Wednesday, February 23, 2022

2/23/2022

Guardians for the School

During our team meeting with Molly and Jen yesterday, we decided to pursue what specific kinds of guardians the school should have. What is valuable at St. John's? What should our guardians protect? Even before the teachers brought up the topic of guardians, Cape exclaimed, "I know about guardians."
Here's how the conversation proceeded from there:
   Cape - I know about guardians. They actually have guns to protect. They use black to build walls so people can't go through. They can protect gold and stuff. They can protect kings and queens or whatever.
   Finlay - The guardians have metal gadgets. Or the really best guns. Guardians can do something really cool. They can be ancient crocodiles. They also have special pets.
   Wilder - Guardians can transform in movies. They also have special things to protect a castle or something special, like treasure from the pirates. Anything shiny or cool, the guardians can protect it.
   Jill - Last week, you suggested that guardians could protect the school. We want to know a little bit more. Wilder mentioned that guardians protect "something special." What is special and valuable at our school? What should the guardians protect at our school or in the Rainey Room.
   Bea - Clay. Clay that has been in the kiln and painted.
Frannie - We don't want someone to get a something shiny or a shiny necklace from someone.
  Lily - Well, humans (as something that could be protected at our school).
   Jill - Which humans should be protected by the guardians.
Lily - Well, everybody.
   Remy - Pillows (should be protected).
   Cate - Diamonds.
   Brigitte - Do we have diamonds to protect at school?
Cate - We have little gems at school.
Cape - Every part of the school should be protected. We have little legos. And other special things to protect.
   Cate - A shield could be something that a guard uses to protect things. We could put the guardians at the door.
   Jill - Are there other special things or special places that should be protected?
   Jade - Our special messages should be protected.
   Lily - I have a question. People don't know about the valuable stuff at school. (Raising the possibility that maybe no one would come in and take our valuable stuff.)

Some children drew their special protectors.

Cape - It's a king and queen guardian. The green part is the super power: FIRE FORCE, There's fire poking out to protect the kind and queen. (The guardian proceeds to talk in crocodile language) "I'm guarding things."
He is built out of metals, he has a bunch of screws. My guardian's voice is growling. The guardians use golden metals to see where they're going.

Jade - It's a message center guardian. He's a boy because he looks like a boy. He's made out of metals. He's going to be next to the mailboxes. His name is "Gold."

Bea - It's a girl guardian. Girls like I'm a girl. Her name is "The Protector." She is the guardian of children's work, like paintings and things.

The list of valuable things and people that the children developed is so thoughtful. It highlights the experiences that children value at our school. The drawings continued today.

Cate - It's a fairy guardian. She protects flowers. she is made out of flowers and leaves. Gardening flowers -- not eating flowers. She speaks English. she lives in a fairy garden.

Remy - My guardian scares away the bad people who take all of your hair. He's made out of wood and metals. His teeth are concrete.

Lily - A guardian for humans. It's a girl. She scares away bad people. Usually people are mostly inside (the school), so she can live inside. She can be near the staircase to protect the whole school.

Drawings that Transform

Children accepted a drawing challenge today.... drawings that transform. They could select from prepared papers that only had a bit of the underneath photo peeking through. They drew something that could become the other item. Enjoy these images and descriptions!