If you are a visiting parent or friend, here are some tips for supporting the child and getting hearty responses.

You have a very important role as you interface with children. Did you know that your comments and questions can either shut down a child’s desire to persevere or can encourage growth? Of course, we all want to encourage children – and whether we actually do or not resides in the language we choose.

We’ve learned from Carol Dwek’s* important work on motivation that, very broadly, we can think of fixed mindset and growth mindset. When a child (or adult!) exhibits a fixed mindset, mental and emotional energy flows toward protecting one’s current perceived status. When exhibiting a growth mindset a child (or adult!) is willing to try again, to experiment, to take risks and persevere. Isn’t growth the mindset we want to encourage?

The questions you ask encourage a child either toward a fixed mindset or toward a growth mindset – and the power of the question you ask resides in its subtext. Subtext being the deeper meaning behind the works we say. Below are two comments or questions along with a possible interpretation of the subtext for both the adult and child.

Comment Skewed Toward a Fixed Mindset
Adult: “You are amazing, brilliant! This is beautiful work!”

Subtext an Adult Intends: I love you so much it hurts. I’m so proud of you.

Subtext a Child Hears: She thinks I’m smart. I never want to disappoint her. I want to be the smartest kid she knows. I don’t have to try so hard next time. I’m already brilliant! – And what if next time she is disappointed?

Comments and Questions Skewed Toward a Growth Mindset
Adult: “Tell me how you made this. What did you do first? How did you know what to do next? What do you think of your work? What was really hard about this? How did you feel about getting this done? If you wanted to do more with this, what would you do next?”

Subtext and Adult Intends: You know I adore you. I want you to be a confident problem-solver and to keep trying new ideas. I want you to feel good about how you learn and grow.)

Subtext a Child Hears: She knows I worked hard. She is interested. She likes it when I know a lot about something. I see that my work matters. I’m not doing more on this project, but maybe next time…

When in doubt about what to say about a child’s efforts, keep this in mind: comments tend to summarize and declare a judgment  – whether positive or negative. Open-ended questions invite conversation and the exchange of ideas and feelings.

There are so many ways that your presence, your touch, your smile communicate love to your child. When you come to Celebration of Learning, enjoy your visit because your presence is for your child the very best part of Celebration of Learning.

Mary

*Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck

During these two weeks you will have the pleasure of seeing the most authentic examples of our students’ efforts. They will gather up all that they have learned into thoughtfully prepared projects and presentations to give their friends and loved ones a glimpse of what they have created—which is truly spectacular!

Celebration of Learning 2012 Calendar of Events

Tues., May 8
Grade 1
9:00 – 10:00 am
Wolf Portfolios
Ebony Room

Wed., May 9
Library
8:45 am
Learn from the past…

Thur., May 10
Jr. Kindergarten
9:00 – 9:45 am
Movie: A Stop-Motion Adventure
Great Hall

Fri., May 11
Kindergarten
2:15 – 2:55 pm
Pond Reports
Great Hall

Mon., May 14
Grandparent’s & Special Friend’s Day

8:30 – 9am      Chapel

9 – 10 am       Classrooms

10 – 11am          Brunch

6 – 7pm             SMARTSS

(Specials Classrooms)

7-8pm              Spring Sing in Chapel

Tues., May 15
Grade 2
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Inventor’s Workshop
Classroom

Wed., May 16
Grade 3
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Poetry & Presidents
Classroom/Courtyard

ECP 3′s & 4′s
9:30 – 10:30 am
Music & Spanish Recital
Lower Campus

Thur., May 17
Grade 4
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Creative Reflections through Keynotes
Classroom/Courtyard

Fri., May 18
Grade 5
1:45 – 3:00 pm
Film Festival
Library

• Emergency preparedness procedures documented for fire, earthquake, and campus lock-down
• Conducts an annual disaster simulation on the Upper Campus with students and personnel
• Maintains current emergency food, water, first aid, and shelter supplies and equipment on both campuses – in classrooms as well as in a safe location
• Works with the Menlo Park Fire Department to ensure facility safety conditions
• Practices fire or earthquake drills regularly on both campuses
• Practices lock-down procedures annually

These are just some of the ways Trinity School prepares for the unexpected to keep children safe.

Our annual benefit and celebration, The Golden Gala – 50 Years of Producing Stars, proved to be another tremendous success and exceeded all expectations!

Thank you to everyone who organized this incredible event; who donated so many spectacular items, parties, and getaways; who attended and spent generously; and who attended and simply made the evening so much fun!

Your contributions directly supported the success of the evening and our two goals of the Benefit were amply met:

First, every one had a good time and the community of Trinity School celebrated the school we love and the community we form on behalf of our children.

Secondly, the event surpassed its goal by generating over $190,000 in revenue!! Fund-a-Need generated $58,000 for the Financial Aid Endowment. Wonderful.

The Golden Gala and its monetary successes would in no way have been possible without the strategic imagining, planning, soliciting, and follow through by our amazing Benefit Steering Committee: Catherine Northup, Chrissy Twichell, Susan Griffin, Raj Jain, Heather Fitzgerald, Ruth Housenbold, and Anne Kastner.

Our heartfelt thanks to these talented leaders who delivered fun and success!

