First Week Appreciations. Future Events.

Appreciation for Polly

When Polly shared her intention to journey forth, she let me know that she would be able to use time away from school to amplify her income.  This would free her husband up to return to Whidbey Island.  Their family will be reunited.  The thought of her family together brings me such joy, and this is the vibration of thought I will hold about Polly as your children and I continue through the year.

Appreciation for Polly, Kim, Children, and You

It was a thrill to be with your children last week.  They show great willingness to try new things, to endure, to be flexible, to be clear, to be really happy, to make it clear when they are not.  Walking through the woods was really easy, and this allowed us to enjoy relatively long and beautiful walks right away.  It was often really cool or really warm in the woods, and the layers allowed us to be OK in the cool, and we could choose to play barefoot in the warmth of the Story meadow.  I told stories of the gnomes and nymphs at work in the Story Woods (Legacy Forest), and children respected the moss on the old growth stumps and seemed relatively content with leaving gifts of the forest in the forest.  Children tried all the snacks, and there were always some children who really enjoyed them (which is great right at the beginning of the year; I've had many a traditional grain day at which children complained as a group about the same rice or porridge they would savor later in the year), and many days most children tucked in to hummus, soup, or eggs and apple sauce.  The eggs and apple sauce were so popular, I'll increase my request for both.

Seasons and Indoors and Outdoors

 It feels right to honor the seasons with more outside time here at the start.  Our snacks in the woods on Mondays and Tuesdays and at the picnic table on Wednesdays and Thursdays feel like they thrive, preparing us for indoor snacks later in the year.  On Wednesdays and Thursdays, children came inside with me in small groups.  I previewed our work this week of painting lanterns with a story, we drew, and children then played inside.  I think this smaller group indoor play allows the children to explore more, lets me observe them at their play with more attention, and will set us up for robust and flexible play when we come inside as an entire class in a few weeks (my litmus test will probably be 2 days of really wet and uncomfortable picnic table snacks on a Wednesday and Thursday).  Children also joined me for flight school on Thursdays; pretending to be birds, they flew aloft in my arms, and then we practiced some zoo exercises on the floor (more about this at a future class meeting).

Stories

Three days this week I told the story "Wild Goose Lake" at the tent near the Story House.  On Thursday, Sunflower and Golden Forest classes joined as I told the story of the Golden Knights, how the oldest children in the village were called to serve the youngest.  I related it to our Michaelmas pageant; it tells of a peaceful time when the dragon is tamed, but in order for the crops to grow, new Golden Knights are needed to help keep the dragon in balance.  On Monday, Polly has asked to share her transition with the children.  Polly and I have talked, and I know to pay especial care to the children in the coming week.  Tuesday we will return to "Wild Goose Lake."  My intention is to stay with this story for a while, and to surprise the children by allowing them to act it out on the Story House Stage as we deepen our relationship with it.  When I taught kindergarten in Monterey, I worked with master storyteller Nancy Mellon, and she encouraged me to assign roles and have children act out the story as I narrated.  It was rich and rewarding.  Have no fears about children being singled out.  Children are always allowed to decline a role and just watch, and this is especially appropriate for our younger children.

Introducing Molly Rice

When Polly let me know of her intentions, we were fortunate in that we had recently conducted a hiring process for a Sunflower assistant.  We received a letter of interest from an excellent candidate right after we had hired Gina to be Dyanne's assistant.  I was able to contact Molly (the excellent candidate), and her interest in joining our school remained and remains really strong.  Molly, her husband, and 3 children moved to Whidbey Island this summer from Portland, where Molly taught early childhood classes, took Waldorf training and many workshops, and founded and led a very successful all outdoor forest school.  She has an excellent singing voice, has a strong sense for the woods and can share stories of the wonders of nature (tangible and intangible), and has skills in puppetry and crafts that will enrich and enliven our time on the playground and in the classroom.  We are blessed to have her.  Molly is excited about her role as Golden Forest assistant.  Her husband is excited to live and play with their children while at home (their children hopefully joining our school community soon).  Please welcome her and her family as much as you can.

Trying New Things

As all teachers do, I may make various modifications to the rhythm of the day and week.  I am exploring providing a rewarding amount of interaction between our students and students in Sunflower and the Butterfly nursery.  I am sure Molly and I will be finding vibrant ways of interacting, and this may cause some minor adjustments of schedule and rhythm.  I'll keep you informed as the weeks progress.

Class Meeting Next Tuesday, Office Hours, Apples, Pears, Eggs

We will gather for a class meeting on Tuesday, September 25, from 6-8pm.  We will join with Sunflower parents for part of the meeting.  I will give a preview of the agenda as we approach.  

Office hours with me will be on Tuesdays from 2:05-2:50 (2 slots), weekly in the Butterfly Room, starting on the 25th.  I will put a sign-up in the hallway.

Do keep bringing a bounty of soup vegetables, crunchy vegetables for the woods, and lots of apples.  Apple sauce was very popular.  Some parents have a bounty of Asian Pears.  Many children love these as a daily snack, and let us try mixing some in with our apple sauce.

Children like eggs more than I predicted.  We have one family brining a dozen eggs this week.  Our school chickens should provide a dozen.  It'd be great to have a third dozen.

With appreciation for your attitudes and help,

William