Welcome Change

Welcome Fall

Welcome Every Season

Welcome Change


Change is good.  We hear that often. We often resist change.  This is just futile in so many ways.  Change is inevitable and constant, so when we resist it we set ourselves up for frustration and discord.


I usually welcome each season. I am ready for change by the time one season has been around for a while.  I guess I am a good 'midwesterner' in that way.  I would have a hard time, I think, living in a constant state of summer or winter.  


Change is always with us.  It is a constant. Nothing stays the same for long. We grow, change, and are affected by our surroundings.  This in it's self is good and bad--comforting and problematic--trustworthy and fickle.  Now that you are confused, let me explain.  


Change as good & bad: 
it can be good because it keeps things interesting; it can be bad because, just when we get good at something, we need to move on to something else.


Change as comforting & problematic:
it is comforting to know what will happen and be able to get ready for the change.  It is difficult to be faced with change we are not ready for or a change we just do not want (like a death in the family).


Change as trustworthy & fickle:
So many things that change regularly can be counted on, like basic child development, and the weather and colors of a season.  On those same topics, change is also fickle in that each child develops on their own schedule and weather can be extreme and unpredictable.


MONTESSORI


The Montessori classroom is both very stable and reliable and at the same time constantly changing to meet the needs of the students in that particular room.  


The stability of certain materials like the Pink Tower and Dressing Frames always being present can be comforting the child that needs a high degree of consistency.


Change is also great. Updating your room for the seasons and meeting the needs of all the children keep our classrooms fresh and interesting.  


This time of year is so fun in the classroom.  As October draws near the new children are getting used to being away from mom and dad.  The second year children are realizing that they can 'help' the new children, and the third year students are starting to really 'take off' with projects in geography and science.  

I LOVE MY CHOSEN PROFESSION 

BETTER THAN EXPECTED

Petunias are so often BETTER THAN EXPECTED 

Ø It is so great when things go well.

Ø It is wonderful when things turn out to be just as good as it is ‘in my head’.

Ø But, it is fabulous when things go BETTER THAN EXPECTED!

Ø That is what happened to me today.  It felt GREAT!

It cannot be planned for.  I cannot make it happen.  Being prepared and having some talented is helpful—but it does, in no way, assure things going BETTER THAN EXPECTED. 

In my work the only way things go BETTER THAN EXPECTED is when the children and staff mesh well with the program I am giving.  When I show up at a school and perform an educational music program I am prepared—I have some talent—I have good ideas—and I know how to employ effectively teaching techniques.  So things have always gone well for me (so far—knock on wood).

What makes a lesson, or anything for that matter, special and even BETTER THAN EXPECTED is not entirely tangible. 

Ø It is hard to grasp and define.

Ø It is that special something that you cannot predict or even imagine.

Ø It is why I love doing what I do!

MONTESSORI

Obviously, I am already talking about a Montessori experience this time.  That is what I do.  But let me go a little deeper than this example—a music program that went BETTER THAN EXPECTED.

How do we EXPECT the UNEXPECTED?

It is what we do in the classroom to help this alone, that makes Montessori so special?  Again, being prepared, well trained, etc…is helpful and necessary.  But, fortunately, it is not enough. I say fortunately, because without this extra something there is no magic.  

As Montessori professionals we need to do more, or at least work toward that end.  We come to recognize the signs and then get out of they way and let ‘BETTER THAN EXPECTED’ march through the door.

I try to ‘go’ where the children lead the lesson.

Let me explain.  I like to be well prepared and even visualize how the children will react to a lesson.  That is helpful to me—it helps me get ready for a job.  But once I am there and the lesson starts I do not get caught up in trying to make THAT vision a reality.  It is very simple—yet very important.  The reality of what happens between the children and I is pure magic—it is so often BETTER THAN EXPECTED—but I am always a little surprised by the effect.

Like I said, I love what I do!

Rainbows

Rainbows

I saw this rainbow while sitting on my deck after a rain.  I, like most people, love rainbows.

Rainbows always seem like an unexpected gift.  I never "expect" to see one--it is always a peasant surprise in the sky.

I like that I never know when a rain will provide this colorful arc of light.  The conditions have to be right for a rainbow to develop.  I have to be in the right place at the right time to see one.  I think that is why it feels like such a gift to me.

