Brilliant goldenrod, abundant harvests, and foggy mornings highlight the beginning of our new school year. Sounds of laughter and learning fill the hallways and school grounds as children settle into new classrooms and new rhythms.
In a beautiful first day of school Rose Ceremony, Orchard Valley’s new class of first graders was welcomed by their 8th grade buddies. The first grade students also heard a story from their class teacher, Victoria Mansuri, who shared the following reflection on the first week of school:
It was a wonderful first week in first grade! We learned that the whole world is made up of straight lines and curved lines. We found them in flowers, leaves, and many other places in nature; and in the classroom, in both toys and tools. We have practiced our forms with chalk on the big chalkboard and individual chalkboards, with paintbrushes and water on the chalkboards (which magically disappears!), walking them on the balance beam, and even drawing them with our toes! The forms come out of the story which began at the Rose Ceremony and is continuing daily.
The children are starting to learn the rhythm and form of the day. Upon arrival, after changing into their indoor shoes and shaking my hand, they may have some indoor play. When I ring the chime, it is time to clean up the toys and come to our seats. By Friday morning, after shaking a child's hand, I turned around and was surprised to find all the children at their seats, eager for Main Lesson to begin.
The transition from Kindergarten play to attentively listening and engaging in our (albeit playful) work is arduous. I have heard many pleas of, "I'm so tired." "When is snack?" "Is it dismissal yet?" The children are working so hard and need nourishment for body and soul to sustain their learning and growth. By the end of Lunch Recess, they are all ready for a soothing cup of tea and Rest and Reading. It is one of our cherished times of the day.
In the Maple Tree mixed age Kindergarten classroom, Joanna VonCulin shared insight into the deep social-emotional learning that takes place in an early childhood classroom:
Your children may well have been coming home quite tired - they are learning a lot, fast! They are learning how to care for one another, how to speak for themselves or seek help, how to share, and how to enjoy the company of their classmates. They are learning to check in with a friend if they've been hurt, and how to make age-appropriate amends, like fetching the 'care' basket or an ice pack. They are learning or fine-tuning fine motor skills with vegetable chopping, kneading dough, and coloring. Their gross motor skills are getting a wonderful workout outside, where the playground has uneven ground to traverse, trees to climb, and sand to dig in, to name a few attractions.
We've been doing a fairly short and sweet circle time, one designed to help new friends find their feet and learn the daily elements of circle. In it we have verses with movements for the children to imitate, songs that many already are learning, and a fun game "Sally Go Round The Sun." At this point, it is all about being able to come together as a class!
One of the circle songs really sums up what the first few weeks are about:
Kind hearts are the garden,
Kind thoughts are the roots.
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
Plant many kind seeds,
And fill it with sunshine,
Kind words, and kind deeds.
