Preparing for graduation

I know our timing is a bit unconventional, but that is just how things are sometimes I guess.  As our little school is going through a major change at the end of October I am preparing a ‘graduation’ of sorts for the students.  Most of them will no longer be at the school as we are relocating, so the graduation will hopefully assist in this transition.

We are working on our portfolios and chatting about what is to come.  I have certainly sensed a shift in everyone’s focus these past few weeks.  Not in a bad way, things are just different.  I guess that is why I have been finding it hard to write here over this time.  The energy in the class is different and I guess I am sensing a feeling of wanting to be totally present for the children…..and leaving the camera behind! So many emotions come at the end of the school year don’t they, for all involved.

But the graduation….. That I am stumped on really. I have several ideas about what to do, but nothing that feels quite right.  I want it to fit with the warm familial environment already here, but also to formally acknowledge the children transitioning to the next stage in their lives.  My problem is that the only graduations I have ever been to have been for college!  I thought it would be fun to ask you for suggestions.  Does your school have a graduation? How do you help your students prepare for the transition to a new school?

Belief in imagination

Imagination is such a powerful thing isn’t it.  I have been noticing that my students are developing their imaginations more and more recently.  It is exciting to see.  They are so involved in the worlds that they create that sometimes the line between the real world and the imagined world is a very fine one!  It is fascinating to see how they navigate this.  Often they do not seem to want to switch out of their imagined world.  This can cause conflict.

This photo is of my daughter driving her car.  She was playing independently, driving around the area where her friends were playing.  As she drove around she was saying to herself “drive, drive”.  She kept this up for such a long time!  When it was time to go inside she demonstrated that she needed to drive her (imaginary) friend to her house and therefore was not ready to come inside yet.  We compromised and agreed that she would drop her friend off at a bust stop and then park the car before coming inside.  My daughter was happy with this and was then content to come in when ready.

Sometimes it can cause conflict between children.  For example this morning one child (A) was pretending they were another child’s (M) mother.  Suddenly the M no longer wanted to play but the A continued in the mother role.  M became upset because A was not in fact her mother and A was not recognizing that this was no longer a game for M.  It took some tactful suggestions to assist the children in working out a solution.

Hmm, I seem to have been focusing on the conflicts that can arise through imaginative play.  How sad!  I must apologize.  In fact I love to watch imaginations at work. I find it truly magical, exciting and energizing.  That children can have access to these wonderful worlds which they collaborate to create.  It gives me hope that through working with children I can try to ensure this skill is not completely lost in my adulthood!  I see that in the children the imagination is a powerful tool that enables them to develop a wider understanding of the world around them.  how lucky I am to have a front row seat in observing this!

Books – A Woven Education

Things are starting to wind down at school now as the class is ‘graduating’ at the end of October.  I am trying to adjust to the strange timing and how that is affecting the flow of our days….I have more to say about that but maybe I should save that for another day. Although things […]

Time flies by

Has it really been so many days since I last wrote?! Thank you for your kind words.  We are fine, it has just been such a hectic week, with very little internet time.

School was a little different as we helped out in the community garden with the harvest.  The kids made a wonderful scarecrow…..I would have taken photos but I was busy harvesting tomatoes and green beans!

It was then my oldest daughter’s third birthday.  How did three years fly by so fast?  We went to the local fiber festival – such a challenge to not buy many fibers to work with.  The kids love working with fibers and were excited to see felted things that were similar to things they had made (balls, sheets etc).

Amongst all of this activity I have been busy planning our new school.  So much to think through and plan before the new year. But it will all come together somehow!

Anyway, hopefully things will calm down a bit now and I can get back to sharing with you. Thanks again for your comments.  It is lovely to be a part of this growing community.

What have you been up to?