I am a Keeper of the Flame

I believe "every child is born with a precious flame within," and, as a Teacher, I play an important role in nurturing that flame, in igniting the love of learning & keeping it burning bright. I am a keeper of the flame.

Take a look at this inspiring animated poem written by Peter & Paul Reynolds:


http://reynoldstlc.org/keepersoftheflame/

We're Collecting "Beautiful Stuff!"

A beautiful & vast array of vivid metal & glass bracelets for sorting, patterning, building, accenting, and creating.

The children within this classroom are forever exploring their natural world, asking questions, investigating, using their imagination, and creating! In doing so, they are making their learning meaningful. I would like the children to express their creativity while discovering, collecting, arranging, experimenting, and designing with a vast supply of found and recycled materials/items that are interesting and treasured. In other words, we are collecting "beautiful stuff."

Please allow your child to bring in items found in nature (i.e., pinecones, leaves, snails, worms, insects, etc.) and donate recycled materials from home throughout the year. Simply send the items/material(s) in your child's backpack or hand them to either Ms. Parisi or Ms. Samantha before or after school.

We always appreciate, and are in need of, the following:

·     - tin cans

·     - glass jars [mason jars, baby jars, pasta sauce jars - kindly take off the label(s)]

·      -acorns

·      -pinecones

·      -sticks, rough cuts of wood

·      -stones, pebbles

·     - bricks

·      -beads (glass, wood, and/or plastic)

·      -sea glass

·      -mosaic tiles, stained glass
-recycled china, recycled pottery

·      -buttons

·     - keys

·      -corks

·      -ribbon, yarn, & fabric

      -small metal objects (bottle caps, screws, nuts, bolts, etc.)

·      -dry beans (label beans please e.g., “kidney”) 

·      -assorted seeds (label seeds please e.g., “apple seeds”)

·      -toilet paper rolls,  paper towel rolls

·      -plastic lids & caps [small & large (e.g., juice container lids, sour cream container lids, etc.)]

     Your child may decide to bring in "beautiful stuff" that is not listed here. I encourage them to do so.

Thank you for your contribution to our collection of “beautiful stuff,” and for broadening each child’s  curiosity, imagination, and interest in learning!

Practising What I Teach

My children are my entire world, & I know that every child in my classroom is someone else's entire world. That's why I educate your children the same way I educate my own. 

My children, similar to your own, learn by investigating their interests and constructing their own knowledge. They test their ideas about areas of interest and demonstrate their understanding through various "languages," or mediums: markers, paint, chalk, charcoal, clay, wire, blocks, cans, wood, cork, rocks, fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, photographs, collage, sand, water, etc..  Their demonstration of their understanding often leads to further understanding, and inspires new ideas to investigate. 

I will often include examples of my own children's learning to demonstrate how my teaching  - whether my children or yours - is often one and the same. 

The Nesting Instinct

On a cool, rainy day Declan and I looked outside our window and onto our front porch. We noticed sparrows flying in and out of their nest. Declan asked: "How do the birds stay warm in their nests?" We set out to explore the answer. Declan carefully collected a sample of the nest on our front porch and dissected it. He found feathers, string, sticks, grass, straw, and "old, wrinkled leaves and flowers." Inspired, Declan set out to make his own nest using the materials he identified in his research. He searched our mini-atelier and eagerly collected soft feathers, colourful yarn, moss, and sod. When the rain let up, he searched outside for twigs, flowers and leaves. Each material was beautifully sorted by Declan into separate bowls. Before the process of creating the nest began, Declan noted "Birds use beaks, not fingers, to make their nests." As a result, I gathered clothing pins and tongs. Declan used these instruments like a bird uses its beak to gather the materials and make his own bird's nest.  He stated "Birds must be slow and careful with their beaks so they can get their nests 'just right.'"

The result of Declan's curiosity, research, insight, and creativity led to a beautiful process of imitating the work of a bird, and creating what Declan declared as a "cozy roost." He exclaimed "This nest is a perfect place for mommy and daddy birds, and their babies to get warm, eat, sleep and hide out." When I later inquired "How do you think birds stay warm in their nests?" (the initial reason for the inquiry), Declan exclaimed "Mommy, their nests are cozy beds with warm, fuzzy blankets! They have sticks and twigs that make the nest like wood makes a bed. They have warm, fluffy feathers, yarn, and leaves to keep them warm just like a blanket." 

