We love feedback. From parents, teachers, kids, volunteers—we take it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Feedback helps us improve our process and our programs. Starting this blog was in response to feedback we received from a parent who thought we sat around all afternoon on an early release day. It was a big eye opener for us! We are busy like a hive of bees on early release days; every day in fact. If one parent doesn’t know that, are there more who don’t?!?! We realized that we need to do more to spread the word on what we do during our time with your kids. We do some awesome stuff and if you don’t know about it, you can’t talk about it with your kids.
Here’s a typical day: 2:30-school is dismissed and kids report to the cafeteria. we go outside to the playground for snacks and some much-needed exercise. 3:00-homework time for grades 1-5. Kindergartners seem to require 1-to-1 help for homework which we really can’t offer right now, so we use this time with them to do independent reading, group story time, introductions to the weekly country study (more on that later) or art time (AKA coloring or drawing). 3:30-kids signed up for clubs are dismissed with club leaders. If kids are not in a specific club that day, they are automatically in Explorers Club. Explorers Club uses the 3:30-4:30 hour to explore a country a week through dance, music, cooking, culture, computer lab exploration, art projects and special guests speakers. 4:30-we end up back down in the gym for some organized games. Sometimes, they are from the country we are studying and sometimes they are just our regular old games. Either way, we divide up K-1 and 2-5 grades and get busy with some fun. Pick up happens by 5:30 and we go home, rest up and get ready for the next day of fun.
If it is an early release day or a teacher work day, you will most likely find us there, doing our thing. The next teacher workday is Monday, February 20. We are there 8 am to 5:30 pm. Whew. We have a lot planned too. Including cooking pizza in the cobb oven, baking granola, making volunteer thank you gifts, bingo, a craft and games. NO CLUBS this time since it is a teacher workday. If you need to find us, you can call us. We change locations depending on what we are doing. The Bright IDEAS phone number is 828.513.9223. We work hard to post where we will be on the pillar outside the main entrance too. Never a dull moment, folks.
brightideasexplorersclub 