Inspiration from Reggio Emilia

[Field Trip] Paleo Explorers!

Our group went to the Austin Science and Nature Center for their homeschool field trip day after our focus on Dinosaurs. What an amazing resource this place is!

Trust, Looking, and Curiosity

To trust children we must first learn to trust ourselves ... and most of us were taught as children that we could not be trusted. — John Holt

We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself. — Lloyd Alexander

The key is curiosity, and it is curiosity, not answers that we model. As we seek to know more about a child, we demonstrate the acts of observing, listening, questioning and wondering. When we are curious about a child's words and our responses to those words, the child feels respected. The child is respected. "What are the ideas that I have that are so interesting to the teacher? I must be somebody with good ideas." — Vivian Paley

Our Tribe

I took these headshots of the kiddos for their new cubbies. Are they such cuties??

Yoga with Ruxi

Thank you, Ruxi, for sharing this beautiful gift with our children!

Week of Sept 27th in photos! (by Ruxi)

no, it is not a cow's udder :)!

clay play!

this is the peace happing next door!

serious work!

dinosaur mazes ... kids chose to help each other and some chose to be more creative than just following a start to finish path.

close to finish product :)!

collaboration!

Volcanoooo!

anyone else wants to coming in?

having fun!

I am wondering if she can see in the future?! (she did have an X-ray this past weekend, all is well!)

The "E" man, one of the most extensive art/drawings I've even seen so far in his portfolio!

very detailed and all from imagination! (she also loved the "Bubble Riding" story which was about a rainbow! ... coincidence!? who knows :)!

Liam, very enganged!

Lucca, doing her math art project.

Child-led problem solving ... I only needed to be there so I could record :)!

Volunteering

Dear families,

I had the honor of being the mama helper this past week. I am overflowing with gratitude for what we all have and I am in need of sharing it! :)

We have amazing children, first of all, who in the light of parents' passion and Ms Andrea's creativity, experience and vision, are truly blossoming! It is so amazing to see the kids' "true self-juices" in every activity they do (especially when they don't know they are being "watched") ... it is truly amazing to see them interact, when everything can go wrong and yet all is perfect and flowing (with no mediation needed 95% of the time). It is beautiful to see the relationship they have with Ms Andrea, the flow and the mutual respect they have for each other! Our kids are so generous and welcoming to all the volunteers and when needs need to be met, no one discriminates! It is truly special to receive and share their excitement for yoga and their honest participation! I really feel like a kid around them! (with less energy of course :)). It is an honor to have them sit on your lap, or lean their heads on you (or my legs), to get spontaneous kisses, to hear my unusual name pronounced with their sweet voices, to be asked to read a relaxation story twice in a day by the same kid, to see appreciation in their eye for the projects we do together!

I know we have only 9 kids however it feels like we have a "complete" group; they know how to regulate, teach, help, love and appreciate each other. They really take care of each other like they would be a pack! They are shaping each other and it is truly beautiful to see!

The detached teaching (putting the knowledge out in front of our kids, from the heart, and allowing them to take what they need without any expectation or personal agenda) and love for learning and art from Ms Andrea is a unique gift to us and our children!

Thank you for this wonderful journey we have started together and I wish for many years like this together!

I love our children!

Love,

mama helper, week of Sept 27 11

PS: photos to follow.