Archives for posts with tag: Children

Just play?

June 6, 2013 //
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As many of us who study early childhood know, the world of make-believe is so much more than meets the eye. I recently rediscovered the work of Bob Hughes. This brief refresher has caused me to, once again, sharpen my eyes to the play I see happening  in my classroom daily.

For this blog I would simply like to share a list of the various types of play identified and detailed by Hughes. He  categorized the following 16 types of play in his 1996 book A Playworker’s Taxonomy of Play Types, London: PLAYLINK, UK.

  • Symbolic play — when children begin to substitute one object for another, for example when a stick becomes a horse
  • Rough and tumble play — close encounter physical play such as play fighting
  • Socio-dramatic play — play which allows children to take on different roles and act out experiences, such as taking care of a baby doll
  • Social play — interacting with others through play
  • Creative play — allows children to explore and discover their creativity
  • Communication play — play which involves any form of communication, for example using words, listening, telling jokes, singing, acting, body and sign languages, facial expressions etc
  • Dramatic play — children using their imagination to act out various roles/events
  • Deep play — risky play that confronts fear and allows children to discover their boundaries
  • Exploratory play — play that allows children to investigate and discover their surrounding environment and factual information
  • Fantasy play — when children rearrange the world in a fantastical way
  • Imaginative play — pretending to be or an object to be someone, something or somewhere
  • Mastery play — when a child is able to control motor movements to a degree where they no longer have to focus on them and can focus on other types of play simultaneously
  • Locomotor play — play which involves movement of any type, for example running, skipping, jumping climbing etc
  • Object play — playing with objects and discovering their uses and potential
  • Recapitulative play — play through which children explore their ancestry and history which could include rituals, story telling, fire and growing food
  • Role play — when children explore different ways of being, such as pretending to be a doctor or a police officer or a cowboy etc

 

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Categories Creativity

Kid Snacks II

February 23, 2013 //
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Last year I wrote a blog about Kid Snacks, because I personally love to cook with kids and there are tons of great recipes that they can easily contribute to. Guacamole anyone? Nothing more fun than smashing avocados (ok maybe a few things more fun, shhh).

This post is inspired by EASY snacks parents & teachers can make for kids that are both delicious and healthy. I have recently been persuaded to begin using Pinterest for a host of ideas and so in this blog today I am sharing with you some ideas inspired by or directly taken from other imaginative, creative cooks out there. I have included the links to each of the blogs and recipes so you can learn from them directly too. Enjoy!

1. High Protein Peanut Butter Balls, brought to you by Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal

peanut butter balls

You’ll need: 

2 cups NATURAL crunchy peanut or almond butter
2 scoops Jay Robb chocolate whey or egg white protein powder
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 TBS freshly ground flax seeds
1 tsp psyllium husks (optional thickener and fiber for the little tikes!)

To make: In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. Mold the mixture into small balls (like a large marble), and place them in a container lined with parchment to separate the layers. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. EASY!

2. Yogurt Fruit Pops, brought to you by Yummy Mummy Club

You’ll need:

Yogurt- plain or fruit

Sliced fruit of your choice (i like berries in mine)

To make: Mix the yogurt & fruit. Fill popsicle stick molds if you have, if not use small paper cups and popsicle sticks. Place in sticks and pop in freezer!

3. Squirmy, Wormy Apples, brought to you by Babble

WormyApple2-200x300

You’ll need:

1 apple
1 gummy worm
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 large/thick straw

To make: Use the straw to get to core of apple, cut off the top 1/3. Scrape out remainder of the core. Place worm in the center and through the hole, scoop peanut butter on top & replace top of apple.

4. Sweet Potato Fries, brought to you by ME!

You’ll  need:

4 small Sweet Potatoes, cut into slices (try to make them as even as possible)

Olive Oil

Paprika (a light sprinkling, more if you aren’t serving kids!)

Salt

To Make: Heat Oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix oil, salt & paprika in a bowl. After cutting potatoes, toss them in the oil mixture, coating each evenly . Make a single layer of potatoes on the baking sheet & bake for around 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool before serving!

If you have other great Healthy & Easy snack options, I’d love to hear about them!

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Categories Cooking

Surprise!

November 16, 2012 //
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Through my work with the TEDx community, I recently met a woman of whom I’m fast becoming a major fan. Her name is Tania Luna and she is Surpriseologist. What is that you might ask? Well, she specializes in the art and science of surprise, providing one-of-a-kind experiences at her company Surprise Industries.

