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Please join us in welcoming Ms. Arlene to the Via Vita team! We wish we had met Arlene sooner, as soon as she started, we could see the awesomeness she offered both our students and staff. She brings with her a wonderful sense of joy and wonder, that has already inspired great discoveries in the classroom. We are so grateful and thrilled she has joined our team! With her contagious zest for life, curiosity and openness, we hope you enjoy reading her intro to you! Welcome aboard, Ms. Arlene!  Ever since I was a child, I knew there was something I loved about travelling. Having parents who immigrated to Toronto from the Philippines, I was fortunate enough to spend some of my childhood travelling to the Philippines to visit the hometowns of my parents as well as some family. Sure there was the whole process that was exciting too - packing up your bags, going on a plane, all that ‘good’ stuff. But there was some sort of magic in travelling somewhere, and not knowing what to expect. What feelings will I get once I arrive? What people will I meet? What will I see? I certainly didn’t have the answers to that, and if I asked my parents they didn’t know either - all those answers can only come from me, and when that time comes.
Visiting the Philippines was such a wonderful experience. I was able to learn more about myself - my heritage and culture. Even at a young age, I took this as an opportunity to learn something new. However, there was still something more that I needed, especially once the trip came to an end and I eventually had to go back home. But with that being said, my love and pride of being who I am, a Filipino Canadian, took me in the direction of doing more with that. For over 10 years, I was actively involved in a cultural dance group. We would showcase our Filipino culture through music and dance and we would perform in festivals within Canada and other countries around the world. I remember thinking, how lucky am I to do what I love and be able to share that with others. Essentially, this whole experience for me entailed learning more about my culture, dance, and travelling - all of my favourite things. I believe that it is important to take up every opportunity to ‘travel’, and I am using that term very loosely. Although I have shared with you my first travel experience which involved hopping on a plane, this is not the only travelling one can do. Travel in a book, in a movie, or in your dreams. Travel with friends, or with new friendly faces. There’s mystery and wonder in where it will take you. For instance, mine took me to dance and to learning about Filipino culture. But, the grand souvenir that I got from this all is a broader perspective in the word ’travel’. To me, travelling isn’t merely a thing to do - it’s an experience and it’s a feeling. When you travel, I guarantee you will learn something new. As a new teacher at Via Vita Academy, my hope is to inspire these students to do the same. I want them to travel within learning, within their creative minds, within their play, and within their conversations with others. There are new adventures awaiting them, and I am so excited to see where their own travel experience will take them!
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This past week was National Dance Week. We aren't a Dance School, but we sure are a School that loves to Dance! Enjoy reading this beautiful post written by the lovely Ms. Zoe, our in-house Dance teacher, among many other things, who reflects on not just Dance Week, but the embrace of originality here at VVA. It brought tears to our eyes reading it! Thank you so much, Ms. Zoe, for al the gifts you bring. We are a lucky bunch!  Dance is probably one of the most innate forms of language. From the time that we are young, it seems like such a natural response to allow our bodies to speak through movement. I can still remember the absolute weightless feeling of flailing my limbs about, in no particular fashion; mimicking flight. Each motion completely my own invention from the curl of my fingertips, to the point of my toes. This is what it felt like to be absolutely free and move with complete authenticity. As we get older, social pressures act as inhibitors to this freedom of movement. We become more controlled, more in our heads, and less in our hearts. Yet, still it’s there…the natural inclination to tap one’s foot, or to gently sway from side to side. It lives and breaths within each of us. For generations dance has joined communities together, through social connection and communication. For some it’s been seen as a spiritual experience. It is tied to our culture and allows history to carry on throughout generations. Most importantly, it transcends the limits of social factors, and allows us to just be in union with each other in our most natural beautiful state…happy and free. I am so lucky to get to experience the joy of dance on a daily basis working at VVA. When I was first asked to instruct the dance class at VVA, I was a little apprehensive. Would the students really want to dance so frequently? I was pleasantly surprised to find how eager students of all ages were to have the opportunity to express themselves through this unique art form. From the vivacious pre-k’s who throw their bodies about with liberty, to the mindful teenager who forgets to “be cool” for a moment, while practising their favourite corny dance moves. From the impromptu dance circles that erupt at lunch like a Disney musical, to the heartfelt story telling expressed through showcase dance routines… dance is everywhere in our halls.  