Dear Families of Holy Name,

This morning while the 4th graders were singing a praise and worship song with actions before convocation, the third grade entered the gym. I saw this amazing thing happen. One of our third graders began running to join them with the biggest smile on his face. First I was struck by the pure joy. Second, it was such a clear reminder of how we learn through imitation.

This week, the teachers had the opportunity to learn from author Jason Barney. He wrote a book on how to use “narration” in the classroom. I would like to share with you some important lessons for you as a parent. I notice for myself that I often ask how my child’s day went here at Holy Name, but I am not very specific in my questioning. I may get a short reply or sometimes a longer response, but I find myself not always being engaged in that moment.

I do not know if this has ever happened to you, but those moments are critical for learning. In fact, recalling specific moments with great detail helps to solidify the information. We forget about 70% of what we hear almost immediately. The other 30% fades quickly without some recall to reinforce it. Our brains naturally eliminate that information if it is not used. Asking your child to “tell me more about that” not only reinforces the learning, but it gives you an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your child.

You will be seeing the teachers using narration more in their classrooms. Students will be challenged to hear a text only one time and asked to recall as much information as they can. The process helps build strong memory skills. The conversations you have with your child are so important. Please ask them about their day. Be specific on what happened in science class, or what poem are you working on? Take time to make eye contact and listen intently. Ask follow up questions. This could be a game changer for you and your child.

On other news, the talent show is coming soon and the deadline to sign up is Feb 17. Please encourage your child to share their special talent with our school.

Peace and joy,

Nathan Vande Hey
Principal