Please welcome our guest blogger, Heidi, a parent at Via Vita. She shares her thoughts on our little school, or as she calls it, a "sweet little community school". We are overjoyed to have such wonderful families such as hers join our school. We hope you'll take a moment to read what she has to say. We're extremely grateful to have so much support. Right now, Via Vita is a bit of a well kept secret. Once word gets out, there will be a waiting list to this sweet little school community that is Via Vita. Once you step inside, take a tour, chat a bit with Adele and Meghan, the school’s owners/teachers, it’s hard not to be won over by their passion. I don't know about you, but I want my kids to have something interesting to report at the supper table each night. I want them to love learning and enjoy how they spend their 6 plus hours a day away from our home. And, I want to send them somewhere that I know that they are learning everything that they need to prepare them for their future. I also want to send them somewhere that the teacher’s know and really care for them. Sound about right? Well, I’ve found it. The best new little school in town. The best thing about Via Vita is that kids are having fun while learning. Even as an adult, I have learned that when something ignites my interest, I am much more likely to be engaged and remember it in the future. The teachers at Via Vita exude a passion for their jobs that is palpable. They are experienced in teaching methods that allow the student to bring their own interests to topics that are part of the curriculum. Now before you go thinking that this all sounds kind of wishy washy….just wait. They also teach all of the nuts and bolts that students need like Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts. The best part is that they do it in such a way that students are both learning and having fun. You won’t find repetitive worksheets at this school.
One of the approaches that is woven into the schools design “Theme Based Learning” utilizes a particular topic, for instance, a social studies topic on the environment. The students may be asked to work on a project that involves research, writing, presentation skills and even Math. A theme based project my daughter worked on entitled “junk as art” required her to create something useful out of garbage. She decided on a bracelet made from pop top lids. She was required to research all of the items that would be used in making the bracelet and write a report outlining how long each item would take to break down in the landfill. She also had to describe the project in writing, and all the steps entailed in making it. In addition, she provided visual aids (photos) for her classmates to observe. She later presented the project to her class on powerpoint. This project and others like it teach many skills, but my daughter learned so much and gleaned so much enjoyment and pride for her finished product. This is just one example of how them based learning works. Via Vita students will be moving their bodies approximately 2 hours daily. This high level of physical activity alone is something that very few private schools are able to offer, and something I am personally looking forward to. I believe kids are more likely to get out of bed in the mornings energized and looking forward to their day when they know they have gym and plenty of outdoor time every single day. In addition to the usual sports kids are exposed to, the students at Via Vita have the opportunity to try out new experiences and engage in the outdoors as often as possible. Classroom learning is often taken outside when it fits. Their interests come in to play, as well, including experiences that are driven by the students’ ideas and suggestions, like yoga, martial arts, drama, dance etc. Did I even mention yet that the average class size will be 10 students? Yup, you heard that right -TEN. I know of no other school that offers such a strong academic environment with so much physical activity, outdoor time, and hands-on learning. This little private school is our well kept secret. For now, at least. Us, other Via Vita parents - we know what we’ve found. A gem, really. We are proud to be apart of this little school community. For my kids and for our family, we’re looking forward to a fantastic year ahead.
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Please welcome our guest bloggers this week, Julie & Amanda. These two parents from Via Vita narrowed down their reasons for choosing us for their child's education and decided to share their thoughts with you today! We are thrilled they took a moment to write it all down! Enjoy the read! Perhaps give us a call afterwards, you know, if you'd like... Every parent knows that feeling... whether you're sending your "baby" into the world of school for the first time or it's time for a change and you want to get it right. How do you choose? In today's day and age there are many options, so how do you figure out which school is best? How can you choose a place where your child will spend the majority of his or her time ? Which school will teach them in such a way that they flourish, excel and accomplish what they need to in order to succeed and be happy in life?
