One of my favorite annual Seed traditions started years ago and continues to this day. Each year Changing Hands Bookstore donates a gift card to each of our Seed graduates, and the school matches the amount on the card. It’s an arrangement that originated with Gayle Shanks, co-founder of Changing Hands, whose son, Michael, and . . . Read More
In every class there is a flurry of creativity that will translate into Mother’s Day gifts. Without revealing any top secret surprises, it’s heartwarming to see such an outpouring of appreciation to the moms who are such important members of our community. The Preschool 4s class held an extra special celebration in honor of their . . . Read More
Yesterday afternoon I returned from a week in Nebraska. Most of that time was spent with my extremely elderly parents, who are hanging on by a thread. Still living in their own house, they are daily supported by my brother and his wife, and one of our neighbors who is a childhood friend. The intention . . . Read More
On Thursday I was sitting under the loft in the 1st/2nd grade class with one of the first graders, finishing up the final touches of his published book about museums. Although we were highly focused on his book, I couldn’t help but be distracted by what was going on with the rest of the class. . . . Read More
Ever since I was a young child, I’ve been engaged in the creative process. My first memories of this involved my hands in mud. As I grew older, with unlimited raw materials at my fingertips, I branched out into making doll clothes, accessories, and full-on environments for my troll dolls and small animal erasers that . . . Read More
You’ve probably seen extra vans parked in our lot these past two weeks, and plenty of ladders and equipment strewn in different parts of the school. At last, our new fire surveillance panel has been installed, and the final details are being worked out. It feels great to have this upgrade behind us. We received . . . Read More
We’ve been practicing social justice at the Seed since we first began in 1977. Granted, our students were very young and there were just a few of them, but even in those early days we talked about saving the planet and being kind to each other. Over time, as we grew larger and expanded our . . . Read More
This entire week has been one of preparations. Danielle and I have focused most of our attention on setting up schedules, staffing, and the calendar for upcoming aspects of our program. For example, we have been talking about registration for the 2023-2024 school year, considering placement decisions and classroom configurations. We have had conversation about . . . Read More
Over the weekend I traveled to Cheney, Washington, for my friend Elaine’s celebration of life. I was invited to join her family at their lake home for a Saturday afternoon gathering in her honor. Their house felt like a shrine to Elaine Surbeck, with photos of every stage of her life filling walls and . . . Read More
In preparation for a writing lesson about pumpkin seeds with the 3rd/4th graders, I found these few lines from a poem from “Jerusalem,” a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye: “There’s a place in my brain where hate won’t grow. I touch its riddle: wind, and seeds. Something pokes us as we sleep. It’s late but . . . Read More
These days fractals seem to occupy my mind. In her book, Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown describe fractals as “never-ending…infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop.” Further on in the chapter about fractals, she applies this pattern . . . Read More
It was 102 at recess today. Although I appreciated the rain that August monsoons brought, I’m glad to be stepping into September. The rain brought plenty of humidity, and this has been exacerbated by extra hot days this past week. For outdoor play when the temperature is 100 to 109, our practice is to offer . . . Read More
We’re settling in. We’ve nearly completed our third week of school, and routines are beginning to come together. Although some children still need extra hugs before saying goodbye, and others express missing a parent, for the most part we’re getting used to being together again. It’s a time of new learning on many levels. Names . . . Read More
I listen to so many podcasts, it’s hard to remember which thoughts and ideas come from which podcasts. Often podcasters interview each other and/or appear on a number of episodes within a short period of time. I love this intermingling of thought leaders. It’s interesting how they might speak on the same topic with different . . . Read More
I know it’s unbearably hot this time of year, as sweat becomes a natural state of being. That said, I love the storms and cloud formations that appear during July in Phoenix. Last night the clouds were unusually mesmerizing, and I’m glad I captured a few views before the light changed. As I continued my . . . Read More
It’s a time of practice for our 2nd-6th grade class. They are in the throes of preparation for the 32nd annual Way-off Broadway production. It’s a long-standing summer tradition here at the Seed and involves prop making, backdrop painting, practicing dance moves, and learning lines. The performance at 2:00PM (which will be presented on Zoom), . . . Read More
On Thursday morning a group of students ran up to me excitedly asking to pick peaches. I noticed most of the peaches had already been picked, but said we could go check it out. When it was determined there were enough still left, a small envoy walked to the kitchen with me to obtain a . . . Read More
On Tuesday I observed a group of fourth graders standing together talking at lunch recess. While larger group activity options were available, this particular group opted for “something smaller.” Essentially they were asking for space to just hang out and be together. At this time of year, they’re soaking up every ounce of being at . . . Read More
I spent last week in Nebraska, caring for my parents who, at 97 and almost 94, are definitely winding down. Each afternoon we’d take a drive around the county on roads that followed the Little Blue River and the Union Pacific tracks. We drove past farms abandoned long ago, with barns and houses on the . . . Read More
I first started teaching 4th/5th grade in 1999, the year we moved into our present building. Many students that year were kids I had as 2nd graders, so we were already well established. As we settled into our new permanent location, we slowly created functional outdoor features. One of our first projects was a small . . . Read More
It’s the time of year when many classes are engaged in deep studies. Two classes, our Early 3s and Kindergarten, have been immersed in the solar system and outer space. As part of the study, each kindergartener was given the homework assignment of creating a project. I love when they arrive at school with these projects, . . . Read More
Lately I’ve struggled to find words to describe these times. This morning a fourth grader gave me the words I needed. In response to a classmate’s honest sharing of a poem about a difficult family situation, one student said, “Writing a poem is a way to get through harsh times.” These are harsh times on . . . Read More
In a recent interview with Mark Nepo, he offered an idea I’ve been thinking about for days. He said, “In the Middle Ages in Europe for about 300-350 years, only 10% of the European population was literate. That means 10% of the people living in Europe at that time kept literacy for 300 years. Whatever it . . . Read More
I first met Elsie Moore in the late 1980s, around the time of the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. I remember vividly sitting at a low table with Elsie and her husband, Wade. They were looking for a kindergarten program for their eldest son, Arthur. She was pregnant with her third son, Allen. As always, she was . . . Read More