Dear Lighthouse Families,
While the students had a day off last Friday, Nantucket Lighthouse School’s teachers had a full day of “school.” We spent the morning taking a deep dive into reading development: early literacy, phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension strategies, the neuroscience of reading, children’s literature, and challenges associated with reading, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and working memory. We also considered the social-emotional aspects of struggling in school and how stress and anxiety impact children with dyslexia.
Prior to Friday, I asked groups of teachers to read a collection of articles. Working in small groups, we discussed the articles we read and created visual displays to share the important takeaways with our colleagues. This approach allowed us to explore a variety of topics, as each group became experts in the areas they studied. Throughout the morning, we considered how this new knowledge informed our work with Lighthouse students. There were many A-ha moments and tremendous sharing among the faculty. The synergy among the Lighthouse faculty is palpable and ultimately leads to the most supportive environment for our students and for the adults who work here. I feel very fortunate to work among this dedicated group!
We took a break midday to enjoy a delicious lunch from Kyle and Lindsay Daley of PPX, and we spent the second part of the day experimenting with watercolors and learning a variety of techniques that will support our work with the students. This ebb and flow between working with our heads and our hands mirrors the experience of Lighthouse students as they move between different activities throughout each school day.
On a different note, I hope you all had a chance to view the photos from last Saturday’s Prom. Barbara Zachary and Charity Grace Mofsen did an excellent job of capturing the excitement! (Dust off your 90’s wardrobe for next year’s Prom.) Thank you to all the families who helped us close out the campaign for our new Cedar Works play structure. This has been a long-awaited dream for our students, and because of the support of the Prichard Family Foundation and the guests at Saturday’s Prom, we reached our goal and look to have the new structure in place by mid-May. Bravo, Nantucket Lighthouse School community!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing you Monday morning.
Warm regards,
Emily
Happy, Thoughtful Kids Grown Here
Children, like adults, desire a sense of autonomy. Offering your child choices during difficult moments is a simple yet effective strategy that can transform power struggles into opportunities for cooperation.
When offering choices, keep them simple and age-appropriate. For example, in the morning, instead of asking, “What do you want to wear to school today?” try, “Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt?” This gives your child a sense of control while ensuring that both options are acceptable to you.
By offering children choices, you empower them to make decisions within boundaries you set. This fosters a sense of independence, increases cooperation, and minimizes power struggles.
Warmly,
Julia
This week at NLS
