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Second Graders visiting the library this week met a new friend, Stuart, who is a third grader at Punbury Elementary School. Stuart is very proud of his homemade magic cape which not only leads him into some crazy adventures, but also into a few mishaps as well. Sara Pennypacker’s, Stuart Goes to School, is full of laughs and surprises. Next week’s library class will lead us to the conclusion of this short novel. Students have all checked out books which should be returned by the end of the month. Happy Reading!

Throughout the year, I share suggested readings for parents and educators.  If you are interested in stopping by to review any or all of the books, let me know.

“There is nothing, believe me, more satisfying, more gratifying, than true adulthood.  The process of becoming one is not inevitable.  Its achievement is a difficult beauty, an intensely hard-won glory.”  (Toni Morrison)

Good Influence: Teaching the Wisdom of Adulthood, by Daniel Heischman

Young people desperately seek to develop an inner core that will not only rescue them in times of distress, but also help them to define and shape moral convictions, passions, and interests in building a better world. To find this inner coherence, they turn to their parents and teachers — the adults who are supposed to know them better than they know themselves. But these same adults are often driven and desperate to stay young, and are unclear how to achieve the wisdom and maturity of an elder to put the needs of their children and students above their own.  Young people do not want us to become part of “their” world, according to author Dan Heischman, but they invite us — and need us — to be different… to be adults, for them.  This book will help adults understand what young people are searching for, describe how to have a lasting impact on your children’s or student’s development, teach credible models of adulthood, and guide adults towards achieving the passion and wisdom for spiritual mentorship.  Drawing on thirty years of experience with parents, teachers, and students, the author uses stories and sound principles not so much to help bridge the generation gap, but to use the natural difference in maturity as a basis and guideline for more effective communication and connection. (Paula Lawrence Wehmiller)

“When I feel recognized and have a sense that you understand how I am experiencing my experience, I can find your limit setting tolerable and even a relief.”  (Robert Keegan, The Evolving Self)

“One of the saddest things in the world is to see a cynical young person.  Because it means that he or she has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.”  (Maya Angelou)

The Essential Conversation: What Parents and Teachers Can Learn From Each Other, by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot

For every parent who has ever suffered the anxiety of a parent-teacher conference, this book is an incredibly honest and insightful look at the undercurrents in this essential relationship between a child’s parents and teachers. Lawrence-Lightfoot, Harvard professor of education, explores the dynamics at work in the parent-teacher conference, from the subtle institutional barriers that make parents feel unwelcome to the defensiveness of teachers who feel their competence is being challenged. The author draws on her own experiences as a student and a parent as well as narratives from an economic and racial cross section of parents and teachers. She begins by exploring the reverberations of the parents’ and teachers’ own past experiences as students and how that experience haunts the present. She explores often unacknowledged or even unrecognized psychological and social factors, and she offers much useful advice for both parents and teachers on achieving the cooperation needed to reach the common goal of educating children. (Vanessa Bush, American Library Association) 

Thank you to everyone who attended the first-annual High Spirits Parent Gathering on Saturday night. More than 90 parents enjoyed delicious food and great company. Can’t wait for next year!

Hi Everyone,

We are very happy to share how well all of the children are adjusting to life in Preschool at BCD!  They are all learning how to sit peacefully and listen during Morning Meeting and most of them are comfortable raising their hands when having something to share.  We continued our Guided Discoveries and learned about the Small Building Toys, the Math Area, the Writing Center and the climbing bars.  On Thursday, the children painted with red, yellow and blue liquid water colors on large white paper.  After this initial painting was complete, each child was given a heart to paint.  Now that we have introduced all of the learning centers in the classroom, we asked each child what he or she hopes to do in Preschool this year.  Their thoughts have been recorded and attached to their painted hearts and posted above the classroom cubbies.  We will take some time next week to talk about how we will make sure everyone can achieve his or her Hopes and Dreams in a safe and productive manner.  From this discussion, we will generate our classroom rules. 

