Category Archives: Seven Hills School Walnut Creek

Japan Day #14 Tokyo tour and then long flight home…

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

The morning had us bidding farewell to host families and Kita City educators. It was a bittersweet farewell. Then we were off to see a few more sites: The Meiji Shrine (a Shinto Shrine) The Edo Tokyo Museum and one … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, Japan, leadership, leadership in children, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged | Leave a comment

Japan Day #13 school day and farewell assembly

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Students went to school today with their hosts and then we all met at the Kita city offices today for our Farewell Assembly with the host families. During the day the chaperones had the chance to visit the Tokyo Sky … Continue reading →

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Kindergarten in Japan? Priceless!

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

My small group spent the morning in kindergarten with 4 and 5 year olds!

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Japan Day #8: sightseeing day in Tokyo

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Today was a day of morning sightseeing and afternoon lunch and shopping, then back to host families at the usual time… We saw some interesting sites: The Tokyo Tower, The outside of the Imperial Palace and a famous Buddhist Temple. … Continue reading →

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Japan Day #7: Each group to a different school…

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Given the raucous conversations at the end of the day, each group had some terrific opportunities to interact with students ranging from kindergarten through 9th grade. I have a few pics of other group activities, as well as mine… Pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, Japan, leadership, leadership in children, literacy, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged | Leave a comment

Day #5, Part 2, Arrival in Kita City

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Tons of excitement and the right amount of pomp and circumstance greeted us in Kita City. What a lovely opening assembly. What an honor!                    

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, Japan, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek | Tagged | Leave a comment

Day #5 Happy Birthday Grace! …and the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo!

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Grace turned fourteen in Japan on Sunday. There was a free morning and then we gathered up all our things to get to the bullet train for the ride from Kyoto to Tokyo. First we waited in the station. Ryan … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, Japan, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning | Tagged | Leave a comment

Japan Day #2 Hiroshima and the bullet train to Kyoto!

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Breakfast in the hotel, than a walk across the street to the Peace Park. So we had an amazing, somber, eye-opening and memorable morning in Hiroshima, starting with a hotel breakfast and a walk to the Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum. … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, diversity, education, global education, gratitude, helping children cope with tragedy, Japan, leadership, leadership in children, Seven Hills Japan Trip 2016, Seven Hills School, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

This is an inspirational speech…

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

This speech, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s commencement ceremony last week leaves me enticed and thrilled about what is possible in education. This speech also reminds of Between the World and Me, Ta’Nehisi Coates , amazing text, made all the … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, adult development, diversity, Donovan Livingston, education, Harvard Graduate School of education, leadership, Seven Hills School, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, Ta'Nehisi Coates | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Parenting Blues during the Middle School Years!

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Parenting Blues during Middle School IN all my work with middle school families over twenty seven years in independent school, this is still a truism: when they are at their most variable and vulnerable, so are we… Thanks, Mary Murphy, … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescent development, body image, childhood development, education, parenting middle school aged children, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, wall street journal | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment