It has been over two weeks since schools in Shanghai transitioned to distance learning, and though the school day may have changed somewhat, a lot of things are still the same at Concordia!
Despite the distance, teachers are still able to interact with students and are working every day to provide the best educational experiences possible.
Early Childhood division holds virtual book parade
Our Early Childhood kids celebrated Book Week with a virtual book parade. As usual, teachers and students dressed up as their favorite book characters and talked with others about their favorite books. There were also fun adventures and guest appearances on Zoom. Renowned authors Sarah Roberts and Jerry Pallotta appeared in our class Zooms as special guests and helped us celebrate our love of reading!
Elementary students learn about money and music
In the Elementary School division, our first graders explored an economics unit on how people earn money and the different choices one can make with their money. They were tasked with doing chores around the home to earn real money. As part of a service-learning component to the unit, students also discussed what “donating” means and how helping those who have less than us is a way to make life better.
Fourth grade students have enjoyed learning about different musical instruments from guests visiting their virtual music classes, and they even took a virtual field trip to the Concordia MS/HS band room. These experiences will help prepare students to choose a musical elective as they get ready to transition into the fifth grade.
Parents learn more about social media while students enjoy Pi
Middle School teachers have adapted their classes to help students succeed and stay engaged while at home. For example, Mr. Muir’s grade eight math class still participated in the annual Pi Day Challenge on March 14th (3.14) which included a variety of activities, games, and fun math lessons.
In addition to that, the Middle School Counseling Department hosted a special screening of “LIKE”, an IndieFlix film, to help students and parents better understand and control the influence of technology and our lives. During this time, especially, counselors are looking to equip students and parents with knowledge and skills to navigate digital life.
Students take high school musical rehearsals online
In High School, students are still being challenged in their daily classes. From exploring new Mandarin texts and practical Spanish phrases, to analyzing literary themes in AP Lit and performing assessments in Organic Chemistry, the learning is going strong.
High schoolers have also been rehearsing for this year’s spring musical “Anything Goes” on Zoom. As soon as school opens, the cast and the crew will be ready to treat the community school to an amazing theatre performance!
We all know that distance learning presents many challenges to our school community, so we sincerely thank all our teachers and parents for the extra support they have been giving their students during this time. You have helped students with their classes and homework. You have encouraged them to stay active and focused. You’ve also helped them to manage their time wisely by balancing their screen time with other offline activities.
Our willingness to support one another as a community is what makes Concordia such a special school. Clearly, this is a place where we can all THRIVE better TOGETHER.