On Tuesday, we practiced writing “a,” for Annie Apple.  We do this by first, writing in the air with our fingers and next by sitting in small groups and practice tracing around the letter.  With each letter their is a simple phrase the children learn as they retain the proper way to write the letter.  The phrase for remembering how to write “a” is:

At the leaf begin.  Go round the apple this way.  Then add a line down, so Annie won’t roll away. 

This is just an initial exposure to writing.  Some children are ready to begin writing, while others’ fine motor skills are still developing.  Our activities are designed to plant the seeds of curiosity and interest in learning letter sounds and their shapes.

Continuing along with the Letterland characters, we met Bouncy Ben on Wednesday.  It was a beautiful day and we all had great fun pointing out words that b

egin with Bouncy Ben’s sound.  He lives in Letterland with his brothers who like to play baseball and ride in boats and hot air balloons.  Obviously, Ben loves to bounce about, making his b-b-b sound as he bounces his ball.  We also introduced paints using brayers and brushes.  The children made group butterflies and balloons by painting with blue and brown paint.  They are posted in the Berkshire Room and the Long Room.  On Friday, also in honor of Bouncy B

en, we baked brownies from scratch! We even got to taste test a few chocolate chips.  After washing our hands with soap and water, we made careful note of the recipe.  Everyone took turns measuring and mixing the batter.  While the brownies were baking, the children learned how to write the letter “b.”  The saying to help them remember how to form the “b” is: 

Brush down Ben’s big, long ears.  Go up and round his head so his face appears!

 The Brownies were delicious!  Next week, we will meet Clever Cat, the smartest Cat in Letterland!

During Morning Meeting, using a book entitled “ABC’s Yoga Kids,” we are learning yoga positions for each new letter introduced.  So far, we have learned the airplane, alligator, butterfly, bridge, boat and bird.

We would like to thank Henry for bringing two Monarch caterpillars to the classroom.  There is a large meadow near his home where the Monarchs love to munch on milkweed.  Everyone took a good look at the first caterpillar that climbed to the top of our butterfly garden.  It attached itself to the top and then curled into a “J”.   By the next morning, it had shed its outer skin and it was in the chrysalis stage.  The next day, the children also discovered the second butterfly had crept to the top of the habitat, where it slowly formed a “J,” as well.  The children are encouraged to draw their observations in the Science notebook.  The teachers also write the children’s observations in the notebook.  From time to time, we will read and share what has been recorded.  Thank you for sharing the caterpillars with us, Henry!

Back-to-School-Night for Preschool and Lower School is scheduled for this Thursday, September 22nd at 6:15pm.  During this meeting, we will share important information about the Preschool Program, Curriculum and schedule.  We will also share information about Responsive Classroom and how it is implemented at the Preschool level.  Specialty Teachers will also provide you with overviews of Preschool Music, French, Gym and Library. Presentations should conclude by 8:15pm.  This event is for parents only.  Childcare is not provided.  We hope that everyone will be able to join us for this important meeting.  If you are not able to attend, please let us know.

Today was our first Pizza Lunch.  Please check with your child to make sure that he or she had enough pizza or that they liked the kind of pizza they ordered.  Any changes in pizza orders must be made by Friday, September 23rd. 

Some of the Books we Read:

My New Boy, by Joan Phillips and Lynn Munsinger

Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey

The Berenstains’ B Book, by The Berenstains

Fidgety Fish, by Ruth Galloway

How Deep is the Sea, by Anna Milbourne and Serena Riglietti

Butterflies and Moths, by Kathryn Knight

A Fish Out of Water, by Helen Palmer and P.D. Eastman      

Dates to Remember:

Monday, September 19th, Scholastic Book orders due

Thursday, September 22nd, Back-to-School-Night, 6:15pm, parents only, no childcare

Thursday, September 29th, No School, Rosh Hashanah

Monday, October 10th, No School, Columbus Day

Friday, October 21st, Grandparent and Grandfriend’s Day, dismissal at 1 pm, details coming soon!

Have a Nice Weekend!

Ellie and Joni