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PrintSCV Education News
May, 2020 - Issue #188
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Classrooms are magical spaces. The right one can spark a lifelong passion, change a career path and even shape a belief system. All within the safety of four inspired walls, you can explore faraway worlds, travel back in time, envision a new future ... or simply play in the present. And with the SCV spirit you'd expect, our local schools, teachers and parents are making sure nothing gets in the way of a little classroom magic.
Building Resilience in our Children & Ourselves
By Matt Millett
Had you told me at the start of 2020 that, by the end of March, the entirety of Legacy Christian Academy's accelerated academic curriculum would be disseminated via online platforms, I'd have been taken aback.
Yes, I'd have been confident we could do it - we're not regularly referred to as "Legacy Tech" for nothing! But with our emphasis on one-on-one customized education models, small 1:13 class sizes and engaging hands-on laboratories in our Discovery Hall, no one would have argued that this would be ideal.
That's life sometimes, though, isn't it?
God doesn't promise us that things will always be easy; He does assure us, though, that He will guide us through the hardest of times.
Prayerfully and thoughtfully, we've gotten through it together. What has propelled us from the necessity of this temporary online conversion to the now-daily practice of it is resilience - recognizing a challenge, understanding that "best" is what we make of the moment and identifying solutions that address our current needs while setting ourselves up for success when it's time to transition to what's next.
Over the course of this pandemic, Legacy teachers and administrators have proven their resilience time and time again. Our faculty have successfully transitioned to a connection-intensive online model that puts great emphasis on not just traditional learning but on socio-emotional relationship investment, consistency, stability and spiritual nourishment. They have calmed nerves, comforted hearts and modeled strength and compassion for our families - and each other.
This modeling of such an essential trait has not been lost on Legacy learners. I'm overcome with pride at how our community of Lions have embraced this "new normal," discovering fresh ways of learning with open minds and hearts.
In our now-virtual classrooms, we talk with our students about these new challenges openly, with transparency and honesty. We share that we're sometimes struggling, too. Modeling resilience requires authenticity and vulnerability.
There's no age limit on the discomfort and sense of uncertainty this virus has wrought, which is why I will continue to encourage parents to be soft in these hard times. Be gentle on yourselves and your kids, moms and dads. We're all navigating uncharted territory and the occasional wrong turn should be expected. When they happen, calmness, forgiveness and kindness will set the stage for how your kids manage their own errors and anxieties.
We do not know yet what "tomorrow" will look like - and that's not because we're in the midst of a pandemic. Truth be told, we never did know - and that's one of the biggest lessons resilience teaches us. Life has always been able to rotate on a dime. Whether those twists turn our world upside down is, in great part, up to us.
Legacy Christian Academy is embracing this lesson - and instilling it in our learners. Our Lions will be better for having this experience, coming out of it stronger, more compassionate, more capable and equipped for the beautiful uncertainty that is life.
Matt Millett is a local educational expert and head of school at Legacy Christian Academy. 257-7377
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Distance Learning is Everyday Learning at SCVi
As most schools in California have closed their doors due to orders from authorities in the midst of the pandemic, families across the state are getting a crash course in homeschooling. With an amazing technology team and experienced staff of online facilitators leading the way, SCVi was preparing for this sudden transition prior to March 13. In fact, in some crucial ways, the campus has been preparing since its founding in 2008.
On March 16, the first day SCVi's campus was closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, their existing distance learning model was up and running for the entire school at every
grade level. Students were able to maintain an uninterrupted connection with their facilitators and classmates through a virtual classroom beginning on day one of the site closure.
SCVi's ability to provide a seamless transition to an online education format was a work in progress for more than a decade and was thanks to a culture that transcended a building. At SCVi, students and facilitators have always incorporated the latest technology into their learning every day. Students have become accustomed to working independently because SCVi and iLEAD thoughtfully foster this habit as part of the school's mission to instill a lifelong love of learning in each child.
While no one could have imagined the landscape we now find ourselves suddenly navigating, SCVi students and staff were prepared. SCVi's swift transition to this new world - in which online, self-driven learning is the norm - is proof that learning was never confined to a textbook or predetermined curriculum to begin with. SCVi students and family were prepared not just logistically, but also emotionally, through the lifelong learning model championed every day.
Additionally, iLEAD has created a website for all families to utilize as a resource for this sudden shift to distance learning. The website is for everyone, not just iLEAD students, and provides tips, resources and activities for families who find themselves suddenly homeschooling due to this crisis.
homeschoolinganswers.com
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Make Home the Most Magical Place on Earth
One of the biggest challenges for parents is the transition to homeschool, often while working remotely or on site. One Santa Clarita mom found a way to engage her kids by incorporating one of their favorite themes, Disney!
"My kids are huge Disney fans!" says Rebecca Short, office manager of Dr. Marvin Tong, DDS in Valencia. "I was thinking about everything kids are going through with social distancing and being out of school, and I wanted to do something exciting that would make learning at home feel more fun. I decided to have a Disney Day at home!"
On Disney Day, Rebecca and her kids got decked out in Disney gear and completed the following school tasks: for home economics, make a Disney treat; for math, create a budget to save for a day-trip to Disneyland; for art, draw your favorite Disney ride or character; for PE, walk even half as much as you do at Disneyland; for English, write about a new land you would design for the park; and for an end-of-day celebration, enjoy a Disney movie with a bucket of popcorn! Another one of her pro-tips includes: "This can also be done with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or SeaWorld for a focus on science!"
Dr. Marvin Tong, DDS 268-6284
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