We had our last day of school last Thursday. We ended the day with a ceremony for our graduates. We place them in the center of our group forming an inner circle. We in the outer circle generate energy by rubbing our palms together until we feel the heat building in our palms. When they are so hot we can no longer bear it, we face our palms toward our departing friends and we can feel the energy leaving our palms and radiating toward our graduates. This energy is symbolic of the love and well-wishes we are sending to these special children we have enjoyed for so long and will miss so much. We then sing our song "Friend." The lyrics are simple as is the tune and we sing it many times in a row. "Friend, I want to work with you, be with you and play with you. And Friend, when we are far apart, I'll still be friends with you." It's a moving song and is often very evocative for the children.
Earlier in the day, we ended our unit studying about the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When Pauline chose this troubled and violent nation for our focus, I said, "What's the matter, Pauline? You couldn't find a more depressing country?" We did briefly address the fact that many in this nation are victims of other's greed and desire for the mineral riches that are found underground, but were not explicit. As it turns out, there is much in the DRC to be celebrated. We learned some French and Swahili, mostly greetings and words of parting. We did the calendar and the weather report in French and did some counting in both languages. On our last day of study, we asked the kids what they remembered about the DRC. This is what they said:
Clare - They speak French.
Ezra - The main river is the Congo River.
Raine - The Congolese lullaby "Bebe Moke."
Ben - They cut trees and burn the brush to farm.
Madison - The women can build a hut in 4 hours.
Maggie Rose - The women can carry heavy things on their heads.
Eliason - Canoes on the Congo River.
Then someone mentioned that Ian's baby goats were coming for a visit that day and we had to tell them that, in fact, the goats could not come because they had an infection. The children were a bit disappointed and we never did get back to the topic of the DRC. I surely learned a lot. My favorite stories were those about the mountain gorillas. They are so like us and so magnificent that I was very taken with them.
Well! I blogged even though I'm on summer break! How's that for dedication? I wish all my legions of followers a glorious summer full of popsicles, sprinklers and evenings spent outdoors when no one wants to call it a night. Enjoy yourselves!
Best regards,
Doni
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Practical Life Fun in the Summer Sun
In the Montessori environment, we have an area of curriculum we call Practical Life. This includes activities that help us to care for our space and ourselves and it is really the heart and soul of a primary environment. Kids of all ages enjoy these activities. We see 3-year-old kids washing chalkboards in the morning and then we see our oldest kids, 6 and 7 years of age washing them in the afternoon, too! The youngest kids do it to develop themselves and the eldest are usually doing it to support and nurture the life of the classroom. They see the chalkboards are dirty and want them clean! However, I got the impression today, which is our 2nd to the last day of school, that this older boy I saw washing chalkboard after chalkboard, that he was doing it rather out of nostalgia. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but this boy is about to graduate. I know he loves our school, loves practical life activities and perhaps realizes that this is his last opportunity to wash chalkboards here at school.
The developmental skills that are honed in activities such as scrubbing, sewing and preparing food are many. They help a child to order her mind as she gathers the necessary materials, places them just so and follows the sequence of activity necessary for success. She learns to coordinate her movements, both large and small, develop her balance and kinesthetic sense as she reaches and stretches and she synchronizes her visual and motor skills. She learns to care for her environment and show love to the things in it, both living and non-living. We believe that the act of polishing the leaves of a plant help us to feel an intimacy with plants that can extend to the whole botanical world. Cleaning our guinea pig's cage or brushing the dog builds connection with the animal world. When we show care for an inanimate thing, like when we polish a brass plate, we are showing respect for the earth which provided the raw material to create it and to the human being who spent a part of his precious time making it.
Practical Life activities also really lend themselves to getting a child into concentration. If the work meets that child's needs, she will repeat and repeat the activity. Her attention may be called away, but she will return to the task with focus. She will conclude by cleaning up her work space and returning the tools to their proper places with a calm, centered energy. She feels so satisfied because not only did she accomplish something outside of herself, but within herself, she has somehow grown and met a developmental need. She is unaware of this, of course, but a keen observer of the child can see the peace that follows such exertion.
If you provide for your child a small bucket, a sponge, scrub brush, a bar of soap, a washcloth or handtowel, you have all you need for various scrubbing activities. Using the process of wetting, applying soap with the scrub brush, rinsing and drying, one can clean all kinds of things. A child can wash the deck or porch, patio furniture, picnic table, Big Wheel, scooter, bicycle, automobile tires and wheels, dirty garden boots, the front steps, the sidewalk, etc. Give her a spray bottle of vinegar/water and let her wash the sliding glass doors. A little petroleum jelly will shine her patent leather Mary Janes and your favorite purse. Give your son the juicer and some lemons, limes and oranges and make some Summerade! Children love juicing. It really lets them exert themselves. Children love to put maximum physical effort into a thing. They'll move a stack of firewood from one side of the yard to the other, then will move it all back! A wheelbarrow of heavy bricks is such fun to push. A wagon full of rocks is great fun to pull. Sweeping and raking is also enjoyed by children. The list is endless!
