Thirty years ago I met a poet who changed my life. That poet, Georgia Heard, is still changing lives. Currently writing a book about heart maps, a technique developed to help young poets find poetry in their lives, Georgia asked if I’d be willing to try out heart maps with the Seed third and fourth graders. . . . Read More
This year I took notes. Although I’ve heard Elsie’s stories at least 25 times, I leaned in closely to listen with new ears to what her words would reveal. I didn’t want to miss anything. There is always more and this year held a new layer of meaning. Last summer Bill and I had the . . . Read More
On Monday we met for preliminary planning of the Seed’s summer art camp. I realized at that moment how much I love the creative process of curriculum design. It’s always fascinating how it all comes together, particularly when everyone’s ideas are considered and heard. For the past few weeks I had been thinking about sustainability . . . Read More
I’m not surprised it’s rained every day since we came back from break. It’s been a big week. On Monday I announced to the staff, and Tuesday to our current families, that at the beginning of August I will step into a new role at the Seed, founding director. Danielle Dueppen, our wise and well . . . Read More
Star Wars has arrived at the Seed. Actually, Awakening Seed was founded in 1977, the same year Star Wars premiered, so we’ve had a long parallel history. Over the years we’ve seen a steady influx of stormtroopers, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, and other supernatural warriors acting out their missions in life. It’s a trend most . . . Read More
I have to admit, I momentarily lost faith in the Seed magic. For those of you unfamiliar with this term, it’s our explanation for the fact that historically things at the Seed always have a way of working out for the good. It often happens in the form of a person walking in the door . . . Read More
Last week one of the 4th graders came up with an idea to excavate “Indian clay” from beneath the sand. This project, located along the berm by the swings, quickly drew the attention of children of all different ages. They went about their digging project in a remarkably cooperative manner. The activity was spontaneous and inclusive, . . . Read More
Monday was more than the average blustery day. The wind that passed through the Seed was stronger and colder than we normally experience. If I’m warm enough, I love the wind. In fact, it’s been a big presence throughout my life, including my childhood. I was introduced to sailing early on and the wind . . . Read More
With a clipboard in hand, I visited every classroom on Monday morning. I took notes and captured photos. What I witnessed was the Seed’s emergent curriculum in full form, from the tiny toddlers through the 3rd/4th graders. I observed engaged students, enthusiastic and helpful teachers, and classrooms that invited authentic learning. Every classroom was alive with . . . Read More
Bill will be 70 on Saturday. I’ve known him for 42 years and wonder where the time has gone. We began as friends in 1973 and that friendship has evolved into a lifetime of growing a family that includes the Seed. Many parts of our lives have evolved, especially the addition of daughters and grandchildren, . . . Read More
Even though the full moon is ramping up the energy of this pre-Halloween week, it’s still one of my favorite times of the year. There’s great anticipation for the carnival, along with Halloween itself the next day. I’ve always loved Halloween, going all the way back to my childhood when we were allowed to roam . . . Read More
On Sunday evening as I was preparing dinner, waiting for my art to dry so I could add the next layer, and tidying the kitchen, I thought I’d check out a few TED talks to learn something new. As chance would have it, I discovered a talk by Emilie Wapnick (http://puttylike.com/tedx/) called “Why Some of . . . Read More
A photo and a poem are stuck in my mind. The photo is of a drowned three-year-old Syrian child, lying face down on a Turkish beach. He and his brother were among twelve Syrian refugees whose boat didn’t deliver them safely to shore. It was all over the internet a few weeks ago. Later, while . . . Read More
I’ve thought about the lead teachers quite a bit this week. It’s one of the most demanding times of year for them, given they are preparing their progress reports AND teaching their classes. Considerable thought goes into these reports, especially the narratives, which are reflections on the whole child. They paint a picture of the . . . Read More
I signed up for poetry and left the coast of Florida with more than poems in my pocket. Invited to attend Poetry by the Sea, a retreat for poets taught by Georgia Heard and Rebecca Dotlich, I knew it was a chance of a lifetime. Georgia has been my poetry teacher for three . . . Read More
It’s a well known fact that, over the years, the Seed has gained a reputation as being a “hippie” school. Our roots as an alternative school in the 70s have certainly fueled this perception. The school’s emphasis on gardening and saving the earth have also been contributing factors. Early on we had three- and four-year . . . Read More
Last Friday I was standing in the hallway by the K-1 when a flurry of caped superheroes burst out of the Preschool 4s room. Each superhero was sporting a brand new cape with the first letter of his or her first name boldly imprinted on the back. Enthusiasm was so high I was surprised they . . . Read More
This week children of all ages are playing with their food. In keeping with our school-wide nutrition study, food is the hot topic around the Seed. Preschoolers are matching the colors of laminated pictures and plastic foods with large hoops or pieces of colored paper. The same pictures help them find their matching circle spots. . . . Read More
Two weeks ago it was snakes, now it’s bees. On Saturday, Bill received a notice from the Smiley Honey Company in the Florida panhandle. It’s the company where he’s bought tupelo honey for years. The notice said their 2015 supply was wiped out due to bad weather (http://www.mypanhandle.com/news/tupelo-honey-supply-diminished-due-to-weather). When he first mentioned it, my first . . . Read More
It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that we’re in middle of our third week of school and it’s still August. It seems like every year summer is cut shorter and shorter. As a child, summers always meant freedom and time for wonder. It seems like we all have less and . . . Read More
I was a girl who liked snakes. Growing up in rural Nebraska with fields of prairie grass at my fingertips, we had frequent specimens available. It wasn’t unusual for me to walk in the house with a gopher snake wrapped around my shoulders. My mother was remarkably calm, considering the number of legless reptiles that . . . Read More
On Thursday I walked into the Toddler 2s to see how the new school year was going. A table with five artists caught my eye, so I sat down for a closer view. Each toddler/artist had a paint brush and container filled with a different color of paint. Already there were beautiful splotches of . . . Read More
At the end of yoga a week ago, I jokingly commented to our teacher about how hard she had worked us. She asked if it was too hard and I said no. Then she added something like, “It’s important not to hold back—we never know if it will be our last time to practice together.” . . . Read More
It’s rare for my blog to have a sequel. This one does. After writing about the Seed’s mission to inspire kids to think outside the box, we now shift to inside the box. The inspiration comes from our littlest Seeds, our Toddler 1s. When I popped in for a visit Tuesday morning, boxes were everywhere. . . . Read More