Praise the Lord!!!!

I am ecstatic to announce that I signed my first teaching contract this morning! I will be teaching K/1 at South City Community School! I couldn't be more excited! Even though I can't start setting up my room (I love the sound of that) until August 10th, I've been going through all of the teaching stuff I have accumulated in the basement tonight and it is so much fun!

A little more about the school. This was taken from the school's website. The SCCS's teaching philosophy relies heavily on the 19th century educator, Charlotte Mason. Here are few of the things both Mason, and South City Community School value:

Children participate actively in their own learning – wondering, observing, exploring, experimenting, mastering, creating – and become communicators of that knowledge.

Narration, or telling back, is used in all subjects as a tool for learning and assessment.

Living Books - books (either classic or modern) that are excellently written, tell a story, and inspire children to love the subject and hunger for more - form the foundation for our curriculum.

Nature study, Artist and Composer studies, foreign language, Art, Poetry, and Music are a regular (at least weekly) part of every student’s experience, building an appreciation for the fine arts and nurturing these gifts at an early age.

Enrichment Trips extend learning beyond the walls of the classroom.  Classes at SCCS take monthly or bi-monthly trips to various locations throughout the St. Louis metro area.

Support for homeschooling families through a Homeschool Community Day program offered one morning a week for Kind - 3rd grade.

Small class sizes –  (below are maximum class sizes)

    8 children in PreK3

    10 children in PreK4

    14 children in Kindergarten

    14 children in 1st grade

    14 children in 2nd grade

    14 children in combined 3rd / 4th grade

Family involvement is seen as a vital and required role for the success of each student and our school community.

You can see more of what goes on at the website:  http://www.sccommunityschool.org/home.html


I don't know a whole lot about Charlotte Mason's Philosophy yet, but I am SO excited to learn more about her and her view of education. One of the things I love about Mason is how much she values and nurtures the whole child.  I will be going out to North Carolina for a conference with one of the Heads of School and three new teachers June 6th-9th to learn more about Mason's philosophy. I will begin training on August 8th and setting up my room, then school starts on August 23rd!

Thank you to all of you who have been such a wonderful support system. Thank you for the prayers the past 2 years and all of the encouragement you have given me in some of the most discouraging times of my career. I am so blessed.

Praise the Lord, for he is GOOD! 

Love,
Katelyn (and Sam)