Friday, September 10, 2010
Drizzling serenity
The drizzle is allaying my fears of a crowded beach. The boys and I plan to be at Maxwelton with hopes of reserving the covered shelters.
We will glad to dine with any families that attend and completely understanding of families choosing to stay out of the rain to rest or recuperate for Monday.
Location : 3600-3698 Britzman Loop, Clinton, WA 98236,
Songs and Rhythm of the Day and Week
Dear Butterfly Families,
During the school day, we sing a lot throughout the morning. Here are lyrics to many of the songs I sing throughout the day. I also teach strings, orchestra, and guitar to students in grades 4 to 8. Rather than keeping my teaching elements separate, I make music teaching part of the meaningful work I bring to the nursery environment (in Waldorf early childhood pedagogy, teachers strive to teach out of imitation and example. They bring lawful, loving work--such as cooking, cleaning, ironing, sawing, knitting, chopping--that children are free to help with--when it is safe or appropriate. The idea, however, is that children need not help the teacher knead bread dough or wash dishes to benefit from that work; orderly, present work inspires the children in their imaginative play). As such, nursery students also will hear me sing from Rise Up Singing and other books. Last year I gave many impromptu cello, viola, and violin performances for nursery children to dance to. And 5 8th grade students will visit our class every Tuesday to play guitar and sing songs from Rise Up Singing. Last year's nursery class really enjoyed these visits and the connection with the oldest students in our school.
This document, the Butterfly Nursery Rhythm of the Day and Week, provides a description of the nursery morning and week. As I observe and become more familiar with your children, it is possible I will adjust the rhythm to meet the unique needs of this group. My puppet shows can stay quite simple or evolve into longer stories depending on what nourishes the group. I do not list times of the activities--in nicer weather we will stay outside longer than in the cold months. That being said, we are outside every day, so please find rain pants and boots that work well for your child. One parent noted that Lands End had overstock rain pants at a reasonable price. As a reminder, I provide mittens.
Children who are staying for lunch will walk with Lynne to the Golden Forest Room (at the end of the hall) and noon for lunch and rest. They will be outside at pick-up time.
At these times, I risk providing too much or too little information. Please ask me questions.
Thanks,
William Geoffrey Dolde
During the school day, we sing a lot throughout the morning. Here are lyrics to many of the songs I sing throughout the day. I also teach strings, orchestra, and guitar to students in grades 4 to 8. Rather than keeping my teaching elements separate, I make music teaching part of the meaningful work I bring to the nursery environment (in Waldorf early childhood pedagogy, teachers strive to teach out of imitation and example. They bring lawful, loving work--such as cooking, cleaning, ironing, sawing, knitting, chopping--that children are free to help with--when it is safe or appropriate. The idea, however, is that children need not help the teacher knead bread dough or wash dishes to benefit from that work; orderly, present work inspires the children in their imaginative play). As such, nursery students also will hear me sing from Rise Up Singing and other books. Last year I gave many impromptu cello, viola, and violin performances for nursery children to dance to. And 5 8th grade students will visit our class every Tuesday to play guitar and sing songs from Rise Up Singing. Last year's nursery class really enjoyed these visits and the connection with the oldest students in our school.
This document, the Butterfly Nursery Rhythm of the Day and Week, provides a description of the nursery morning and week. As I observe and become more familiar with your children, it is possible I will adjust the rhythm to meet the unique needs of this group. My puppet shows can stay quite simple or evolve into longer stories depending on what nourishes the group. I do not list times of the activities--in nicer weather we will stay outside longer than in the cold months. That being said, we are outside every day, so please find rain pants and boots that work well for your child. One parent noted that Lands End had overstock rain pants at a reasonable price. As a reminder, I provide mittens.
Children who are staying for lunch will walk with Lynne to the Golden Forest Room (at the end of the hall) and noon for lunch and rest. They will be outside at pick-up time.
At these times, I risk providing too much or too little information. Please ask me questions.
Thanks,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Saying Goodbye is Sad
Dear Parents,
As some of you prepare to say goodbye to your child for a first school experience on Monday, I will provide copies of the "Chapter Saying Goodbye is Sad," from 1, 2, 3, ... The Toddler Years (available in our school library in the upstairs lobby). Some parents have found it helpful in the past.
Here is a description of how Erikson might view the tears of saying goodbye at school as part of normal and healthy child development. Although this is ostensibly about children younger than our nursery children, we still like to work the idea of accepting that sadness can occur over missing mom or dad, that this is normal, and that this is part of the curriculum of coming to an early childhood classroom. That being said, I wouldn't want a parent to feel remorse if a child charges away to school without looking back.
As I mentioned to a couple of parents yesterday, although school starts officially at 8:30, parents who do not need to be here to drop off older siblings are invited to come at a time that works for their family, 8:40, 8:50, 9, or even a little later. Susan Weber, a teacher of Waldorf teachers who seems quite competent and the sort to always be on time for a meeting herself, exhorted a group of parent & child teachers at a conference to release parents from any guilt about being late to a class. She felt it so important--with the work of Gerber and RIE she was bringing us--to have parents of very young children create a breathing element to the day with a sense of "plenty of time, no need to rush," that it would go against the culture she was trying to build to give any sense of judgment to people who were not in class right at the start. Although it is important for first graders to start the day with their classmates, and while kindergarten provides a good transition to being at school promptly at 8:30, I would much rather have a centered nursery child and parent arrive at 9:10 than to have that same parent and child arrive full of stress at 8:30.
Some years, the slightly shorter morning a later arrival provides make those first days or weeks away from mom and dad easier. Our start in the clearing by the teepee (50 yards from school) makes the staggered start easier, I find--all the children enter the classroom at the same time later in the morning, so there is less anxiety about perhaps not getting to play with a favorite doll or toy.
