Two of our recent Social Studies units in 2nd grade have helped our students learn a very important lesson: Women can change the world! The first unit focused on people who changed the world, and several of the historical figures studied included strong women who made a big difference in the world, many of them during a time when women were not given equal opportunities. These included Florence Nightengale, who transformed the practice of nursing and Emelia Earhart, who was one of the pioneers of long-distance flight.

During our economics unity, our study of the economy of Musanze culminated with a visit to two local businesses, La Paillotte and Volcana Lounge, both popular local restaurants run by women (and VVA mommas Bela and Fanny)! The girls were excited and inspired to learn that women can start and manage businesses. It is our hope that seeds have been planted in their hearts that will help them to dream big and change the world in their own ways in the future!

~ Andrea

Back in February we had a fun afternoon celebrating 100 days in First Grade. With all the learning that goes on at V.V.A. we couldn’t help it, we were 100 days smarter!

In Math we have learnt new strategies to add and subtract; in reading we are using expressions and working out new words independently; we are becoming fluent writers and we have learnt a lot about the world around us- how things move, how different cultures celebrate and how animals survive.

It hasn’t all been about new information though.  We have also become smarter thinkers.  We have learnt to observe closely, compare others ideas with our own, make predictions based on the information we have and be creative problem solvers.  Great skills that we can use throughout the rest of our education and life!

Having a ‘smart heart’ is just as important – In Ephesians 4:32 it tells us to ‘be kind and loving to one another’.   What a great difference we can make in our community if we can think and act ‘Smarter’!

By the end of the year we will be close to 160 days smarter so look out 2nd Grade – here we come!

~ Heather

For the past two weeks in Preschool 1 we have been talking about how to be safe and healthy. We have covered topics like nutritious eating, hand washing, covering our cough and sneeze, and brushing our teeth. In one center, the students have enjoyed dressing like doctors and administering care to each other. In math we are working on identifying patterns. We have looked for patterns we can see and listened for patterns we can hear both in the classroom and outside in nature. We continue to work on letter recognition, syllables, shapes, colors and counting. I am proud of each of my student’s progress.

~ Christine

What does a good learner do?

Super Hero Learners (as we like to call them) are ready to learn, listen, ask questions, take a risk and don’t give up even when learning is tricky.

It is hard to believe that the first semester is nearly over for this school year.  As the newcomer to VVA I have loved this time of getting to know the children and the wider school family.

First Grade has lived up to their reputation of being a great bunch of children!  They love learning about anything and everything and can be heard talking and sharing with others, even over lunch eating!  “Did you know you’re eating a seed” says Jonathan after learning that corn and peas are seeds during our plant study.

The children enjoyed our Science focus on the Earth earlier this semester.  We learnt about different landforms and created fantastic paper models.  We also got to explore rocks, different types of soil and found out how and what effect there is when land changes through erosion and weathering.

One of the most important questions we have talked about in First Grade this semester is, ‘what does a good learner do?’  Super Hero Learners (as we like to call them) are ready to learn, listen, ask questions, take a risk and don’t give up even when learning is tricky.  We try really hard to put these into practice and what great character traits to learn now as we know we never stop learning!

~ Heather

During our “Community Helpers” study Dr. Franklin and Mama Frank explained doctor visit procedures, and allowed the children to listen to their heartbeats. It was not only educational, but it put the children at ease to understand what the doctor does and why.  They do not need to be afraid.

On a tour of the Kanimba Clinic the children especially enjoyed visiting the dental and eye doctor offices.  However, the highlight of the tour was sitting in an ambulance.

~ Sue

The Renaissance was a big subject in the 8th Grade’s study of history this semester. One of the most well-known artists during this time was Michelangelo.

Perhaps his most famous painting was of the Sistine Chapel. This impressive work of art spans the ceiling of the giant dome inside this structure.

If Michelangelo could do it, then so could the 8th Grade class at VVA. And so we “painted” the ceiling of our classroom.

The kids decided to depict a world in which each of them (and me) created his or her very own nation. We each carefully crafted large continents, adding special features that made the different lands individual. Across the world, you can see mountains, volcanoes, rivers, islands, farms, cities, castles, and even armies going to war. Not only was this a lesson in Renaissance painting, but also in geography!

This Michelangelo ceiling painting activity was a delight to watch as it developed over the course of about two weeks. I was able to see each student’s ideas and creativity come to life on the paper. I was also able to see how they worked together in some ways and in others were competitive in what they could accomplish in their nation.

Stories unfolded onto the paper as trade ships traveled to other nations, some trade cities were raided, and armies crossed the seas to wage wars on others.

Overall, the students seemed to be highly engaged in their work, and they will not forget the story of Michelangelo any time soon.

~ Matthew

If everyone could take the mindset my kindergartners had about impacting the people around us in whatever situation we find ourselves, our communities would certainly be better places.

It is fascinating to hear about what young children want to be when they grow up. There is always a wide range of answers, but these answers also usually have something in common. From astronauts to veterinarians, from doctors to policemen, children usually want to become community workers.

In our class alone, we have a future baker, vet, doctor, and policeman. We have been learning about community workers in the kindergarten class, and it should be no surprise that the answers turn out to be so similar. These workers have a huge impact on the community, and they are very visible when we go to a restaurant, get sick and have to visit the hospital, or see policemen handling the scene of an accident.

But do the kids in kindergarten have to wait more than a decade to start helping their community? Of course not! Not only did we talk about how workers help the community, but also how kindergarten students can already impact the people they come into contact with.

It was very encouraging to hear the ideas brainstormed in class about how a kindergartener could be a community worker. For example, one of the students suggested that she could help a person carry a heavy load. Another student said she could comfort a friend whenever something bad happens. If everyone could take the mindset my kindergarteners had about impacting the people around us in whatever situation we find ourselves, our communities would certainly be better places.

~ Cassie

In this period, I am happy to share with you about our class. We have seven children in our class. Everyday we begin with praying and then we sing songs. We have just talked about; school materials, food and drinks, pets, some wild animals, birds, and we learned colors. We have just introduced counting. I am happy to see the progress of everyone.

~ Claudette

Learning how to read and write can be a rich but also challenging experience for students.

Learning how to read and write can be a rich but also a challenging experience for students.  Each day in 2nd Grade we have worked on an activity that strengthens reading and writing skills.

What are some ways that you can know that your child is a strong reader?

• Your child will become a strong reader when they are able to read at a comfortable pace all words clearly and correctly in their appropriate reading level.
• They will also able to use varying vocal tones in reading that creates expression for different kinds of sentences.

In our class, students have also listened to chapter books read aloud to them which helps to strengthen their listening, comprehension, and vocabulary skills.

We started out our writing activities by writing creative sentences and have built up to writing creative stories and essays.  It is not easy to write down their thoughts and create stories from their imagination.

I am so proud of what they have accomplished so far this year! Hip-hip-hooray for strong reading and writing!

~ Andrea