While the EW children were observing the Loveland map, they focused in on the school.
Teacher Jen: Which school do we already have (on the map)?
Some children said that it was New School-West and others said it was not. Some shared their reasonings.
Eliotte: It’s not because Loveland is far away.
Henry: It is because people are kind to other people.
Ozzie: If NSW was in Loveland, everyone would be kissing each other all the time.
Miro: Well, there are two Lovelands. NSW is a Loveland because there are hearts.
Aiden: We have hearts in here (in our chest) and our whole entire city. Invisible hearts everywhere.
Ozzie: There is one giant one.
Aiden: I believe the planet is one big heart.
The children are reflecting on what they consider to be an ideal community and based on their perspective, deciding if we are “there” or not. When Miro said that New School-West is a Loveland, he expresses that it is far less of a place and more of an idea that can live wherever there is love. The children then connect to the idea that Loveland can be everywhere because we all have hearts inside of us. Through our observations of this conversations, we noticed that though there were different opinions and differing ideas, everyone was listening, respecting, and welcoming everyone’s different perspectives. Perhaps New School-West is in a Loveland after all. – Teacher Jen