that’s a good thing, because we’re trying to figure out how to make this work beautifully every single day. We are trying to learn from every little thing that doesn’t quite work the right way. We fix what doesn’t work, and we figure out how to do more of what goes great. This hidden gem down here is pretty amazing, and when people really find out about it, they are duly amazed.

Final Thoughts

When asked what the main thing she wanted parents to know about her first year at TNCS, Sra. Duncan said: “This is what I was made to do. This is my thing. I’ve been working toward this my whole life, and I didn’t know it. It’s just so wonderful. This is my place. I love it. I really love it.”

And, with characteristic good humor: “Also please don’t run over me while I’m directing traffic. Please.”

06.07.19

by TNCS blogger

TNCS Upper Elementary and Middle Schoolers Make Their Annual Pilgrimage to Echo Hill!

On May 30th and 31st, The New Century School 4th- through 8th-grade students took their fourth annual overnight field trip to Echo Hill Outdoor School (EHOS), in Whorton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Chaperoned by teachers Nameeta Sharma and Ilia Madrazo, girls bunked together in two separate dormitories (older girls, younger girls), and boys bunked together in two separate dormitories (older boys, younger boys). The idea of trekking to Echo Hill originally came from former TNCS teacher Kiley Stasch, who used to go when she was in school and cherished the memories. See the first TNCS trip to EHOS here.

And, for the first time, Immersed got to see the fun firsthand!

tncs-echo-hill EHOS is a very special place. The campus is strikingly beautiful, sitting in forested acres adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay, and it’s brimming over with happy faces—children and camp counselors alike. Birdsong and bullfrog calls are everywhere, and these natural sounds mix in a very interesting way with the sounds of munitions being fired across the bay at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. This only adds to the feeling of having traveled in space but also in time. Also, the beauty is not merely skin deep. EHOS has a clear mission and has been carrying it out for close to 50 years: “We are dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment for students to feel challenged and successful with the freedom to think, question, and express themselves.”

If those words seem buzzy, they are not just for show. In all aspects of their day, camp attendees are reminded of these values, from waking each morning to going to bed at night and through all of the delightful things that happen in between. TNCS campers were there for just over 24 hours, but weeklong programs are also available.

Types of programs also vary in curricular content. TNCS has so far always opted primarily for the Individual and Group Development curriculum, which matches up beautifully with TNCS’s own school values. It is what it sounds like—each student is asked to set certain goals and encouraged to work toward achieving them, all while maintaining respect for the needs of the group as a whole. This makes for both personal success as well as great bonding experiences. Now, these goals . . . they are not related to work in the traditional sense nor to academics. The Individual and Group Development program takes place on the exalted Adventure Challenge Course, which features experiences like a rock-climbing wall and a zipline, among others.

Because of the size of this year’s group, components of other EHOS programs were also mixed in so that each student got at least four “classes.” So, in addition to lots of time on the Adventure Challenge Course, they were also offered classes from the Science and Ecology curriculum, such as Chesapeake Bay Studies (by boat!), Night Hike, and even time to hang out on the beach.

The overall experience was incredibly rich, and TNCS students will surely not forget it soon. The photos and videos in the post will tell much of the story, and we’ll walk through the general outline of the trip, step by step.

Arrival

tncs-echo-hill TNCS arrived just before lunchtime, and after a 2-hour bus ride were hungry! EHOS counselors know kids, however, and immediately walked the group to a big field to play Sword-and-Shield tag. In this version of tag, if someone touches you with their arm (sword), and you were not able to defend yourself with your shield (arm bent in front of you as if holding a shield), you knelt in your spot with both arms bent and hands facing up. A well-meaning passerby could then high-five you as he or she runs past. You can ask for help, too, if you see that someone is close. Once you get two high-fives, back onto the “battlefield” you go. The kids had a ball with it, and it was not lost on the adults watching nearby that the team-building message had already begun!

Lunch

Next, it was time to feed the hungry hordes. Note that TNCS was far from the only school in attendance—hundreds of kids were there, and everyone dines together. How does EHOS handle such a huge group? We take you now to their giant mess hall, known as the “Whip.” Inside, camper volunteers acting as “biddies” help set up the long dining tables with silverware, plates, and cups and make sure the surroundings are clean. TNCS students volunteered right away!

