This week we bade goodbye to Orion who is moving to a new school. As a parting gift to her Studio Yellow friends she gave a beautiful paperwhite bulb to each child. In return the children made a multi-colored poster studded with colorful stickers exclaiming We’ll Miss You Orion! We wish Orion all the best at her new school.
In our continued efforts toward Visibility, during a recent whole group meeting we shared a problem we’re having in a quest for help.
We’ve noticed friends being unkind to each other and even friends hurting one other. We know you’re great friends and it seems like you really want to play together. How can we do this without hurting each other or making others feel sad?
This immediately set off a flurry of ideas…
Use kind words.
No pushing.
Not biting.
Maybe put a bandaid on.
I think we should never hit.
Only build as tall as your chin.
Maybe we need to go to the doctor and take the mean nasty mean fighting stuff out.
How ’bout we all play together?
Not saying boys (or girls) can’t play.
I’ve gotta good idea. What if we all have no hurting today and we’ll have a good day?
Tickle.
Giggle.
Play.
Tickle, giggle, play – It all seems so simple yet at the same time so tricky. We set about with the task of practicing what it means to be a kind friend – acknowledging with praise each and every time we witness these seemingly small steps yet huge strides in our learning to become a cooperative community.
I just asked him if I could ride on his motorcycle and he said sure!
Jamie I love your idea!
We see children teaching children and working cooperatively:
Ellie and Makenna creating a pizza together out of clay.
Ellie: “You have to make it flat.”
Makenna: “How do I do that?”
Ellie demonstrates using her hands and Makenna copies her actions. “You do this – flatten it with your hands”
Recently Lily had demonstrated how to cut tape without it scrunching. Suki and Stella successfully follow her instructions.
We are hearing children speaking kindly to each other:
Nina and Jamie are playing with gak at the sensory table. Nina “I need some more.” Jamie hands more to Nina. Jamie “We need to share.” Nina “Yes we do.”
Jamie seeks Ellie out. “After you have finished drawing do you want to make the pirate ship again?” Ellie “No thanks.” Jamie “Okay.”
Makenna to Ellie. “You want to make a bunny rabbit? You could just cut it out. Here are some scissors for you.” Ellie “Thanks Makenna. I will.”
However, these positive interactions do not always begin as such. During a walk in the park this week we caught up to our parent helper leading the charges and consoling a very emotional Ellie.
Ellie “They ran away and they said I couldn’t come.”
I’m looking at Ellie’s face and listening to her crying. How do you think she’s feeling?
Makenna/Stella “Sad.”
I’m confused. It seems to me that you’re friends and you want to be together. Do you want to be together?
Ellie/Stella nod yes.
Makenna shakes her head no then looks to the others and nods yes.
Makenna I noticed you first shook your head no and then nodded yes. Do you want to be together?
Makenna “Yes.”
I’m still confused. Just like we talked about at meeting, do friends make each other feel sad? Do friends hurt each other?
All three in unison “No.”
But you’ve made Ellie feel sad. It doesn’t look like you hurt her body but it looks like you hurt her heart. When I see friends making friends sad it makes my heart hurt. I’m wondering if we should have a Do-over.
Yes!
What would a Do-over look like?
Ellie “Like this.”
All three jump up and begin skipping, laughing and running together. At the top of the hill we pause.
I’m so happy. I’m watching your Do-over and I’m noticing that everyone is being kind to each other and no one is feeling sad. When I see you practicing how to be a kind friend my heart doesn’t hurt anymore. My heart feels so happy.
Ellie “My heart feels like a sparkly crown.”
Makenna “My heart feels like a rocket blasting.”
Stella- “My heart feels like a birthday cake.”
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
Stories we've shared to help guide our work together.
Farewell worms!
We heard from Kjerstin that our worms have been escaping from their habitat even though they had a net roof. What should we do? We decided with the cold weather coming we should set them back outside so they could burrow down before the ground froze. The group carefully emptied the bucket so the worms could live around our mint plants.
