The Marshmallow Challenge

At a recent faculty meeting Lipscomb Academy Elementary School teachers were challenged to build a freestanding structure using 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string and one marshmallow in 18 minutes. And the marshmallow had to be on the top.

The man behind this exercise is Tom Wujec, a Fellow at Autodesk, the legendary makers of AutoCAD design software. He’s also the author of Five-Star Mind: Games and Puzzles to Stimulate Your Creativity and Imagination.

Back in 2010 he gave a fascinating TED Talk.  (http://marshmallowchallenge.com/TED_Talk.html) 
In the video, Wujec says,

“There’s something about this exercise that reveals very deep lessons about the nature of collaboration.” Having performed the exercise with more than 70 groups – including groups at Fortune 50 companies – Wujec has reached a few conclusions:

1. Recent business school graduates perform poorly. “They lie, they would cheat, they get distracted, and they produce really lame structures,” he says. The average tower by all participants in the exercise is 20 inches; the average tower by b-school grads is only 10 inches.

2. Recent graduates of kindergarten perform well. The average tower by kindergarten graduates measures 26 inches. “Not only do they produce the tallest structures but the most interesting structures of them all,” he reports. Why is that? “none of the kids spends any time trying to be CEO of Spaghetti, Inc.” says Wujec. In an exercise with an 18-minute limit, such jockeying for positions is wasted time.

B-school graduates tend to wait until the end of the 18 minutes to add the marshmallow to the top of their structures. When the structures collapse, the b-school teams enter something like a crisis mode. The kindergarten grads, by contrast, tend to incorporate the marshmallow into their designs early on, averting last-second crises.

The difference between success and failure was not intelligence or age or even experience, but the willingness to work collaboratively, take risks and be open to creative solutions.

Creativity Can Be Taught

Creativity Can Be Taught

 

In July 2010 Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman wrote a Newsweek cover story titled, "The Creativity Crisis".  In the article they report that while Americans’ average I.Q.s has been rising 10 points each generation (the so-called Flynn effect), creativity has been falling since 1990, with the steepest declines among children from kindergarten to grade 6. Part of the problem, say the authors, is that we assume creativity is a gift that can’t be taught. “While our creativity scores decline unchecked,” they say, “the current national strategy for creativity consists of little more than praying for a Greek muse to drop by our houses. The problems we face now, and in the future, simply demand that we do more than just hope for inspiration to strike.”

How do we know creativity is declining? From a massive study using the well-regarded Torrance assessment, which asks people to generate ways of using everyday objects differently and/or improving them. And why is it declining? Researchers aren’t sure yet, but one likely suspect is the amount of time young people are mesmerized by television and video games. Another is that schools have devoted less time to creative activities in recent years – unlike many other countries, which are making a concerted effort to develop creativity in schools.

            But isn’t creativity innate – either you have it or you don’t? And shouldn’t schools be sticking to basics to prepare students for the 21^st century and let “gifted” students develop creativity in the art room? Wrong, wrong, and wrong, say Bronson and Merryman. Creativity is “part of normal brain function” and can be developed, they contend, and it’s important in all subject areas from music to engineering. “The argument that we can’t teach creativity because kids already have too much to learn is a false tradeoff,” they say. “Creativity isn’t about freedom from concrete facts. Rather, fact-finding and deep research are vital stages in the creative process.” Students can, in fact, meet and go beyond today’s curriculum standards through more creativity-based instructional approaches.

            Bronson and Merryman also puncture the notion that creativity is exclusively a “right-brain” activity. Here’s the sequence of mental activity that occurs when a person solves a problem:

-   Focusing on obvious facts and familiar solutions to see if the answer lies there;

-   If not, scanning and evaluating remote memories for unseen patterns and alternative meanings;

-   Zeroing in on a promising idea – the “aha!” moment;

-   Evaluating that idea – is it worth pursuing?

“Creativity requires constant shifting, blender pulses of both divergent thinking and convergent thinking, to combine new information with old and forgotten ideas,” say Bronson and Merryman.

            Yes, some people are innately better at divergent thinking than others, they say, but creativity training that aligns with the new insights from brain science can be remarkably effective. “Creativity can be taught,” says California State University/San Bernardino professor James Kaufman. The key is alternating between intense divergent thinking and intense convergent thinking several times. “Real improvement doesn’t happen in a weekend workshop,” say Bronson and Merryman. “But when applied to the everyday process of work or school, brain function improves.”

