Monday, 20 November 2017
Snow Fun for Everyone
Gilles Vigneault wrote "Mon Pays" back in 1964. The iconic song includes the lines "Mon pays ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver" - my country is not a country it is winter. Coming from a northern district experiencing record snowfalls this month, I can certainly relate. In the north Peace, winters can come early and stay long. We can have snow on the ground from October to April, and temperatures in the minus teens are not uncommon. Some folks lament the coming of the cold, and I've yet to meet anyone who loves to endlessly shovel snow, but being a northerner does not have to mean six months of hiding from the elements.
Weekends can be filled with a variety of recreational activities including hockey, skating, sledding, snow shoeing, skiing and other outdoor activities. Students can keep active during the week as well. If the sun is out, students should come dressed for the season so that recess and breaks can be happily spent out of doors. When the windchill or blowing snow conditions create an inside day, schools meet the challenge with a wide variety of indoor games and activities ranging from reading to intramural games or activities in the gym. Technology can help, but authorities such as Participation recommend limiting screen time as an alternative to more active winter pursuits.
This November, Mother Nature and Old Man Winter have combined early and often to bring us record snowfalls. Getting out and getting around can be a challenge, but there's no reason that students can't continue to be active learners through our winter months. Being outside and active helps rejuvenate the mind and can help students to deal more effectively with education matters.