NUACHTÁN ELEMENTARY | March 2022
The school year goes on and we find ourselves in March, already. During this month, we highlight spring arrival and activities such as Art and Culture Week and Saint Patrick’s Day celebration, events that our students and teachers enjoy very much. We invite you to visit our big art gallery that is full with the works of all the children.
DIVERSITY IN TEACHING
By Consuelo Zamudio | Spanish Coordinator
We find a variety of learning styles within the classrooms, since not all of us learn the same way and each one uses his own method. Furthermore, our likes or preferences, capabilities, cultural baggage, rhythm and attitudes towards learning step in. Each member of the class will learn in a different way, he or she will have his own doubts and advance in some areas differently.
Although, as teachers, we recognize in our students these learning styles and they give us a reference to understand some behaviors observed in a daily basis in the classroom, we shouldn’t label them, since those styles are not permanent nor definitive. Our students’ learning styles evolve with age and experiences, so at the school, we teachers use a variety of learning experiences, encouraging flexibility in the student to learn under different learning styles, we create opportunities for success and we offer a balanced and comprehensive teaching.
HOW THE INQUIRY LINES COMPREHENSION IS EVALUATED
By 4th grade teachers
In each unit a central idea and three lines of inquiry are worked; to evaluate if children understood the central idea a summative evaluation is carried out and to know if lines of inquiry were clear, formative evaluations are done.
Today, we want to share with you one of the evaluations carried out in Unit 3 by 4th grade called ‘Safe travels!’
After doing different learning experiences about the line of inquiry ‘Migrations through history’, kids were asked to do a brochure. Kids observed the evaluation tool, this time, a ‘checklist’ so students knew what they were supposed to include in their work.
It is noted that children already knew the features of the brochure, since it had been previously worked in the contents of both, English, and Spanish, looking for the transversality.
An important part of the experiences is to recover prior knowledge about the topics and to find a contextualized relation reinforcing their knowledge, getting involved their cognitive and intellectual skills so they have an impact in their daily life making meaningful changes in their environment.
CHESS AS AN INCLUSIVE SPORT PAR EXCELLENCE
By Lic. Vivian Ocampo | Chess teacher
A lot has been told about the academic and social-emotional benefits of chess in the pedagogy and development of children, but little has been spoken about what a sport such as this means in terms of inclusion; and that is that with all the efforts made by society throughout the years in terms of prevention inequalities and equity in all aspects of our life, it is incredible we had overlooked that chess has been and always will be one of the most inclusive sports in the world.
When analyzing the term inclusion, we can see it from many points of view, but let’s focus on the one that concerns us, which is sports. Sports inclusion is defined as follows: physical and sports activity that allows the joint practice of people with or without disabilities, adjusting themselves to the capabilities of the practitioners and keeping the goal of the sports specialty in question.
Being a sport subject to its practice within a board, chess can be practiced by any person, regardless of gender, age, physical condition, different abilities, etc., which fulfills the section of being a joint practice with or without disabilities. Besides, the International Chess Federation handbooks have specialized chapters in the regulation of its practice when one of the contenders, due to the lack of or diminished physical conditions, requires specialized playing conditions, such as the use of boards for the visually impaired or the use of separation between boards to accommodate wheelchairs. Chess, in essence, in practice and regulation, IS MADE FOR EVERYONE.
In addition, it has proved being an important tool for social inclusion, since several countries carry out programs focused on young people in vulnerable or high-risk areas, where through chess and other sports, they seek to provide a way and an alternative to their spare time, as well as using it therapeutically.
Medical uses are also important, since the inclusiveness of this sport allows to use it as a method to prevent Alzheimer, in addition to its proven use as a therapy in ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders.)
We can see that this discipline not only helps our children to have a better development as students, but also as human beings that look, respect, support and coexist with others in a healthy and natural way, regardless anything but the fact of being human just like them.
References :
Deporte inclusivo: aplicaciones prácticas. [Inclusive sport: practical applications.] First edition: March 2021. Edita: Instituto Andaluz del Deporte. Consejería de Educación y Deporte Coordinación de la obra: Carmen Ocete Calvo.
International fórum “Innovation in the inclusive sport” September 24th and 25th 2021, online.
https://www.eldiariodemadryn.com/2018/08/el-ajedrez-como-herramienta-de-inclusion-social/
https://dle.rae.es/inclusi%C3%B3n
CHANGES AS AN OPPORTUNITY, WITHOUT FEAR
By Psic. Gabriela García
Freedom means responsibility, which is why most men are so afraid of it. -George Bernard Shaw-
During these days, we have experienced fears more frequently that haven’t been as useful as before, mainly when we face routine changes or instability in our life.
As well, in these times of constant modification focused on the health, political, economic, or social sector, we are facing different scenarios that directly, briefly and spontaneously destabilize us constantly, whether as individuals or society from the different roles played in the family, school or work.
When we feel fear or dread, it is said to possibly be due to unknown events or by the lack of control over novelty. Joanna Bourke, author of Fear: A Cultural History reveals that fear is a kind of collective or individual feeling that may vary with time and context.
All along our life, we learn to adapt in short, medium, or long terms, since it is necessary or essential for us to survive with well-being. Before the different experiences, we can perceive that fear to change may occur in different situations, linked to certain causes:
| SITUATION | CAUSE |
| Stepping out of our comfort | No control over the situation |
| Exploring new scenarios | Fear of making a mistake |
| The unknown | Not daring to make any changes or to start. |
As a consequence, some of the above-mentioned fears, produce anxiety, vulnerability and weakness towards changes, loss of control, discomfort, stability or security due to risking any situation that we may not control or that is not perceived with maximum satisfaction.
Some recommendations that will help self-manage fear are:
- Listen to your body, analyze the feeling and treat it according to what favors your mind and body the most.
- Keep positive thoughts and link with groups with real discourses.
- Design an action plan that help you establish causes, positive and negative consequences constantly to get used to innovation.
- Nurture courage, to foster security, confidence and mastery of your own life.
- Make decisions step by step, it will help you generate attitudes more focused towards an established goal.
- Evaluate all the options you have before the situation to favor decision making.
- Regularly modify your school, social, or work strategies to keep you constantly changing and adapting.
- Visualize the changes as challenges that allow an emotional, psychological, and social growth and well-being.
Remember, it is important to be aware that the risk facing changes can be essential to favor your happiness.
References : Barrera Méndez, Juan Antonio El miedo colectivo: el paso de la experiencia individual a la experiencia colectiva. [The collective fear: the step from personal to collective experience.] El Cotidiano, núm. 159, January – February, 2010, pp. 5-10 Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Azcapotzalco Distrito Federal, México.