            What would this look like in a school? Here’s a problem posed to fifth graders last year at the National Inventors Hall of Fame School in Akron, Ohio – a school that devotes three-quarters of each day to project-based learning: Reduce the noise in the library, whose windows face a busy public space. Working in small teams, students had four weeks to come up with proposals. Here’s how they proceeded (with plenty of support and guidance along the way):

-   Fact-finding – How does sound travel through materials? What materials reduce noise the most?

-   Idea-finding – Generating as many ideas as possible – drapes, plants, large kites hung from the ceiling to baffle sound, masking the outside noise with a gentle waterfall, double-paned glass, filing the space between panes of glass with water, an aquarium with fish as the barrier, etc.

-   Solution-finding – Which ideas are the most effective, most affordable, and most aesthetically pleasing? Safest?

-   A plan of action – Building scale models, choosing fabric samples, figuring out who would take care of plants and fish over vacations, etc.

-   Problem-finding – Anticipating all potential problems so their designs are more likely to work;

-   Presenting the plan – The audience was teachers, parents, and an outside expert.

In the process, students had fun, came up with great ideas to solve a real-world problem, and mastered large chunks of Ohio’s required fifth-grade curriculum, including understanding sound waves, per-unit cost calculations, and persuasive writing. The school’s state test scores soared this year. “You never see our kids saying, ‘I’ll never use this so I don’t need to learn it,’” says school administrator Maryann Wolowiec. “Instead, kids ask, ‘Do we have to leave school now?’”

         Here are some of the other activities at different age levels that have successfully developed creativity:

-   Preschool – Role-playing and acting out characters helps children see things from a different perspective.

-   Middle childhood – Creating paracosms, or fantasies of entire alternative worlds.

-   Fourth grade on – As the curriculum becomes more content-rich, it’s helpful if teachers are willing to entertain unconventional answers and “detours of curiosity.”

It’s a myth that creative people are depressed, anxious, and neurotic, say Bronson and Merryman. The reason creative students sometimes drop out is that they become discouraged and bored in creativity-stifling schools. In fact, a gloomy mindset shuts down creativity. People who score high on creativity assessments tend to be more confident about the future, have stronger relationships, and deal better with setbacks. It’s uncreative people who are at risk.

         In a sidebar at the end of the article, Bronson and Merryman sum up specific advice for educators and parents:

         • Forget brainstorming. Research at Yale University in 1958 showed that brainstorming actually reduces a team’s creative output; the same people, working individually, can come up with more and better ideas.

         • Imagination exercises don’t work. It’s a myth that all you have to do is let your natural creativity run wild. There’s much more to being creative than that.

         • Don’t tell someone to be creative. “Such an instruction may just cause people to freeze up,” say Bronson and Merryman. Here’s a better approach from University of Georgia professor Mark Runco: “Do something only you would come up with – that none of your friends or family would think of.” Using this approach, he’s doubled people’s creative output.

         • Reduce screen time. For every hour spent watching TV, says University of Texas professor Elizabeth Vandewater, overall time on creative activities like fantasy play and art projects drops as much as 11 percent.

         • Exercise. “Almost every dimension of cognition improves from 30 minutes of aerobic exercise,” say Bronson and Merryman. “The type of exercise doesn’t matter, and the boost lasts for at least two hours afterward.” But this works only for people who are physically fit. For those who aren’t, fatigue counteracts the benefits.

         • Get immersed in a passion. “Kids do best when they are allowed to develop deep passions and pursue them wholeheartedly – at the expense of well-roundedness,” say Bronson and Merryman. American Psychological Association researcher Rena Subotnik has found that children who dive into one area and become expert in it have better self-discipline and handle setbacks more effectively.

         • Forget the suggestion box. Formalized suggestion boxes and e-mail surveys actually stifle innovation, says ESCP Europe Business School Isaac Getz, because employees often feel that their ideas will be lost in the bureaucracy. Toyota’s plant in Georgetown, KY has been highly successful because it implements up to 99 percent of employees’ suggestions.

         • Take a break. Multitasking has been shown to undermine focus and productivity, but it’s a good idea to shift from one creative project to another.

         • Explore other cultures. Living abroad, being exposed to people from other countries, or even watching a slide show about another culture helps people be more adaptable and flexible. 

Adapted from the Marshall Memo, Issue #345

Jonathan Sheahen

Elementary School Principal

A Challenge to Mend

I’m going to share something with you I’ve told very few people.  I called my grandmother GaGa.  That’s right, even as an adult, I called her GaGa.

She was born in 1922 in Winfield, AL, a small farm town outside of Jasper.  A product of the Depression, she had this built-in compulsion to make do with what she had.  Instead of buying new things, she made new things.  She didn’t have money for store bought toys or clothes, but she did have the ingenuity and resourcefulness to create something from scraps.  This gave rise to a gifted seamstress.

As far as family legend goes, she sewed multiple ornaments, curtains, pillows, dolls, blankets, quilts, and countless number of scarves, socks, gloves...  This is not including all the clothes she made.  And she sewed a lot of clothes: all of her own clothes, her children’s, grandkids, even the high-school cheerleader uniforms.  My mom tells me she received a new dress every week or two, and she gives GaGa all the credit for being voted “best dressed” nearly every year at school. 

Although my sister was never voted best dressed, she could have made the same claim.  Every holiday break Vicki was scheduled for her annual wardrobe extravaganza.   First, GaGa and Vicki would go window shopping- my sister would pick out all the clothes she wanted.  Then back to the house where without as much as a photograph, GaGa created newspaper patterns from scratch.  This was followed by Vicki standing statue still as GaGa pinned, pleated and pressed rolls of fabric around her. Experienced, nimble, thimble tough fingers were her only guide.  I can still see my hummingbird of a grandmother flying from scissors to machine to pin cushion humming all the while.  After three days of working, she finished.  Hanging on the kitchen hutch, amongst a pile of cloth, were a half of a dozen dresses made to order, just like the ones in the window display.  Maybe a little better.

As time wore on though, GaGa’s fingers lost their dexterity and exactitude and she stopped making new clothes. But she didn’t stop sewing.  She mended anything she could get her hands on as though she could somehow hold together her unraveling mind and breaking body.  I think she found comfort in the chore. 

Since my grandmother’s death five years ago, I have found comfort in mending.  I have come to relish the moments when I sit down and, somewhat clumsily, repair a torn shirt or reattach a button.  I love the touch of the needle in my hand and how it pops through the fabric.  I love the inexact art of weaving and the final threaded scar.  The calm I feel from mending clearly exceeds the mere rescue of a piece of clothing.  It is a communion with my roots.  But, it is also a time to pause and quit running around trying to make figurative ends meet; it is a chance to sew actual pieces together.  I can't stop a world of fighting, or reverse global warming, but I can mend things at hand.  There is something about it that’s healing.  Mending doesn't say, "This never happened."  Instead it says, "Something or someone was surely broken here, but a saving grace offered it new life."

There are so many things that need mending:  my old socks, the fence around the garden, the friendship torn by misunderstanding, a country being ripped apart by greed and social inequity.  Some are easier to mend than others.  A few of weeks ago I challenged the students here at Lipscomb Academy to find something to mend.  To sew a button or patch a broken friendship.  This Thanksgiving break I extend the challenge to our families.  Take the time to turn off the TV and stitch together a real, face-to-face conversation.  Hug your kids.  Hug your neighbor.  Hug your least favorite relative.  Say your sorry and mean it.  When we mend, I believe we realize that we're better together than apart, and perhaps even stronger for the rip and the repair.

Jonathan Sheahen
Elementary Principal

A Month's Worth of Smiles

We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to share only a few of the October happenings at Lipscomb Academy. The month has come and gone, but by the looks of these faces, the memories are here to stay. Come and see what the smiling is all about!

First Grade Goes to Walden Farm

It might have been a cold day, but a sunny one no less!  And you couldn't keep our first graders from enjoying it all... pumpkins, hayrides, farm animals, corn mazes - discovery at its best!   Check out Mrs. Woodard's class and see, first-hand, the joy of learning!

Star or Hero?

Star or Hero?

Do you want your child to be a star? Or is being a hero what matters most? Between the two, I choose hero. If my boys become stars, that’s fine, too. But that is not my ultimate goal for them. Here at Lipscomb Academy we understand that not everyone can be a star, but we want all of our students to become heroes; and there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to be heroic. As a part of this effort, weekly we recognize students who have displayed Christ-like Character. Christ-like character is defined in the acrostic below:

Over the past two weeks:

A second grade student was recognized for his Service. This boy worked around his grandfather’s house to earn money to give to Paola, a Honduran child whom his class is sponsoring.

A third grade girl was honored for showing Perseverance. Her teacher said, “She always gives her best in all that she does.”

