Garden School Tattler

It was a marvelous and very high energy day. Friday always is. We had a late pancake breakfast and then proceeded to a fine arts day. Mrs. St. Louis a fine artist by training showed the children how to draw a "complete picture." That means with a place for the subject. "If I'm sitting in a flower garden, and you are going to draw me there, what do you need in the picture?"

The answers were mostly flowers and vegetables. I got cheese, carrots, flowers, duh, sky and grass, but they just couldn't make the connection to a chair or blanket or something I would be sitting in or on. We talked about drawing weather, about the details of drawing and then we drew.

I was stunned by the neat stuff the kids drew. I was especially impressed by Dawson's drawing who came really close to winning student of the week. Logan actually won for my class.

In Mrs. St. Louis's class, some of the children whipped through a good little drawing - not much detail, but recognizable beings and they seemed to like the effort. Jalen drew a magnificent herd of something purple. Jasmin drew a spider web. Kaylee drew a nightmare. And Madison won the student of the week in the preschool.

In the First Grade, it was a little more difficult. There is a lot more competition. The drawings were really good and had a lot of detail. Peyton's clouds in the sky were outstanding. Yuta drew a dinosaur and won the prize this week because his work was just first rate.

The student of the week is based on several things: cooperation, behavior, volunteerism, manners, school work, creativity, and desire. Every class, like the art class, can add a point or a special sticker to help a child toward winning.

All children begin the week in the running. As the days pass, those who fail to participate, fail to earn a good behavior sticker, fail to come to scholar's club, are disruptive, disobedient or make another child cry fall out of the competition.

On the chart in Circle Time, parents can see the progress. If a child has a sticker on the chart, that means he has kept his behavior in check. That's the first consideration. An X means he's done something he should not have done.

The next consideration is a green sticker - that means volunteerism or he's helped a teacher or another student do something. The next is the "egg head" sticker or the yellow sticker. That means the child has won an egg during Scholar's Club for listening and being able to answer questions the teacher asks. When you combine all the possibilities, the week's award goes to the child who has managed to be helpful and productive.

Next week we may add another colored sticker for best independent worker. Those children who are able to find an activity and do it, complete it and put the parts away will get yet another sticker. Being a well rounded, well mannered, bright, eager child will get the awards every time. In addition to the award, children got to pick out a big candy bar from the kitchen display.

Children who fight authority, undermine the activities, ridicule teachers, argue with teachers, other students, break toys, throw tantrums, and hurt one another get nothing.

Next week we will begin Lent. It's a time of waiting for those who are not familiar with it. We are trying to arrange a trip to St. Meinrad for ashes. If the weather is good, we will go up early, tour, get the ashes, go to noon prayer in the big abbey church and then go up to Monte Casino for a run and a picnic.

All in all it was a most interesting and productive week.