Archives: September 2022

A Teacher Reflects Back

Added on September 23, 2022 by Anonymous

A Teacher Reflects Back

Dear WPS Students:

If I had the chance to go back to middle school and high school there would be some things I would do differently. Although I am a teacher- and teachers love learning- we all didn't start off perfectly and I am certainly one of those. Here are some pieces of advice that I think will help you capitalize on your chances of making the most of your education and the time and resources in front of you all.

  1. Don't be afraid to ask questions/make mistakes. Nervous that the teacher will think you are weird for asking a question? Afraid of taking a more difficult class because you might not get an A? Shy because of what you are going to look like in front of your secret crush? Your education is yours and you have every right to ask questions, challenge yourself and make mistakes; whoever makes fun of you for this or criticizes you is not on the true path to learning.
  2. Read!Read as much as you can about whatever topic you are interested in. I know you have heard this before but the truth is that so much of our productive time is wasted on doing unproductive tasks. Instead of reading a magazine, a book for school/pleasure, or researching world events, we watch TV, surf the Internet for meaningless things or worry about superficial nonsense. Get off of Facebook, don't worry who is dating who, don't worry about whatever reality TV show's next episode may bring, or if someone has a nicer car than you. All of that time can instead be used for discovering something new and bettering yourself. So get out there and read!
  3. Push yourself to read outside of your interests. If you love science, try reading something about art. If you love theater, try reading something about history. You never know just what you might stumble upon and how it can benefit and change you. I believe we should all strive to be comprehensive learners and learn many topics from the whole gamut.
  4. Gain discipline Not only should you push yourself to read and to read other topics, but push yourself to learn and see the value of other subjects. Don't think that just because something is boring, or not 'your thing' that you can't learn from it. Be open and give it a chance. This requires discipline and patience. Too often I see students who lose interest, motivation and respect for a topic because it does not offer instant gratification like an IPAD or a play station would. Learning can be fun but its not all entertainment. And yes let me point that out…you are not in school to be entertained. Learning requires discipline to be able to appreciate these moments of diversion.
  5. Think of the bigger world. You must start to realize that the more you learn about the bubble outside of yourself, your school, your neighborhood, your state, your country, and even the earth, the more you will discover your own place and purpose. There are people just like you in other parts of the world…learn about them! This world and universe is a neat place so take interest in it all.

From a WPS teacher

 

Outstanding Dancer Shares Her Tips

Added on September 9, 2022 by Bella.K

Outstanding Dancer Shares Her Tips

Hi my name is Bella and I am an 8th grade student at Windermere Prep. One of my greatest passions in life is dance. I find myself dancing almost everywhere I go. It is something that I could not live without. Each week I dance for about 10+ hours. I also attend certain dance competitions every few months, which means a lot of extra rehearsals. Sometimes I find it a little tricky to maintain a 4.0 GPA as well as attend all of my dance classes and rehearsals. However I seem to always find a way to make it work.

One tip I would give others who are struggling to juggle all of their extra curricular activities along with school is to stay organized. I would suggest keeping a planner to write all of your assignments down on. As well as keeping a few folders to organize any papers you receive from teachers. This way you do not lose any time due to searching for a lost paper or assignment. Another tip would be to get lots of sleep and eat healthy as well. Being tired or getting sick would only lead to more schoolwork piling up, which will make it much harder to balance school and your extracurricular activities.

My last tip is to get some of your schoolwork done over the weekend. If you wait until the week everything is due it will be extremely hard to complete everything on time and attend your extracurricular activities. Even spending an hour on your work over the weekend can make a huge difference. I know that all of these tips have definitely made it a lot easier for me to keep up with my schoolwork as well as dance, which is very important to me.

I truly do not know what I would do without dance. It has provided me with so many great opportunities that I am so thankful for. Through dance I can express myself and teach others. I have even gotten to work with an incredible nonprofit organization known as Dance Out Bullying and got to educate others about bullying through dance. I hope to one-day dance on Broadway as well as eventually own my own dance studio and teach others. I hope to have a positive impact on someone's life through dance. I also hope that all of my tips will help you maintain your busy schedule and allow you to follow your dreams and achieve your aspirations and goals.

 

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