the kinder have been very interested in learning about rocks lately
they collected them
sorted them
brought in favorites
made a rock museum
painted with them
shared what they knew
still had questions.
one question was-
can rocks break?
now we all know.
—
“the violets in the mountains have broken the rocks.”
-tennessee williams
where are those kids going and what are they up to?
—
today we went back to the farm
to see how it has changed since our fall visit
there were no leaves
there were no pumpkins
there were lots of new babies
there was not a lot of green
but the animals were as sweet as ever
and that never changes.
—
‘to teach children that animals have certain rights
creates in their minds a respect and regard for life.’
*-caroline earle white
*Caroline Earle White founded the first animal shelter in the United States in 1869. Born on September 28, 1833 in Philadelphia, Penn., White became an influential figure not only in animal welfare, but also fought for women’s suffrage and equality. White and a group of 30 women activists created the Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WPSPCA), America’s first official animal shelter. Later known as the Women’s Humane Society, the organization pioneered programs that helped save homeless animals and employed animal cruelty officers to prevent and punish animal abuse. The organization still operates today as the Women’s Animal Center.
—
spending the recent past writing report cards
for the kinder
always a fascinating trip down memory lane
seeing how far they’ve come already
an unlimited distance still to go
the good, the bad, and the unexplained
all the good hearts, dramas, tears, and laughs
each their very own person
learning as we go.
all of us.
—
*more of frank the puppy’s report card:
“We sent him there because he is truly the most energetic puppy I have ever met,” his mom told Newsweek. “Our older dog needed a break,” she joked.
When Frank came home with the report card, she was in stitches. “I thought it was hysterical when I saw it because I can only imagine that Frank is probably the class clown that’ll do anything for a laugh and that’s definitely his idea of the best time,” she said.
Described on the card as the “life of the party,” the report also says that Frank loved wrestling with his buddies.
“It makes my heart so happy to know that he has so many pals at preschool,” said Spahr. Working on etiquette skills in his preschool class, the report also told Frank’s owners that his best friends are Daisy, Cooper, Vader, Hudson, and even a dog named Angus Beef.
—
“my report card always said, ‘jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students.”
-jim carrey
—
credits: newsweek magazine uk, alice gibbs
our class of 3’s-4’s
met with their learning partners
a 4th grade class
and together
they read a book
learned about what Dr. King
stood for and fought for
in his own peaceful way
talked about
what love, fairness, equality
meant to them
then created
a lovely art piece together
each to become a square
in a large paper quilt
created by the whole school
a beautiful collaboration.
—
“make a career of humanity.
commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights.
you will make a better person of yourself,
a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – March for Integrated Schools, April 18, 1959.
while on our recent visit to the farm
one of the 3-year old kinder
asked the farmers why the windmill wasn’t spinning
after a short discussion about the wind and movement
he put it all together and was happy to know the answer.
when we sat next to each other on the bus for our return to school
he turned to me with a big smile and said,
“you know, i just love, love, love learning.”
and it almost brought me to tears.
—
“the capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”
-brian herbert
—
image credit: kobi yamada, apg sales and distribution,
the kinder visited the farm today
met farmers megan and amy
said hello to the animals
had a tractor ride
saw the community garden
walked into the pumpkin patch
said thank you to the land and the plants
for making and sharing the pumpkins with us
they’ll give back
by planting the seeds from a pumpkin
to make new pumpkins at school
said thank you to the farmers
who taught us so much
who day in and day out
make all of the magic happen.
—
“we have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.”
-wendell berry
the kinder are learning about the magical powers of glue.
—
when all are watering the plants at the same time,
while facing each other,
what could possibly happen?
let’s do the probability math.
—
“be water, my friend.”
-bruce lee
when it started taking a long time, the kinder figured out how to settle this peacefully all on their own.
—
“then i reckon we got ourselves a good old-fashioned standoff…..
nobody moved, or said anything for the next few moments.
old-fashioned standoffs are mighty borin’ “
-derek landy, irish author, screenwriter and marvel comics contributor
and, the magic has begun.
the kinder find an extended family of roly-poly’s in the trunk of a tree
everyone runs over to see them.
—
“children can see magic because they look for it.”
-christopher moore
I didn't have my glasses on.... 