Field Trip to the Farm!

See the Cutest Little Punkins in the Whole Pumpkin Patch!

And all the little punkins were happy!

People Who Help Our Community

We have been very fortunate to be visited by several Community Helpers recently. Just over a week ago, immediately after publishing the previous blog, a big, red, shiny truck pulled up in front of the school. The children were ecstatic when, returning from French and Library, we talked about what would happen next. We all went out the front door and met three of our community's firefighters (whom shall remain nameless on this blog since I didn't ask permission to use their names.) One was a female, a former teacher, who was truly "tuned into" the ways young children think. She did most of the introduction, asking and answering questions that the children posed. Please use this blog page as a "book" to read and look at over and over with your child to help them process and become familiar with how firefighters have to dress to be safe and help us. Read on and see why some of us felt apprehensive!

One of the most important things is to demonstrate how a perfectly normal looking person gets transformed into an a child's apparition of a "monster." ... but this person is still there to help us! The turnout suit, and especially the mask, make a formerly friendly looking person into someone unrecognizable and really scary for a young child. We want to dispel these imaginings because we want our children to come, not hide, if ever they need the help of a suited firefighter.

The feet in the boots and pants, then pull...

The pants are heavy, so get those suspenders on!
Now the coat goes over...Note the reflective material on the coat.

He has put on the inner hood to protect hair, head and neck, the big firehat to protect from water and heavy objects falling on his head. Now, for the airtank...

We can tell that the tank is heavy by the time and effort it takes "our" firefighter to put it on and get it all safely fastened. This is getting serious... our facial expressions are changing as we watch.

And now for the worst part... That huge oxygen mask goes over that guy's entire face!
Do you notice that we're all kind of leaning away from him right now?

Good idea, look at the camera instead!

One last adjustment...

Are you the same friendly guy we met earlier?
You look and sound really different with that big mask on! Some of us feel scared...

A friendly wave just might convince us...maybe...

Whew, all that was worth it for this "behind the wheel" view!

This feels great!

A girl has big dreams!

Alright!

This is SO great!

Looking into the future?

Lucky girl gets to turn on the flashing lights!

Driving time is over...

Wow, we learned LOTS!

Goodbye!

"Hello, hello? I dont know why you say goodbye, I say hello."

Later in the afternoon, our friends came on an "official call" when the Mad Science Class accidently set off the alarms with the fumes of spun sugar from making cotton candy! So after the team was finished inspecting, I got one last humor filled shot of everyone in their turnout suits. Thanks to our firefighter friends for helping our community with caring deeds both large and small!

(They turned down our offer of taking some cotton candy, now made outdoors, with them... We simply can't imagine why?!)

We have community helpers in our Seabury Community, too. You may recognize a schoolmate of your child's on the right. She and her family provide love, care, exposure to varied environments and first training skills for puppies learning to be Guide Dogs for the blind. They keep the puppy for just over a year, and then he goes to a professional training facility to learn skills, commands and greater behavior control. Only after developing these reliably, and passing through rigorous testing is a possible match made for a human/dog team. Classes are held for possible recipients with the dogs, matches are made, and after more supervised training, they learn to work together as a team. Finally, a celebration for Guide Dog Graduation! Our Seabury Family will be there to officially present "their" dog to a "new" companion. They hope to receive a photo now and then and stay in touch with "their" dog's companion.

If your family is interested in taking part in a community service venture such as this, this family has information on being a host family. Various organizations train dogs to serve people who deaf, paralyzed, or have other significant disabilities.

What do you think about helping our community?

What can we do?

Spinning Around the World

In the Early Learning Center, we explore the world with curiosity!

Our puzzles integrate mathematical thinking skills with local and world geography, science, language arts, social studies and diversity awareness. Here you can see members of our class working on map puzzles of Africa (background), South America (front left) and Europe (far left.) We also see children with an extremely challenging math puzzle (front center) and two large farm floor puzzles, with more than 40 pieces (middle center and right.)
These choices were child driven during free choice time ("work time") and are representative of how a topic of interest can ignite the learning of the whole group! Following the leads that the children themselves offer us and nourishing those interests and curiosities with purposeful activities are what we in the field of education call "emergent curriculum." At Seabury School, we are so happy to have the flexibility to be able to incorporate emergent interests into our planned curriculum!

As we finished fingerpainting this week, we were left with a heavy cardboard tube that the shiny paper had been on. With experimentation by a curious child, it was quickly discovered to be a magnificent horn and echo chamber. And to think that my adult eyes and ears had only seen its possibilities to be transformed (with much work) into a rainstick! As we adults tune into and respect each child's explorations and discoveries, we can make the most of "emergent curriculum" wherever we are (and broaden our adult viewpoints as well!)


We had a rare opportunity yesterday to use the Multipurpose Room for an indoor large motor play time. It was a downpour during our regular outdoor time, thus were SO lucky that the MPR wasn't in use for Music or P.E! I got out the scooter boards with instructions that they were for bottom, knees or tummy use and everybody needed lots of space (no bumping walls or each other.) Sounds of delight echoed through the room for a full 30 minutes as the children explored the possibilities. Toward the end of the half hour, I sat down on the floor with the camera and invited each child to show a "trick" they could do on their scooter board. What fun!

And a good time was had by all!



Remember to keep your eyes open to see as many possibilities in the world as your child does!!!

Judith