Tuesday, November 15, 2005

The Garden School Tattler


Life can be so strange. Last week's slow down has had a major effect on the children at school. The whole place seems to have bonded into a really cohesive group. It's wonderful to see and a joy to teach. There are still some complaints from the whiners, but for the most part, the children are playing really well.

We're reading about Whitefoot the Woodmouse still, and today we're going to see how Whitefoot's friends are friends and his enemies are enemies.

We're doing play this week, so the children really need to express themselves so they can deliver their lines with gusto. It's a new thing to get up in front of an audience and be able to be poised enough to deliver a funny line and then wait for a laugh. Some of the kids do well, and some of them shrink. It's something to experience, however.

As we move towards Thanksgiving, I realize how much I am grateful for. This will be our theme next week. We will bake, make and take next week, and talk about gratitude. We rarely take time to say thank you today, and once an editor told me that "Never say thank you and never admit you're wrong." I suppose that's why newspapers and staff are in so much trouble.

Saying thank you allows someone to feel appreciated. Appreciation is person building. By singling out a child and making him feel as if he has accomplished something good and real, he is able to feel as if his small struggles mean something to those who love him, and that builds strong personalities.

A day should not go by without saying something positive to those we love. It's a good practice, but can seem contrived unless we find different ways of doing it. It's a think me concept.

Today we've had floods on top of the tornado. It's a going to be a day.

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