April 6 - April 10, 2020

Participation!

We've reached the end of our second week of on-line connection and experiences.  While it is a far cry from being able to see each other at school, we are continuing to find new ways to be together.
Our hats our off to our families.  We are a school that values partnership between parents, children, and teachers.  Our web site reads:
" Parents are considered part of the educational process and the connection between home and school is a strong element influencing the development of experiences in the classroom.  Families are encouraged to participate in nearly all aspects of classroom life."
No kidding!  As we come to terms with this new way of doing school, we rely on families to:
    - Connect to classmates and teachers on Zoom,
     - Log into Seesaw for provocations and stories,
     -  Provide materials for the children to use,
     - Support children in using the materials
     - Document the experience with photos, videos, or other methods,
     - Share the work of children on Seesaw and Instagram.....
The list could go on!
We can't thank you enough for taking all this on.  As we work together, from a distance, we are noticing the ways in which these experiences resemble the work we do when we are together at St. John's.  Here's just a few examples:

Materials

We hoped that families would have access to paper and natural materials.  We didn't expect to see the wide range of materials that we saw this week.  Children worked with puff paint, glitter, gems, popsicle sticks, google eyes, wash tape, and flowers.  Children used a variety of adhesives.  An impressive array of tools came into play: hole punches, staplers, needles, thumb tacks, and glue guns.

Competence

Children worked independently and demonstrated competence every time we used materials and tools.  Joslin and Leigh wielded glue guns as they made headbands for their eggs.  Today, Lou Lou led a class demonstration on the ways she folds and fastens paper to create books.
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Problem Solving

Children encountered problems and challenges as they decorated headbands and bound books.  We repeatedly saw them try new strategies to overcome their obstacles.  One common problem difficulty this week was using the appropriate adhesive.  After all, it's not easy to make delicate flowers stay on an egg.  Children patiently made different choices and met with success in the process.

Relationships

Siblings often joined in the fun.  As we explored materials and processes together, we learned of connections.  Will Clarkson has a loose tooth and Sam's sister Claire recently lost a tooth.  We heard stories of things children had built with their family members and games they had played together.  Although we are not physically together, children were still asking questions of each other and incorporating the ideas of others in their work.  Parents were important partners as well.  While making her crown, Ellie commented, "Me and mama are making holes."

In these ways, our work continues together, even when distance separates us.  Thank you for making this week a success.  We're already looking forward to coming back together next week! In preparation for the coming weeks, Tucker Room and KW made journals over a Zoom call.  As the call ended, Gigi said, "I love my journal book."

Enjoy your weekend and we'll see you next week!