Once set-up is complete, a bell rings and everyone on campus gathers in a big circle to first offer thanks for individual moments a camper might be grateful for (optional) and then for a moment of silence before the meal (compulsory for all). This circle hints at the Quaker roots of Echo Hill and is a very pleasant tradition.

Groups are next invited to enter the Whip and find a seat. Schools may sit together or they may mingle with other schools. At each table of 10, though, an adult sat at each end. At least one of the adults would be a camp counselor and that counselor served the family-style meal. Only two people are allowed up from the the table at any time, so even despite the crowds, meals proceed in a remarkably orderly fashion. Two campers fetch the dishes and bring them to the table, and one by one the counselor asks each diner what he or she would like and how much. Once everyone is served, diners have the option of going up for salad, fruit, a vegetarian option, and whatever leftovers are available from the leftover table. This is part of why meals are served family style—the food is touched by only one serving utensil to keep it clean so it can be offered again at the next meal. It also helps convey the message that we’re all in this together; let’s enjoy it! There’s even a giant dinner bell!

Campers can eat as much as they want, and many around the Whip had third and fourth helpings. But, and this is a big but, the individual diner is agreeing to eat what is on his or her plate. This being a Thursday, a mock Thanksgiving meal was served complete with all the fixins’.

TNCS students were introduced to the concept of SLOP at their very first meal at EHOS. SLOP stands for Stuff Left On Plate, and stuff left on plate is waste. Campers were always reminded of the impact of wasting food, and all campers strove to reduce their individual contributions to the SLOP bucket. At the end of each meal, the bucket is weighed with the goal of seeing that eight progressively decline over the course of the stay. Bet that has never not happened! Not only does the practice really motivate the kids to reduce waste, but EHOS food is universally considered delicious, so eating it was not a problem!

Orientation

After lunch, the group learned the ropes of EHOS. Camp counselors Elizabeth, Emma, Sahil, and Annie provided an orientation, explaining the rules to be followed and how things work in general. The #1 rule at EHOS, they stressed, is being polite. This includes being respectful and listening. “You are your own mom this week!” Counselors went over everything from bugs (download a helpful pdf here), hygiene, and safe practices to the all-important passports! These included information about classes as well as opportunities for reflection on those classes, handy maps, journal pages, and space for autographs.

Campers were also asked why they were brought to EHOS and gave such answers as, “to interact with nature,” “to have new experiences,” “to have fun,” and “to learn new things.” That pretty much sums up exactly what happened! They were also introduced to the concept of “Echo Hill time,” which basically means letting go of the tyranny of the clock, as in, “What time is it?” “It’s Echo Hill time.” Counselors stressed the importance of being fully present in the experience happening rather than anticipating what is to happen next. The daily schedule is organized by the ringing of a bell loosely corresponding to a general time of day rather than to a specific hour or moment in time. It’s quite nice!

tncs-echo-hill

Orientation ended with “tribes” being assigned. TNCS students were split up into three groups, and each group would remain together as a tribe during all classes. Finally, the group returned to Merrick Hall to set up bunks and settle in. Once they got their belongings in order, they were free to play indoors or out while “extra time” wound down, and afternoon classes began.

Afternoon Classes

And then it was time for class! One tribe went off for Chesapeake Bay Studies, and two groups went for separate Adventure I and Adventure II Classes in the adventure area.

tncs-echo-hill

Tribe 7 wound up at the Pathfinder, “a climbing wall and cargo net topping out at a trapeze, while classmates coach and aid in the belay system.” Not familiar with the belay system? This is part of the security used while campers scale the wall. They are asked to make contracts with the counselors and observe certain rules while on the equipment. They are also asked to make observations about the equipment and then to set goals, “find their path,” and challenge themselves. Students then had to collectively agree on what order they would climb in, with two at a time on the wall. “Rock on” was the signal that they could get to it!

Unfortunately, thunder soon rolled in, followed by drenching rain, so activities shifted indoors. EHOS staff had no trouble keeping everyone happy, entertained, and challenged, however. It took TNCS students a few minutes to get the nuance of the games they were playing, but once they figured out the key, Counselor Cody was no match for them!

