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Wednesday, March 15, 2017



Education and Travel

The educational platform at ULS emphasizes Hand-On Learning as a powerful and effective approach to providing meaningful learning experiences for students.  One of the most impact-full Hands-On Learning activities involves getting out of the classroom and traveling.  "Seeing the world" provides learning opportunities that just can not be duplicated in a classroom. ULS designs a variety of travel experiences into the curriculum to provide these benefits to the students.  In 5th and 6th grade, ULS students start their exposure to travel on a 3 day winter camping trip.  In 7th grade, there is a fall camping/leadership trip to Snake Road.  In 8th grade, students branch out farther with a trip to Washington D.C.  In Upper School, students start the year with a canoe/leadership trip.  Finally, the Upper School Intersession program offers a variety of opportunities for students to "spread their wings and fly" a bit.  The 2017 Intersession opportunities include: a trip to Cuba, a Study of Music and Culture in Salzburg, Vienna and Prague and a Yellowstone Camping Experience. The attached article talks about the benefits of traveling abroad for young people but think the points can apply to all travel not just international.

6 Reasons Why Traveling Abroad is Important for Young People




ULS students on Intersession 2016 in Italy

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Emotional Intelligence

At University Lake School as a college preparatory school, we often focus the bulk of our energy on academics.  We emphasize writing skills, speaking skills and critical thinking skills.  At ULS, we prepare for college entrance exams and cultivate research skills through a variety of independent study projects.  Our focus on the above skills is appropriate for a college preparatory school and has offered great opportunities for ULS students. With that said, there is a skill set that is equally if not more important than the academically focused skills - Emotional Intelligence.  Emotional Intelligence involves the skill of recognizing your feelings, understanding where they come from and learning how to deal with them.  Research has shown that emotional intelligence or EQ “predicts over 54% of the variation in success (relationships, effectiveness, health, quality of life).” Additional data concludes that “young people with high EQ earn higher grades, stay in school, and make healthier choices.  Learn a little more about emotional intelligence and how children develop this vital skill by reading the article below.  

Why We Need to Teach Our Kids Emotional Intelligence


Thursday, March 2, 2017

All the Fuss About Public Speaking

Consistently, I hear visitors to ULS comment on how our students are particularly articulate.  ULS students know how to look someone in the eye when they speak.  They know how to project and speak clearly.  Most importantly, Lakers know how to organize their thoughts and speak with confidence and conviction.  These noticeable excellent public speaking skills of ULS children are no accident.  The pattern of research, create and share starts with our JK3 class at ULS and weaves throughout all grades until graduation.  There are daily learning activities such as morning meetings share time and student-led assemblies that make speaking in front of a group a "normal" occurrence in our classrooms. There are also major educational milestone events in which public presentation is a key component such as the fourth grade Magnum Opus, seventh and eighth grade Honors Projects and Senior Projects.  At University Lake School, we appreciate and understand the importance of public speaking skills and how these skills truly differentiate you as an adult.  Please enjoy the following article that reminds us why public speaking is so important and how ULS students benefit from public speaking being an everyday part of school.  

Why is Public Speaking so Important?