Friday's Tattler

Friday was a great end to an interesting week on Russia. We did lots of things this week including a brief presentation about the Russian Circus. The school really shows our work. It's nice to have our things hanging in the school. This coming week we will study China, so our Russia things will go home.

During the Knowledge Bee we changed up our play. We asked each of our Kindergartners to choose a team of Middles and Littles and together as a team they were to answer the questions asked. The object was for the Ks and the Middles to choose and answer, and for the littles to offer that answer to the school. We are a group activity place and we teach children to work in groups and find niches in which they can be comfortable and learn easily. There is power in a group that the individual child does not have alone. This team effort was a beginning. Later in the day, the teachers put the Kindergartners with the littles to help them do some artwork. It worked very well.

We are working toward listening skills and cohesive learning. This can't be done when a child has his own agenda. When a child cannot become a member of the group, the Garden School has nothing to offer him. When teachers demonstrate a willingness to work together, students are watching and learning how to do this. When a child rejects the group in order to serve himself, something has gone awry and we need to fix this. There are many forms of fixing including medal loss both permanent and temporary, and when all else fails, dismissal.

This week we will be doing China, and doing some campaigning for the race for the School President, and then play practice starts for the big Spring Play. Looking forward to all of it - busy busy!