I love teaching in October, because some of my favorite poetry and projects occur during this month. Earlier in the week, I read a book called Pumpkins: A Story for a Field by Mary Lyn Ray. It’s a story that promotes land conservation and argues against excess materialism. Afterward, we had a discussion on what people truly need (food, shelter, warm clothes). The children offered their own thoughts – almost everyone said they had too many toys. We talked about what life might be like for those who don’t have enough food or clothes. These kinds of conversations are ones that we come back throughout the year, as we continue to learn about the different kinds of lives people have, and what we can do to help those who have less.
I also read a book of mine that I’ve had since I was five years old, entitled Is it Hard? Is It Easy? by Mary McBurney Green, which led the children to think about what was easy or hard for each of them. When one child said that he couldn’t ride a bike without training wheels, it was gratifying to hear a chorus of voices say, “I can teach you!” We also spent time talking about the things that scare us. On Friday, I read two books, Where the Wild Things Are and What’s Under My Bed? Afterwards the children lay down on the rugs, and closed their eyes while I played “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg. While they listened they imagined their own “Wild Things.” At the music’s conclusion, the children got up and drew and wrote about what they had imagined. There are some pretty great creatures dancing across our whiteboard now – please come and take a look!
We had a wonderful trip to Ioka Valley Farm last week. The weather was a bit chilly, but the rain held off, and we enjoyed spending the morning outdoors. Feeding the goats was a highlight for many! The week before, we had a super time on Mountain Day, with the rest of Lower School. The class did a great job hiking! We also had fun with games, activities, and picnic lunch. It was a wonderful trip.
We’ve spent time talking about Fire Safety in class. All children have practiced, “Stop, Drop and Roll”, and know to get out of a building immediately, should there ever be a fire. You may want to check the batteries in your smoke detectors at home, as well as formulate a family exit plan (just in case – which hopefully you’ll never have to use!)
Andrea
