EVO LUT ION

Penguins Build Lasting Friendships

By Louis Berman, Partner Teacher, Pre-Kindergarten

Teaching in the Penguins class is always a joy but has certainly been different during the pandemic. One of the difficult safety measures has been for children to be restricted to playing and learning solely with their own class. However, a silver lining has been that the connections between classroom teachers, students, and their peers have become deeper and stronger. I very much feel that way in the Penguins class this year. Last year in my pod, I knew my 11 students thoroughly, but even with a larger group this year, I still know my students’ interests, habits, and feelings. It has been nice as our restrictions have gradually dimmed to see the Penguins blossom in terms of connections to the larger Beauvoir community. Thank you to our parents for all your hard work and support during this time! Our children are so very lucky to have such a joyful and loving environment in which to grow.

Global Community Is Born As Learning Goes Online

By Jaclyn Jeffery, Partner Teacher, First Grade

A definite silver lining for me has been the everincreasing online information geared towards children. Virtual visits, virtual field trips, and even just videos that places around the world are creating allow people to still come and “see” them during this time. It’s helped me gain more information for our lessons and learn more about our world with content that I do not think would have been available if there was not a need to go virtual. We can now use some of this content and push it right out to students on their iPads, so they can research on their own and determine the important information. My favorite is obviously all of the work that the Cathedral has done in allowing us to visit and learn virtually. I get docent tours and visits right from my home!

PERFORMING ARTS SHINE, DESPITE THE CLOUDS

By Erin Riley, Performing Arts Instructor

Was I deceived? or did a sable cloud

Turn forth her silver lining on the night?

I did not err, there does a sable cloud, Turn out her silver lining on the night And casts a gleam over this tufted grove.

FROM “COMUS” (1634)

BY ENGLISH POET JOHN MILTON (1608-1674)

In this poem, which inspired the phrase “silver linings,” the silver lining in question comes from the outline of a dark cloud. This outline is created by the light of the moon shining brightly behind it. When you consider this image, it implies that a “silver lining” is something that has been there all along, only to be truly appreciated when it is blotted out by the dark clouds of life. Similarly, the performing arts have been here all along, shining despite the darkness of COVID.

While it is easy to bemoan the fact that so many elements of arts instruction were deemed “unsafe," I found that being temporarily limited in our expressions of singing and dancing led to a more creative inclusion of the arts. For example, performing a student play without singing led to more interesting and creative uses of dance. Being unable to sing during chapels and community meetings led us to create an entirely new list of beloved chants and community dances. Relocating the annual Holiday Sing outdoors, onto the field, led us to realize how enjoyable community meetings are outside. Although the arts were different, they were still there—just beyond the clouds. Beauvoir continued to find ways to sing outdoors, dance in socially distanced ways, and find community through artistic expression.

Now that restrictions are slowly lifting, there is nothing sweeter than the look of excitement on students’ faces when they realize that after two years, we are about to sing a favorite, familiar song… indoors! Like the moon, the arts have always been here, and it is delightful to incorporate them once again into our lives, fully and without restriction. Whether it is as a participant or an observer, I hope the arts continue to be a bright spot in your life as well.

Making The Most Of Small Moments

By Emily Katz, Learning Resources Specialist

During the 2021-2022 school year, a silver lining has been being able to be involved throughout school life again! I took for granted the collaboration with teammates and colleagues, morning conversation over coffee in the faculty room, and dropping by classrooms to hear student authors' celebration. As we move closer to “normal,” I hold fast to these opportunities and try to make the most of these small moments.

Teammates Rise To The Occasion

By Sherilyn Cummings, Partner Teacher, Second Grade

Working with the Second Grade team has been a highlight of my year at Beauvoir. Our team is committed, hardworking, and enthusiastic about our students and learning. We bring our unique talents and skills to our team. At any point throughout the day, you might find teachers collaborating on upcoming lessons, sharing resources, connecting with students in other classes, or sharing a joke or funny anecdote. Also notably, we love to display the amazing work our students are doing in various content areas throughout our hallways. Take a walk down the second grade hallway and view the exciting things happening in our classrooms! This team is truly extraordinary and I’m very lucky to work with such talented individuals each day.

Take a walk down the second grade hallway and view the exciting things happening in our classrooms!

Warm Welcomes Persevere

By Sara Alipanah, Performing Arts Instructor

Here at Beauvoir, performing arts classes center around the idea that we sing, say, move, play, and create during each class. However, that all changed with COVID, especially once most of the students returned to their classrooms after participating completely virtually for several months. There were studies stating it wasn’t safe for our students to sing together, to join hands in a folk dance, or be in close proximity. So I had to rethink a lot of my ideas of what I was going to do with our youngest students. Traditionally, I like to start my class with a "hello" chant. I have several hello songs in my back pocket that I like to rotate depending on my mood or the mood of the class. How was I going to continue to welcome my students? One evening, I was sitting with my husband and I said, "If if we can’t sing a hello song, what if we chant it?" I know students thrive on repetition, so I could start each line of the hello chant with similar words. I want students to feel welcomed and know what to anticipate when they come to my class. And I really wanted it to rhyme. Out of that conversation with my husband came my hello chant. The students helped me make it more engaging. At first, we just said it while we were seated. Then, once the students knew the chant, they moved to the parts that repeated.

Then the students created their own movements for the parts that repeated. Lo and behold, even though the students were not able to sing, they were still able to say, move, and create!

For those wondering, the chant I created for my class is below. It has since been shared with music teachers throughout the United States. To my knowledge, it is now in use in more than six states across the country!