SCHOOLS
You’ve got class
Tips for a successful school year from eight Chapel Hill educators
Co mp ile d by Nicki H ar r is | P h o to by Co rnel l Wat son I l lu st rat i o ns by Ch r istin Kin g , D e sig n er at @CK.Creat i ons
*Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity
BALANCE IS THE KEY
TEACHABLE MOMENTS
Remember that education is for a lifetime and that students are learning now how to deal with adversity, build resilience and find the hidden lessons in difficult situations. Children should be allowed opportunities to learn physically, emotionally and intellectually. If they have been inside working on school for a while, create moments for them to run, stretch, jump and exert themselves outdoors. If they are consumed with math equations or challenging studies, help them explore the feeling components of their work and relate to other humans around them through community engagement and empathy-building experiences. Balance is the key.”
Finding teachable moments outside the classroom is key for students’ retention. Children are most impressionable and trusting of teachers who relate to them individually. I have the pleasure of working with students across multiple grades. Witnessing the maturity and growth is the best part of my job. When classroom teachers relate everyday concepts to their curriculum, you can see the ‘aha’ moment in the child’s eyes. As a parent of three daughters, I still look for teachable moments that are not academic, but life lessons.” – Wendy Wood, resource teacher/middle school team leader (grades 5-8), St. Thomas More Catholic School 70
chapelhillmagazine.com
November 2020
– Benjamin Trueblood, teacher and upper grades chair, Emerson Waldorf School
