I can vividly remember learning how to read in first grade. I am old enough to have sat in formal reading groups, where we read Dick and Jane. I also remember the day that I was moved up a level, and I joined the group that was reading Tip and Mittens. I can’t tell you what Tip and Mittens were doing that was so interesting, but...
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year!
As the summer came to a close, I found myself thinking a great deal about learning. Not surprising, when you consider that I am a preschool director. What prompted this thinking though, was a vacation experience with my family. As...
With the end of the school year quickly approaching, many children and parents in the Upper Preschool are experiencing mixed feelings about the upcoming transition to Kindergarten. There is excitement and anticipation about this new endeavor as well as some feelings of sadness and loss about ending...
The present cold and miserable weather reminds me of a “rule” enforced by my mother, one that causes me to struggle every spring. Last year, the struggle unfolded as I was getting ready for the May Show. I wanted to wear white shoes. My white shoes were more comfortable, and I think they would have looked best with the outfit I had selected. My mother however, objected.
My mother, who lived well into her eighties, passed away several years ago. Her advice, “rules,” and life...
I distinctly remember the first cookbook that was my very own – I received it in the 6th grade from a book order and I could not wait to try out the recipes. They were all very easy and could be done on my own, yet made me feel like a chef in a fancy restaurant. I would peel, chop, and mix, all the while talking out loud to myself the way I had seen chefs on TV do as they explained their culinary masterpieces. The finished result left me with a huge sense...
Happy March! During these colder months it can be tricky to get children excited to be outside and active. When snow is freshly falling, children may delight in building snowmen and sledding or making footprints like Peter in The Snowy Day. When the cold snaps arrive, however, getting fresh air and exercise may not be on the top of everyone’s list. Growing up in snowy New England, many of us enjoyed countless hours outside sledding, skiing, skating, snow shoeing, ice fishing, and...
In this fast paced world of cell phones, iPads, tablets, computers, and the constant stream of news and information, it can be helpful to create a practice of being in the moment and going inward. I embraced the snow day today, which created unexpected time for me to write this blog.
As a working mother, I know the inconvenience of snow days—all the challenges of juggling childcare and work commitments, rescheduling meetings, and attempting to manage the many...
One of the things I think about a great deal as an educator, is “how do children learn best?”
While I think there is no “right” answer to this question, I see that some children learn intuitively by observing the world around them, but most children (and adults for that matter) learn by “doing”.
...
Friendship in Preschool
“I want my child to learn to be part of a group; I hope my child will make friends”. That statement reflects one of the top reasons that parents choose to send their child to preschool. Now that the process of “settling in” is well underway the children are beginning to open their eyes and minds to the process and experience of developing new relationships. Often during the first weeks of school children play independently, seek out...
One of the many things that drew me to the LEAP School almost 14 years ago was the sense of supportive community. Over the years, I have been a part of it in many different ways – as a teacher building classroom community, as a parent connecting with other parents and now as a Director. My biggest goal coming into this role 3 years ago was to continue to support, build and sustain connecting parents with each other and our staff. As a parent, I live the...