Dinner

Before they knew it, the afternoon had passed, and so had the rainstorm. Back to the Whip they went, with another pre-meal circle and some outdoor games.

After another delicious meal—after every delicious meal, in fact—the counselors put on some form of entertainment. Sometimes there’s a message; sometimes, it’s just plain goofy–and the kids eat it up!

Night Classes

From about 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, students got to take part in one more class. This ranged from Night Hike to learning what it’s like to be a nocturnal animal and have eyes that can adjust to seeing in darkness.

Then it was light’s out at 10:00 pm and all quiet by 11:00 pm.

Breakfast

Breakfast at the Whip was a much-looked-forward-to affair, and it did not disappoint. Having worked up such an appetite the day before and slept so well Thursday night, by Friday morning, TNCS students were ravenous!

Morning Classes

Friday was a gorgeous sunny day, so all activities were in full swing. The Chesapeake Bay studies group (Tribe 7) actually got to board the boat and head out on the water. Catfish were kissed. The Pathfinder was scaled by many in Tribe 6, and the Zipline was tackled by the Middle Schoolers (Tribe 5). It was a fabulous morning.

The shrieks heard in the background came from the nearby Zipline action. For this activity, campers had to climb up a tree to a platform, transfer to a zipline harness, and then soar on down to the ground. They could opt for all of the above or part of the above, but they had to try at least part. This is part of the “challenge by choice” philosophy and TNCS students pushed themselves past what they thought themselves capable of.

It was also mandatory for anyone stepping inside the “cone zone” to wear a helmet, and all students had to help out at the landing.

Yes, that’s a miniature ukulele you hear in the background.

Even Mrs. Sharma went for it!

Some students made it look easy; others had to work up their courage, but they were all happy with their outcome.

Goodbye, Echo Hill!

Although no one wanted to leave, it was time to depart after lunch on Friday and head back to TNCS to close out one truly memorable school year. And we’re so glad to have gotten that special time with TNCS’s first-ever graduating class of 8th-graders. What a send-off!

05.31.19

by TNCS blogger

TNCS Primary Classes Engage in Some High Drama!

For the last year, primary teacher Maria Mosby has hosted special drama workshops for her students at The New Century School. Young children are especially keen for experiences that challenge and inspire them in an interactive way, and theatre provides the ideal arena for such activities. Importantly, being on or behind stage also allows children free rein to be creative and to express themselves.

A Year of Acting Out

So, while she was in teacher training, Ms. Mosby met a drama teacher and actor named John Waldron who also teaches preschool and lower elementary children, and they have remained friends in the succeeding years. Last June, Mr. Waldron offered to come to TNCS and do one of his classes as a fun, end-of-year activity for Ms. Mosby’s students. “It lasted over an hour because they were so intrigued,” said Ms. Mosby. “So we decided to invite him back this year to do quarterly classes with the children.”

For the 2018–2019 school year, the quarterly classes expanded to include all primary students, and their enthusiasm for Mr. Waldron’s drama class has not flagged! Says Ms. Mosby: “The children love it! The warm-ups, improvisational games, and opportunities to not only act out stories but also express their creativity really keeps them involved. There is no need to say, ‘Please sit still and pay attention to the presentation.’ They usually ask for more.”

According to his bio, “[Mr. Waldron] specializes and trains in improvisational theatre. The games and activities he includes in his workshops help promote active listening, creativity, team building, and social interaction.”

Although drama/theatre does not a specific connection to the Montessori method per se, it’s a logical fit. “Dr. Montessori did encourage children to use their own imaginations (once they had a solid foundation in reality) to create,” explained Ms. Mosby. “This is what the children are doing in a way.” She also explained that Dr. Montessori observed that children’s creativity and self-expression seems to blossom around the age of 6 or 7 years. However, it’s clear that even the youngest TNCS primary students were fully engaged in Mr. Waldon’s classes. He does capture an audience! And that’s no surprise, given his background. He earned a BFA in theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University and has been involved in teaching, directing, and performing for over 20 years. He currently teaches drama to lower elementary students at a Montessori school in Falls Church, VA. He also teaches students through high school age as well as adults.