Place these tools where your child can access them easily. If they don't know how to use them, demonstrate one of them today and one tomorrow. They will probably make use of them. If not, try again another day. Remember, the purpose of all this is not the end result. Your windows will be streaky, your woodpile will be less neatly stacked than if you did it yourself and you may need to wipe the excess Vaseline off your patent leather purse. But your child will be developing themselves mentally and physically and will feel like he/she is contributing to the well-being of your family. I wish you all a glorious summer. I plan to keep blogging, but away from the children, I may lack inspiration!
Best Regards,
Doni
The developmental skills that are honed in activities such as scrubbing, sewing and preparing food are many. They help a child to order her mind as she gathers the necessary materials, places them just so and follows the sequence of activity necessary for success. She learns to coordinate her movements, both large and small, develop her balance and kinesthetic sense as she reaches and stretches and she synchronizes her visual and motor skills. She learns to care for her environment and show love to the things in it, both living and non-living. We believe that the act of polishing the leaves of a plant help us to feel an intimacy with plants that can extend to the whole botanical world. Cleaning our guinea pig's cage or brushing the dog builds connection with the animal world. When we show care for an inanimate thing, like when we polish a brass plate, we are showing respect for the earth which provided the raw material to create it and to the human being who spent a part of his precious time making it.
Practical Life activities also really lend themselves to getting a child into concentration. If the work meets that child's needs, she will repeat and repeat the activity. Her attention may be called away, but she will return to the task with focus. She will conclude by cleaning up her work space and returning the tools to their proper places with a calm, centered energy. She feels so satisfied because not only did she accomplish something outside of herself, but within herself, she has somehow grown and met a developmental need. She is unaware of this, of course, but a keen observer of the child can see the peace that follows such exertion.
If you provide for your child a small bucket, a sponge, scrub brush, a bar of soap, a washcloth or handtowel, you have all you need for various scrubbing activities. Using the process of wetting, applying soap with the scrub brush, rinsing and drying, one can clean all kinds of things. A child can wash the deck or porch, patio furniture, picnic table, Big Wheel, scooter, bicycle, automobile tires and wheels, dirty garden boots, the front steps, the sidewalk, etc. Give her a spray bottle of vinegar/water and let her wash the sliding glass doors. A little petroleum jelly will shine her patent leather Mary Janes and your favorite purse. Give your son the juicer and some lemons, limes and oranges and make some Summerade! Children love juicing. It really lets them exert themselves. Children love to put maximum physical effort into a thing. They'll move a stack of firewood from one side of the yard to the other, then will move it all back! A wheelbarrow of heavy bricks is such fun to push. A wagon full of rocks is great fun to pull. Sweeping and raking is also enjoyed by children. The list is endless!
Place these tools where your child can access them easily. If they don't know how to use them, demonstrate one of them today and one tomorrow. They will probably make use of them. If not, try again another day. Remember, the purpose of all this is not the end result. Your windows will be streaky, your woodpile will be less neatly stacked than if you did it yourself and you may need to wipe the excess Vaseline off your patent leather purse. But your child will be developing themselves mentally and physically and will feel like he/she is contributing to the well-being of your family. I wish you all a glorious summer. I plan to keep blogging, but away from the children, I may lack inspiration!
Best Regards,
Doni
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Road Trip!
When I was a child, my parents, my older brother, Cal, my younger sister, Monique and I would load up the Chevy Malibu station wagon and hit the road. We had an enormous canvas tent that would sleep 10 and that would be our home for two weeks every summer. I have so many fond memories of those trips. I remember my Dad and I, being the only really early risers, having quiet time by the fire each morning before the others got up. I also remember driving through the night with everyone sleeping except Dad and me. I loved listening to talk radio and the advertisements for stores we didn't have back home in LaPorte, Indiana. I remember the way we all pitched in to set up and break down our camp at each stop along the way. We became extremely proficient. After camp was made, we three kids were free to explore the campground environs which we did with gusto.
Looking back, I see now that it may not have been an entirely joyful experience for my mother. Dealing with three bickering kids, a lot of dirt and the logistics of three meals a day on the road couldn't have been a picnic. My Dad, however, was in his element. He loved to travel and share all the historical and natural wonders of our nation with his kids. He also enjoyed cooking elaborate breakfasts over the campfire. Fried trout and hashbrowns, bacon and eggs, even Eggs Benedict! We had a little campfire toaster that didn't exactly toast, but dried the bread out nicely over open flame.
My parents did have a few clever ideas that helped us children make the most of our travels. We often were given spiral notebooks and encouraged to journal and draw along the way. I remember one trip during which we learned a lot of Indian lore. We saw Devil's Tower which is the cooled core of a volcano. All has been eroded away except this core. It is deeply ridged and the Native Americans attributed these ridges to a gigantic bear who carried an Indian maiden to the top of the tower, as I recall, clawing as he made his ascent. Having heard this tale and other Indian legends, we were encouraged to write or tell our own myths about various natural features that we saw.
