Welcome back, West Wing families! We missed you over break and we are so happy to be in the classroom again with your children. Now that we are deeply in the midst of the health crisis, experiencing shutdowns and adhering to the Regional Safer at home order, we value all the time we can be together. Regardless of the range of public health dictates around social distancing, we all strive to create learning communities of connection.
Zoom Meetings:
On Wednesday night, Roleen hosted a zoom meeting with the Dandelions to talk more in depth about our response to Covid19, as well as to open up a dialogue about how all of us as individuals can support and strengthen our community. Flora and Dana sent out an email summary of the group agreements that came up during the call, as well as some of the next steps for the school admin. Thanks for being part of this critical conversation. (If you were not able to make this meeting, Roleen has said that she will be in touch to connect, if she has not done so already.)
On Thursday evening, the Cilantros hosted a meeting to welcome Wesley and her family to NSW.
In a year like no other, the Michies ended 2020 with their six year old daughter, Hayes, having her last day of chemo. Hayes has been so brave and strong through her uphill journey. We still want to continue following our agreements for her health and everyone’s and for Wesley to have her unique journey with us at NSW. The TJ and Jess shared the experiences that nurtured long lasting relationships they made with parents from Hayes’ year. We’re all craving to be together and are redefining what being together looks like. Roleen ended the meeting inviting families to brainstorm future virtual playful hang-time together to deepen connections.
On Friday afternoon, the Dandelions reconvened again on Zoom to share with each other some sweet moments over break. We think it is important to really focus on those moments of joy during times that might otherwise feel hard. Thanks for connecting again with us.
Upcoming Calendar Reminders:
We will be closed on Monday, January 18 in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Our next parent zooms will be on Wednesday, January 20 at 2:45pm (Cilantro) and 3:15pm (Dandelion). As a reminder, these regularly scheduled parent zooms will be on the Third Wednesday of the month. If you misplace the link for the meeting, you can always check out the “Zoom Links” section of the Quick Reference menu on our NSW blog.
Flowers and Gifts
Thanks to Roleen for bringing in flowers this week to brighten up our classrooms. Flowers freshen up our small tables and then offer exploratory investigation along with representation possibilities as they dry out. We would love to begin the cycle again in January. Here’s the link to our SignUpGenius for classroom flowers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0449afa629a02-flower
Group Updates
Cilantro Group
The children were thrilled to be together again! And eager to meet and learn more about our new Cilantro, Wesley, who is starting next week. Wednesday afternoon, after all the children were picked up, Wesley and her dad TJ came by to visit NSW. Wesley was greeted with a sign, “You are welcome here, Wesley!” with pictures of all the Cilantros. Wesley made and left a drawing at the Communication Center for the Cilantros during her playdate. Our curriculum involves nurturing and making connections!
Before leaving for Winter Break, the Cilantro children revisited the Haunted House and began to share possibilities for what it might become. Through many conversations they agreed on a place to celebrate, or as one child said, “A Party Place.” The children were part of the dismantling and specified that the one thing they really wanted to stay was the darkness. With an empty canvas from which to begin designing, the teachers created the beginning of a party place, with cakes, candies (made by the children for the Halloween House), fancy dishes, special lights and flickering candles, etc. Remembering this group’s desire to play with darkness, new surprises such as different types of flashlights, colored cellophane, and reflective film sheets were added. When the children noticed the changes, they couldn’t wait to get started and began to play out the familiar roles of preparing for a party. During the group’s discovery of materials on the shelves, their explorations took a detour when testing the new variety of flashlights.
Ami projects light on the wall and notices the shadow of her hand. She begins to sing along while her hand dances and creates a moving silhouette.
Dot and Wiley notice the colored cellophane and wrap them around the tea lights.
Dot: Look! We are going to make presents.
Wiley: Go to sleep. Santa is coming. Make it dark and lay down.
Leo: Wake up. Santa came.
Ami watches Dot and Wiley pretend to open their presents and shouts: Yeah! We got candles. They are so pretty.
Dot: Santa made us candles. I love them.
Dot then holds the flickering candles around the dark “Party Place”.