For the culminating class that happened May 28th, Mr. Waldron pulled out all the stops. The students performed a play, sang songs, danced, and “wrote” their own play. Ms. Mosby said she especially enjoyed this one. “This presentation was something new that I hadn’t seen him do before, and I am always impressed with how he captures the children’s attention and cooperation without really any need for assistance from me or any disciplinary tactics,” she said.

The play they performed was “The Sixteen Little Pigs,” and if that sounds familiar, it’s because instead of limiting it to 3, each student got to be one of the house-builders in the classic tale.

Guess who played the wolf, to much audience appreciation?

But they liked him crying even better!

In a plot twist, however, empathy and compassion win the day, and everybody gets their “just desserts.”

Sorry, for this next one we have no words . . .

Why did the wolf get a happy ending, again?

Then it was fun-on-stage time!

In “Emotional Orchestra,” a small group each represented “happy,” “sad,” and “surprised.” When pointed to or called on, the group acted out their emotion.

In the student-created play, the children made up stories by each adding a line, after which Mr. Waldron acted out the story the children put together.

TNCS primary students were truly fortunate to have had this experience. Mr. Waldron has worked with students from ages 3 to 93. His has performed at the International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, Romania with Classika/Synetic Theatre, the Kennedy Center, and National Theatre. He has also performed at Wolf Trap for the International Children’s Theatre. “These experiences have helped him form a unique approach to introducing young performers to theatre and acting,” his bio states

What’s Next?

In the near future, Ms. Mosby reports that Mr. Waldron may soon be directing Maria Montessori, the Musical. We won’t want to miss that—hopefully it’s a traveling show!

For TNCS specifically, Ms. Mosby approached the upper elementary and middle school teachers about possibly doing some Latin and Shakespearean plays next year. Mr. Waldron also holds regular classes at the Little Theatre of Alexandria as well summer camps for 3rd- through 8th-graders. This year’s lineup in include Skits A Rama, Heroes and Villains, Mystery Improv: WhoDunnit?!, Improv-alooza, Screen to Stage, and Mythological Madness.

05.24.19

by TNCS blogger

TNCS Middle School Students Go to Town on Chinese Culture and Communication!

On Monday, May 20th, middle schoolers at The New Century School took a very special jaunt to Washington, D.C.—they went on a Chinese field trip! The trip was organized and led by TNCS Chinese teacher Wei Li (“Li Laoshi”), and middle school student whisperer Adriana DuPrau also accompanied the group.

Culture (and Communication) Club

“I really want students at our school to know more about Chinese culture as well as practice their Chinese in an authentic environment,” said Li Laoshi, and so off to D.C. they went! They first toured the Freer|Sackler Gallery of Asian art and then strolled through Chinatown and had lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Li Laoshi’s twofold objectives of culture and communication were thus perpetually being met.

And with very good reason. If the point of teaching Mandarin Chinese to non-native students is for them to learn and use the language, those are two big factors in achieving proficiency. According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), The five goal areas of the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages establish an inextricable link between communication and culture, which is applied in making connections and comparisons and in using this competence to be part of local and global communities.” The five goal areas are also known as the “5 Cs“; download them here.)

ACTFL characterizes communication as, “. . . at the heart of second language study, whether the communication takes place face-to-face, in writing, or across centuries through the reading of literature.” At TNCS, Li Laoshi has always made sure that communication occurs in “real-life” situations to emphasize what students can do with language rather than what they know about a language, such as how many vocabulary words.

As for culture, ACTFL says, “Through the study of other languages, students gain a knowledge and understanding of the cultures that use that language and, in fact, cannot truly master the language until they have also mastered the cultural contexts in which the language occurs.” It’s knowledge. It’s not just a cultural event—it’s a connection between the language and another subject. TNCS students regularly engage in everything from Chinese cooking (dumplings, noodles, pancakes) to learning how to use an abacus, to practicing calligraphy. The field trip for middle schoolers brought a lot of these experiences home.