A first grade boy was applauded for being a great Friend. He graciously helped a hurt classmate on the playground. He stopped what he was doing to check on the child and help him up.

A fourth grade student was acknowledged for her Responsibility. This student consistently brings her materials to class and is prepared daily to learn.

These students are recognized not as a side note, but as a main note. Character is essential for student success. In the most recent This American Life episode, (474: Back to School), Ira Glass asks Paul Tough, author of How Children to Succeed, “Why do some children succeed while others fail?” The conventional answer usually focuses on intelligence: success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs. But Tough argues that the qualities that matter most have more to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self control; and he uses science and current research to back it all up.

At Lipscomb Academy we believe that the social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum. We recognize that social, emotional, and intellectual growth are very much intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Our teachers pay close attention to each child’s well being in all these areas to enable them to reach their full potential. True traction in math, language arts, or Spanish can only take place when children trust their community and feel free to take social and academic risks—share a poem with the class, collaborate on a project with a student who is not a friend, stand up for someone who is being called names, or choose a more difficult essay question.

So back to the original question: Do you want your child to be a star or a hero? Ed Hallowell did a good job of answering this question in his book Connect when he referenced the following “hero” story told to him by Rick Lavoie, the head of Riverview School:

One day I was sitting at a counter at a downtown Greenwich pizza parlor. I was splitting a small pepperoni pizza with my five-year-old son, Christian. As we sat there, I could not help but overhear the conversation among three teenage boys who were sitting in the booth directly behind us. They were dressed in tennis white and had obviously just returned from a morning at their fancy local tennis club. Two of the boys were discussing the faults and foibles of another boy, who was not in attendance. They criticized his tennis play, his mode of dress, and every aspect of his personality. The boy obviously suffered tremendous social isolation and rejection. They laughed as they regaled each other with stories of his various faults and failures.

At one point, one of the boys turned to the third boy, who had been silent during the discussion, and said, “None of us ever want to play with Mike. He’s such a nerd. But whenever the coach asks us to choose a partner for doubles, you always choose to play with Mike. Nobody likes Mike. Nobody will play with Mike. Why do you play with him?”

The third boy responded quietly, “That’s why I play with him.”

I looked over my shoulder at that courageous young man, and then I looked at my own son. My fondest hope at that moment was that my son would develop the strength of character and courage that that boy possessed. I hope that young man’s father knows how proud he should be of his son.

This story gets me every time I read it. My fondest hope is that all students at Lipscomb Academy learn to exercise the character of Christ in their daily lives, on the playground, in the cafeteria, on the ball field and even at home, so that they may become truly successful children of God.

Jonathan Sheahen ~ Elementary School Principal

Learning from a Slinky

If you've played with a Slinky for more than five minutes, you've probably mastered all the classic moves. But it turns out those humble coils have a surprise up their sleeves. Do this:

1) Dangle a Slinky above the ground as though you were holding a fish by the tip of its tail.
2) Let it extend to its full length.
3) Let go.

If you don't have a Slinky, do this:

1) Watch the first video.
2) Make a prediction.
3) Watch the second video.



Did you see it?  If not, try it again and this time keep your eye on the bottom of the Slinky.



Did you notice that as the top of the Slinky starts to fall, the bottom doesn't drop?  It just hangs in the air, levitating, as if it had its own magic carpet. It will stay there, hovering quietly, until a wave, or signal, passing through the Slinky finally reaches it. Apparently, the bottom doesn't know it's supposed to fall, so it sits there, seeming to defy gravity, until the very end.  (For a more detailed explanation check out http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/09/modeling-a-falling-slinky/.)

This isn’t a magic trick.  It is a physics principle that can be proven by using words like equilibrium, gravity, and compression wave and by applying Hooke's law in conjunction with Newton's second law.  Plus lots of math.  The basic explanation is that the bottom coil will not twist and fall until it receives a signal the coil directly above it.  In other words, each coil doesn’t “know” it is supposed to fall until it is “told” by the coil above it.

This idea, that information has to pass through an object for the whole thing to know what to do, applies not just to Slinkys, but to ballpoint pens, arrows, baseball and, yes, even to learning.

I believe that too often children are rushed through the learning process.  That students are not given enough time to process information, or room to make mistakes, or even a moment to sit still and reflect.  Take math, for example.  Traditionally, math has been limited to algorithms and arithmetic, promoting such beliefs as speed and accuracy are more important than understanding; there is one right way to solve any problem; and math is mostly memorization.  My 7th grade math teacher, Mr. Sammons, certainly believed this. 

