The Mulberry Tree
December 2004 Newsletter
From Mulberry School… Schooling the Head, Hands and Heart
Parent and Child Programs
By Mary Huggard, Early Years Programs
As the winter session begins, the parents in the parent and child groups have been hard at work creating seasonal crafts such as kite paper stars and decorated candles. As well, we all made a set of wooden knitting needles, and those with more experience helped others learn to knit – a big accomplishment for some. Beautiful woolen animals were created and I know that other projects have gone home for completion – not easy with babies or toddlers about. The children have settled into the groups and are finding their favourite activities. Some head straight for the sandbox, others to the trucks, and many to the play-kitchen or doll-cradles. One of the littlest toddlers, upon arrival, always heads for the child’s rocking chair and climbs in with a big grin. An older child starts in the same corner each week to build a house – or fort – or world – of logs and cloths. Even the babies seem to know each other, and those who were sitting and observing a few weeks ago are now exploring the whole room – some backwards. The conversations around the table at snack time have been concerned mainly with play, and toys, and how to limit our children’s exposure to ‘junk toys’ at this time of year. One parent offered to share the letter that she and her partner sent out to relatives and friends concerning their desire to limit the amount of ‘stuff’ their daughter receives this holiday – including suggestions of what she might really like. I look forward to seeing everyone through the winter session and wish you all a happy and restful (if possible) holiday with your families.
Parent and infants enjoying their program
Parent and child group
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The Parents’ Corner
By Nancy MacMillan, Parent Education
For over a decade parents have gathered around kitchen tables, or classroom tables with mugs of coffee or tea, discussing everything from how to help their child sleep better, to creating boundaries, to their own need as parents to get through the hard times. The children of the parents who attended the earliest parent gatherings are now in or approaching high school! We are happy to report that all the parents have survived, and the teenagers (gasp!) are all doing well, though with new needs for parental involvement. These various discussion groups have evolved into our current Parents’ Corner. Monday mornings find the Meadow Room filled with a dozen or so parents, lively discussions, and thoughtful reflections on parenting issues today, as well as how to bring Waldorf-inspired ideas into our homes. A recent topic that generated a great deal of interest was “Understanding the Role of Temperament with Children”. We will come back to this in the New Year to further our sense of how to work with the choleric, the melancholic, the sanguine or the phlegmatic child, and how to see ourselves and our relationships within this light. We were fortunate to have Susan Amari, a parent with eurythmy training, lead our group through an experience of eurythmy. We were left in awe at the beauty and pleasure of watching Susan ‘ensoul’ the words to a children’s verse with her movement. We all look forward to her coming again and learning more gestures and forms. Over the years our discussions keep expanding and deepening. As the faces around the table change, a common thread weaves through the conversations - that of heartfelt strivings to become better people, better parents. Tempering feelings of guilt and opening us to the enjoyment of learning, laughter reverberates throughout the years and makes light the way.
The Giving Tree Blooms in Winter!
Our giving campaign is well underway. Leaves are growing daily on our Giving Tree. It is wonderful to feel this coming together as a community, each giving as able, to gift this remarkable school with which we are blessed. Our goal is $7,500 this year. This will go a long way to help with tuition assistance, and the purchasing of ecologically sound and well-made materials and supplies for our classrooms. Mulberry School has strong, well-founded ideals, and practical hands to bring them to life. Please pass the word along so that our community can be extended to include supporting family, friends, and businesses, who share our aims of educating for wholeness and contributing to the good of the world.