Chinese Art

As the national museums of Asian art at the Smithsonian Institute, “the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery preserve, exhibit, and interpret Asian art in ways that deepen our understanding of Asia, America, and the world.” TNCS students were treated to a private tour of the exhibit Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644–1912, which “provides an insightful look into the public and private lives of imperial women during the Qing dynasty. This first-ever, in-depth exhibition focuses on five empresses to reveal their long-overlooked influence on the arts, religion, politics, and diplomacy of China.”

tncs-middle-schoolers-visit-chinatown-in-dc The tour was extremely well constructed for students. The guides provided supplemental objects that students could actually touch. The girls in the group got a big kick out of being able to try on the long, gold, talon-like fingernail guards that the empresses used to wear—telling the world that they were far too imperial to work. Boys and girls alike were astonished by the slight size of a pair of silk shoes worn by wealthy Chinese woman who practiced foot-binding, and were equally relieved to learn that the Manchu women of the Qing dynasty did not partake in that cruel custom.

download-1 Guides also provided interactive activities at regular intervals. For example, after viewing the empresses’ splendid and very elaborate wedding gowns, students were asked to design their own, incorporating some of the important symbols and colors that they had just learned about: Dragons represent imperial authority, fish represent fertility, and the lotus flower represents purity, to name a few. The phoenix was the most recurring symbol, as it represents empress, or queen. Likewise, the color yellow is the imperial color. Symbols like those shown above were also carved into frames and objets d’art.

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There were even clever riddles to solve!

1. What has the claws of a hawk
the horns of a deer
the eyes of a rabbit
the teeth of a tiger
the neck of a snake
the belly of a frog
the head of a camel
the scales of a fish?

Hint: The answer is also the symbol of imperial authority.

“The exhibition was awesome. The tour was very educational, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable,” said Li Laoshi.

2. What has the head of a golden pheasant
the body of a mandarin duck
the tail of a peacock
the legs of a crane
the mouth of a parrot
the wings of a swallow?

Hint: The answer is also the symbol for empress.

Chinatown

After a wonderful time at the museum, TNCS students got to walk around Chinatown a bit in the warm, pre-summer afternoon. So warm, in fact, that the Chinese Rita’s was all anyone could talk about!

While in Chinatown, the group stopped at Full Kee Restaurant for lunch. This was their chance to speak Mandarin in a real-life situation, and the middle schoolers were instructed that they had to at least order in Chinese as well as try to use as much additional conversational Chinese as they could. They did great, and even tried some new dishes. “I was very proud and touched when I watch my students use Chinese for ordering food in the Chinese restaurant,” said Li Laoshi. She had one other request—that her students attempt to eat with chopsticks. Here is her tutorial in Mandarin:

Warning: Do not watch the slideshow below on an empty stomach! Delicious food photos ahead!

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Everyone had a wonderful experience, and it was a lovely way to close out the 2018–2019 school year and bid farewell to the graduating 8th-graders (sniff). To them, we say:

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Wait—what? You still don’t know the answers to the riddles??? Okay, okay—here you go: 1. Lóng (龙) 2. Fènghuáng (凤凰). Happy now?

05.17.19

by TNCS blogger

Got Middle Schoolers? Navigating High School Choice in Baltimore

With The New Century School on the verge of graduating its first class of 8th-graders, what comes next—that is, high school—looms large. Fortunately, that cohort is squared away thanks in large part to the efforts of Curriculum Coordinator cum High School Liaison Adriana DuPrau.

How to raise healthy, happy older children in downtown Baltimore is foremost on the minds of many city parents, however, if the turnout at Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance (DBFA)’s recent “Meet the Big Kids” event is any indication. On Wednesday, May 15th, DBFA hosted their annual presentation in a new format. For 2019, the event was held at Mother’s FedHill Grille, and DBFA provided food for parents and kids as they socialized prior to the joint presentation by the Fund for Educational Excellence (FFEE) and Heather Stone, Assistant Principal at Afya Public Charter School on navigating school choice for middle and high school. Staff from Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) was also on hand to answer questions during the presentation. While the presentation was happening, the “Big Kids” helped out by interacting with the younger students, answering their questions and being their heroes. Families were encouraged to stick around afterward to socialize and ask questions of the older students. Said Tony Stephens, DBFA’s Executive Director, “[Younger children] will have the chance to meet other children who have gone ahead of them, while parents will also learn what important steps they can take toward preparing for and navigating the selection process to middle and high school.”

