Wild about Wound Care!

At the Yadkin Valley Community school, we take many field trips throughout the year. This week our student visited Prism as an extension of their study of the human body. I cannot say enough great things about the Prism staff! They were gracious, entertaining and knowledgeable. On this field trip, the students learned all about […]

10 ways to have a student-centered classroom

From its inception, the Yadkin Valley Community School has been inspired by the Montessori curriculum and philosophy. That means that when you walk into our school, you will notice several ways that it is different than a traditional public school. Our school is committed to a student-centered experience. “Standards work hand in hand with student-directed […]

How does the digestive system work?

The students are studying the human body this year. Having just finished the respiratory system, they are now moving on to the digestive system. Recently they had a hands-on lesson about the steps that take place during digestion, and I don’t think they will soon forget it. First, the food is chewed. The cup represents […]

Student Portraits – Part 1

We are starting what I hope will be an amazing and thoughtful art project. The students will work on this project throughout the year and hang their final pieces in the Spring. We will be doing portrait photography. For those of you who didn’t already know, my degree is in Photography from the Savannah College […]

littleBits for the Classroom

Technology & Design class is a time for students to explore their creative sides while honing their engineering skills. It is our priority to prepare our kids for the rest of their education in high school and college as well as their future careers which will no doubt require them to be innovative, creative problem […]

Why teach kindness in school?

Why should we teach kindness in school? Teachers have an awesome responsibility to mold the minds and hearts of our children. Cultivating kindness in the classroom improves school culture and supports learning, both academic and emotional. It is part of our mission at the Yadkin Valley Community School to teach the whole child. That means […]

Escape Room For the Classroom

Our classroom “Escape Room” began with a fake newspaper article. The article set the scene and led them to first clue. The clue was written backwards, and it was assumed that the kids would hold it up to a mirror. Instead, they flipped it over and held it up to the window to read it. […]

Indoor Camping

Last year, for our final field trip, we decided to go camping at New River State Park. Everyone enjoyed it so much that we adopted it as an annual tradition. As the date of this year’s camping trip neared, the kids grew more and more excited. They made plans for sleeping arrangements, a capture-the-flag rematch […]

Collaborative Art

I am a big fan of a collaborative art project. Before the doors of YVCS opened, we began working on a large canvas which read, “Together we can…” at the top. All the kids at school, as well as others in the community, had a chance to contribute their idea for the end of that […]