In discussing what we would do to celebrate National Dance Week here at VVA, I became aware of just how much dance is part of our school culture. In registering for Dance Nova Scotia’s ‘Dare to Dance’ challenge, we needed to have our whole school dance for 20 minutes together. This is of course something that happens all of the time at our school, without even questioning it. We ultimately decided on some classic line dances, followed by a student-led “dance circle” that invited each student to showcase their unique abilities. As I watched our students so naturally form their “whole-school dance circle” with appreciation for each unique individual, I realized how very lucky I am to be a part of a school community where students feel free to be completely themselves. Watching these children move with such truth and joy has encouraged me to get back to my own natural roots of dancing, of which I’d cloistered for so long. Years of formal dance training had made me focus on perfection, and I’d forgotten what it felt like to experience dance as a pure outpouring of the soul. There’s no greater joy than dancing freely with the kids, not caring how silly I look. I honestly think the more ridiculous that I am, the more the kids enjoy it. Perhaps we can all take a lesson from these young dancers about what it means to live creatively, and authentically. Perhaps the only thing that we need to do in order to keep that spark of innocence alive throughout our lives, is to just keep on dancing! With all my heart, Ms. Zoe  In keeping with the theme of National Dance Week, I asked each of my dances classes to share what they love about dance. Here are some of their thoughtful responses:
Dragonfly & Manta Ray Class (pk-1) “Dancing makes me really, really, really happy!” -Regan “Dancing feels so good and gives me exercise.” -Mason “Dance is exciting!” -Bria “I like playing freeze dance.” -Christopher Melksham Monsters & Kronosaurus Class (grade 2-6) “When I dance, I feel like I’m in another universe, and I’m the only one in it” -Greyson “Even when I’m sad, dancing makes me happy.” -Ariella “I like dancing because it makes me feel good about myself.” -Victoria “I like dancing because I get to have fun!” -Olivia “I love doing dance circles with my friends” -Kathleen “Dancing makes me feel calm.” -Simeon “Dancing takes me to a different world.” -Amelia “When I dance, I feel like there’s nothing else around me.” -Payton Megalodon Class (grade 7-9) “When I’m dancing, I can just be myself. I don’t have to put on a face for anyone.” -Liv “When you get into the groove you lose the negativity in your life.”- A.J The image below was created by the kids, so there are a few spelling mistakes. But, as said by one of our amazing teachers, spelling, like life, isn't always perfect. But it can still be honest, heartfelt, and beautiful. So, with that, we hope you enjoy this beautiful piece written in combination by our students and our fantastic Ms. Tori. A wonderful way to start Spring! Thank you VVA!  “Can you name 10 things that make Via Vita unique, that you love and appreciate about your school?” It’s a question I’m sure most of the kids have thought of from time to time but one that I was curious to see be put into words. As I stare at the wonderful 60 faces in front of me, eager to participate, I can not help but have a sense of immense pride. Pride in my kids, in my work team, and in the environment in which I have been honoured to become a part of. As I stand at the front of the room in Buddies with my fellow teachers in tow, I am amazed at the level of critical thinking these kids bring to class every day. Without hesitation they create groups that involve all ages and designate a writer and “techy” who copies down the information and then prepares it for our Menti project. Menti (as the lovely Ms. Rhiannon taught me) is a brainstorming website that allows multiple people to add words to a central idea or question. The best part is the ideas that come forward more often are the ones that grow in size. It is reflective of that age old classroom question “so what’s our big picture, what is our major focus”, without standing at the front of the room in a lecture-style lesson. As we rotate around the room, it is clear that the kids mirror many of their fellow teachers’ style of classroom management. They prompt their friends for answers to our question, and are patient for the ideas to come out rather than move on to the next student. Some of our older students engage with focus activities or adapted questions to help our Pre-Kindergarten kids feel acknowledged and involved. All in all the lesson goes according to plan, and as we come back together to share our answers with the Menti Cloud projected on to the wall, I cannot help but feel that twinge of excitement to see what the kids really believe sets our school apart.  Their excitement grows with each word that is typed and submitted, and while they smile, laugh, and point I cannot help but feel that sense of pride again. It wells up in my throat as I observe the things that I know in my heart are important to their learning, but that you sometimes wonder if they are picking up on. Music, daily physical activity and kitchen are the first to be thrown up on the board, and it is amazing to see how they value the impact that daily life skills have on their growth. Values like kindness, buddies, and helping others are quickly added; compassion training that is close to all of our collective hearts. After school is added by another student and I feel Ms. Hilary grab my arm, and with a giant smile she goes, “Look, I’m up there!”
“Of course you are Hilary”, I think... we couldn’t do this without you. As the word 'kind' builds it’s way up to the centre (being the most common word they think of), I stare at these beautiful future adults. If the one thing we could bring to them every day is how to be kind to each other, I know I would never have another moment where I question myself, “did I make an impact today?” Buddies lesson for the day: never underestimate the value of kindness in a child’s education. It will truly inspire everyone around you. It is something I have seen every day since I joined Via Vita Academy, and I cannot express how thankful I am to work in an environment that values this quality. And knowing that our kids believe it sets us apart too? Well, there’s something kind of magical about that, isn’t there? From the very appreciative, Ms. Tori |
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