So, if you weren’t in attendance but are curious (or even stressed) about how high school choice happens in Baltimore, not to mention how downtown parents manage “without yards, two-car garages, and shopping malls,” read on—Immersed breaks it all down! (Note that the focus will be on public high school options.)

What School Choice Means

To start with, Baltimore is unique in “matching” students to schools much like is done for medical students looking for a residency hospital. There are few neighborhood-zoned schools remaining. All 8th-graders pick five schools and rank them according to preference, then make their choice among those that awarded acceptance based on application, portfolio, or audition. It’s a bit complicated, but it means that your child goes to school where he or she wants to, which must make a dramatic difference in the overall high school experience. A few schools do offer a lottery-based acceptance.

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The high school process is not easy, according to parents and kids alike, but it’s well worth it—moreover you’re amply prepared for it in middle school; every school has a liaison dedicated to helping families through the process of applying to high schools. Public choices are comparatively slim, but those we do have are actually pretty great. Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City College, Baltimore School for the Arts, and Western High School, for example, are current or past Blue Ribbon schools nearly universally considered outstanding.

You’re probably asking yourself the logical next question: If my student has to apply and is competing for a limited number of spots at a given school, what are our chances of success? According to FFEE, for the last 5 years, students have been placed in their first- or second-choice school 70%–76% of the time. Encouraging, yes, but just how is that possible? As one dad explained it, the available spots in the top schools are enough to ensure that kids in the upper quartiles of eligibility will land one. “The fact that you’re here, concerned about your child’s education,” he continued, “says your child stands a pretty good chance.” Don’t worry—we will go over just what goes into eligibility.

Getting Ready: Managing the Timeline

Managing the preparation timeline is important, because key dates cannot be missed. BCPS advises starting to plan for high school in 7th grade, so here’s what to keep on your radar. No later than October of your child’s 8th-grade year, begin researching schools and attending open houses and shadow days. You probably know by now who your high school liaison is at your child’s middle school, but find out if not. As mentioned, that ministering angel at TNCS is Mrs. DuPrau. Make an appointment with the liaison to discuss options and get help with registering for open houses and shadow days.

The difference? Open houses provide an opportunity to see the school and meet staff, often when school is not in session. Shadow days, on the other hand, allow students to experience the school first hand by going through a typical school day along with a currently enrolled student.

Making Choices

Given your child’s individual talents and strengths will help you find the right school. Use DBFA’s handout to start evaluating and narrowing choices. Choosing a school is based on academic as well as many nonacademic aspects, and you and your child will make the choice based on what’s right for you and your circumstances. The number one piece of advise here is: Make sure your #1 choice is truly your #1 choice, and so on down through the ranks.

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Back to that timeline, in November, your child will get his or her first-quarter report card. This is the final grading period that will become part of your child’s composite score. Composite score??? Take a deep breath; it’s actually not as terrifying as it sounds.

Composite Scores

Most Baltimore public high schools will be looking at the composite score to determine a student’s eligibility. This is made up of final report card grades from each quarter of 7th grade; first-quarter grades from 8th grade, as mentioned above; and standardized test score. This could be the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test and the iReady and, possibly (depending on your target schools), the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE).

Note that for TNCS students, Mrs. DuPrau has an important piece of news: “TNCS will begin using the iReady curriculum in both reading and math next school year, 2019–2020. This will help support our existing curriculum and help better prepare students to take the iReady exam in the fall that will be a part of their composite score,” she said. Also new for the 2019–2020 school year, it will be mandatory for all TNCS middle school students to take the requisite standardized tests. “This will help with practicing taking the test,” explained Mrs. DuPrau, “and some schools actually look at your test scores from 7th and 8th grade.” Current TNCS 8th-graders agree that this practice will be very helpful for the future middle schoolers facing this transition to high school. They also urge their successors to start prepping early!

