The Garden School Tattler

It was A day yesterday and the kids were on fire. But we kept the lid on things by working with the hours and using a "drift away" back to back video program kids never see at the GS. It went smoothly until lunch when they seemed to want to throw everything in the air and dash crazily about just screaming. Kids do that when they are electrified with happiness. It's heartwarming to watch but I always worry that someone will be hurt.

One of the things they loved best this week has been music with dancing. We've been turning on older Christmas music, and the children have been seeking partners and teaching themselves how to dance. They have all gotten the "I have to stand up to do this properly" idea, and "I have to hold his or her hand gently" idea, so it begins very well. I was watching Dawson dance with Jasmin yesterday, and he was looking at her with such consternation, I burst out laughing unbeknown to him. He was trying to figure out what was his next step. He had her by the hands and was moving to the music, and after a moment, I suggested that he let her twirl under his lifted hand. He was thrilled and they did that for a few moments.

Bryce won the Santa Award for the boys simply because this week of suspended classes was an opportunity for him to explore all the table time toys and really play. His life was undone by Katrina and he has a lot of catching up to do. He played non stop. He never whined, was never drifting, was never tattling, shared beautifully, laughed all day, and was the ideal little student. We had a lot of hitting, pinching, toy stealing, tattling, and sniveling about who did what to whom and every time Edith and Kelly and I listened to the moaning and the groaning, we looked up and there was Bryce quietly finishing a mega structure. End of story.

Abby and Alexis won the Santa Award this week because they have been helpful to every teacher since the first of December and have cleaned up after the other students and volunteered to so some school house chores nobody likes doing. They did all this with smiles on their faces. Our whole day is balanced on this kind of goodness. There were some close seconds. Madison and Aidan and Justin were also in the running.

We appreciate all the new toys. I think the kids will too. I'm already looking forward to getting back to teaching. With all the baking and the organizing and the music and the decorations, and gifts, it's a time drain. But good teachers know that these kind of breaks only make the teaching easier and the children remember. Rest is the biggest ingredient to learning there is.

I was delighted with my little guys. Emma and Kamden and Ian and Phoebe and Addie were all so good this week. Wilbur was Wilbur. Addie's absolutely beautiful brother, Conner, who was at the party all of four days old, did not upset her applecart; she's a wonderful big sister. Ian was really super good this week and seemed to enjoy the activity time.

We hope that Christmas brings a joyful time to all our families. The Christmas season is a a marvelous time to bring families together and create the kind of bonding that stays with us year after year. God bless you all,

Judy