Hard questions.... Unfortunately there are no easy answers but after all our lists of pros and cons, interviews, open houses, discussions and family meetings WE chose Via Vita Academy, and here's why. Reason #1 SMALL CLASS SIZES!! This was a real deal breaker for us with other schools. Upwards of 20 students to a class with 1 teacher does not work, even for the best teachers with the best intentions. What often ends up happening is behavior problems get simple discipline instead of someone working with them to figure out what happened today, kids who "get it" just get another book to read instead of being encouraged to learn beyond the class level and the ones in the middle ...well maybe they taught a bit. Via Vita Academy comes in at 10-15 students per group of multi grade levels (more on that in Reason #2!) individual attention ABOUND!! Reason #2 MULTI GRADE LEVELS!! We really don't know how this can go wrong, there are so many benefits. Children can take on leadership roles they may have never been exposed to, benefit from more review if needed or have the ability to continue to learn beyond their grade level. They can pre learn things simply by listening when the older group is being taught or reinforce skills by explaining them to the younger classmates. Another win-win for us. Reason #3 INQUIRY BASED THEME LEARNING!! What a way to learn, asking kids questions instead of delivering the information to them like a traditional classroom. Engaging the child and challenging them to think, basically learning how to learn, this is something that will be a huge asset for them in a world that keeps changing. This will give the children confidence and a sense of independence knowing that they can figure things out for themselves. Not to mention the hands on side of this, as we all know that there is no better way to learn than actually doing! Reason #4 LIFE SKIILS AND DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES!! If all of the great education they will already be getting isn't enough they will also be taught life skills that everyone could benefit from. Things like how to cook, fix basic things, how to grow your own food and the one thing I think we all wish had been taught in school; money management. Skills that will change their lives and have them better prepared to step into the "real world". Now add in physical activity everyday to help keep healthy, also helping them be focused and attentive during school time. What more could you ask for in a school... wait there is one more thing you could ask for.... Last but not least..... Reason #5 MEGHAN and ADELE!! Ok, so we had an advantage in knowing these amazing teachers before signing up. Thankfully all anyone else needs to do is attend an open house or request a private tour to see how passionate they are about teaching. They lead by example and are truly some of the most patient, positive and enthusiastic teachers we've ever met. To hear them talk about their plans and how it will directly benefit YOUR child is worth the drive over. Hopefully our list makes your life a little easier because whatever school you choose, you owe it to your child to make the most informed choice possible! Let's go down memory lane for a moment here... Images of kids running out of school, throwing their school work into the air as summer vacation begins. You may even start singing Alice Coopers 'Schools Out' song -- No more school, no more home work, kids get to do what they want for two months! Wahoo! Remember those days? Carefree summers of playing sports, playing with friends, and going on vacations. Boy oh boy, those were the days! We want to help make sure that those memories of fun summers continue on.. Don't let the words summer slide, brain drain, summer learning loss, make you think that it's impossible for your child to have an enjoyable summer and keep up their skills at the same time! Yes, the studies can be a touch shocking when they are reporting that in the summer kids can lose about one month of overall learning, two months of reading skills, and that teachers can spend up to six weeks re-teaching old material that was lost in the summer months. It sounds scary and alarming. We know. But don't despair! And definitely don't buy those curriculum activity books just yet! It's actually a lot easier than you think to keep 'em smiling and skilled in time for September. Enjoy those precious months of sunshine, warmth and family memories. They're worth more than anything else! You don’t have to sacrifice your summer plans in order to keep your child’s skills sharp. Five Ways to Boost Summer Learning While Still Having Summer Fun Keep them reading Everything in this list is helpful, however if you only have time to do one thing, do this. Reading feeds into nearly everything else, is one of the most practical and useful skills, and it can be done anywhere. Read to them, have them read to you, read signs, newspapers, road signs, menus, instructions, anything, story books, chapter books, comic books, anything. Anything that comes up and is of interest, take it! Reading for 20-30 minutes at bedtime, in the car, all at once or throughout the day will help your child to continue to expand their vocabulary, grow their knowledge and questions about the world, and will help keep their academic skills progressing. Let them experience real life mathematics Plan a budget for a weekend camping trip and shop together. Read maps, figure out distance and time, divide food equally, follow recipes, measure ingredients, figure out money spent and change. Get them using their math skills in real life situations as often as possible. This will help reinforce what they’ve learned, help them make a connection (maybe even question!) how to do other skills and can bring real value to practising math skills. Ask them as many questions as they ask you If you're planning a trip to the zoo, do some research ahead of time to learn more about some of the animals and where they came from. If you're heading to the beach, look up some strategies on how to make a drool-worthy sandcastle. Ask them, 'Why do you think that?" "How does this work?" "Where would we find out that information?" Get them thinking about the world around them, but more importantly, instil the idea that they have the power to learn to about the world around them. All they need is an interest, a question, and someone like you to help them out. Keep them active and outside To keep the mind sharp you have to make sure the body is staying active. Try new activities! Go for a hike! Spend the day at the beach! All of these things keep us moving, keep us exploring, teach us new skills, and inspire our whole bodies to grow. Let alone the memories you'll make! Maybe even give logrolling a try! Try something new this summer. There are so many things to do outdoors and many of them are free or cost very little. You never know, a new family favourite activity could be discovered! Have fun and let children be children
Let's be honest, the summertime is supposed to be laid back and fun. The last thing we would want to suggest is that you take all the fun out of it by over-planning or overdoing it on any end. Life truly is about balance. With all of our suggestions above try to incorporate as much excitement and ‘fun’ into the activities as possible, but also remember to relax and let the moments happen on their own. Learning honestly is so natural, that if we push too hard, we can take all the fun out of it to begin with. Children naturally want to learn about the world, but will take in more and make something of what they've learned if they get to experience it, usually, on their own terms. So, let them run. Let them play. Let them explore. Let them ask questions. Let them experience summer. Be sure to follow Via Vita Academy this summer on Facebook and Twitter. Every Sunday, we’ll set a new weekly Summer Brain Gain Challenge to encourage everyone to have fun while learning this summer! |
Welcome to Our BlogEach post is written by a supportive member of Via Vita Academy, be it a teacher, parent, student, community member, who is invested in the topic of education. Take a read and comment below! Archives
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