It been gloomy and rainy today--not the right conditions for seeing a Rainbow--so I gave us all one!

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Montessori

I like to use a prism on a sunny day to create a lesson on rainbows in the classroom.  It is easy to hold a glass prism in a ray of sunlight and direct the light to a white piece of paper.  A rainbow will show up on the paper.  

It is easy to impress three to six year old children.  That is why it is such a pleasure to teach this age group.  They are so eager to learn!

Being in the right place at the right time is another concept that is important when talking about working with young children.  That will be a topic for another post.

Butterfly

Something that is not creepy at all!

You may be tired of looking at pictures of worms and bugs so I chose an insect that is sure to please everyone.  Butterflies are such beautiful and mysterious creatures.  To think that this wonderful winged insect was hiding out in a cocoon just a week ago is incredible.

To realize that before the incubation stage of development this creature was a fuzzy caterpillar crawling around eating leaves and trying not to be eaten by other crawling and flying creatures is also awe inspiring to me. 

Montessori

Children are constantly changing and growing.  They need  good teachers and parents to facilitate that growth.  Children, like butterflies have all they need to grow up and mature.  Sometimes we need to step in and guide that growth, sometimes we need to step back and stay out of the way so that growth can take place.

The real talent is in knowing when to "do something" and when to "let something happen". Children need to be safe, loved and cared for.  Beyond that they need to be allowed to explore and develop without too much interference from adults.  

Children need to have a safe place to spread their wings at the right moment and take off!

Preying Mantis

Preying Mantis 

Things that are CREEPY but COOL

This creature is truly CREEPY and COOL in my opinion!  I captured this lovely lady on our land near our cabin.  You see, a neighborhood child is collecting things that creep and crawl.  I jumped at the chance to help satisfy his curiosity and add to his growing collection.

The Preying Mantis is such a regal member of the incest world.  I read that the female bites off the head of the male after----a----you know.  WOW! That seems extreme. 

Nature usually works to somehow provide an  advantage to the situation.  I don't know how this particular instinct helps the spicies, but it must.  Nature can be, and usually is, brutal.

Survival of the Fittest

Lucky for me, survival does not require me to be the 'fittest' person in my 'habitat'. I am afraid I would be in trouble if that were the case.  

 Survival of the Kindest

That sounds better, but I am afraid that is not quite fitting either.

 Survival of the most Compassionate 

That sounds great--but definitely not what I see in my world.

 Survival of the most Willing

Willing to help, willing to give of time, willing to be available, willing to understand--I could go on and on. 

 Survival of the Smartest 

Now this one could be interesting? I am sure I would not be among the survivors though.  

I guess I am lucky that it is not necessary to be the best, brightest, most of anything to survive this world.  On the other hand though, being kind, compassionate, cooperative, willing and smart about things makes life so much more interesting.  As long as it is not a competition with anyone--even myself.

Montessori

This is a very interesting topic to relate to the classroom and early childhood in general.  A preying mantis is a wonderful bug to invite into your classroom.  The shear size of the insect is awe inspiring. So many insects are itsey bitsey--this one can be seen well without getting out the magnifying glass. They move slowly enough to allow behavioral observation.

Moving on.

Survival of the fittest.  I am so glad that this is not how our preschool children have to function in the classroom.  Although I am sure there are time on the playground when the 'fittest' child gets the upper hand.  It is our job as good teachers (or adults period) to protect the weak and guide the strong.  The weak need help becoming strong. The 'fit' need help to become compassionate and tolerant.  

I do love my job! It is so satisfying to have a positive impact on children.

Dragonfly

Something else that is "COOL but CREEPY"

Nature Rocks!

This dragonfly most likely ended it's life naturally.  I found it this way during a renovation project at our cabin.

I have not seen one quite like this before.  I like the black and clear wings--it is about as big as the palm of my hand--so cool.

This has been a very good year for things that grow around here.  We had plenty of rain for plants and it seems to be good for bugs and other things that crawl and fly.  I have seen creatures this summer and fall that I do not remember ever seeing in Nebraska.

This is enjoyable for me--hope it is for you too.  Tomorrow will be a picture of a very large bug! 

