“what is a scientist after all?
it is a curious man looking through a keyhole,
the keyhole of nature,
trying to know what’s going on.”
-jacques cousteau
May3
Tag Archives: children
Apr28
wings.
kinders offer their presentations
to
the other kinders
and to us
their teachers.
they are very excited
as
they tell us
all about
the animals
they have studied.
one teaches us about
the colorful parrot.
another one asks
‘why do they fly?’
kinder answers
‘so they can see the world.’
in this moment
of clarity and understanding
she has
traded places with us
and has
become the teacher
and
we learn so much from her.
—
“feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”
-frida kahlo
—
image credit: boredpanda.com
Apr27
go together.
team problem solving
4 grandies and 1 wagon
lots of sizes
lots of weight
lots of ages
lots of ideas
lots of feelings
1 bent axle
1 road at the end
how to get it back up the driveway
who wants to pull
who wants to push
who wants to ride
who wants to walk
how can we do it so no one cries?
—
“if you want to go quickly, go alone.
if you want to go far, go together.”
~african proverb.
Apr23
“a strong spirit transcends rules.”- prince
while the kinders were playing a farm game
with crops and cash,
some sold
some bought
some traded.
i thought all were farmers
until one came to me
to say:
“she doesn’t want to be a farmer. she said she’s a jedi warrior!
that means she’ll be stronger than all of the rest of us!”
i told him that jedi and farmers are both very strong people.
both work hard and refuse to give up.
both try to do things peacefully.
and that
they could work together with no problem.
they would be good for each other.
they would help each other.
even a jedi has to eat.
even a farmer has to stand up and be brave.
and they became a very powerful team.
—
image credits: foodtank.com, google images, star wars, lucasfilm.ltd
Apr20
windows.
“the quiet house” on the 3-6 year old children’s playground
—
on a trip to visit schools in north carolina
i loved meeting the young children
and
i loved meeting the educators who
understood the importance
of using
play, compassion, kindness, projects, community
and
hands-on learning
when teaching young children.
i met many people who were so passionate
about
education and children and life in general.
what a lot i learned from them.
—
the whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.
– sydney j. harris
Apr14
hive.
the little bee whisperer
of last summer
is back.
at age 6
grandson f
tends to the hive
happily
watching and wondering and learning.
—
the happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist.
for man it is to know that and to wonder at it.
– jacques yves cousteau
Apr11
rescue.
is it
a husky?
polar bear?
sea lion?
penguin?
not sure exactly sure what breed this is,
but i’d be happy to rescue him any day.
—
Apr4
unhappy meal?
took grandie j to get a kiddie meal
and
it came in this creepy bag.
it seemed an odd choice
for young children.
how many kids are terrified of this?
or their grandmothers?
i really did try to cover up my fear. )
—
“where the fear is, happiness is not.”
– seneca (4 BC-65) roman philosopher and playwright.
Mar30
secret joys of living.
a carload and more of grandies,
a sweet niece, baron the dog, and a family of ducklings
inventing the day as they go.
—
“some of the secret joys of living
are not found by rushing from point A to point B,
but by inventing some imaginary letters along the way. “
~douglas pagels: These Are the Gifts I’d Like to Give to You
Mar29
caucus.
had a little caucus practice
with my class of kinders
to help them
to understand
the process.
they all began by
standing on one side
or
somewhere in the middle.
we also had two happy monkeys,
curious george on one side
and
soft cuddly monkey on the other.
each made big promises,
each told
what they would do for the kinders
if they picked them.
each worked
to get the kinders on their side.
one promised
ice cream every day
one promised
3-hour recesses
one promised
no naps
and
on and on
went the promises.
and the littles
ran
back and forth
back and forth
as they heard
the promises made.
yet
one stood alone
and
never wavered
knowing what she wanted
and what she believed in
right from the beginning.
no naps.
ever.
and
when it was over
and the rest
had run
back and forth
and
back and forth,
she was still standing
where she began.
stronger than ever
smiling
and
wide awake.
the decisions you make are a choice of values
that reflect your life in every way.
– alice waters
—
credits: googleimages
I didn't have my glasses on.... 