Later in the morning, Oona and Jack find the cellophane and test the colors with the flashlights.
Oona: Look at the green. You see it, Jack?
Jack: I want to try one. How about Orange? We need it darker because it’s better.
Oona: It’s not too scary.
Luka and Emme find that the tea lights reflect on the cherry on the cupcakes and pretend that they have candles.
Luka: See them shine. They are sparkly.
Colette covers some lights in the colored cellophane and notices that it makes the lumination less bright: It’s okay. See the lights are still on.
These moments of play reflect the group’s fascination with light. We also recognize that though many children enjoy experiences with light, there is also the counter point of their fear of darkness. Offering the power to be in charge of their light source is a playful way to unravel the mysteries that light holds while having the security in their play with peers to challenge themselves and test their threshold of fear.
Dandelion Group
During our teacher in-service, Dana, Flora and Evelyn relocated the Front Yard House Area to give the children more room to play around each other. The House Area is now next to the Sound Wall where we noticed the children liked having a “picnic” on the artificial grass area. The school has also added a canopy in preparation for future rainy days which gives it a nice blue “roof.” This change also opens up more space to ride the bikes. In addition, our large building blocks have been replaced by small building blocks with the intention to give children more opportunities to practice their fine motor building skills through trial and error with small falling structures rather than large ones to prevent getting hurt. The large wood pieces will be available for obstacle courses and balancing and other emergent games at the children’s request.
The Dandelions enjoyed going into the house area in a group of four where teachers observed the children so as to not overcrowd each other. The furniture is arranged in a way where the children can interact and still keep the distance between each other and have meaningful conversations:
Group #1 Roles:
Ana- big sister, Arya- big sister, Eddie-big boy, Emma- Mom
Eddie: Hey, all of them [containers] are empty. Where did they [pretend food] go?
Emma: They are in the bowls.
Eddie: But I need some in the jars.
Emma (To Flora): You know, big boy wants some of this food but we are using it.
Flora (encouraging perspective/inclusion): Big boy is part of your family. It sounds like he also wants some food. How can he get some?
Emma (walks over to Eddie and hands him one of the bowls).
Eddie then joins Arya, Ana, and Emma at the dinner table. They pretend to cook some dinner then they turn their attention to care for the babies and change their diapers.
Ana: I’m a big sister.
Arya: I’m a big sister too! I’m going to change this baby. How do you change a diaper?
Emma: First, you take off their pants and then you put it on.
Arya: Big sister, do you want a blanket?
Ana: Thank you.
Group #2 (no roles assigned)
Plan: Cook pancakes
Leon: Marcel, Spencer, I’m making pancakes!
Spencer: Okay. I’m adding something to it.
Leon: This is my house.
Flora: Yes, your “family” house.
Spencer: Where is the special tea pot? If you want to make a pancake, you have to put it in here [and] some butter.
Spencer: I’m going to get some pancakes.
Marcel: Me too.
Leon: Are we having a tea party?
Marcel: Where is the magic teapot?
Spencer: Can I help you?
Marcel: Yes.
The inside classroom also saw some changes to reflect the children’s questions, conversations, and interests. We rearranged the light table in the loft area (and added carpet square seating cues) so that there is room for two Dandelions to construct together with the Magnatiles, the crystal climbers, and the semi-opaque blocks. The light table on the rug now has a variety of magnetic materials — balls, washers, wands, chains, rods — and the children were pleased to see that the metal stands of the laminated Dandelion figurines also could be used in connection! (“Look! We are connected!” was an exclamation that we heard in the children’s play here.) Other figurines that made an appearance this week are some small dinosaurs in two kinetic sand trays at the Composition Table.
We are also in the process of revamping our indoor house area to reflect the children’s interests in caring for the baby dolls, not only as moms and dads but also as doctors and nurses. Roleen donated a rocking crib and we have ordered additional Black and Asian dolls, a doctor’s kit, a high chair, and some other baby supplies. If your family has other doll sized furniture or accessories (changing table or pad, clothing, etc) that you are no longer using, we would happily use them in this space.