Create a predictable and reassuring rhythm in your home

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Create a predictable and reassuring rhythm in your home.

 People of all ages feel more reassured when they know what to expect in their everyday lives. This is especially true for children and teens.

In their book entitled Simplicity Parenting, Kim John Payne and Lisa M. Ross explain the importance of establishing rhythms and routines in your home that make your child feel calm, safe and secure and that help build a stronger sense of connection between family members.

Creating a predictable and reassuring rhythm in your home will give your child a strong sense of security and will make her feel safer and less stressed in this busy and complicated world.

Slow down and simplify your home environment

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Slow down and simplify your home environment.

Our lives today are very busy and very programmed. And, on top of  everything we have going on in our own lives, we face a constant barrage of information about the world from the internet and media.

In their book entitled Simplicity Parenting, Kim John Payne and Lisa M. Ross explain how creating a calm home environment with predictable routines helps children learn and flourish.

You can start by pairing back the number of extra-curricular activities your child does, helping him establish a predictable schedule and routine, and limiting unnecessary stimulation around the house, like television, radio and internet. This will help your child be relaxed and focused and will put him in a better frame of mind  for learning.

 

An Interview with Centennial Academy Teacher Laura Grimaud

Introduce yourself and the courses you teach. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy?

My name is Laura Grimaud and I’ve been teaching 9th grade High School French since the beginning of the 2018 school year. Being used to working in a private institution taught by nuns, I really appreciate the structured approach at Centennial Academy and the emphasis on using all our resources to help our students reach their full potential. [/row]

What are the top 3 things that you think make Centennial Academy unique?

In my opinion the top 3 things that make Centennial Academy unique are:

  1. The concentrated efforts of everyone at Centennial (administration, specialists and teachers) to work together to achieve a common goal.
  2. The support and consistency with which we implement our teaching methods.
  3. The technology that is available to help us make our classes more interesting.

Tell me about one of your favorite teaching memories/story?

One of my favourite teaching memories is a student is able to move from point A to point B and significantly manages to increase his or her average by the end of a school year. The joy and self-esteem he or she experiences go a long way in emphasizing the essential role that teachers play in the school. We can’t save the world, but we can improve some students’ worlds through by supporting him or her in school.

What do you think your students like the most about you?

My desire to help them succeed, as well as my maternal involvement.

Describe a typical classroom experience or a typical day at Centennial?

When students are motivated by their routine and it leads them to a better understanding of more complex notions with openness and a desire to learn.

Describe in your own words the Centennial Academy Approach and how UDL really works.

A commitment to quality education that is first and foremost aligned with the sustainable goals and changes recommended by UNESCO. The principles of UDL are part of a framework in which students have a commitment and act in a manner that’s consistent with their commitment, making it possible for them to excel and understand the goal behind education.

Encourage her to make her bed every morning

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Encourage her to make her bed every morning.

In his book entitled “Make Your Bed,” former U.S. Navy Seal William H. McRaven explains ten important life lessons that he learned during his rigorous training. Lesson #1 is: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” In other words, you need to learn how to do the little things in life right if you want to learn how to do the bigger things in life right.

Beginning your day by making your bed helps you establish a routine. It can be considered the first task in your daily schedule and is quick to do and tick-off your list. It therefore helps students build autonomy and can give them a small sense of accomplishment at the very start of their day.

What’s more, as McRaven points-out, even if the rest of your day goes badly, you at least have a welcoming bed to come back to!

Fostering a growth mindset in yourself will have a positive impact on your child

Fostering a growth mindset in yourself will have a positive impact on your child.

How we perceive our abilities and talents greatly affects the paths we take in life. Believing that you are born with a set of fixed abilities and talents can really limit your success and fulfilment. Happily, science has shown that, through hard work and determination, human beings are capable of learning and improving at just about anything.

The key to succeeding at something, no matter how difficult it is for you, is believing that you are capable of achieving your goal, embracing the hard work it will take to achieve it, and not letting yourself get discouraged when you face setbacks. This is called a growth mindset.

As a parent, if you actively adopt a growth mindset, you will be setting a valuable example for your child : you will be cultivating optimism and self-confidence, encouraging effort and change, and showing how mistakes – far from being disasters – can actually be our greatest learning opportunities.

To learn more about the power of a growth mindset, I encourage you to read “Mindset,” a ground-breaking book by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck.

Centennial in the news!

Il y aura deux nouvelles écoles sur le site du Grand Séminaire de Montréal

Click here to read the Radio-Canada article.

 

Help your child create a morning routine that helps her succeed

Help your child create a morning routine that helps her succeed

The way we start our day sets the tone for how it is going to unfold. If you want your child to be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to tackle challenges like exams, help her to develop a morning routine that both relaxes her and boosts her energy and concentration. Highly competitive and successful people, from business moguls to championship athletes, have long known the importance of following a predictable routine that helps them perform at their peak. For some people, starting their day right might mean a workout or yoga. For others, it might be listening to a specific playlist or even tidying-up their room. The important thing is to find a routine that makes getting up and getting going feel good.

Try being your child’s morning coach: help her create a morning routine that works for her and help her stick with it. Be sure that it includes a healthy breakfast, a bit of exercise or relaxation, and a stress-free atmosphere. And, try topping things off with a positive morning ritual, whether that be a hug, a high-five or a cheerful goodbye!

To read more about the importance of morning routines, read “My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired,” by Michael Xander and Benjamin Spall. They also have their own online magazine that publishes an inspiring morning routine every Wednesday.

If your child is feeling overwhelmed by stress, suggest a healing walk outdoors

If your child is feeling overwhelmed by stress, suggest a healing walk outdoors.

Spring has finally arrived, and the trees and flowers are in full bloom. It’s a perfect time to discover the healing powers of nature! Believe it or not, taking mindful walks outdoors – especially surrounded by trees –  has been scientifically shown, in studies around the world, to reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure,  improve healing, and boost concentration. The Japanese have a name for this activity: Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing.” More than just going for a walk in the woods, it requires you to be conscious of the sights, smells and sounds around you, and to clear your mind of any other busy thoughts.

If your child is feeling anxious about exams, a simple, ten-minute “forest bath” might be all she needs to feel more relaxed. If you can’t find a nearby forest, try a large park, garden, or even a path beside a body of water. There are plenty of options in and around Montreal. To find out more about the powers of nature, read: