May we be at peace, May our hearts remain open. May we awaken to the light of our own true nature. May we be healed, May we be a source of healing for all beings.
While we navigate this unusual time, calm, good will, and joy are more important than ever. The values of kindness and community, of truth, beauty, and goodness that are core to our school can help to guide us.
Claire and Emma (pictured above) are working on projects at home. Shadow Drawing Here is fun idea shared by our Grade 1 teacher, Ms Henderson:
Place an object in the sunlight.
What do you see?
Use the shadow cast to draw a picture.
Celebrating Easter April 12th -
Written by Ms Jones
Amid these unusual times, it is good to bring some ‘usual’ into the lives of the children. Keeping the rhythym of traditions alive helps in bringing the stability of the familiar. Each year at school, we celebrate Easter as it is a pivotal time in the calendar year, and this year it will bring a chance to be joyful in these difficult days. Easter marks a wonderful change in the year, in the world outside and also inwardly in ourselves. Outside, we notice the natural world emerging anew. There is new life to be seen around us in the bulbs that are pushing through the once frozen ground, birds are singing and nesting, and the light of the sun is illuminating our world a little longer each day. Inwardly, we also sense the change. There is a reset, an awareness and a breathing out, letting go the darkness initiated by the preparations at Michaelmas, through the long months of the winter to the spring and welcoming the life-giving warmth of the sun. It is the beginning of a new year of light and of life.
At school, we celebrate by drawing pictures of young bunnies and chicks, and also by dying eggs in bright colours, their beautiful, perfect curves standing as a symbol of new birth. These colourful eggs are then typically hung from a spring branch in the classroom. This year, you can continue this tradition by having such a branch on your own nature table, or as centre table display. Alternatively, these colourful eggs can also be held in the folds of an earth-coloured scarf on a sidetable, or arranged around a dinner candle.
Celebrate Easter Naturally: Colouring Eggs with Plants and Spices Here is a guide to assist you in decorating Easter eggs for your home.
Happy Easter to you all! May this festival bring you brightness in celebrating the arrival of the sunlight and joy in the long-awaited beginnings of nature’s new life.
Here are some photos of our students and faculty working on lessons from home this week. The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
Looking for some tips on creating a special work space for your child at home?
1. Keep the area well organized 2. Be consistent with learning in the same place 3. Care for learning materials with great reverence and respect
Parent Resources
Middle School Child Managing Stress Parker Palmer on Education as a Spiritual Practice Breathing in the Time of a Pandemic Assuming Goodness: Why Children Need Great Expectations Whole Family Rhythms
Everyday Learning Activities
Learning isn’t limited to academic tasks and workbooks. Children are learning throughout their daily routines and interactions with their environments. Here are some suggestions for you to consider.
Literacy
Activities to Consider:
Find reading opportunities in everyday life: labels on household items, recipes, directions for a craft or game, etc.
Have children read aloud to members of the family on a daily basis (a novel, news of the day, etc.).
Older children could take turns reading and listening to their siblings; younger children may enjoy reading to the family pet.
Engage in discussions where everyone in the family takes a turn to talk about what they’ve read.
Ask your child to review and create summaries of novels, picture books, games, movies or TV shows to read out to the family.
Storytelling is an excellent way for children to learn and develop skills.
Children learn by listening to stories being told or read to them.
Younger children could tell a story about what they did that day.
Older children could tell a story about an imaginary character.
Families can build stories together by everyone taking turns adding to the story.
Daily notes to siblings, friends, or family (similar to ‘daily messages’ teachers write to students).
A family “Stay Home” book where each child contributes based on ability and interest, (how life is different, reflections, COVID-19 science, drawings, photos, etc.)
Numeracy
Activities to Consider:
Play card or board games to help children practice math skills: e.g. Old Maid, Go Fish, Memory, War, Dominos, Checkers, Monopoly, BattleShip, SmartGames, etc.
Use real-life examples siblings can work together on:
How much dirt would be needed to fill the garden box (predict then measure)
How many days does a loaf of bread last the family (observe consumption, create a chart of how many loaves needed a week)
How much drinking water does our family use each day (predict then measure)?
Thinking
Activities to Consider:
Learn something new: sewing, knitting, cooking, baking, woodwork, chess or other game, language, dance steps, technology, etc.
Create arts and crafts: beading, drawing, painting, sculpting, carving, etc.
Make music:
Sing, alone or with others (in person or virtually)
Drum or play a musical instrument (alone or for others)
Set up a digital performance where everyone plays their part over Zoom or Skype.
Watch a free concert online, have a family discussion about what you thought of the performance.
Have reflective discussions with your child, such as:
what school subjects they like best
how they feel about current situation
if anything is worrying them
what they hope will happen (short term and long term)
their ideas on how to make time with family at home fun
anything they’d like to talk about
Communicating and Collaborating
Activities to Consider:
Daily informal, virtual chats with family, friends and classmates:
developing informal conversational skills
develop awareness of the needs of others (e.g. grandparents and other Elders).
Personal Awareness and Responsibility
Activities to Consider:
Support children in establishing and maintaining their daily and weekly schedule. Have them consider questions such as:
When do I have the most energy to complete work that requires concentration?
How often do I need to take a physical body-moving break?
When would be a good time for me to do some leisure activities?
What are some skills I really want to learn but have never had the time to learn?
Have children help with home and yard-work
Social Awareness and Responsibility
Activities to Consider:
doing daily chores
taking care of pets
helping with cleaning and organizing
caring for younger siblings or an Elder
making a schedule that accounts for daily routines within the family
Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
Activities to Consider:
Nurture relationships with grandparents and extended family through virtual conversations.
Children learn by listening to stories being told or read to them.
Younger children could tell a story about what they did that day or about an animal, toy or any item.
Create a scrapbook about your extended family including pictures, photos and stories about family members, etc.
Create a poster or story about the types of food your family likes including special occasions where you share certain foods.
Go outside and enjoy the beginnings of spring, keep times of quiet, and bring happiness into the day for your children and yourselves too!