-Mary

We have so benefited from your incredible and generous support for our family as we’ve navigated our son Peter’s illness this year. He is now being treated with chemotherapy for a “lymphoproliferative” disease that has developed–caused by the medical tinkering his immune system has had since his transplant. This treatment could go on for several months and will require our parental care and attention in new ways. It isn’t clear whether Peter will be able to spend much time at school though we are hopeful about that. He will look forward greatly to visits with friends as doctors allow that. He is being very brave through this latest trial and completing math worksheets when he’s up for it : ) But will likely be a long, hard road.

Please keep him in your thoughts. Thanks so much.

–Katharine and Charles

Common Ground Speaker Series presents:

AYELET WALDMAN and The Art of Imperfect Parenting

Get ready for an inspirational, laugh-out-loud evening with novelist Ayelet Waldman, a witty and insightful commentator on modern parenthood. Ms. Waldman speaks frankly about how she and her husband, novelist Michael Chabon, work to balance the often-conflicting demands of dual careers and married life as they parent their four children. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Ms. Waldman is the author of seven “Mommy Track” mysteries, three novels and the bestseller, Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace. Her recent work includes the Wall Street Journal essay, “In Defense of The Guilty, Ambivalent, Preoccupied Western Mom,” a lively response to Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.”

Thursday April 26, 7pm
Sacred Heart — Prep Campus
Michael J. Homer Student Life & Science Center 150 Valparaiso, Atherton

Trinity School is a private, independent preschool, junior kindergarten, and elementary school in Menlo Park, CA. Our faith-based, Episcopal day school is affiliated with Trinity Church and St. Bede’s Episcopal Church.

For the past two years, Trinity School teachers have explored some of the learning possibilities and potential that iPads offer students. Having experienced some of these potentialities, Trinity School seeks to expand the interface of students, teachers, iPads, and learning. Through careful planning and deliberate implementation, teachers and administrators are preparing to roll out the School’s first 1:1 iPad program for Grades 4 and 5 in Fall 2012.

In the coming weeks, we will share our detailed plans for implementing this program. Through an informational morning coffee, through Trinity Talk, and on the School’s website, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the rationale for this program, the details of the roll-out, student training, parent education opportunities, and how iPads will interface with the curriculum of Grades 4 and 5.

What an exciting time to be a Trinity School student!

Trinity School is a private, independent preschool, junior kindergarten, and elementary school in Menlo Park, CA. Visit our day school for a campus tour.

This year’s annual benefit, The Golden Gala: 50 Years of Producing Stars, could not have been possible without the care, creativity, and dedication of our wonderful benefit leadership team: Catherine Northup, Susan Griffin, Chrissy Twichell, Heather Fitzgerald, Ruth Housenbold, Anne Kastner, Raj Jain, and the other wonderful volunteers!

We are so grateful for your many hours of volunteer time and the incredible and generous donations that made this event the success it was!

Again, thank you!

Trinity School is a private, independent preschool, junior kindergarten, and elementary school in Menlo Park, CA. Visit our day school for a campus tour.

• we encourage children from all backgrounds to love learning?

• we foster rigorous academics grounded in child- centered content?

• our alumni become active participants in their community?

• Trinity School is committed to diversity in many forms, including socio-economic diversity?

To ensure that Trinity School can continue to fulfill its mission to give each child a voice and to provide children with incomparable teachers, staff, and programs, the School offers tuition assistance to qualifying families each
year.

Since its founding 50 years ago, Trinity School has allocated 10% of tuition-related income to financial assistance. For the past several years, the school has allocated this entire financial assistance fund. Our strategic plan sets the goal for the school to move toward allocating 12% of tuition-related income to financial assistance. This is a long-term goal and one that it will take several years to accomplish.

At this year’s Benefit, Fund-a-Need will support the financial assistance program offered at Trinity School. During Fund-a-Need, we ask that you raise your paddle to make an investment that will ensure Trinity School is able to offer each child—regardless of the family’s unique financial circumstances—the legacy of a curious mindand a discerning heart.

Raise your paddle during the celebration of our golden anniversary. Raise hope close to home.

~

Trinity School is a private, independent preschool, junior kindergarten, and elementary school in Menlo Park, CA. Visit our day school for a campus tour.

RICK WOLFF
Former Detroit Tiger and Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Wolff is a recognized authority on sports parenting. Trained in sports psychology, Coach Wolff analyzes the pressures put on student athletes by parents, coaches, club sports and the  college recruitment process. He provides insider advice on how to nurture well-balanced athletes with winning attitudes.

Mr. Wolff’s books include Parenting Young Athletes the Ripken Way with Cal Ripken and Good Sports: The Concerned  Parent’s Guide to Competitive Sports.

For more information about Rick Wolff and the TOP TEN ISSUES FOR SPORTS PARENTS click – HERE

Event Dates & Times
Tue Mar 20, 9am
Hillbrook School
300 Marchmont Dr
Los Gatos

Tue Mar 20, 7pm
Menlo School
Athletic Center
50 Valparaiso Ave
Atherton

Wed Mar 21, 7pm
Crystal Springs
Uplands School
400 Uplands Dr
Hillsborough

~

Trinity School is a private, independent preschool, junior kindergarten, and elementary school in Menlo Park, CA. Our faith-based, Episcopal day school is affiliated with Trinity Church and St. Bede’s Episcopal Church.