Attendance in 8th grade may also be factored in but isn’t always. In addition, each school weights aspects of the score differently, depending on the thrust of the school (i.e., science or art driven). Important points to bear in mind about composite scores include:

Composite scores consist of final course grades from 7th grade, standardized test percentile, 1st-quarter grades in 8th grade, 8th grade attendance (sometimes).
There are a total of schools seven that require a composite score: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City College, Carver Vocational-Techmical High School, Edmondson Westside High School, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and Western High School.
Minimum composite scores range from 475 to 610. In 2018, however, Poly’s lowest-scoring admission was 701.4; City’s was 672.6.
The minimum composite score does not guarantee admission. Eligible students are admitted by highest rank.

Citywide Choice Application

A “citywide” school does not have an attendance zone and serves students all over the city. You may choose to apply to schools in or near your neighborhood, or, you may apply farther afield, in which case, free transportation services may be available. This is where the “choice” in citywide choice becomes apparent because you are not limited by city region to what schools are available to your child.

But then again, you do have to apply. This application is where you rank your five choices, again, in order of importance. It can be submitted to the school by the liaison, completed online, or mailed to the Office of Enrollment Choice and Transfers.

Note that some schools do not require a composite score, and admission is determined by lottery if the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spots.

The takeaway message here is to get that application in and verify that it made it on time. What happens if you don’t? Your student will still be able to attend high school, don’t worry, but will face a Round 2 application period. During Round 2, even fewer optimal spots will be available, having already been snatched up in Round 1.

Types of Programs

Baltimore has choices. BCPS advises, “Think about who you are, what interests you, and what motivates you to go to school in the morning.”

Ingenuity Project

Then there’s Poly’s Ingenuity Project, a free, STEM-based, highly accelerated and challenging curriculum. Applying for this program means you’ll be jumping through a few extra hoops: there is an additional application usually due in December of the 8th-grade year, applicants must rank Poly as their #1 choice on the Citywide Choice Schools Application, and they must take the Ingenuity Ability Test in January of their 8th-grade year.

Work-Readiness Programs

Baltimore is home to many Career & Technology Education (CTE) schools as well as graduating high school with an Associates degree in a P-TECH school, both of which ready graduates for the workforce and easing the transition to it.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are yet another option, and these are independently operated. They may, therefore, have different approaches to instruction. Visit each school’s website for details on application requirements. They may hold a lottery if applications exceed spots, but know that neighborhood children will get priority placement.

Key Dates Wrap-Up

7th-Grade school year: Keep those grades up and absences down!
October of 8th-grade year: Attend Open Houses and Shadow Days to start your selection process.
Fall of 8th-grade year: Take applicable standardized tests.
Early December of 8th-grade year: Consider attending the annual Choice Fair at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Mid-December of 8th-grade year: Ingenuity Project application is due (if applicable).
Early-Mid January of 8th-grade year: Take the Ingenuity Ability Test (if applicable).
Late-Mid January of 8th-grade year: School Choice Application is due.
Late January of 8th-grade year: Audition for Baltimore School for the Arts (if applicable).
Early March of 8th-grade year: Look for a letter from BCPS telling you what high schools you were placed in.
Late April of 8th-grade year: Submit your Statement to Decline High School Choice Placement of the schools you opt out of (probably because you got your #1 choice!).

Reeling from all of this info? DBFA plans to host the Meet the Big Kids program again in the fall. Also, BCPS has created a handy guide to school choice that you can download here. Ultimately, said presenter Ms. Stone, “if you have a student in 4th grade or younger, focus on getting good the best education possible. In 5th grade on, really focus on grades and readiness for standardized assessment. After you get through 7th grade, it’s time to start homing in on your high school choice. If you chunk it up that way, it becomes a little bit more manageable.”

05.10.19

by TNCS blogger

TNCS 4th- through 8th-Graders Build Their Own Robots!

In the past couple of weeks at The New Century School, 4th- through 8th-graders explored a very special new mini-unit in science—robotics. Robotics is the interdisciplinary branch of technology involving the design, construction, operation, and application of automatons (you know, robots). It integrates mechanical, electronic, and information engineering as well as computer science for the development of ‘bots in addition to the computer systems that control them, captures their sensory feedback, and processes the information they gather.