Mr. Sammons’ approach was simple: introduce an abstract concept such as multiplying fractions or dividing decimals by showing the class an efficient procedure, and never ever answer the question, “Why does this work?”.  I quickly learned that math didn’t have to make sense, it was nonsensical magic.  This jump from the top of the Slinky (mathematical concept) to the bottom (abstract generalization), skips all of the necessary connections in between.

Nearly thirty years of research has proven that skipping students to the abstract and rushing them through the learning process hinders students’ understanding.  Memorizing rules for moving symbols around on paper may be the filing of facts, but it is not the learning of mathematics; much like memorizing names and dates is not learning history.  Understanding a subject means getting inside it and seeing how things work, how things are related to each other, and why they work like the do.

Instead of focusing on algorithms and shortcuts, the teachers at Lipscomb Academy build understanding over a period of time; first through informal exploration moving to representational activities, using manipulatives, games and other tools.  This developmental method allows children to personally construct meaning and prepares them for the abstract.  For instance, in second grade, students are asked to solve multi-digit subtraction problems.  They might solve such problems by counting up from the smaller to the larger number, or by using tools such as a number grid.  Once a student has had successfully explored a variety of valid approaches, algorithms are introduced.  Allowing children to go through this process validates their intuitive methods and reinforces the fact that math makes sense and can be used to make sense of the world.  It can even explain why a Slinky seems to hover in mid air after being dropped.

Jonathan Sheahen
Elementary School Principal
Lipscomb Academy

Here's to New Beginnings

For many students the start of school marks not a beginning, but the end of summer vacation. For teachers, however, the start of a new school year is a new beginning and one of my favorite times of year.

Throughout my school career, what I enjoy about the end of August was getting ready for the new school year. I actually enjoyed going shopping with my mom for new clothes at J.C. Penny’s and then heading over to the dime store to pick out a themed trapper keeper and matching A-Team Lunch box. I loved organizing and labeling my markers, pencils and pink erasers and putting them into my school box. Each year I was fully equipped for the challenges ahead.

As a teacher this enjoyment of preparation continued. I got excited about getting my new plan book and putting the students’ names in the back. I loved individually numbering the books I have ordered, and looked forward to going to Office Depot and to buy my school supplies.

Even more than this ritual, I enjoy the feeling of a fresh start and the opportunity to improve and make resolutions for the coming year. It’s clear that many of the students share this same feeling. Lined in the hallways are student goals and recommendations for success regarding this upcoming year.

Here is a sample from 3rd grade:
Stay focused and be a good listener.
Be patient.
Listen to Mrs. Sanders.
Try hard and have fun.
Share and Pray.
Make the most out of every recess.
Say, “I think I can.”

Maybe my favorite, “Do some math.”

I think this is evidence enough that the transition from summer to academics has been a smooth one. The students have embraced the new changes brought about by having new teachers and new expectations and have slid right into a rhythm in only a few days. That is something that I am proud of. Even more so, I am proud that our new students have been warmly welcomed into our family by the returning students. This student and parent community should be commended for the many ways that they have made those of us who are new, feel comfortable.

From my point of view I see a very happy group of children and faculty that are truly enjoying getting to know one another.

In as much as August is a time of fresh promises, it is also a honeymoon time. It is a time when everything runs smoothly and everyone is putting their best put forward.

 I liked how my Algebra teacher Dr. Jalbert put it. On the first day of class with every one of his classes he began with the same speech. He said, “Right now you all have a 100% in my class.” He followed up that sentence with, “But let me assure you that not everyone will finish the year with 100%”. I certainly didn’t. And not everyone at LAES will finish this year with perfect attendance or straight A+s . Some students will miss a few on their Friday spelling test or forget to bring in their homework. But perfection is not the goal of school. Matter of fact, it is the bumps in the road that are the opportunities from which our students learn the most.

To the question, “What is it that most parents want for their children?” Dr. Robert Brooks writes in his book Raising Resilient Children: “Happiness, success in school, satisfaction with their lives, and solid friendships quickly come to mind. If we examine our parental goals, it would not be an oversimplification to conclude that the realization of these goals requires that our children have the inner strength to deal competently and successfully, day after day, with the challenges and demands they encounter. We call this capacity to cope and feel competent, resilience.”

