why is it that my children were shocked
when i told them that i was born ‘before ranch’ (b.r.)?
shock and awe that i was alive when
cap’n crunch, doritos, $100,00 bars, pop tarts, ding dongs, cool whip, count chocula, and more
came to be
back in the day when food fell into the
quick, easy, greasy, crunchy, sweet, and fun category
and lived to tell.
—
“my mouth doesn’t want to be quiet.”
-greta, age 4
when you’re little
walking around the museum
see a big old bumpy boring rock
walk around to the front of it
find an amazing, amazing surprise
that is inside of it
you just have to touch it
there are no words.
—
“sometimes the most shocking surprises are the most beautiful surprises.”
-lori wilhite
my classroom is chock full of
multi-age kinder (3s-young 5s)
who stay with us for two years.
one of the very best things
is watching the older kinder
who were the younger kinder
just one year before
as they quite naturally and organically grow
to become the leaders/teachers/helpers/mentors
to the new group of younger kinder
who were at home
just one year before.
what a joy it was to watch someone older
spend a very long time
finding all the special markers she needed
to create an easy to see linear rainbow
for someone younger
who wanted to create
her very own rainbow picture
in her very own style
using all the special colors.
judging by their faces
when she finished her very own rainbow
they were both equally proud of the results.
—
“nine tenths of education is encouragement.”
-anatole france
tools and toys and trucks wait in winter
for the children to return
to see what new ideas
they can create together come spring.
—
“never worry for the delay in success compared to the others.
because the construction of wonders takes more time than other buildings.”
-author anonymous
and this year
santa and his crew will even have plate decorations
and a keuring cup
in case they’re cold and in need of a cup of coffee.
—
“christmas, my child, is love in action.”
-dale evans (american cowgirl star)
picture from a past solstice celebration
—
every year
one of my favorite things to teach and share with my class
is the story and traditions of the winter solstice
i get to play the sun
the children play the tilting earth and the seasons
who spin and dance and throw snow
as the season changes
the sun stays in the middle
offering extra light
to the other side of the earth now tilting toward it
knowing it will always return to them
even as our days grow shorter
they quietly rest on the ground
waiting, waiting
only to emerge
when the time is right
happy to dance once more
in the light of the warm spring sun.
—
*notes: here is my recipe for the winter solstice, and many thanks to all for your low-tech special effects support of this performance: torn paper snowflakes made by the children, many smiles, a bit of dizziness, a sun doing an interpretive dance, a person to turn off and on the classroom lights at just the right moment, a flashlight, a yellow paper sun, a dj to play the music (‘carol of the bells’ by george winston, and ‘here comes the sun’ by the beatles) at just the right time, and a class full of kinder/whirling twirling planets throwing snow, lying down, and awakening as emerging new life in the spring when the sun returns. somehow it all falls into place, each year a bit differently, as is the way of the world.
—
“spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. joy is the essence of life.”
-agnivesh
it was a 2 ice-pack kind of day
a bandaid, temperature check, coughing kind of day
but all in all a great day
we learned about the winter solstice
saw part of the big kids’ play
danced and sang in spanish
shared books
had an outdoor adventure
(add in a couple of scratches, a few sticky burrs,a clothing change, and lots of bravery)
but at the end of the day
we all had both mittens
and headed on home.
—
“there is no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day.”
-alexander woollcott
we worked hard making
butter
and
savory monkey bread
and
gingerbread cookies
it took a team
lots of
shaking ,stirring, rolling. cutting, chopping, spilling, melting, cooking, waiting, cleaning up
loads of fun
little bits of magic
and
a few mishaps
thrown in for good measure
to make
a perfect day of cooking
tomorrow
we set our fancy table
and
sit down together
to share our feast.
—
“no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”
-julia child
they quite naturally
are always busy
little hands
hunting and gathering
collecting, counting, carrying
organizing, sorting,
moving, lining up
until it feels and looks just right.
or until recess ends.
whichever comes first.
and then there is a mad rush
to fill pockets, and mittens, and hands
with as much as they can hold
treasure to be transported home
to go through the whole process again.
—
“we used to be hunter-gatherers, now we’re shopper-borrowers.”
-robin williams
first snow of the year – outdoor adventure day
—
first time with sustained snow play for many
running, jumping, sticks, snow angels, footprints, chasing,
snow picnic, snow story, snowballs, duck,duck,polar bear game,
lost mittens, noses running, rosy cheeks
eating lots and lots and lots of snow
one said it was the best snack in the world
and it just might be.
—
“there is no land like the land of your childhood.”
-michael powell
I didn't have my glasses on.... 