Bugs and Friends

We missed Rachael today, but had a great day with Caroline. Caroline brought in a live spider and it inspired lots of wonder and so many questions: Why do they spin webs? How do they eat their prey? Do they all bite humans? We also deepend our investigation into the various bugs we’ve been collecting by studying their form, color, pattern, and symmetry close-up in a drawing exercise. We built a beautiful landscape (a prototype for an insect habitat, of course) of natural materials in construction.

And we wrote messages to Will. Even before discovering a note left in our message center, several children spent a lot of time making messages and creations for Will. They talked about missing him and wanting to see him, but also expressed their pride and happiness for him. Rowan said, “Soon, I’m going to a big kid school like Will.” It seems early to be discussing Kindergarten, but it’s on their minds. The children have been talking a lot about where they’ll be going next year. Whether they have a specific place in mind or a general sense of anticipation, they are excited. Losing a classmate—something which happens often between Rainey Room and Tucker Room—is a kind of foreshadowing of the end of their time together. It is also a learning opportunity. Maintaining a relationship over distance requires effort, and can be emotional, but it also helps us to appreciate things we may not have before. And in some cases it can lead to a deeper connection. The strength of their bond to Will and their certainty that he is still part of our family will serve the Tucker Room children well as they prepare for their next chapter.