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.

Welcome Autumn--Change

It is a hot and humid day today where I live. A reminder that hot weather at the end of August is not unusual.

I think a day like this just makes us appreciate cool fall days even more.

Autumn is such a beautiful season. I am a big fan of fall colors, sweater weather, and sitting around a fire while gazing at stars.

I welcome the changing seasons. It would be difficult for me to live where the weather is the same all the time. I am always ready for change and enjoy seeing the life cycle of plants unfold before my eyes. It helps me feel connected to nature.

Being resistant to change must be a burden. Change is going to happen, it is inevitable. If we welcome change it is easier to live with. If we resist change we will be unhappy for sure.

Change is a part of our human condition. Nothing stays the same for long. We grow older and hopefully wiser as time goes by. Our roles in life change. We go from being parents of young children to parents of adults all too quickly. We my be caring for an elderly parent or be living without their guidance.

Change is going to happen so it is best to welcome it—not resist it. The only constant thing is change. We can count on that.

Montessori

Children like routine, order, consistency, and predictability. Change can be problematic when working in a Montessori environment. But as stated above, change is unavoidable even in the most well run school and experienced teachers.

Children are quick to notice small changes and inconsistencies in the classroom. They are generally quick to point out when a shelf has been moved or some work is in a different place. Too many changes in a short time can bother the students. It is also true that being too ridged will not be good for the classroom dynamics. Once again we are called to strike a good balance of a certain amount of constancy and enough change to keep things interesting and fresh.

We can help children accept change by modeling accepting behavior and language with the children. Although routine is important in the beginning of the year, as the school year progresses we need to do things out of order once in a while. These small changes can help children become tolerant of bigger changes down the road.

Changing work on the shelf regularly will keep the children interested in coming to school and doing new things. If a work is gathering dust—put it away and try something different.