Led by his own curiosity and creativity, Declan answered his own question, and told me he felt like a real Scientist and Artist!

A Walk in the Snail Park

During a walk in our local valley, Declan spotted, and began to collect, snails. We took them home and decided to observe them. I placed them on a mirror, and Declan immediately took note of the "slobber trail" they left behind them. Declan asked "Why do they slobber so much?" He then proceeded to give the snails a ride around the mirror. This prompted me to ask "What could we do to make the snails' visit to our home more fun?" Declan proclaimed "We should build them a climber!" This original idea eventually led to the creation of an entire "Snail Park." The "Snail Park" contained various materials chosen by Declan, and elements inspired by his imagination. He included tunnels, slides, pathways, cushions, pools, and night lights, amongst other elements. 

As Declan created his "Snail Park" he pondered where the snails would enjoy playing the most. He noted that the snails liked to hang upside down on the climber and inside the tunnel. It was during this observation that Declan proudly announced "Mommy, the snails use their slobber to hang upside down!" Delcan continued to place the snails on various elements of his park. He also decided that they should play "Hide & Seek." During their game, Declan made another observation: "Mommy, the snail is hiding on the side of the curly slide! He's using his slobber to hang off the side of the slide!" Once again, Declan's own motivation, interest, and inspiration led to a beautiful creation and the resolution of his curiosity. 

Leaving a Snail Trail

Declan's infatuation with "snail slobber" led to his idea to paint snail trails. Declan procured a piece of cardboard, and then carefully painted some colourful snail shells (Declan ensured no snails were hurt in this project by looking inside each shell that he found in his Mom-Mom's yard). Once his snail shells were dry, he experimented with making trails for each snail. He used his finger and numerous sized brushes to create trails of varying widths. While painting with his finger he exclaimed "Mommy, I'm moving my finger slowly like a snail!" 

Cultivating a Crab Apple Tree

Walks through nature in the Autumn led to Declan's interest in trees and leaves. One tree in particular captured Declan's attention: the crab apple tree. Declan was captivated by the miniature globes that hung precariously from each branch and graced the ground he walked on. He asked to take some photos (seen here). Then, he proceeded to collect some crab apples from the ground to inspect them further, and decided to create a crab apple tree of his own. Reflecting on his images (both photographic and mental), he stated that he must collect sticks to create the trunk and branches of his tree. After that, he gathered treasures from our household collection to represent various part of his tree: ruby glass beads for the crab apples, emerald beads for the leaves, miniature pinecones for the nests, plastic sun catchers (previously made by Declan) for the birds, and a beaded fish as "food for the baby bird."

During this project, Declan intimately inspected and dissected an element he found within nature, captured his subject mentally and photographically, and creatively represented it. 

Wind Dual

A chance meeting between Declan, two scarves, and the wind, led to an enlightening discovery about the wind's speed & direction. Declan and the wind battled at times: each trying their best to command the scarves. At moments, Declan prevailed while at others, the wind reined supreme. The culminating round was a beautiful dance between the two. While battling and dancing it out, Declan exclaimed "The scarf blows higher when the wind is stronger! It falls down when there is no wind."

Seeing the Trees from the Forest

To Declan, this beautiful creation was a simple forest with a pond. But, to me, this simple exercise in building demonstrated his understanding of a deciduous forest's habitat and the importance of trees. With prompting, Declan discussed the plants and animals that live in his forest, which also happen to be the same plants and animals that live in the deciduous forests that he often has the occasion to investigate.

-Tell me about your forest Declan: "My forest has bears, ducks, rabbits, foxes, deers, skunks, and frogs. There are maple trees and oak trees here. There are also those trees with the spikes. What do you call them?...oh, pine trees. There is a pond for the frogs and ducks to swim in. The bear, fox, and deer might want to take a little drink there or clean themselves up." 

-And what are the knights doing in your forest Declan?: "The knights are protecting the trees Mommy. The trees are our friends. They give us wood and homes. They give animals homes too. The knights don't want anyone to cut the trees down. They will protect the trees and fight the bad guys."