It was a planes-trains-and-automobiles kind of weekend as I ventured to Nebraska for a visit with family and friends. It’s tricky knowing when to go there, as the weather can turn problematic in a nano-second. It was a swift drop into my homeland. My main reason for the trip was to check in on my . . . Read More
On Friday the spiral made another spin. It was unrelated to the ladybugs I wrote about last week. This spiral carried a boy, a dog and a mom. And a teacher, too. It was a spiral that wrapped around my heart. The 1st/2nd graders brought their dog mini-study to a close with a guest speaker . . . Read More
Late Sunday afternoon I was working out in our garden, pulling weeds and dried sunflowers that had completed their cycles. Most of the really juicy seeds were already picked over by birds with their hefty appetites and, of course, the visiting rat on April Fool’s Day. I salvaged the remaining sunflower seeds and even stuck . . . Read More
This morning one of the first messages appearing on my iPhone was from a Seed grad, wishing me the “happiest of Earth Days.” She said she’d be singing “Celebrate Life on Planet Earth” all day. It was a heart warmer. Other people have commented, too, some former students, their parents and staff. Reminders that our . . . Read More
I’d hoped for a breathtaking photo of Tuesday morning’s complete eclipse of the full moon. Unfortunately, iPhone cameras aren’t so effective for photographing the moon, eclipsed or not. Especially if the photographer is extremely sleepy. I lasted about five minutes gazing at the blood moon before crawling back into bed. It was awe inspiring nevertheless. . . . Read More
I started the week planning to write about this simple stool, a beautiful wooden step stool hand painted by the Toddler 2s and their teachers. It has tiny thumb and finger prints embellished to appear like insects. The stool rests prominently on the table of items displayed for the Seed art silent auction, which reaches . . . Read More
On April Fool’s Day I scurried around my house, trying to get out the door in time to be at school by 7:30. It was lice check day, and I didn’t want to let down Team Lice Check. Besides, being April Fool’s Day, it was a great opportunity to trick the older kids into thinking . . . Read More
This post is not about dieting. Nor is it about body types or places where slender people reside. It’s about places where we have access to light in a different way. I first ran across the term “thin places” when I began studying the work of John O’Donohue, the late Irish poet and philosopher. According . . . Read More
At last, the Seed has a real kitchen. Ever since the school started in 1977, prospective parents have asked how we do lunches. They want to know if they’ll need to provide their child’s lunch or if we have a regulation size kitchen to prepare nutritious food. Until a few days ago, I’ve always said . . . Read More
Book fair week is more than selling books. Over the years it’s turned into a solid Seed tradition that somehow gets better every year. It’s a community event that brings people together, supports literacy and has become a rite of passage into spring. Coordinated by our hard working APA team and supported by staff, thoughtfulness . . . Read More
One of the fences along the canal where I walk is a work of art. In its own way, it’s beautiful. In addition to the under layer of wood, it includes various types of wire fencing, a rusty panel that looks like it may have been a sign at one time, some corrugated metal sheeting, . . . Read More
I’d like to clear something up. The emergent curriculum is not a haphazard process. It’s a well respected, research-based approach to authentic learning. The emergent curriculum is generally known for taking into account the interests of children and teachers, developmental tasks, things and people in the environment, unexpected events, and matters that arise from living . . . Read More
Over the weekend a snake slithered into the Seed. Somewhere between parent/teacher conferences and early Monday morning, the snake, a new digging spot, pots and pans mounted on the fence and a log meeting circle appeared in the Preschool 2.5/3s’ outdoor area. In a short time, the space was transformed into an inviting dirt-floored classroom. . . . Read More
Tubs of tree bark, egg cartons, rocks and sticks rest on a sunny table. They provide an invitation for four- and five-year-olds to use their imaginations to create bird houses. The idea for making bird houses originated from one student and extended out to the entire class. This happens all the time at the Seed. . . . Read More
Lately I’ve had an influx of information on two topics, play and leadership. A curious pair, the two have coalesced at this time of year when I am hyper-aware of the fact that families are deciding if they will be able or want to continue sending their children to the Seed for another year. Especially . . . Read More
Wednesday morning we were graced by our annual visit from Elsie Moore. Elsie was a Seed parent and board member whose three sons are all Seed graduates. We have a long history. She’s come to the Seed every January for nearly thirty years to share her stories of growing up in rural Virginia during the . . . Read More
Purple cauliflower is nothing short of magical. I first discovered it in the San Juan Islands last summer at a farmers market. Since then I’ve cooked it, written about it and am privileged to be watching it grown in our backyard garden AND at the Seed. Purple cauliflower extended my thinking about the ability of . . . Read More
When I taught second grade in the 90s, one of my favorite parts of the curriculum was Friday projects. We worked hard all week on regular second grade content, then Friday afternoons moved us into another dimension. Our classroom had a vast supply of paper towel tubes, toilet paper rolls, masking and clear tape, wood, . . . Read More
On Friday night we will gather to celebrate the winter solstice. It’s the Seed’s way of bringing our diverse array of family traditions together to honor the season. The winter solstice has, for many years, been a sacred time for me personally. It’s the shortest day of the year, the one with the least amount . . . Read More
For the past six months or so, I’ve frequently stumbled upon heart-shaped items in nature. The most recent was a large drop of water on one of my cauliflower plants. I watered the garden to try to keep the soil moist, so the plants would be less susceptible to freezing, and noticed some large drops . . . Read More
It was a perfect amount of wind for our new gratitude flags. On our feast day they first hung on the fence near the playground entrance. Now they fly over Gwen’s Castle. Our feast day was blessed with delicious food, friendly families and wonderful weather. The flags added a colorful touch to an already cheerful . . . Read More
I’m a big fan of gratitude, which is what I usually write about this time of year. On Sunday night as I was cooking the huge pumpkin included with last week’s CSA produce, I decided what I really wanted to write about is interconnection. Somehow it seems to fit in with gratitude. First of all, . . . Read More
On Tuesday morning Danielle and I dropped off the Seed’s 2,361+ items at the Tanner Chapel food pantry in downtown Phoenix. We were greeted by a friendly man who remembered our school from years past and told us it has been a tough year for the pantry. Food supplies have been gravely low this season. . . . Read More
I doubt I’ll ever grow tired of teaching poetry. I’ve mentioned before how much I love working with the 3rd/4th graders each week. It’s the last thread that ties me to my classroom teaching days. It took me years to let go of the idea of being a teacher and each time I am with . . . Read More