Back to School

A school without children often feels a little echoey and lost. I feel like the whole building lets out a sigh of relief when the rooms are filled with laughter, dancing, singing, and chatter. This is what this space is meant to be. Or perhaps that's just my teacher's heart.

This week we started to establish our routines. For our youngest learners, we were working on raising our hands and taking turns during circle times and group discussions. Our older learners were picking desks and chairs, figuring out the best sort of learning space for them, and then making sure everything was at just the right height. Everyone sang lots of songs including Down in the Valley, An Austrian Went Yodeling, Chipmunk at the Gas Pump, All Around the Kitchen, Swimming, Los Pollitos, and Cabeza, Hombros, Rodillas, Pies.

Collecting and temporarily observing critters was also a big part of the week. Glen was kind enough to bring his bug nets in and a bigger case for observation. Kids also found that many grasshoppers and crickets were willing to perch on them for a few minutes if they stayed very still. Whether making a worm hotel or examining a moth, we emphasize taking care with critters and making sure they are returned to their original location.

Tracy's writers and readers are going to be doing a series of research projects during ELA time, so they started to brainstorm ideas that might be interesting to them. Their ideas ranged from Greek gods to sign language to soup. Ask them about what topics they are most excited about and what they might dive into first.

And we're off - into a new year of adventures and learning!