Over a cup of coffee, Tania and I began chatting about the role that surprise can play in early childhood education. As we were talking I came to realize how the two are actually quite connected. For young children the world is full of surprises, so many experiences are new and seen through fresh eyes. However, in the classroom, routine can quickly set in and once it does active learning steadily decreases. So how can we as teachers (and parents) reinvigorate their learning experience? Well through surprise of course!

Here are some quick & simple ideas to bring back the wonder:

-Move things around: In my house I am able to navigate through my bedroom and hallways in the dark. Everything has been in the place for so long that the motion of moving through has become second nature to me. I am no longer actively thinking about walking through the space. But put something else there or move the furniture and I actually have to think for a moment in the dark about what might be right in front of me. The same works for the classroom; move things around and get kids thinking. This can apply for the home as well. If you have a play area in your house, move everything around, switch it up & give it a fresh feel.

-Introduce a new material or sensory experience: Have you tried Oobleck? I love it! Or how about Flubber? Ditto. These are two great sensory play materials, easily made at home, that are worth a try. Or switch to a natural version of a familiar substance to see the difference. For example, introduce real clay instead of Play-doh and listen to your children as they explore, see what new ideas come out if their discoveries.

-Use an old material in a new way: Have your kids ever helped you make a salad? Have they enjoyed using the salad spinner? What if instead of lettuce you put in paper and drops of paint? Spin-Art is so fun and a surprising way to use a common household item.

My students surprise me every day, the best thing I can do is to return the favor and always keep our learning fun. How do you incorporate surprise into your classroom or home? I’d love to hear your ideas!

For more information on Tania and her tips for incorporating surprise into your life, check out surpriseindustries.com

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Categories Creativity

Intolerance is Ugly

September 11, 2012 //
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This summer while visiting some friends I had one of the most unpleasant dining experiences of my life. There was nothing wrong with the food or the restaurant, both were actually quite wonderful; instead my dinner was ruined by the family sitting at the table directly to my right. To my disbelief, within my earshot and line of vision, a father and his wife began making ignorant, hurtful and speculative comments about my boyfriend’s appearance. You see, my boyfriend has Alopecia, an immune disorder that attacks hair follicles. He lost all of his hair when he was just 3 years old. Now in his thirties, his head is still bare, but his eyebrows have yet to decide whether they are going or coming, staying or leaving. To be honest I no longer see these things, I just see my boyfriend, as cheesy as that may sound. But I am also no stranger to people staring at him just a tad longer than they should. Staring is one thing, but making audibly derogatory remarks about my boyfriend’s potential connection to the Nazis is a whole other story!

What shocked me most about the whole despicable incident was that this was a family discussion; meaning the man and his wife were having this hateful conversation about my boyfriend’s head, eyebrows, and (shocking to see in 2012) his tattoo in front of their tween daughter! I couldn’t help thinking: this is what you want to teach your child? You want to impart to her that it is okay to be cruel about things that make you uncomfortable or that you don’t understand, no matter how hurtful they might be? As a teacher who makes every effort to help my students understand diversity, I found myself so upset that I needed to excuse myself.  What made it more hurtful to me was knowing how accepting and understanding my boyfriend is himself. Being visibly different at such a young age and enduring everything that came along with it has shaped how he perceives differences and has made him incredibly kind. I was left thinking about how critical it is to introduce these ideas of kindness, compassion, understanding and tolerance early in life.

Maria Montessori opens one of her most famous books, The Absorbent Mind, by discussing how education should not simply be about transmitting information to each generation. Instead she argues that during the earliest years we should also be considering emotional intelligence and social understandings if we have any hope of raising humanity up to a level of peaceful coexistence; “If help and salvation are to come, they can only come from the children, for the children are the makers of men.” I couldn’t agree with her more. Every year, inevitably, children will make comments about some things being “weird” or “silly” and I always insist we discuss how usually these things are simply different than what we are used to or what we expected, but that doesn’t make them bad. Certainly, these are hard concepts for young children to grasp, but these are conversations that must be had. Essentially, the future of our world depends on it.

In the end, after my rage and sadness subsided, I was only left feeling pity for my dining neighbors. I felt sorry for them that they did not have the benefit of an upbringing or education that encouraged tolerance, acceptance and understanding for humanity.  For whatever these people have in their minds of accepted standards of beauty, or their picture of what an ideal upstanding citizen looks like, they seem to have forgotten that intolerance is truly the ugliest characteristic of them all.

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Books on Separation

August 26, 2012 //
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Before school starts, I want to share some book suggestions. The following is a compiled list of books I personally use in my classroom to ease separation anxiety and discuss feelings during the beginning of the new school year. There are many other great books out there, but I only wanted to recommend ones that I have a personal connection to. Enjoy!

You Go Away by Dorothy Corey 

As Amazon puts it, “this is the classic of all separation books”. I have used this book many times in classrooms. I think it is particularly useful for twos as the concept and text are extremely basic: You go away, and then you come back!

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell  

I read this book every year during the first week of school, as children inevitably find something in it they can connect with. The story is about three owl babies who wake up on night to find their mother gone. Worried, they wonder if she will ever return. In the end she lets them know, “I always come back.” This is what we tell our students, that your mom and dad will always come back to get you. I also love this book because I have a large paper tree hanging from one of my classroom walls and as we read this book, my kids and I like to imagine that the owl babies live in our tree.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn 

This book reminds me of the Goodbye Rituals I suggest to my class families. In this story a mother raccoon comforts her child who is apprehensive about starting school by giving him a very special kiss in the palm of his hand. Whenever he starts to feel lonely or worried at school she tells him all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel her kiss. If this is a book you read at home often, you could consider using this same technique as your goodbye ritual!

Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen and Ronald Himler 

Someone recently pointed out to me that this is one of the few separation books that features a child with his father, instead of mother. For that reason alone I should recommend it to families and other teachers. But beyond that, it is another simple story about first day of school jitters.

Do you have any favorite books to ease separation? I’d love to get some new recommendations! Feel free to comment below.

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Planning for Separation

July 28, 2012 //
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Summer is in full swing and school is probably the last thought on many children’s minds. However, it is always on mine! As I see happy children running through sprinklers and enjoying special family time, I wonder how many of them will be going to school for the first time this fall. While school may seem far away, it’s never too early to begin thinking about Separation and how your family can prepare.

Separation anxiety is completely normal and to be expected (for children and parents alike!) While this blog is mostly be about preparing your child, I would like to first address any anxiety on the part of mom and dad. Before my own first day of school, my mother had been prepared ahead of time by my new preschool teachers for a potential downpour of tears on my part. However when the time came that first day I simply turned to her, said goodbye and walked off happily. Suddenly it was my mother who was feeling the rush of tears. No one had prepared her for how hard it might be for her to say goodbye.

Since there are still a few weeks left in the summer, I encourage you to take the time to think about how you as a parent are going to handle saying goodbye. It is important to be mindful of your own feelings about your child starting school and be sure not to place any of this anxiety on them. Your children are sensitive to your emotions and if you are showing signs of doubt or distress, they will be wondering if they should be feeling the same way too. You want to be sure that when the time comes to say goodbye, you will be alright doing just that. Having several goodbyes, extra hugs, “just one more kisses” etc. can really hinder the process and cause your child to feel a higher level of anxiety.

Now on to some tips for the kids…

1. Talk with your child about the upcoming transition to school. Now is the time to start talking about school and all the kinds of things your child can expect. Give ample time for them to ask you questions and gauge their feelings about the subject.

If your school offers classroom visits, play dates, home visits or any kind of preview, take advantage. It can really help your child to be able to visualize where they will be going to school and who their teachers will be.

2. Come up with a Goodbye Ritual. Summer is a great time to come up with a plan together of how you will handle goodbyes at school. A ritual can be anything that is special to you and your child and it gives the child a sense of control and routine during what can be a stressful situation. Generally, I like to suggest a set number of hugs and/or kisses. But I’ve seen everything from a giving a little trinket to put in your pocket to elaborate handshake routines. Whatever it is be sure that you come up with it together!

3. On the first day, whatever you do, DO NOT SNEAK OUT! I know it can be really temping when you see your child having fun and smiling and you think now is the perfect time to just slip out, they wont even notice. Trust me, sooner or later they will turn to look for you as their touchstone and when they realize you are gone it will be bad; much worse than if you had gone through the routine of saying goodbye in the first place. The next day they will be much less willing to say goodbye. Start on a good foot with a reliable goodbye routine.

4. Be sure you are ready to say goodbye too.  Just to reiterate one more time….Once you say goodbye you have to be prepared to really leave! Saying goodbye several times will create tension and anxiety. I know it’s hard, your baby is going to school. But you can do it, I promise! :)

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Independence

July 5, 2012 //
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In honor of July 4th, I wanted to post a blog about Independence. Yesterday we celebrated our country’s independence but what I want to know is how do you choose to celebrate your child’s independence?

