it’s that time of year again
move-in week
the uni students have newly arrived or returned
for a year of who knows what lies ahead
the stores, the streets, the students
are full of excitement, fear, questions, hopes
and a broom, a big mirror, and a case of ramen noodles or two.
—
“i move in the university of the waves.”
-pablo neruda
What better place to learn your ABC’s and 123’s than inside of a giant building shaped like a cat?
The kids who attend Kindergarten in Karlsruhe, Germany, do so in a giant feline.
Constructed in 2011 and designed by artist, Tomi Ungerer and architect, Ayla Suzan Yöndel, the whimsical kindergarten is in a big white cat building that includes a door for a mouth below a whisker-lined nose, windows for eyes, and a classroom in its belly. For added fun, kids can even ride down its tail that doubles as a slide.
In terms of architecture that inspires a playful imagination, the Kindergarten Wolfartsweier is remarkable for its embrace of an alternative, animalistic design for what a school can be.
“design is where science and art break even.”
-robin mathew(s)
—
source credits: Atlas Obscura, My Modern Met, Milk magazine, inthralled.com,
school’s out.
—
“today is the first and last day of forever.”
-stephanie meyer
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
the kinder have begun to create their own art gallery in the space where they play.
—
bandaids are the hot item in my classroom
after a number of kinder came up to me asking for one
pleading their case
(many with very old ‘wounds’)
we gathered together
as they each shared
their personal tale of woe:
i got scraped, the paper cut me, it’s red like blood,
you can’t see it, but it’s ouch-y, something poked me,
my sister, something in my pocket did it, nail polish came off of one nail,
bandaid from home is falling off….
we finally got to our last person, who stated:
“this happened to me on the next day after tomorrow.”
—
“life takes guts.”
-lucille ball
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
after 3 days of conferences with parents
sharing stories of each child’s gifts
i’m all talked out
but really loved the conversations.
—
“we are all gifted, that is our inheritance.”
-ethel waters
—
photo credit: bbc earth
with the return of the school year
comes the return of our outdoor adventure days.
—
“we could have never loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it.”
-george eliot
I didn't have my glasses on.... 