one of the best parts of spending my days teaching
is hearing all the fantastical tales
that spring from the kinder
with their open eyes and open hearts.
—
image credit: nicolette sowder, wilderchild
May13
Category Archives: children
May10
spring chickens.
the kinder, who are spring chickens, check out the other spring chickens
and the other spring chickens check out the kinder.
—
“the sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken!”
-bob dylan
May8
bread.
the kinder work together to bake loaves of sweet lemon bread
to sell to their older learning partners
practicing for the big bakery the next day
when there will be many different breads
their families will be the customers
everything will cost 1 cent
if someone is hungry and doesn’t have any money
they will give them a penny and a piece of bread for free.
everyone eats bread.
“cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking.
it’s about harnessing, imagination, environment, and creativity.”
-guy fieri
May6
long distance connection.
how exciting for the class (and for me)
to receive a beautiful poster and message
from our penpal friends
led by a blogging friend/teacher i admire, jennie fitzkee
all the way from the aqua room in massachusetts
connections can be made in so many wonderful ways.
jennie with the letter we sent back to our friends in massachusetts
https://jenniefitzkee.com/2023/05/03/thank-you-letters/
—
“with a little paper and ink –
and some help from the postal service –
friendship can span many years and many miles.”
-caroline rose kraft
May4
new.
when you combine things together in a different way:
magna tiles, fresh flowers, a light table, and wonder
you can’t help but create beautiful art that is new, even to you.
—
“art must take reality by surprise”
- – francoise sagan
Apr28
outdoors.
another beautiful outdoor adventure day
—
“in this modern world where activity is stressed almost to the point of mania,
quietness as a childhood need is too often overlooked.”
-margaret wise brown, american children’s book author
Apr21
sailing off.
mac does its part with loose parts: an earth day art show
—
the children have been learning for weeks
about recycling, reusing, and repurposing
many kinds of materials
in honor of tomorrow’s holiday (earth day)
using the voice of art as expression
each child created an original sculpture
repurposing used items
finding new beauty in these discarded things
putting them together in new ways
inviting their families
to their ‘gallery opening’
each child filled with pride in their work
and a realization that they are artists.
“art is a form of exploration, of sailing off into the unknown alone, heading for those unmarked places on the map. if children are not permitted-not taught-to be adventurers and explorers as children, what will become of the world of adventure, of stories, of literature itself?
– michael chabon
Mar23
nests.
robin’s nests created by the kinder using natural materials
clay, twigs, pinecones, clippings
any robin would be happy to raise her babies in one of these beautiful homes
—
“wildness we might consider as the root of the authentic spontaneities of any being. it is that wellspring of creativity whence comes the instinctive activities that enable all living beings to obtain their food, to find shelter, to bring forth their young; to sing and dance and fly through the air and swim through the depths of the sea. this is the same inner tendency that evokes the insight of the poet, the skill of the artist, and the power of the shaman.”- thomas berry
Mar22
on the lookout.
kinder are on the lookout
making sure
the leprechauns
don’t sneak back in
to spread all the green
throughout our room again
but somehow they still got in
and worked their merry mischief.
—
“be on the lookout for the presence of wonder”
-e.b. white
I didn't have my glasses on.... 