Drawing close to Jesus

"Let's draw our prayers ..."

Lent is a time when we welcome more quiet into our worship. But quiet is not about doing less. It is about worshiping in a different way. We often associate prayer with words or with silence, with still hands and bodies, but during our silence in Lent our hands are busy as we draw.

But how is drawing a form of praying? Aren't these simply observational drawings? And isn't that enough? Observational drawing is wonderful for young minds, as is the opportunity to exercise fine motor skill, color choice, sharing materials ... The list could go on, but none of this is why we draw in worship. 

A few weeks back Ms Sytsma introduced the idea that there are many ways to hold our hands while we pray ... like a flame, like a rock, fingers folded together, palms out, even with arms outstretched. Just as their are different ways to have "praying hands," so too are there different ways to pray. In our minds, with our words, with song, even with musical instruments and dance as we learned during our Psalm study. Drawing is no different. When a child draws a worship story, he is meditating on the word of God, and to meditate on the word of God is a form of prayer, of drawing close to God. 

Even within the drawing, there are different ways that the children are praying, as we can see by looking at their drawings. Some think broadly, drawing the whole scene, while others draw just one or two figures. A child might choose vibrant color one day, while choosing only black the next. Children might also add themselves to the story in their picture. What a wonderful way to follow Jesus - to draw close to Jesus. 

After worship we have a time of reflection in our morning meetings. This is a time for children to view each other's work and, if they'd like, to talk about the prayer they have drawn. It is insightful and beautiful to hear the language the children use when discussing their prayers... 

"I drew the girl very dead before she woke up for Jesus," Fiona states quietly while sharing her picture.

When asked why he chose to draw Jesus all in Purple, Olo gestured towards the purple worship cloth and said, "I picked purple because I'm waiting for the Lord."

"Why did you choose to draw just Jesus?" Ms. Jordan asked Sampson. With his eyes full of wonder he answered, "Because Jesus heals."

Are you in that picture too? I asked Isabelle. She nodded 'yes.' Why did you put yourself in the story?  "Because I follow Jesus." 

Follow Jesus,

I will follow Jesus.

Anywhere He leads me, I will follow.

Follow Jesus,

I will follow Jesus.

Anywhere He leads, I'll go.

Our Medieval Project Work Is Moving Along!

We are in the midst of an inquiry process in the Sky and Trees Classes with a focus on Medieval Studies.  We have been looking at and talking a great deal about castles, their inhabitants, and other details as part of this study.  

A first step in the process of a study involves noticing, thinking about what you know, and gathering information.  The children first recorded observations of castles in books, noticing architectural and design details, people in the castles, weapons, and more.   

Looking for information

Studying the parts of a castle

After they spent some time looking, thinking and talking about castles, some children naturally began to ask questions. Thinking about our thinking (metacognition) is something that we are able to do easily as adults, but young children may not even realize that they are doing the work of thinking.  We are working on helping children to become more aware of their own thought process and of the different ways that their brains might be working as they think.  

For young children, one thing that can be difficult is to distinguish between questions and comments. So, as a group we discussed “How do you know when you have a question?”   One thing that we discovered is that when you want to know more about something, you probably have a question.  You may say, “I wonder…” or use words like, “Why,” “what” or  “how” when asking a question.  

Children have been looking for questions they may have about castles: 

 “Is this a jail or a gate?”  

“Why are the people standing there with weapons?”  

“Why is that person in jail?”  

“What is a drawbridge?”  

“Why are castles so big?”

Looking at photos to research knights and their swords.

We looked at some of the questions that the children have asked and showed them how we might go about answering some of those questions. This is again part of the inquiry process.  The children already had some ideas about using a computer or a phone to get answers.  Some children (and teachers) also have prior knowledge about some things and have shared information.  Together, we also found that we were able to use some of the books about castles and medieval times that we have in the classroom to find answers.  We are finding that we are returning to our books over and over as resources throughout our study.  

Researching questions to build with blocks

Both fiction and nonfiction books help us to gain information.  Even in works of fiction, there is information and vocabulary that is also enriching our study.  We have heard words like “moat,” “lord,” and “jester” and have wondered about the dungeon.  During our read alouds, many rich discussions often take place, and children ask more questions.  

Looking in a book for castle details.

Currently, in each classroom during activity time, there is a great deal of exploration going on.  

In blocks, children have begun to build a castle, thinking about different elements they might include, as well as thinking about the actual construction. 

In the studio, children are working with clay and they spontaneously began building castle walls and towers.  As they are thinking about the parts of a castle, they are simultaneously pondering what materials might be used to construct a castle. 

In drama, children are very interested in weapons and have been researching the size of swords.  They did some strong math work when they measured sword size, as well as one another, to help understand the scale of large swords.  

Comparing body measurements to a sword length.

Comparing each child's height to the height of the sword.

In the Sky Classroom, children are thinking about and drawing architectural details of castles as they learn information about castles.

Drawings of turrets.

A castle with battlements.

A collaborative drawing of a castle with battlements and a portcullis.

We will continue to notice, think, ask questions and search for answers as we delve even deeper into our medieval theme!  

Two important questions ... and their very important answers!

Question #1: When is Re-enrollment due?

Answer: Re-enrollment is due Monday, February 15th!

Luckily for you, you can click HERE for a super quick-and-easy link to the Family Portal where you can re-enrole right now.

Reportedly, the whole process takes about 90 seconds from start to finish.

Do it now and it will be one less thing to think about this weekend.

Speaking of the weekend ...

Question # 2: When is the next day of school?

Answer: School resumes on Wednesday.

