Teacher Margaret's "View From My Window" - January 27th

We are having a full and wonderful week at Westfield. Spirit Week has brought crazy hair, mismatched socks, creative twins, whimsy, and fun to our week. I have enjoyed walking through the school, listening to children consider math problems, the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, and the Apollo 11 mission while their hair is painted blue and pink or they are dressed as their favorite musician. 

In Meeting for Worship Teacher Carl reflected on the juxtaposition of these seeming opposites – silliness in expression and seriousness in learning. Wackily attired fifth-grade students spoke their queries asking how we might use Meeting for Worship for nurturing ourselves spiritually. Today, I spoke with a class of 2011 alum who shared that one of the values he has taken with him from Westfield into his adult life is the importance of time for self-reflection…something he learned in Meeting for Worship. As you will read in our newest Where are They Now, Kera Armstrong ‘96 also found the values that guide her began at Westfield.

Reading is a huge part of our lives. Teacher Paige has provided a wonderful reading challenge in her Owls Corner Blog. We have our reading challenge for Ronald McDonald House well begun. Third-grade students went to the Cinnaminson library and came back with their book bags full of new items. I reminded Teacher Rachael and the students that their library cards give them access to BCLS online resources including all of the Gale suite of encyclopedias.

We do well to remember that our minds are a part of our bodies. (I once heard a speaker say that schools seemed to treat children’s bodies as mere carts to move the all-important and unrelated brain around the building!) To that end, Nurse Maggie McHale is caring for our bodies in her latest Apple Corps Newsletters.

New in Westfield’s Library: