First week together and ELECTIONS!
Happy weekend, all 🙂
Well, we did it! We are through week one of school in our class together. The beginning of the school year is so important. My goal and priority for September is to create safe, happy and supportive relationships between the students and me, their teacher, but also between each other. We are a team and we will come together to have a great year. There is plentiful research to suggest that the indicators of success early in a child’s life are their social emotional health, literacy and wellbeing. In the words of developmental molecular biologist: “You want to get your kid into Harvard? You really want to know what the data say? I’ll tell you what the data say! Go home and love your [family]!”(Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five)
This being said, we are spending lots of time getting to know each other, develop the rules and values for our classroom, and build a safe and supportive learning environment for all. We have also been working on patterns, inside and outside– see our photos below of an outside exploration.
It is voting time! Part of our learning this year is how to be in a community- what are our rights and responsibilities? We have both the right and responsibility to elect leaders who reflect our values. We are learning about the election process through our class election, which will take place on Monday. Will students elect a pet/representative that values more math or more art? They are working filling a ‘group plan’ jar with rocks, receiving one rock when they help the class community in an unexpected way, or support the group plan. If they fill the jar they could either receive: a Sundae party or a popcorn party. If elected, the Flamingo party will offer more math and popcorn- Lulu, the leader of the party proposed during the debate on Friday. Shifu, the leader of the Red Panda party, will offer more art and ice cream! The leader will be elected on Monday after students head to the polls. (See photos of the candidates below).
DONATIONS:
- All the students are interested in making a weighted snake for grounding during carpet time. If you are able, please bring in a bag of lentils or rice and a long knee sock.
- We are doing some relaxation and movement in class and are using yoga mats. If you or your child has a spare yoga mat at home you would like them to use, please send it in with their name on it.
- We will do lots of inventing and creating this year, and a lot of hands on math. If you have any of the following, please send it in: –
- buttons
- interesting bits and bobs (like at urban source! junk for repurposing!)
- dried beans
- beads
- bottle caps, washers, clothes pegs
- marbles
- fabrics
- books or games you don’t want
Thank you for your support this year. It’s been a pleasure getting to meet your children and it’s sure to be a great year 🙂
Love & joy,
Ms. Merkel
