Traditions Knitted in Modern Day

Looking back over this week, it is interesting to see how the past crept in to share its insights with today's fast-paced modern world.

FRENCH

Madame Julie made her monthly visit to our classroom to discuss French culture and traditions which are also closely linked to our own Catholic traditions. 

This month was about Lent (le Carême) and the chance to participate in the flippin' fantastic, get-your-body-moving, fun to do and watch tradition of pancake flipping. The tradition is said to have originated in 1445 when a housewife from England, was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake, tossing it to prevent it from burning.

MATH

Traditionally, students in Gr 1 are relegated to using iPad apps if they want to use technology in their classrooms and have to wait until Gr 3 before learning to log into a Chromebook and activating their mytools2go accounts.  That is, unless their teacher asks the simple question, "why?" and the modern world collides into a math lesson with some help from the Gr 6 buddies.

Look, Mom!  No desks, no paper, no worries!

Can a Gr 1 manipulate the touchpad to create 2-D shapes on a Chromebook?  Why not?

The "big buddies" were responsible for telling the little ones where to click and showing them how to insert and make shapes using Google Drawings.  So many smiles, looks of awe and shouts of delight were heard throughout the fastest math hour in history!

The computer knows it's me!

WINTER WEAR

Although it hasn't been the coldest of winters this year, St Bernard had been gifted with a donation of many hand-knit scarves, toques and mitts and this seemed the time to roll them out and let the kids go shopping! Honestly, who knits anymore?  So much time and money!  Ahh...but the quality and designs were as wonderful and various as the children themselves.

Modelling the Women of Solidarity Towers winter wear line

We are so grateful to the Women of Solidarity Towers for thinking of us and for taking the time to lovingly knit such quality items that we will treasure. 

So we learned that we can keep our eyes fixed on all the surprises that the future may hold but glances into the past certainly capture our attention and remind us not to "throw the baby out with the bath water"!

~Miss Brooks