I hope you have a day like this today,
or maybe tomorrow,
or maybe everyday if you are lucky.
Do you have a caption idea for this photo?
What do you know about this 4 year old girl?
Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts
friday thank you notes 09.02
Thank you to bloggers this week that continue to make me think and rethink about children, my role, my intentions and also the joy of teaching.
Links worth a visit & a read:
have a fabulous weekend!
and happy reading.
whatever is most difficult
The night before school begins.
I am thinking wonderful thoughts as I love this time of the year.
I am aware, however, that some people don't love this time of the year.
Sometimes the effort, smiles and breathing that is required to Start A New School Year is so deafeningly exhausting. Period. Totally Understandable.
For me, in my times of need -
times when I NEED SOME PERSPECTIVE - I turn to a Master Artist, Poet, Storyteller and Word Smith ... Brian Andreas, author of all Story People stories & art Click Here to read more, admire, smile, laugh.
So, here is one of my most favorite Story People quotes for all who may be Worried about school or Are Freaking Out
or Are Unsure @anything.
... Maybe you worry about connecting with your students, or your classroom being set up just right, or getting through the lessons you have planned, or meeting the new parents of your students, or or or or or or.
Thank you, Brian Andreas, for writing this thoughtful, powerful quote:
"THIS IS A GIANT BLOCK OF WHATEVER IS MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO CARRY AND TRUST ME ON THIS YOU'LL CARRY IT MORE TIMES THAN YOU CAN COUNT UNTIL YOU DECIDE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO MOST AND THEN IT WON'T WEIGH ANYTHING AT ALL."
brilliant.
stunning.
I can read it a million times and keep learning from it each time.
 |
| see how children make life so light and joyful and colorful? let go of whatever is most difficult. |
Do YOU have a challenge starting a new school year?
How do you cope - not just "get through it" - yet actually embrace & celebrate a new school year? Stories? Strategies?
the window owns the view
Perspective taking.
Looking closer.
Looking lower, higher, across, under, over.
For our students, it can mean offering ways to LITERALLY look around using tools that CHANGE THEIR VIEW:
HOW you see something changes WHAT you see.
children used mini-frames to look closer at their own abstract art ... and then they described what they saw! For a full read on this Abstract Art project, click here.
Teacher Reflection... 3 ideas that helped ME see differently:
1. Ironically, I realized in my classroom that while I did/do offer students ways to experience the school day from different perspectives I REMAINED IN A ROUTINE WHERE MY OWN PERSPECTIVE WAS THE SAME!
I always sat in the same "teacher spot" for meetings/circle - sure I might sit on the floor OR a chair, yet I kept my same spot because I wanted to be near the books/games/music for easy access. I realized that this also only let me experience meeting time with one lens. When I - finally - sat in a different place around the circle, I literally felt different and viewed the experience differently. After that day, I was more deliberate to switch up where I joined the meeting. Have you had this experience, as well?
2. Something I DID do that helped perspective taking as a model for students was NOT be the leader on a walk or if we needed to be in a line of some sort (going up/down stairs, etc.). I would elect to be in the middle or end or partner with a student somewhere IN the line or group. (Of course, for safety, there would be another teacher at the lead if required). The non-leader role helped me be a member of the group experience, instead of needing to lead or protect the experience.
3. A tip as we head into A NEW SCHOOL YEAR and PREPPING OUR CLASSROOMS: as you prepare your environment, squat low and/or sit on the floor to see how children will be seeing the room. What barriers present themselves at their level? What materials and experiences are available at their eye level? What is above their eye level that might be too overwhelming, high or distracting? Examine your color choices on the walls and the quantity of materials: Neutrals, natural materials, clean and defined choices in baskets or trays, a flow and non-clutter - the layout should inspire YOU to want to touch, discover, play.
Looking closer.
Looking lower, higher, across, under, over.
 |
| the window does own the view...with 5 different pair of eyes seeing what they choose to see. |
*
"What you see depends on
where you are standing
when you look." (anon)
For our students, it can mean offering ways to LITERALLY look around using tools that CHANGE THEIR VIEW:
 |
| CAMERA to zoom in on friends and classroom. |
 |
| tube BINOCULARS to see the world differently. |
 |
| friends change colors with COLOR PADDLES! |
 |
| MAGNIFIER on a light table w/ shells & jewels. |
HOW you see something changes WHAT you see.
Do you offer your students different ways to view the world? Make it smaller or bigger, higher or lower, sideways and upside-down?
 |
| the parent/art expert introduces the idea of a mini-frame lens. |
 | ||
| 2 children test out the mini-frame to find THEIR own interesting spot in the art. |
In this ART EXPLORATION:
children used mini-frames to look closer at their own abstract art ... and then they described what they saw! For a full read on this Abstract Art project, click here.
 |
| this boy discovers a section on the abstract art that he especially likes. |
Teacher Reflection... 3 ideas that helped ME see differently:
1. Ironically, I realized in my classroom that while I did/do offer students ways to experience the school day from different perspectives I REMAINED IN A ROUTINE WHERE MY OWN PERSPECTIVE WAS THE SAME!
I always sat in the same "teacher spot" for meetings/circle - sure I might sit on the floor OR a chair, yet I kept my same spot because I wanted to be near the books/games/music for easy access. I realized that this also only let me experience meeting time with one lens. When I - finally - sat in a different place around the circle, I literally felt different and viewed the experience differently. After that day, I was more deliberate to switch up where I joined the meeting. Have you had this experience, as well?
2. Something I DID do that helped perspective taking as a model for students was NOT be the leader on a walk or if we needed to be in a line of some sort (going up/down stairs, etc.). I would elect to be in the middle or end or partner with a student somewhere IN the line or group. (Of course, for safety, there would be another teacher at the lead if required). The non-leader role helped me be a member of the group experience, instead of needing to lead or protect the experience.
3. A tip as we head into A NEW SCHOOL YEAR and PREPPING OUR CLASSROOMS: as you prepare your environment, squat low and/or sit on the floor to see how children will be seeing the room. What barriers present themselves at their level? What materials and experiences are available at their eye level? What is above their eye level that might be too overwhelming, high or distracting? Examine your color choices on the walls and the quantity of materials: Neutrals, natural materials, clean and defined choices in baskets or trays, a flow and non-clutter - the layout should inspire YOU to want to touch, discover, play.
 |
| 2 MAGNIFIERS to examine the Dinosaur That Might Be Dead. |
Taking new perspectives is exciting.
It allows for new ideas, opinions, and understandings of our world.
It allows for the joy of teaching to present itself daily.
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