Benefits of Robotics Class

Cool, right? Even cooler in school, right? You bet your motherboard. Robotics in education is one way that schools can prepare this generation for a (near) future in which technology is ubiquitous and, frankly, has already changed the way we do almost everything, almost everywhere. (“Siri, look up the history of robotics.” “Alexa, play some background techno.”) Students are going to need to be prepared in adult life with the programming and other skills required to . . . pilot a spacecraft to Mars, say.

Much more importantly, though, is how robotics gets students really thinking creatively—from designing their ‘bot to building it—this baby is all theirs, and the level of concentration they bring to executing their ideas is a testament to how engaged they are. Speaking of concentration, research shows that hands-on learning activities (like robotics) actually enhance concentration and attention levels. And then there’s the perseverance that robotics demands. Problem-solving and trouble-shooting through any obstacles along the way helps students develop determination. There’s a built-in payoff after all—if they work through their frustration and maintain a mindset of try, try again, they get a working robot out of the deal!

Depending on the particular activity, collaboration and teamwork—two more super buzzwords—might also come into play.

Above all, kids love robots! R2-D2, WALL-E, HexBugs, Iron Man . . . robots and robot gear have clearly fascinated them for decades. (Don’t even get us started on Leonardo Da Vinci, who began constructing robots as early as the late 1400s . . .). The point here is that when kids enjoy an activity, they want to do more of it, which, in the case of robotics, translates to exponentially more and better learning.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Robotics!

That’s where TNCS dad Travis Hardaway enters the picture. “I’ve been building a robotic lawnmower since last fall because we have a very steep and dangerous hill to mow,” he explained. “Last summer I rolled my John Deer and decided I’d see if I could come up with a different approach to cutting the grass. Both of my children have taken an interest in watching my progress, and we’ve gone to several classes at The Foundry (which has sadly closed down) in 3D printing, laser carving, and other things.”

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So, he brought his ideas to Mrs. Sharma’s middle school science class to see what the 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders would do when handed a soldering iron! “Robotics is an important and growing field and will play an increasingly bigger part in our lives in day-to-day interactions, and other unseen ways,” said Mr. Hardaway. “I believe that robotics now is in a similar state to computers in the 80s and early 90s, and kids who get involved early on will be in a position to help shape the field. Robotics is also great for kids because they get to make physical things and learn about fundamental electronic principals.”

DFRobot, the company who makes the kits Mr. Hardaway used says this of its product:

Meet Mr. NEON, the light chaser beam robot that can help kids or novice electronic enthusiasts learn about things like soldering and simple knowledge of circuit. Mr NEON is designed to look like a three-leg monster whose eyes or tentacles glow in accordance with ambient light level. The stronger the light is, the faster it moves. There is no programming involved and all soldering is intuitive and rookie-friendly. So it is perfect for novice electronic enthusiast. Also you can give Mr. NEON different face through changing the expression stickers.

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The middle school session was such a huge success that Mr. Hardaway returned to do a session with the 4th- and 5th-graders. This time, though, he says, “I thought I might solder the transistors in place beforehand to save time and give the younger students a greater chance of success.”

When asked what prompted him to take on such an ambitious project with TNCS students, given that his “real job” is in the field of music, he replied in this way:

I don’t have an education in robotics or electronics, but I’ve been taking things apart and tinkering for my entire life. I got a BigTrak when I was a kid for Christmas and spent hours programming it to drive around our house. In high school, I was interested in both music and computers, and, although I took the AP in computer science and did several summer internships, much to my parents dismay, I chose to pursue a degree and career in music. While I haven’t tried to tie music and robotics together yet, it is appealing. When I was teaching at Hopkins, I did have my students invent their own electronic instruments to perform on, and they came up with some pretty clever ideas.

And his impression of the experience?

It was a lot of fun! The experience at TNCS was fantastic and exhausting. I learned a lot about working with younger kids in the classroom. I was really impressed with how quickly they picked everything up. Some of them didn’t follow the instructions exactly and had to improvise, but they came up with interesting adaptations. Not every robot worked, but there is a lesson in that, too, and they had a great attitude about failure, which is definitely a possibility when you are building something for the first time.

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Want more robotics for your kids? Baltimore does not disappoint. Digital Harbor Foundation, FutureMakers, and Baltimore Robotics Club are just a few of the opportunities available for kids to explore and create in the innovative world of ‘bots.