I, along with the rest of the faculty, look forward to working with the students and to seeing them thrive, and yes, even to seeing them stumble or make mistakes from which they will grow. We do this with a tremendous amount of support and knowledge that these experience, in the end, will build the resilience that is so essential for their development.

Jonathan Sheahen
Elementary School Principal, Lipscomb Academy

Working on What's Important

Margaret Wise Brown, author of Good Night Moon, wrote a compelling and rhythmic picture book titled, The Important Book.  In the book she points out the important things about everyday objects and what makes them special.  Her writing is lyrical from beginning, "the important thing about a spoon is that you eat with it...", to end, "the important thing about you is that you are you, it is true that you were once a baby and that now you are a child, and that someday you will be a man or a woman, but the important thing about you is that you are you".  I am amazed at how she addresses a complex topic in such a simple and kid friendly way.  Being able to decipher what is important and unimportant is something that adults wrestle with everyday.

In an era of mobile devices, instant connectivity, and urgent to do lists, it is all too easy to become overwhelmed with the immediate, the “right now”.  As a result it becomes harder and harder to focus on the important.  Steven Covey calls this balancing the “clock and the compass”.  In his book, First Things First, he says, “For many people, the dominant metaphor of life is the clock. We value the clock for its speed and efficiency. The clock has its place, efficiency has its place—but after effectiveness. The symbol of effectiveness is the compass—a sense of direction, purpose, vision, perspective and balance.”

Some have addressed this imbalance by blocking out a time during the day to focus on the important things.  For instance, Piers Fawkes, founder and editor of PSFK, reserves a good chunk of his morning – from 7:00-10:00 a.m. every day – to work on his big list prior to opening his email.  My friend Gary Henry, author of Diligently Seeking God, spends the first hour of every day devoted to God in prayer and reflection.  For a teacher, the summer months serve as time to slow down, reflect and work on what is most important.  

Since my time here at Lipscomb Academy, I have been impressed with the amount of Elementary School faculty members who are working on the important things during their “time off” from school.

To name a few:

• Becky Collins and Kay Felts attended the Tennessee State Energy Camp to keep current Lipscomb Academy’s "green school" certification and to learn more ways to involve the community in our current programs.
• Michelle Seal attended several professional development workshops including one on Cooperative Learning and another on Fostering a Positive Classroom Climate
• The Kindergarten and Pre-K teams are excited about the 24 new iPads going into the classrooms and investigating ways use them as instructional tools.
• The fourth grade team is looking into using Edmodo as a secure place to connect and collaborate, share content and educational applications.
• Ginger Reasonover, the Science Lab Coordinator, is attending and presenting at Harpeth Hall’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) conference in July.
• Penny Seay, Kathy Musick and Kay Felts were trained in Backwards Design, a method of designing educational curriculum by setting goals before choosing instructional methods and forms of assessment.
• Jennifer Green attended S.A.L.T. (Service and Learning Together), a workshop that focuses on ways to intentionally join academic learning and community outreach.
• Kathy Musick invested a significant amount of time preparing for Summer Celebration, where she was in charge of all of the kid related activities.
• Melanie Gaw taught the first graders at her church’s VBS and participated in church camp.
• The third grade team continues to promote their “Don’t Rush to Flush” awareness campaign and working on a bill to be put before the state legislators.  
• Chuck Chism helped direct Antioch Church Encampment, an outreach serving families in Nashville, and led Mid-Ohio Valley Work Camp where he and 30 teenagers painted over 40 homes in Ohio.
• Suzanne Howell is rewriting the Bible curriculum for the Elementary School.
• The second grade team completed training on their new Ladibug document cameras, a real-time image capture devices for displaying an object to a large audience and are also exploring the use a WikiSpace to serve as a resource for parents and students.
• Kim Smith went a mission trip to work with the Inner City Ministry in Mobile, Alabama.  She also taught fourth grade classes at VBS and coordinated arts and crafts for church camp, grades 4th-12th.
• All faculty members are taking time to reflect on their instructional practices and how they can be improved.

That is a pretty amazing group of educators!

Jonathan Sheahen

Elementary School Principal

Lipscomb Academy

Sheahen to Lead Lipscomb Academy Elementary School

Nationally recognized education veteran Jonathan Sheahen has been named Lipscomb Academy elementary school principal in a joint announcement from L. Randolph Lowry, Lipscomb university president, and Mike Hammond, university vice president and Lipscomb Academy headmaster.