Parent and child program
By Nancy MacMillan
Mulberry Preschool
By Carlina Heins, Preschool Teacher
Saint Nicholas has come! He left a basket of good things to eat right outside our door! Where is his white horse? He and his horse have gone to give gifts to other children. I love the excitement and magic in our celebrations. The Advent Spiral Walk was a beautiful, quiet celebration; allowing us to slow down and find our light within, bringing it back out into the world during the shorter days in December. The children looked radiant as they bent over and picked up their candles in the centre of the spiral. They each showed a hint of their temperament in how they walked the spiral. The children are growing in their abilities to play with each other, to share and to take turns. The quieter children are slowly opening up and becoming more comfortable in their environment. Happy Holidays to everyone! 2
From the Board Chair
I can hardly believe that the Winter Break is just a week away. So much has happened since the school year began. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting was well attended by Mulberry School members. We took the opportunity to reflect upon 2003-2004 - a year of tremendous growth and development for our school. We also thanked the following individuals: Staff We gratefully acknowledged the Faculty, who lent their professionalism, creativity and dedication to a wonderful year of Waldorf-inspired education. We recognized Marilyn MacFadyen, Administrator, who took on more administrative issues and strived to represent the school to new and existing families as well as the wider community in a professional manner. Departing Directors of the Board Thanks to Lisl Given for her term as Board Chair. Lisl was a wonderful Chair with a calm presence, strong belief in Waldorf education, incredible listening skills and good support for diverse views and ideas. Thanks to Trish Rance Michielin for her extended term as Director and Secretary to the Board. Trish never hesitated to cheerfully take on responsibilities, such as the May Fair, and ensure that all was done well. Thanks to Charlotte Schurer for her term as Faculty Representative to the Board. Charlotte was always the one who heads would turn to when we asked, “Is this the right thing to do and is this the Waldorf way?” Charlotte was always the Board’s voice of confidence, certainty and faith. Thanks to Susan Cotton for her term as Director. Susan, after being inspired by the May Fair, initiated the Harvest Festival, complete with bales of hay, apple bobbing, music and singing. Thanks to Sam Asselstine for his term as Director. Sam bravely took on the responsibilities of physical plant issues. Thanks to Angela Hoyt for her term as Director. Angela lent her energy, enthusiasm, professionalism and expertise on human resources issues such as contracts and benefits and bigger picture issues such as Board governance and committee structure and functioning. Thanks to Chris Ferrall for his term as Director, following his term as Board Chair. Chris donated so much of his time, energy and expertise
By Peelu Hira
to the school on administrative, financial and technical issues. Chris recently took on the job of getting us a new computer and installing software on it. Community Members Thanks to Ellen Collins, one of our founding members and the Angel of Mulberry School. One only has to look around to see her countless contributions to the school. We miss her daily presence at the school and enjoy her gentle ways when she is here. Thanks to Sandy Sellers, also one of our founding members, who generously gave Mulberry School a gift that offers us a tremendous opportunity to search for a new home where our school can continue to flourish. Thanks to Robin Quantick and Lori DaveyQuantick for their continued support of Mulberry School at 25 Markland Street. They have made a number of improvements to this building; for example, refinishing the beautiful hardwood floors and installing new windows. The Board welcomed four new directors: Julia du Prey, Betina Speicher, Janet O’Brien and Kate Minielly. Continuing directors are: Kris Colwell, Anne Linscott, Eric Walton (Vice-Chair), Dave Anglin (Treasurer), Jane MacDonald, Peelu Hira (Chair), Faye Snider, and Carlina Heins (Faculty Representative).
The Gift of Time
In this season when we think so much about giving, it seems important to draw attention to an often hidden form of giving – the gift of time, through service to our school. So many people give so much to our school community through various forms of service. Though sometimes this work is not well acknowledged, for most, it is not without rewards. One reward is the feeling of being more deeply connected to the community. Much good can come from that. Somehow the act of serving comes back around again – when we give from the heart we often receive back again. Please take time to thank anyone who you notice is contributing their time and energy in helping to make Mulberry School all the many wonderful things it is for all of us.
