One of the best additions to the school since the APA has been revitalized is the multi-cultural bulletin board in the hallway. Each month a different culture is featured, bringing awareness of different populations, many of which are a part of the Seed. This month’s is focused on Ramadan, which began at sundown on February . . . Read More
This is a bit of a sequel to last week’s blog, “Love Day.” The day after the valentine celebration at school (celebrated on the 12th because school was closed for conferences on the 14th), my great-granddaughter dumped out her personally decorated box of kindergarten valentines on our bathroom floor. It was an assortment of commercially . . . Read More
On Monday we celebrated the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s an annual reminder to continue the practices he stood for that are a part of our everyday lives at the Seed. Non-violence, compassion for others and ourselves, peaceful resolution of differences, standing up for ourselves and each other, being an advocate for those . . . Read More
Unlike previous years, when we’d head to the coast for a few beach days, I spent the entire winter break here in the valley. The weather was exceptionally pleasant, and it was an invitation to be outside as much as possible. I spent time in my garden, delighting in this year’s banner crop of carrots, . . . Read More
Last night we extinguished the 700 luminarias we assembled this week. Each paper bag held a candle and two cups of playground sand. At various times different crews made up of staff and parent volunteers set up the bags, hung lights, charged the solar spotlights, and created installations for last night’s Celebration of the Winter . . . Read More
On Wednesday we’ll gather as a community to celebrate the Seed and everything about it for which we are grateful. It’s an event that has been part of the Seed history for a long time. In past years we used to spend days preparing a feast for our families to enjoy. Classes would make green . . . Read More
I grew up on a dead end street. For over 70 years, the red and white house at the end of Olive Avenue was home to my parents and, in the early decades, my three siblings and me. I am the oldest, and our ages span nine years. Growing up in the 1950s in rural . . . Read More
Normally, at this time of year, we’ve already planted most of our classroom gardens. Not this year. With temperatures consistently still above 100, very few seeds have been placed in the soil. A few that have more shade than others, and a small irrigation system installed, have been planted and are bravely poking up skyward. . . . Read More
Yesterday was 9-11 and I still have vivid memories of the day, 23 years ago. It was the day planes struck the Twin Towers, the skies went quiet, and everything in the world changed. Our world continues to have its challenges and bright spots. One of the brightest spots for me is the Seed, particularly . . . Read More
On Tuesday night I attended the Kindergarten curriculum night on Zoom. I was there because my great-granddaughter is a student in the class this year. Interestingly, although my daughters and two of my grandchildren went through the Seed’s elementary program, my great-granddaughter is the first of them to be a student in Kerri’s kindergarten. Kerri . . . Read More
Around this time in 1977, my friend Anne Sager and I were busily preparing for the opening of The New School. Months earlier, I was talking with my teacher, Erma Pounds, and she suggested the idea of starting a school. As a young mother of a three-year-old and newborn, I said yes. In the . . . Read More
This morning, while out for my walk, I spied this sweet flower in someone’s yard. I felt fortunate to have witnessed how beautifully the sunlight shone through the petals. Summer is a good time to slow down and stay open to nature’s surprises. It also helps take my mind off the summer heat. It’s hot. . . . Read More
I’m savoring these last few days of spring. The mornings are still cool enough that I need a long-sleeved shirt, and the evenings make me want to linger in the garden as long as there’s still light. On Wednesday night I sat on a large flat rock near our compost pile, meticulously removing dried peas . . . Read More
This week I had the most excellent opportunity to observe in the Early 3s. It was during open centers, and there was no shortage of action or engaged activity. As I entered the room, two children were finishing up snack, one sat quietly working at the writing table, some were exploring natural objects near the . . . Read More
You may notice the beautiful bulletin board in the hallway, celebrating the Ramadan holiday. It’s part of a year-long effort to represent and celebrate the various cultures of our Seed families. Prior to the Ramadan display being installed, I was asked to review the content of the material that was going to be used, to make . . . Read More
I know I write about the Seed’s outdoor space quite often. I love being outside with the children, watching them play in all the ways they do. It’s when many of them are at their finest, using their imaginations freely with no adults telling them how to play. Certainly we keep track of how materials . . . Read More
Last weekend I was out for a walk along the canal by my house. I was appalled by the huge pile of trash accumulated near a barrier consisting of styrofoam Polar Pop cups, recyclable water bottles, a GrubHub cooler, and a soccer ball. I shared this with the 1st graders to remind them that climate . . . Read More
Since I last wrote, my four-year run of avoiding Covid came to a screeching halt. Mostly it felt like a bad case of bronchitis, for which I am grateful. I’m slowly sifting through the residual symptoms, and am glad to be on this side of it. I now understand the brain fog piece, and see . . . Read More
Each year around this time, we learn about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and others, like Rosa Parks, who contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. Although social justice practices are ongoing, this time of year is an opportunity to hone in on activism. I’ve always loved putting together studies, and the chance to . . . Read More
When the pandemic arrived in 2020, an important part of my life was hit hard, Desert Song Healing Arts Center. Since 2003, it was my yoga community where I taught and practiced, as well as a personal refuge in many ways. The same week the Seed shut down, the studio’s doors also closed. Several of . . . Read More
From time to time a certain voice catches my attention. Most recently it’s the voice of Christiana Figueres, the former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to 2016. She is also known for being a key figure in making the 2015 Paris Agreement possible. Christiana had a . . . Read More
A bulletin board covered with paper monarch butterflies is one of the first things you’ll see upon entering the building. It’s a group collaboration in honor of Día de los Muertos. According to one source, “Monarch butterflies are souls of ancestors who return to Earth for their annual visit.” On Wednesday and Thursday, celebrations were held, . . . Read More
We often talk about our emergent curriculum, especially with new incoming families. It’s described on our website as “an organic approach to learning that incorporates the interests and passions of children, their teachers, and relevant issues or current events.” We use it because “it offers children and teachers the most autonomy as learners. Using an . . . Read More
Like most people I’ve talked with lately, my heart feels immensely heavy. It’s the news, the level of stress we all live with, and the fact that it’s past mid-October and it continues to be over 100 at lunch recess. We have such easy lives compared to many, and it’s still a lot. I take . . . Read More