DE CE MBER 2011– JANUA RY 2 0 1 2
The Park Parent in this issue: WINTERTIME REMINDERS // 2 TAKE HOME FOODS // 2
The Neuroscience of Park’s SocialEmotional Curriculum B Y DOROTHY RICHARDSON, Park Parent Editorial Board
T
FACULTY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM // 3 CELL PHONES FOR KIDS? // 4
he new field of developmental neuroscience informs us, or perhaps reminds us, of the critical importance of human relationships in shaping
the brain and priming it for learning.
OF BATTLES AND BLESSINGS // 5
Relationships, Jack Shonkoff and colleagues at the Center for the Developing Child argue, form the primary bridges and highways through which information flows in the brain. Shonkoff condenses this infinitely complex process into the following motto: “Relationships build brain architecture.” So how is Park responding to these scientific discoveries, which have profound implications for education? “Social-emotional
MATH MATTERS // 7 GLOBAL PARK // 10 AUTHOR BRYAN COLLIER VISIT // 12 FALL PHOTOS // 13
continued on page 9
Investigating Math in Grades K – V B Y JEAN WILMERDING, Park Parent Editorial Board The previous issue of The Park Parent covered Katrina Mills’ report on the shifts that have taken place in U.S.
L
ike anything worth its salt, the Investigations math curriculum at Park has slowly and steadily evolved into the strong program that it is today. Current
math education over the
Grade VIII students were the first to pilot Investigations as
past 20 years. In this
first graders in 2003. At that time, the Investigations cur-
issue, the focus is on the impact the Investigations
riculum had been in development since 1993 and many
curriculum has had at
schools throughout the country had begun using it.
Park over the past five years in Grades K-V.
vo l u m e 4 4 number 3 A PUB LICATION OF THE PARK SC HOOL PARE NTS ’ ASSOC IATION
By the 2006-07 school year, all grades K-V were using the complete Investigations curriculum, Katrina Mills came on board as the math specialist, parent workshops were held and most importantly, students were receiving an hour of math instruction per day. continued on page 6