Sheahen, mathematics faculty team leader at Nashville’s Harding Academy, brings a variety of teaching experience that has been recognized by his peers and by the White House to the Lipscomb Academy administrative team. He was selected as part of a rigorous national search and selection process and will assume the duties of principal on June 15.

“Jonathan Sheahen is an enthusiastic educator, committed Christian and brings tremendous credentials and experience with him. In our exhaustive search for a new principal, we looked for someone who would not only model Christ’s love of people and teaching them, but also model a hunger for developing each pupil to his or her potential as a student and as a future man or woman of God. We believe we have found that person,” said L. Randolph Lowry, Lipscomb University president.

In 2010, Sheahen was one of 85 mathematics and sciences teachers across the country honored by President Barack Obama with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. He was honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Sheahen has been a member of the faculty at Harding Academy since 2004. Last year he received Harding Academy’s Ed and Hattie Stuart Spirit Award as Teacher of the Year. For the past five years he has served as a teacher and advisory team member for the Vanderbilt Program for Talented Youth.

“Jonathan not only has rich professional experience but also the heart and mind to help our students grow academically and has a great passion to nurture the spiritual environment at Lipscomb,” said Mike Hammond, university vice president and headmaster for Lipscomb Academy.

His faculty experience includes teaching positions in Tampa, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; and Hillsboro School in Franklin, Tenn. In addition to classroom work, Jonathan has coached middle school volleyball, soccer, softball and tennis. He has participated in a variety of professional development programs such as the College of William and Mary’s Integrated Curriculum Model, the University of Connecticut’s Project M3, Harvard University’s Project Zero Classroom and WIDE World as well as participating in the Everyday Mathematics Leadership Institute. Sheahen is also a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops hosted by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools.

Sheahen holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Education degree in educational leadership from Trevecca. He and his wife, Shawna, have three sons, Eli, 8 and twins, Silas and Cooper, 6. They are members of Broadmoor Church of Christ, where Sheahen is a deacon.

The Miracle of Life - on the big screen!

Our kindergarten students have been taking care of eggs for the past few weeks. Carefully following their progress in our new incubator, we were all instructed to not prop doors, stay away from adjusting the air conditioner (to maintain consistent temperature), and - above all - pray for the health and well-being of our latest life science endeavor. At exactly 21 days, teachers were found running down the hall to the front office exclaiming, "The chicks are coming, the chicks are coming!" With great excitement, several of us entered one of our kindergarten classrooms to find all of our pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first chick. Everyone was given a bigger-than-life-view by use of the new document camera, as projected on the screen we watched and listened to the first emerging chick. After a whole lot of work, along with quiet encouragement from the captive audience, the first baby finally broke through. I was amazed listening to the conversations taking place among five and six-year-old children and their teachers. They intelligently discussed the various parts of the egg and chick, pointed out observations on the screen,

and feverishly recalled past classroom lessons helping to prepare them for this day. Then one of the most moving moments came - student-led, impromptu singing of "Awesome God," and "My God is so Big." At Lipscomb, the pull of the spiritual into the academic, even for the youngest, has become so natural and necessary. Faith and learning. It's what we do. And on that day, in that classroom, it might have been the best I've seen yet... Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

No Mustang Ran Alone - Marathon 2012

What a perfect night it was, Friday, April 27th... marathon night! After weeks of training and clocking miles on our campus, we had over 160 student participants who enjoyed running their final mile down Woodland Street together with parents, grandparents, and teachers. There are no words to describe what it was like watching each pass by in their shirts proclaiming, "No Mustang Runs Alone." It was pretty poignant and heartwarming to see the message in action. Thank you to our organizers, Belle Cromwell and Melanie Grogan, their fantastic helpers, and all of our families who made this event such a success! "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!" 1 Cor. 9:24

All the way from Mexico?!?!?

On Monday, Ms. Collins, kindergarten teacher and Monarch Butterfly extraordinaire, reported Monarch eggs on the milkweed in our school gardens.  It's the earliest she can remember such an occurrence, and there is great excitement that this means the female came straight from Mexico!  The children, along with Ms. Collins, were all a-buzz yesterday morning visiting the garden and doing "big math" as they added the number of eggs on various milkweed plants. 

As designated Monarch Waystation #1056, DLES continues to use the butterfly project in cross-curricular ways.  Metamorphosis and environmental needs are discussed in Science, graphs plotting gender and kinds of butterflies in Math, map skills, cultural studies, and discussions of migratory patterns to Mexico are a part of Social Studies, not to mention the phonics, spelling and journaling that becomes central to Literacy.  Above all, during Bible and other spiritually formative times in the classroom, kindergarten students absorb the age-old story of God's wonderful creation and His protection of even the tiniest creatures. 