As anyone who has spent time around preschoolers knows, young children take pride in doing things on their own. Therefore, allowing space for your child to be independent is essential for their development and growing sense of self.

Independence is a major goal in my classroom. I want to be able to step back and find the children can carry on during their work without my help. This was a large part of Maria Montessori’s philosophy and my school is very much influenced by her work. But how should this translate into the home?

Giving your child “jobs” at home is a great way for children to learn practical life skills, but also to assert their independence in the home. Maybe they always help set the table for dinner, or carry the dishes to the sink. Trust your child with tasks that are challenging and allow them to take ownership of that role in the home. Maybe dinner time isn’t the best for your family. What about care of a family pet? Or a job in their bedrooms? Choose whatever feels right for you and your child. But as they get older keep in mind, their abilities will grow and the expectations for independence and family contributions can and should grow right alongside!

Please feel free to comment below and let me know how you celebrate your child’s independence.

Happy Independence Day everyone!

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What I learned at TED2012 about Failure & Creativity

March 14, 2012 //
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Recently, I spent an amazing week at the 2012 TEDActive conference watching a series of talks by inspirational people who are changing the world. While listening to all these world-changing ideas, a common theme began to stand out…FAILURE.  As Brené Brown suggested in her talk that closed the conference, TED is like the “failure conference”, because the people there have failed many times, but they are not afraid of it.  This is something I heard time and time again during the week. It made me think hard about my students.

We need to teach our kids not to be afraid of failure. In order to truly have innovation, we need to be open to the possibility of failure. Ainissa Ramirez spent some of her years as a professor of mechanical engineering at Yale. She gave a talk this year at TED where she not only stressed the importance of science education, especially for girls, she spoke about the power of failure. “We need kids to know it’s okay to fail. You fail your way to your answer. Scientists fail all the time, they just brand their failure as ‘data’.”

For most of the children I work with, this willingness to just ‘give it a try’ is innate. They see the world as filled with endless possibilities. Sadly, we commonly see this fearless spirit get drained away by the time we reach adulthood. So how do we keep this spirit alive, to carry us through our early adolescence and inspire us throughout our adult lives? Parents and teachers are paramount in this quest, finding ways to support and encourage the natural creativity we see flowing from our students & children.

David Kelley, founder of the legendary design firm IDEO, gave a talk about creativity and how he has dedicated his life in part to helping people regain their creative confidence. Where did they lose it? Kelley believes many of us lost it in childhood, potentially through the discouragement of a teacher or a peer.  Maybe we were shamed, purposefully or not, and were left feeling badly about our “artistic” abilities, which had such an impact that it stayed with us as we grew. “Well I’m just not a creative person,” many of us have been wrongly led to believe. But as Kelly points out, this simply isn’t true. There is creativity in all of us!  As our children’s support system, we need to choose our words wisely. While we do not want to blindly praise them for everything they do, we also need build confidence in their strengths and support them to try the tasks they find challenging.

Within the early childhood community we often talk about the “Zone of Proximal Development”, a term coined by psychologist Lev Vygotsky. He defined it as, “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers.”[1] It is up to us as educators and parents to guide our children to the top of this zone. To do so, we need to be prepared for the child to fail at first. I would never ask a child in my class to do a task I knew they could not accomplish. I may ask them to do things that are challenging and that they may not solve on the first try, but I am always there to help them through. By demonstrating to children that the old saying of, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is true, they will internalize the idea that pushing themselves can result in a sense of pride and accomplishment.

If I learned anything during my week at TED, it’s that failure is part of creating amazing new things. One of the most powerful moments of the conference came when Regina Dugan, director of DARPA, asked the audience, “what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” I think we all realized in that moment that the possibilities would be endless. We need to discourage the fear of failure and learn to see it as merely a step on the path to success, for not only our children but ourselves.

[1] L.S. Vygotsky: Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes, 1978, p. 86

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Categories Creativity

Kid Snacks

February 7, 2012 //
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One of my favorite activities to do with my students is cooking. I could go on and on about the possibilities of integrating all aspects of your curriculum through cooking, but instead I will just say it is FUN, plain & simple!

So! To get your creative, child-approved, culinary juices flowing, I wanted to share a blog about a few fun (and healthy) snacks to make at home together.

KALE CHIPS

As a fairly new vegan myself, I have fallen in love with Kale. Years ago, while working at a preschool in Williamsburg, BK I was quickly reminded by a 3 year old that if I was feeling weak, I should just “eat more kale”. I have finally taken her advice and boy was she right. Kale is delicious and while it may not appeal to all children, creating these crunchy Kale Chips, might just change their mind!