I also know some parents need to have other children at school early and get to work themselves. Although we officially start at 8:30, I will strive to be in the teepee earlier, as soon as I am able to drop off my son in first grade.
Respectfully,
William Geoffrey Dolde
As some of you prepare to say goodbye to your child for a first school experience on Monday, I will provide copies of the "Chapter Saying Goodbye is Sad," from 1, 2, 3, ... The Toddler Years (available in our school library in the upstairs lobby). Some parents have found it helpful in the past.
Here is a description of how Erikson might view the tears of saying goodbye at school as part of normal and healthy child development. Although this is ostensibly about children younger than our nursery children, we still like to work the idea of accepting that sadness can occur over missing mom or dad, that this is normal, and that this is part of the curriculum of coming to an early childhood classroom. That being said, I wouldn't want a parent to feel remorse if a child charges away to school without looking back.
As I mentioned to a couple of parents yesterday, although school starts officially at 8:30, parents who do not need to be here to drop off older siblings are invited to come at a time that works for their family, 8:40, 8:50, 9, or even a little later. Susan Weber, a teacher of Waldorf teachers who seems quite competent and the sort to always be on time for a meeting herself, exhorted a group of parent & child teachers at a conference to release parents from any guilt about being late to a class. She felt it so important--with the work of Gerber and RIE she was bringing us--to have parents of very young children create a breathing element to the day with a sense of "plenty of time, no need to rush," that it would go against the culture she was trying to build to give any sense of judgment to people who were not in class right at the start. Although it is important for first graders to start the day with their classmates, and while kindergarten provides a good transition to being at school promptly at 8:30, I would much rather have a centered nursery child and parent arrive at 9:10 than to have that same parent and child arrive full of stress at 8:30.
Some years, the slightly shorter morning a later arrival provides make those first days or weeks away from mom and dad easier. Our start in the clearing by the teepee (50 yards from school) makes the staggered start easier, I find--all the children enter the classroom at the same time later in the morning, so there is less anxiety about perhaps not getting to play with a favorite doll or toy.
I also know some parents need to have other children at school early and get to work themselves. Although we officially start at 8:30, I will strive to be in the teepee earlier, as soon as I am able to drop off my son in first grade.
Respectfully,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Potluck tonight (Friday)
Dear Nursery Families,
Welcome, this is the first of a few emails I will send as we prepare for our first day. Please remember that you are all invited--with your families--to join us at Maxwelton Beach for a potluck tonight from 5 to 7pm. This is another informal chance to meet me and the other families, have your children make connections, and ask me any questions before our first day. I will try to bring extra plates. Please bring some extras, too, for families that may forget.
I will bring a guitar and a bunch of copies of Rise Up Singing with the hopes that we can have a bit of a sing-along as well.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Welcome, this is the first of a few emails I will send as we prepare for our first day. Please remember that you are all invited--with your families--to join us at Maxwelton Beach for a potluck tonight from 5 to 7pm. This is another informal chance to meet me and the other families, have your children make connections, and ask me any questions before our first day. I will try to bring extra plates. Please bring some extras, too, for families that may forget.
I will bring a guitar and a bunch of copies of Rise Up Singing with the hopes that we can have a bit of a sing-along as well.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
You are welcome Tuesday to Friday 9 - 11am
Dear Families,
Rather than having a formal cubby day next Tuesday, it will be another opportunity for children to play or help parents as we set up the classroom. Come for any amount of time from 9 to 11am that day (and the same times Wednesday through Friday). Indeed, I may ask help in hanging up the hooks for jackets on that day.
As a reminder, because our cubbies will be in the classroom, and because my room will be used by parent & child children, I am going to ask you to take everything home (I can keep slippers in the classroom) on Wednesdays, if not daily. This system has worked well in the past. Thank you for giving it a try this year.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
I will write more once it becomes clear who will join us in the nursery class at the start of the school year.
Rather than having a formal cubby day next Tuesday, it will be another opportunity for children to play or help parents as we set up the classroom. Come for any amount of time from 9 to 11am that day (and the same times Wednesday through Friday). Indeed, I may ask help in hanging up the hooks for jackets on that day.
As a reminder, because our cubbies will be in the classroom, and because my room will be used by parent & child children, I am going to ask you to take everything home (I can keep slippers in the classroom) on Wednesdays, if not daily. This system has worked well in the past. Thank you for giving it a try this year.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
I will write more once it becomes clear who will join us in the nursery class at the start of the school year.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Songs recorded as duos
Dear Nursery Families,
With great delight as I reflected upon the great year I had with your children, I re-recorded all of their birthday songs as duos with violin and guitar (one track has a viola, the other a cello). You can listen or download for free by visiting http://williamdolde.com/fr_birthdaysongs.cfm. Please share with grandparents and friends. Please let me know if there are any technical glitches.
Blessings on your summer,
William Geoffrey Dolde
With great delight as I reflected upon the great year I had with your children, I re-recorded all of their birthday songs as duos with violin and guitar (one track has a viola, the other a cello). You can listen or download for free by visiting http://williamdolde.com/fr_birthdaysongs.cfm. Please share with grandparents and friends. Please let me know if there are any technical glitches.
Blessings on your summer,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Friday, June 4, 2010
Dress for Rain
Today's festival includes a puppet show about the Mossy Men; they bring rain and moisture to help the plants thrive. It seems the Mossy Men are active at present on Whidbey Island. Most of our festival today will be outdoors; while there are covered places, do dress yourself and your child for cooler, wetter weather.
I will have warm soup and rice available starting at 9am to warm you from the inside. I look forward to seeing you today.
William Dolde
I will have warm soup and rice available starting at 9am to warm you from the inside. I look forward to seeing you today.
William Dolde
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