MONTESSORI

Nature is a wonderful teacher.  I like to bring nature into lots of my lessons.  So much of art--science--math--and culture has a connection to nature.

The black and clear wings of the dragonfly pictured above would spur on a wonderful lesson--or two or three.

Often times children bring things from nature into the classroom for 'show & tell'.  This is a great opportunity to teach and learn.  

I love it when a lesson like that naturally unfold--one that is unplanned--one that is child centered--and at the same time, fits into what we want to accomplish in our science curriculum.   COOL--not CREEPY at all!

things that are cool but creey

Things that are Creepy--but Cool

There are so many things in this world that are Creepy, but Cool.  I see them all the time.  Other people may just think they just plan Creepy, but I like to find the "cool" aspect of things too.

Take this picture as an example of something I find to be extremely COOL while being equally CREEPY!

The caterpillars in this photo have spun an elaborate webbing to "hang out" in while they grow and change into whatever winged creature they are going to become.  All of it is fascinating to me.  The fact that they are just over my head as I am walking under a tree on our property is CREEPY.  The fact that they have created this wonderfully strong habitat for themselves is very COOL.  I assume it has withstood winds, rains, and predators to keep the small larva safe for this part of the metamorphic process these insects need to go through to become adult versions of themselves.

I hope you will look forward to more pictures like this.  A lot of things strike me as 

CREEPY but COOL.

MONTESSORI

It will be easy to relate this topic to what I do for a living.  There are so many opportunities to expose children to creepy things that are cool in nature.  Usually they do not know enough about the topic yet to be too "creeped out" by things that bother older children and adults.

Children in their early years are so curious about everything that I enjoy witnessing the discovery in their eyes when they see something for the first time.  It can be a magical moment.  If I were with a group of three to six year old children when I came by a "nest of caterpillars" in a tree it would be a wonderful teaching moment.

Presented properly to this hypothetical group of children--none of them would scream--run away--or be "creeped out" from seeing the nest.  They would have 20 questions that would lead to at least 4o more questions.  We could make a full afternoon of activities and conversation over such an encounter.  

Children tend to believe what they see much more that what we tell them.  I we are nervous and "creeped out" by the nest they will follow suit.  Even if we "say all the right things".  Children are good at sensing how we really feel.  If we are curious, and interested in the nest, they will likewise follow suit.  How great to be the later and help this group of children be more curious and interested in nature!

I LOVE WHAT I DO!!! 

A time for everything

There is a time for everything.

There is a time to live,

and a time it die,

a time to reap,

a time to sow,

a time to celebrate,

and I time to refrain from celebration.

Autumn is a time for plants in the Midwest to complete their life cycle. Many go out in a blaze of glory by changing from a more ordinary green to brilliant red, orange or yellow. Others just fade to an earthy brown. The grass in front of my house, pictured above, gets heavy with seeds. The blades strain and bend under the weight heavy heads.

The weeds out back are eagerly sending out seeds attached to small clouds of white; they take flight in an effort to keep their life cycle going another year. Just as eagerly, we try to cut them down to prevent them from taking over the more desirable bluestem grass and wild flowers we prefer.

I so enjoy the changing seasons!

Montessori

There is a time for everything. This is so true in the Montessori environment. We like to have a predictable schedule that helps the children normalize. A consistent routine makes for a classroom that runs smoothly and children that work happily. Lots of interruptions can make it hard for a child to get into that beautiful zone of concentration we like to see in our classrooms.

Early in the fall we may think that normalization will never come. The young three year olds may be missing home, they may cry when mom or dad drop them off. The work cycle may be shorter than we like, leading to more frequent and longer group activities than we are striving for.

We must be patient and observe. Montessorians know how important observation is. We step back, and look at the whole picture the classroom gives us. It is easy to get ‘too close to the forest to see the trees’ when working with children. We are trained to see beyond that. We look for signs of restlessness and discord. We become good at ringing the bell that brings everything to a halt. Slowly through out the fall the work cycle becomes longer, children begin to concentrate, and normalization sneaks up on the classroom.

Like the grass in front of my house, the children’s heads become slightly heavy, they bend a little, and they do beautiful work.