This has been an eventful week in the Owls’ Room. We observed Shavuot by continuing to study and build an understanding of the Ten Commandments. We talk about the Ten Commandments in ways that are accessible to young children and relate to the rules that they encounter in their own lives. For example, we talk about how we shouldn’t say bad words, how we should tell the truth (or “true words), and how we shouldn’t take toys without asking. On Monday, the children enjoyed a teacher-performed puppet show about the Ten Commandments. On Tuesday, they used water colors and dictation to express their understanding of the Ten Commandments.
On Tuesday, we also enjoyed tasting a traditional Shavuot food: cheese blintzes. These crepes stuffed with a cheese mixture are traditionally served on Shavuot because they contain milk and are sweet. This is symbolic of the Torah, which is said to be sweet like milk and honey.
We also had a “Good-bye Day” for Morah Kate on Tuesday. We informed the children on Monday that we would say good-bye to her the next day. We tell young children about changes closer to the time that they will happen at school, because we find that it is difficult for most pre-school aged children to truly conceptualize time. When we tell them that they will go to kindergarten soon, they often think that it will happen the very next day! We prepared the children for Morah Kate’s “good-bye” by giving them clear information the day before it happened. We find that it is helpful to support young children through separations by using a three-step process. First, we give them clear information about what will happen and when. Then we talk about the things that will stay the same. This supports children in coping with the change – they know that they have some consistency to rely on. For example, we acknowledge that even without Morah Kate, the routine will be the same at school, the toys will be the same, and Morah Larissa will still be there to take care of them. Finally, we discuss the children’s mixed feelings. We talked about the fact that they will feel sad, but that we will always remember the nice times that we had with Morah Kate in the Owls Room this year.
To that end, we had a wonderful time composing a list of our favorite moments with Morah Kate this past year. The children remembered how much they liked sitting next to her at lunch, playing hide and seek or soccer with her on the playground, and reading books with her.
We will use the same three-step process to support the children in getting ready for the end of the school year. On Thursday, we began talking about the “Big Goodbye Day” that is coming next week. We noted that some children will stay at home over the summer, and some will come to camp at the TCEE. We also noted that some children will go to a new school next year, and that others will return. We support the children in coping with the diversity of their experiences by reminding them that “Moms and Dads know just what’s right for their children,” and that it’s the parents who will decide what the children’s individual plans are. While the end of the school year is an exciting moment of accomplishment with the anticipation of a fun summer, it also represents change for young children. We remind the children about all of the other things in their lives that remain consistent throughout that change – in this case, their home lives! Finally, we have begun to make a list of some of our favorite activities that we remember from the school year – in the interest of revisiting some of these activities one last time! The children had fond memories of the marble run, our new weights and scale at the Science Center, making challah, and, of course…the worms!
The children have begun to work on individual books about their school years. Each child is writing and drawing about some of their favorite (or least favorite) toys and experiences, and some of the new things that they have learned. These will be a nice keepsake to take home and to remember their year, and the process of creating them also supports the children in their preparation for the end of the year.
We enjoyed welcoming Morah Marla this week, who is subbing for Morah Kate for last few days of school. Marla Beller is an accomplished early childhood educator with a Master’s Degree from the State University of New York at Albany. She currently teaches at a Head Start program in New Hampshire and has previously taught at Temple Israel in Boston. She is also…and perhaps you’ve heard…Morah Larissa’s mother! The Owls find this absolutely hilarious!
This week we have started an author study of James Marshall, who has written some of the Owls’ favorite books this year, including the Miss Nelson books and the George and Martha books. Conducting an author study, or reading and discussing many works by one author, allows even the youngest of children to gain insight into the writing process. They are able to make observations about an author and illustrator’s style, and to use these observations to deepen their comprehensions and gain insights.
We are looking forward to having you join us for the Shalom Picnic at 11am on Friday, June 17th. We will be sending home much of the Owls’ work that day, as well as their extra clothing and other things that they’ve kept in school.
Shabbat Shalom,
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