There is no school tomorrow, Monday, or Tuesday.

Happy Long Weekend, everyone!

Worship During Lent & Celebration Date

We are beginning a new liturgical season called Lent. Lent, like Advent, is a season of waiting.  It spans the days from Ash Wednesday until Easter.  Lent is a season of quiet prayer and reflection and giving.

During Lent, worship will be a little different.  The children will draw pictures after hearing the story each morning. In order for this to happen well, there are a few things we need to ask.

First, we need for the children to be settled in their places before the singing starts. Worship starts at 8:30.  Please plan to arrive upstairs by 8:25 every day so that your child will have hung up his or her coat and will be ready to gather for worship when we ring the chimes.  And, of course, arriving a little earlier than 8:25 gives your child a moment to settle into being at school before we begin. When children arrive late and miss the story, they don’t know what to draw and have a hard time in that part of worship.

Probably most importantly, Lent is a season of quiet.  Please help us provide this quiet in the following ways:

We will ask for a quick, quiet good-bye time.  This is a good season for another step toward independence.  Many families move now to a simple wave to say good-bye.  The children are ready and it will help us set a tone of quiet. Other classes will be doing their Lenten reflection on our floor at the same time.   Parents should silently exit through the back stairwell so that all of the classes on our floor may have silence for drawing and thinking.  

And if you have a young child who is in a wiggly stage or a baby who has a lot to say, we hope you will be prepared to leave worship as the singing ends.  It is good to sneak out during the candle lighting song so that you have time to leave before the story begins. Please do leave the building.  We really do not want to be unwelcoming, but we do want to protect a few minutes of silence for the preschool children.  Parents and little ones in the hallways and the classrooms can still be heard in our space and make a quick transition from worship to being ready for park more difficult. Please pass this information along to anyone who brings your child to school. 

Please let your preschool child know that you may leave before worship is over.  Say good-bye before you go into worship, not during worship.  If you would like ideas about how to do that or have any questions, please ask.

Save the date for Wednesday the 23ed when the Trees Class will help tell part of the Holy Week story in worship and you are invited to a small reception afterwards. This is a community time. Every child should have a parent attending worship and the reception this day.

Peace to you.

Jesus,

teach me how to follow you.

Snow!

As beautiful as the snow was as it fell past our windows today, it wasn't much to look at after it hit the ground, so here are some wonderful snapshots of our snow Park Time on Friday ...

Ms Chalmers teaches Snowman 101

Snow Angel in the making

What will we find in this magnificant mud puddle? Get the sticks! 

The Snow ball is getting bigger!

Happiness is a deep dark snow-made mud puddle to sink in to.

Friendship: Sharing ourselves

“If we put that block here, we can make it even bigger!” “So big, right? It’ll be so big that I can’t reach the top!” “I’ll help you!” 

Friendships are one of the most wonderful things about being at school. Spending lots of time with close friends and people you easily connect with. We are proud to foster those kinds of relationships and work at ways to help children connect, keep close relationships close when they get hard, and provide a safe and stimulating environment for those relationships to become even closer. But meeting, working, and playing with people who we do not automatically feel a closeness to is just as important. This is a valuable tool in school and work, and it also is important to living out Christ’s message. Lately we have been focusing on this skill and the results have been beautiful. Little things, like encouraging people to sit next to someone new on the nest, or mixing up the partners when we walk to park, or assigning a work partner for the day help children explore relationships outside their comfort zone and their established relationships for a bit, and new friendships are forming! 

This can also be frustrating! When the teacher tells you to sit in a different spot, find a new partner, or to work with someone you don’t know very well, that can be scary! What we are finding is that those who are worried or resistant at first, soon lose themselves in work and play with the other person, and rise beautifully to the challenge of spending time with someone new. The shared joy and pride of two children who had had reservations about working with each other as they produce their work or project, as they watch a building rise, or count higher and higher has been exploding in the Trees and Sky classes, and the number of people that a child might consider a stranger, a worry, or a mystery is shrinking.

Perhaps you have heard your child talking about working with someone new, or missing being with someone they would rather be with. You could respond that it sounds like they are working hard at “sharing themselves,” and say that this is a hard thing to do! Congratulate them on trying, and talk about what is hard and what is easy. You might ask them what new friend they spent time with and what s/he did with that person, and also what they did with a long-time-friend that day.

Over the course of a day or week, the amount of time that a child spends with close friends diminishes by only a little bit, while the new relationships they are forming from that one work period or park time build the tools to be flexible and patient, to forgive and ask questions, to be brave and try new things, and ultimately to see that each one of God’s children is truly a brother or sister. 

Hinneh mah Tov umah naʿiym

sheveth aḥiym gam yaḥadh

It is good for brothers and sisters 

to live and work together in unity

Valentine's Day Information

Here is some information about how we celebrate Valentine's Day in the Trees Class.

We do honor the day which celebrates St. Valentine and friendship in a very simple manner.  This will be a day when children will be involved in the making and receiving of messages for their classmates.  There is no expectation for any child to bring in anything from home.  However, should you and your child choose to do so please follow these guidelines:

• Each child in the class should receive a valentine.  
• Valentines should be simple messages. No gifts of food or candy, please.
• Valentines should have the classmate's first name printed on it in capital letters.
• If you decide to make your own valentines, be aware that doing two or three a day is usually enough to keep the activity enjoyable.  Mass production is not advised.  Plan ahead.

Once again, there is no expectation for a child to bring anything.  There will be plenty of activity going on in school so that the children will not "miss out" if they do not bring valentine cards.