Here’s what you need:

1 bunch Kale

Olive Oil Spray

Garlic Salt or Sea Salt

Smoked Paprika or any other spice you like (Cumin, Curry Powder, Herbs de Provence, Thyme, Oregano, etc…)

How to:

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the middle.
  2. Rinse kale & dry it well in a salad spinner or blot with paper towels. Trim leafy parts from stem and tear leaves into bite sized pieces. 
  3. Spray leaves lightly with olive oil or cooking spray. Season with salt and/or spices according to taste. Careful not to oversalt!
  4. Arrange pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Turn a few times with tongs while to ensure an even crispiness on both sides.
  5. EAT!!!

FYI-If you start to see them browning take them out, they can burn quickly. Also don’t worry if not all the pieces seem crispy when you take them out, they will dry out after left alone for a while.

PINK HUMMUS

What kid doesn’t like hummus? It is a very popular choice for both snacks & lunch boxes in my classroom. This recipe brightens it up and makes it even more appealing with its crazy color!

What you need:

1 Large Beet (Roasted & Peeled)

1 Can White Kidney Beans (Drained and Rinsed)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Tahini Paste

2 tsp Garlic Powder

How to:

  1. Throw it all in the food processor
  2. Pulse until smooth and creamy
  3. EAT!!!

One Last Idea! 

Lastly, while reading some of my favorite blogs, I came across this awesome idea for FRUIT SUSHI!!! While I haven’t tried it myself, it looks like so much fun, not to mention tasty. Give it a try with your kids!

ALSO please feel free to comment & let me know what you love to cook with your children or students!

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Categories Cooking

Blog Archive

February 1, 2012 //
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Thank you to everyone who has visited my website since it began a few short months ago! I’m still learning how best to set it up and welcome all comments & suggestions.

In an effort to make it easier to access my blog, it will now appear on my homepage. In case you missed anything so far, here is an archive of my blogs.

Best,

Samantha

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1-23-12 Color & Ice

As part of our winter curriculum, my class has been doing several experiments involving ice. We have figured out what melts ice and even conducted races to see how we can melt it the fastest. But one of my favorite experiments integrates science and art as it pulls from the student’s previous knowledge and experience of color mixing and transforming a solid to a liquid.

This is an easy experiment and I encourage you to try it at home!

We started with three containers of crushed ice. I had some children help me crush the ice. We used two large Ziploc bags filled with ice & used child-sized hammers to hit the cubes! It was a nice stress reliever :)

Next we filled three dropper bottles with red water, yellow water & blue water. Following picture equations the children used the droppers to add colored water to the ice. They had three choices: yellow + blue, blue + red & red+ yellow.  (Dropper bottles allow for nice development of fine motor muscles!)

 

Lastly, we made predictions about what we thought would happen. The kids were so excited to keep returning to the science shelf to watch the progress! Here’s what it looked like at the beginning, middle & end.

Feel free to comment below & let me know what you think! How do you experiment with ice?

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12-24-11 Winter Books

Despite what the recent New York City weather would indicate, it is officially winter! This means it is time to begin planning my winter curriculum. As with all my curriculum units, literature plays a huge role. In thinking about some of my favorite winter books, I wanted to share a few with you here.

While I enjoy the more obvious winter books full of snowmen & the like, I adore the books that touch on winter in other ways. Here is a sampling…

Frederick by Leo Lionni was one of my favorite books from childhood. I still have the same copy that my mother used to read to me. In this story, a group of field mice are preparing for winter. They scurry to gather grain and food while Frederick, an artist & poet, seems to just passively sit by. But when winter comes, Frederick’s value and work is revealed. This book celebrates individuality and shows us the value in the artistic soul.

In The Mitten by Jan Brett, a young boy loses his mitten in the snow and before the mitten can be returned to its owner, a group of animals make it their home! Children love the outrageousness of all the animals fitting together in this tiny mitten. It is fun to predict which animals will come next!

The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson is a great book for younger children; they enjoy the repetitive phrases in the book and enjoy chiming in! I use this book as a novel extension of our winter conversations about hibernation.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is a more grown up story and much longer in length than the previously mentioned books. It is a beautiful story about a daughter and her father who go out looking for owls on a winter’s night. The writing is mature and the illustrations match the words in their elegance.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

-S

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12-05-11  Mindfulness Part II

Last month I posted a blog about using Mindful practices with children. But don’t worry, I didn’t forget about the parents!