Kindergarteners, thank you for taking care of our earth.  You make God smile!

Kudos to Third Grade!

Yesterday morning our third graders and their teachers were honored at the Sustainability Breakfast at Lipscomb University. At that event, our students learned that they were the first place winner in Tennessee for their Disney Planet Challenge project (just look at the excitement on their faces). Beyond the state, they placed in the top 20 elementary schools in the nation. "Keep Our Water Clean; Don't Rush to Flush" has been a great learning experience for our third graders, with that project integrated into every subject. Congratulations to our third grade teachers, Ms. Sanders, Mr. Chisam, Ms. Smith, and DLES Science Lab Coordinator, Ms. Reasonover, as well as all third graders for a job well done! We're proud of you.

3RD GRADERS MOVE STATE AND LOCAL DIGNITARIES TO ACTION

        On Monday, February 13^th, 2012, state and local dignitaries were invited to David Lipscomb Elementary School to hear about third grade efforts towards reducing hazardous waste, specifically the disposal of outdated and unused medication.  In attendance were State Representative Mike Stewart, Metro Councilman Sean McGuire, Lori Munkeboe with TDEC, Sharon Smith from Metro Public Works and representatives from the Metro Police Department, Detective Donaldson and Officer Charles Vance.  Students shared with the guests their yearlong efforts in educating themselves and the community on the proper disposal of medication while enlightening the visitors about the dangers of not doing so.  

         At the completion of the student presentation, Representative Stewart responded with a promise to the students that he would collaborate with them to take the issue to a legislative level.  Additionally, Councilman McGuire addressed the class and committed to taking the same stand.  He promised to draw up a resolution to honor the David Lipscomb Elementary School 3rd grade for its work in raising community awareness about the issue and to work toward a class visit to City Hall to share the information with Mayor Karl Dean.  Following yesterday’s events, TDEC’s Ms. Munkeboe stated, “My applause and admiration to a group of young students and their ability to understand a complex issue like unwanted pharmaceuticals. They investigated the problems and made smart decisions on how to recognize and implement solutions.  From one-day collections to a public service announcement, their work was thoughtful and targeted.  I am more comforted knowing that these young people will protect our state, our country, and our earth with the dedication and respect it deserves.”

          DLES third grade students took on the charge to spread the word of safe and proper medication disposal in August of last year as a part of their involvement in the Disney Planet Challenge.  Since that time, the project’s efforts have been integrated into multiple disciplines within the classroom, including Literacy, Math, Social Studies, and Science as well as enrichment areas of Art, Music, and Technology.  All students have been in close collaboration with Lipscomb University’s School of Pharmacy, Biology Department, and Chemistry Department through professor/student hands-on learning experiences, visits to the university campus, and a joint hazardous waste collection day for the Nashville community.  This effort brought in over 165 pounds of medication, not to mention other hazardous waste of over 40,000 pounds of e-waste, 8,000 batteries, and nearly 3,000 pieces of household waste.

"No Mustang Runs Alone" Kicks Off!

It is my hope that our spectacular kick-off for our anti-bullying program “No Mustang Runs Alone” will encourage open dialogue in the classroom, open discussions at home, and open conversations among children.  We all know what it feels like to be intimidated, called names, and in general, made to feel “less than.”  We want our students to know that they are beloved and that they belong. Hopefully, a few of us will realize that we have been teetering very close to the definition of the word “bully” I sent out last week.  That awareness is what we’re looking for…before it becomes bigger and more intense.

Our children have soft hearts. One mom wrote me this morning to say that her kindergartner spotted some bullying in their neighborhood, one child picking on two others.  He said, “That is bullying. He doesn’t need to act that way to them and we need to tell him not to do it anymore.”  I hope all of our students begin to see how their words and actions are perceived.  Our goal is not to create a culture where everyone is pointing out bullying, but rather that  children and adults examine themselves to question their own motives. We might be surprised how we are perceived by others. 

Along the way, I’m sure we will also identify some real bullying that will be addressed. From these conversations, I also hope we give skills to some children who have silently joined a crowd of spectators, not knowing how to defend and tell. Thank you for the comments you have sent us; pray God’s guidance as we continue to encourage our students to be “Christ-like in attitude and behavior.”
Sharon Farmer, DLES Principal