Grade 4/5

I was the substitute teacher last week for a few days and it was great to see the children again. There was flute playing, greek myths, math, handwork and I dyed eggs with them. I have taught this class in some capacity for 4 years now and I really hold them dear.

Morning flute song

Main lesson with Greek Myths

Needle point in handwork

During recess some of them practiced ensemble and it was beautiful.

Black Board Drawings

I though I would share a few black board drawings that our very talented main lesson teachers produce.

Snapping turtle

We saw this beauty ( snapping turtle) crossing the road the other day and had to stop for a photo.  Its not the biggest we have ever seen but he was a good size anyway.  He was meandering to the nearby pond.  Nice to see such a cool looking dino.

Here are all our teachers walking the land that will soon be our schools location.  We have acres and now we just need to build.  Ha - "just".   There is so much ahead of us it exciting.  

Here are the bees.  The hive was living in the neighboring house and decided to move out one afternoon and one of our loving students found the hive.  Magical and wonderful how it all works out sometimes.  

We have a program that comes to the school every friday thats called Earth Arts.  It teached the children all about nature and how to care for it and how to use it carefully and then in turn, how nature takes care and nurtures them.  We had a lovely slide show at our teacher meeting and she told wonderful stories of the children.

I held my 1st grade class outside today.  I remember wanting to do that when I was little - ("why can't they just take us out side" I use to think) so now that I am a teacher I do it as much as I can.

The Ithaca Friends of the library sale it tomorrow morning  - I can't wait.  I think I might do some yard sales too.  

Ithaca Childrens School

Just something quick today. - I am working on a tutorial - how to paint eggs with markers -

 I hope to have that up tomorrow...

This is a display I did for the school at our local organic food co-op store Greenstar.  The kids are always so excited to see their work on display.

Maple syrup & banner

Well, the sap is done dripping & boiled down and I am enjoying a sinfully wonderful pancake with the pure maple syrup.  Very cool - I do like it and I will do more of it next year.  We got about 6/7 gallons of sap from one tap on one large tree.  It boiled down to a diners syrup jar full and what you see in the photo.  Yum!

I finished the Ithaca Children's School banner for a large building down town - it will be 4'x8'.  Its to advertise *Now Enrolling*.  How do you like it?  I'll take a picture of it when its hanging.  

Waldorf Puppet show & Blackboard drawings

Here are a few more photos from the puppet show.  It was dark inside so the photos are blurry.

Here is a shot of 2/3rd grade watercolor painting.  I don't know (other than the obvious Halloween implications) what story was told while they painted.

We also have some very talented black board teacher drawings - first set is from the 4/5th grade teacher and the story of Indra slaying the dragon. (He had a third (of four) panels but I didn't get a photo of that one!)

This last one is from the 1st grade blackboard.

First day of teaching

I had a great first day.  We had opening ceremonies with lovely 2 cellos playing while the parents and siblings arrived.  There was a short history and then the teachers & staff were introduced - there are 16 of us!  It was a beautiful and powerful sight.  Then the older grades played a song while the 1st graders carries a flower under a flowing silk to their new teacher. Andi then told a story (for us all to hear) and then we walked up to the school house and revealed the new school sign.  It was very emotional and I loved being a part of it.

Class went very well and I dived into it.  The 4/5 grades are making their designs for their handworks bag - some of which have a strong opinion (imagine that!).   The 2/3 grades are in a mixed class as well and it will prove difficult if I don't get some parent help.  I have two people in the works hopefully I will get more.  Grade 2 are going to learn how to pearl (with 3 that don't know how to knit) and Grade 3 will be crocheting (with 2 that don't know how).  There are 12 total.  Sigh - I love it already.  They have release forms for everybody so I hope to have photos of the kids hands working every once in a while.