The ideas behind mindful parenting come from the practice of Mindful Meditation. This type of meditation involves focusing your mind, through the help of breathing techniques, on the present. Being mindful is being in the moment, being aware of your feelings/emotions and thoughts. There are many websites & blogs devoted to the practice of mindful meditation if you are interested in beginning this practice at home. You can also check out Itunes for free guided meditations!

But let’s be honest, with young children in your home, it can be very difficult to find 10 minutes of quiet time to focus on your breaths. So what can you do in your everyday parenting life to incorporate mindfulness?

It starts with being aware of your feelings about being a parent, what emotions are you bringing to the table? Acknowledging how we feel in any given moment is a tenet of mindfulness. Next, it’s about being in the moment with your child. This doesn’t mean catering to their every whim, it just means being present with them. Put down your cell phone and go for a 10 minutes walk with your child, notice what is around you as you walk. Sounds simple, but it really is meaningful to your young child. Or how about a family meal: brunch, dinner, whatever fits into your schedule. But really sit down, ask each other about your days, truly engage and enjoy being in that moment with your family.

Lastly, remember this…Mindfulness can be achieved in just 3 deep breaths! If you take the time to breathe in & out three times, you are being mindful. You have taken the time to remember where you are, take note of the moment and realize that whatever you were feeling, you needed to slow down for a moment and breathe. So the next time your child does something that makes you feel anxious or angry, just take 3 deep breaths and then deal!

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11-14-11   Mindfulness

I often speak of Peace in my classroom. We tell the children we want our class to be a peaceful place, we want our bodies to feel peaceful in it and we often discuss the ways to make that happen. Essentially the message is that peace begins with us.

I recently attended a workshop at Columbia University where Susan Kaiser Greenland & Dr. Suzi Tortora discussed the practice of mindfulness with children. I found that many of the things they spoke of were similar to our practice of peace in my classroom. It is important for children to be mindful and there are easy practices to teach mindfulness that can be adapted for you and your child at home.

One of my favorite daily practices with my class is our Quiet Thought time. After waking up from rest, we do some stretches to wake up our bodies and then sit down to read a quiet thought and take deep breaths all together. Most times this is a quote carefully written on beautiful paper & hidden within a special box. Many of these quotes relate to peace or caring for one another. But recently I have begun speaking some of our quiet thoughts for a more interactive approach based on what I learned at the Mindfulness Workshop. Here is a sample of one (this is not verbatim, it’s just an example, feel free to adapt it)…..

Let’s sit up tall and pretend we are big, strong mountains. Let me see how tall and sturdy your mountains can be. Now when it rains, does the rain melt the mountain? And when a big gusty wind comes, does it knock the mountain over? No, the mountain stays steady & strong, just like each of you.

Sometimes our feelings can feel like the wind & rain that come over the mountain. The rain is like our sad feelings; our tears even look like rain. And what feeling do you think a big, blustery wind might be like? Those heavy winds can be like when we are angry. But even when those feelings come to each of you, you don’t let them destroy you because you are just like the strong mountain. And just like the mountain will sit and watch the storm clouds roll away, we can wait as our strong feelings pass by too. The wind and the rain will always come, and we will always have sad & mad feelings. But we just need to remember that they won’t knock us down and they will pass.

I find that after we talk about these things, the children seem very calm. This is also a great way to get them to start talking about their feelings. Inevitably they like to share how they sometimes feel sad & mad and how this quiet thought can help them remember that it’s okay.

I hope you will try some techniques of your own at home to encourage peace and mindfulness!

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10-21-11  Fall

Today I was watching the faces of my students light up with joy and discovery as they ran around a community garden close to our school. Around every bend of this untamed wilderness was a new treasure to be uncovered and the children were excitedly leading the expedition. Seeing how proud they were to share their discoveries, I was reminded of what I already knew…sometimes the natural world outside our school walls can teach lessons better than direct instruction ever can.  Finding friendly snails, slow-moving caterpillars and watching, very still, as a bee climbed deep inside a purple flower for pollen were touching experiences that my students will remember for a long time.

Soon the weather will turn awfully cold and these precious experiences will need to be placed on hold. I encourage all parents to take advantage of the remaining beautiful days of Fall. Bring your child to parks, gardens and any other urban oases you have at your disposal. Go on a seed hunt, collect fall leaves and make collages, let nature be the teacher! I promise it will be rewarding.

Below are some pictures from our garden exploration.

 

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