Easy! By playing, talking, working, and sharing together. Morning Meeting, part of Responsive Classroom, is a such great time to connect. Who has a brother or a sister? Who has no siblings at all? How many teeth have you lost? What pets do you have? Throughout the day, we look for connections to one another, and notice and celebrate our differences. By now, our ninth day together, everyone’s initial shyness and hesitation has worn off and the children are engaged and fully participating.
Our days are busy – we’re busy learning each other’s names, observing and learning about monarch caterpillars, excitedly finding newly hatched snapping turtles (there are seven now living in an aquarium in the Preschool!). We’re busy counting forwards and backwards and creating patterns with wooden blocks. The children have had Spanish, Music, Library, PE, and Art. Paintings adorn our walls, as do the children’s more scientific life drawings of monarch caterpillars. Singing, poetry, and stories round out our day.
This particular class of children is considerate and kind; I’m lucky to have them. They’re taking good care of themselves, of each other, and of our things. We’re going to have a great year together!
Andrea