We also were given money at the beginning of each big trip. I think we were given $20 each which was a fortune! It was ours to spend as we pleased. We could buy souvenirs, postcards, spend it all at the concession stands or whatever we wished, but there would be no more to come. At the end of the trip, my parents would double the amount we had left. Thus began a lifetime habit of saving, at least for me. I think my siblings blew through theirs, but I was a hoarder. I would allow myself one nice souvenir, such as the beautiful Indian doll with white rabbit trim on her red leather dress. On a trip to Mt. Rainier, I bought a lovely charm bracelet made of various stones. I especially loved the tiger's eye. I always brought back at least half of my allowance, though.
We played a lot of games in the car. Mostly classics like the Alphabet Game in which someone sees a sign or license plate with an "A" on it, then someone sees one with a "B" and so on. Our favorite games, though, were "Mom, He's Touching Me!" and "Keep Your Foot On Your Side Of The Car." I remember, too, that we would always have a roll of Lifesavers to share as a family and one child would be chosen to be "the boss of the Lifesavers." They would have the responsibility of safeguarding the precious rings of rainbow-colored sugar and doling them out at intervals. Sometimes it was gum. To this day, our code for a micro-manager is "the boss of the Lifesavers." And I remember the pound of Wisconsin cheddar accidentally left to melt in the hot sun in the Malibu. We ate it anyway as a sort of dashboard fondue and it was delicious! We all still remember that cheese!
If you dare to venture out on the open road this summer with gas prices near $4 per gallon, I know you will make some wonderful memories, too. Perhaps, though, you'll make your fun closer to home. Either way, these family outings, for all their inconvenience, expense, annoyances and filth are worth it for the bonds that form between parent and child and brothers and sisters. My siblings and I are extremely close to this day and we love to reminisce. "Remember that time you passed out from the heat at the Grand Canyon and I offered you my Snicker's bar?" Good times, good times!
Best regards,
Doni
Looking back, I see now that it may not have been an entirely joyful experience for my mother. Dealing with three bickering kids, a lot of dirt and the logistics of three meals a day on the road couldn't have been a picnic. My Dad, however, was in his element. He loved to travel and share all the historical and natural wonders of our nation with his kids. He also enjoyed cooking elaborate breakfasts over the campfire. Fried trout and hashbrowns, bacon and eggs, even Eggs Benedict! We had a little campfire toaster that didn't exactly toast, but dried the bread out nicely over open flame.
My parents did have a few clever ideas that helped us children make the most of our travels. We often were given spiral notebooks and encouraged to journal and draw along the way. I remember one trip during which we learned a lot of Indian lore. We saw Devil's Tower which is the cooled core of a volcano. All has been eroded away except this core. It is deeply ridged and the Native Americans attributed these ridges to a gigantic bear who carried an Indian maiden to the top of the tower, as I recall, clawing as he made his ascent. Having heard this tale and other Indian legends, we were encouraged to write or tell our own myths about various natural features that we saw.
We also were given money at the beginning of each big trip. I think we were given $20 each which was a fortune! It was ours to spend as we pleased. We could buy souvenirs, postcards, spend it all at the concession stands or whatever we wished, but there would be no more to come. At the end of the trip, my parents would double the amount we had left. Thus began a lifetime habit of saving, at least for me. I think my siblings blew through theirs, but I was a hoarder. I would allow myself one nice souvenir, such as the beautiful Indian doll with white rabbit trim on her red leather dress. On a trip to Mt. Rainier, I bought a lovely charm bracelet made of various stones. I especially loved the tiger's eye. I always brought back at least half of my allowance, though.
We played a lot of games in the car. Mostly classics like the Alphabet Game in which someone sees a sign or license plate with an "A" on it, then someone sees one with a "B" and so on. Our favorite games, though, were "Mom, He's Touching Me!" and "Keep Your Foot On Your Side Of The Car." I remember, too, that we would always have a roll of Lifesavers to share as a family and one child would be chosen to be "the boss of the Lifesavers." They would have the responsibility of safeguarding the precious rings of rainbow-colored sugar and doling them out at intervals. Sometimes it was gum. To this day, our code for a micro-manager is "the boss of the Lifesavers." And I remember the pound of Wisconsin cheddar accidentally left to melt in the hot sun in the Malibu. We ate it anyway as a sort of dashboard fondue and it was delicious! We all still remember that cheese!
If you dare to venture out on the open road this summer with gas prices near $4 per gallon, I know you will make some wonderful memories, too. Perhaps, though, you'll make your fun closer to home. Either way, these family outings, for all their inconvenience, expense, annoyances and filth are worth it for the bonds that form between parent and child and brothers and sisters. My siblings and I are extremely close to this day and we love to reminisce. "Remember that time you passed out from the heat at the Grand Canyon and I offered you my Snicker's bar?" Good times, good times!
Best regards,
Doni
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