By Mary Huggard
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Winter Fair
This year’s Winter Fair was an incredibly high-energy event! Mulberry School’s community was in full swing. There are so many individuals who contributed in so many ways to the success of the Winter Fair. A big thank you to Jennifer Asselstine who expertly organized this event. Thank you to all of the coordinators as listed below. Val Michaelson and Esteban Estrada were in charge of advertising. The posters were beautiful – thanks to Bonnie Dawson for allowing us to use her art work. Jennifer Greer directed all of the set up and clean up with a number of good natured volunteers. Gary Rasberry was in charge of decorating – the school still smells like fresh cedar boughs! Tove Steffensen and T.J. Kerr looked after the café. What a feast! I can think of a few people who were not counting calories that day – you know who you are! Lisl Given was in charge of music. There was much singing and dancing in the Kindergarten room. Thank you to all of the musicians – we are so fortunate to have such talented community members. Matt Rogalsky and Laura Cameron were in charge of children’s crafts. Matt, Laura, Rene Vermette and Trish Rance Michielin encouraged children to create beautiful rock creations, soap and wrapping paper. Betina Speicher coordinated the craft circle with Melanie Reay – this group met many Friday evenings and crafted wonderful felted playmates, knitting kits, felt boards, standing puppets and more. Betina also did an outstanding job of encouraging Mulberry teachers, families and community artisans to share their art. She invited artists of all ages and media – what a stunning collection of wooden racks, clay pendants, felted hats, wooden animals, pottery, aromatherapy soaps, knitted hats, mosaic mirrors, wooden puppets, art cards and so much more. Thank you so much to all of the artisans! Andrea Graham and Kris de Kraker set up Acorn’s Journey – an amazing selection of beautiful gift ideas. Many of you took the opportunity to purchase a Mulberry School mug, made by local potters Sue and Abi Lyon - these were Susan Douthwaite’s brilliant idea. Andrea Graham and Peelu Hira organized the silent auction. Thank you to all of the community members who generously donated items! Thank you to Paula Shmayda who organized child care (a first this year), which enabled some parents to volunteer at the Winter Fair or shop or eat
By Peelu Hira, Board Chair
or sing and dance! Thank you to the Faculty for entertaining us with their talents in this year’s puppet show. Mulberry School is blessed with a generous, talented and fun-loving community. Thank you to all of you who donated your time and energy towards this fantastic day.
Warmth
Imagine yourself sitting in front of a hot fireplace or woodstove, just basking in the radiant warmth. You feel yourself beginning to glow, relax and open up. Now remember a time in the winter when you went outside and the cold wind suddenly picked up. It sent shivers through you as you realized you had forgotten your hat and neglected to wear a sweater under your thin jacket. As you became colder and colder your body tensed up and seemed to contract as you tried to hold on to a bit of warmth deep inside you. Did you feel like running, playing or seeing the world? Probably not. You just wanted to get back inside to a warm place. We all need to be warm in order to take an interest in and “grow” into the world around us. Keeping our body warm allows the inner processes to work efficiently. Children do not develop a sense of warmth until they are about 8 years old. Up until then they do not recognize they are cold until they are very cold. As parents, we are responsible for our child’s warmth. Some parents have wondered at my requests to dress their children more warmly, and ask their child, ‘Are you warm enough?’ Please do not ask your child. Simply tell them it is winter, and now they must wear their undershirt all the time. At school they need to wear a sweater since sometimes our rooms are cool. The children need their snow pants, warm jackets, hats, scarves and mittens every day now. When they are outside an adult can monitor their warmth and remove a layer if needed. It is of great importance to keep their feet warm with wool socks (wool is warm even when wet) and to keep the heat in on top with a wool hat. Add to this a good pair of mittens and the body’s extremities are taken care of. For a child who consistently complains of being too hot, a warm vest will keep their core warm while they feel cooler on their arms. May you and yours be warm throughout the winter.
By Carlina Heins, Preschool Teacher
Greek Mythology
By Charlotte Schurer, Grade 4/5 Teacher
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In view of this being an Olympic year we have started our study of ancient civilizations with Greek Mythology. We have heard yet another creation story, that begins with the tale of beautiful Earth Gaea who fell in love with Uranus the sky. He was magnificent to behold with the many stars that twinkled around him, and very soon she became Mother Earth, giving birth to the twelve Titans and Titanesses, the Cyclopes and the many-headed monsters. Eventually Zeus emerged from this family as the supreme ruler of the universe. As it is impossible to hear all the myths we have concentrated on a few, such as the touching story of Prometheus who stole fire from the gods. We heard how Zeus punished him for this deed by chaining him to a rock while the mortals were punished for accepting the fire in the form of the curious Pandora and her box.
journey to ancient India, Mesopotamia, Persia and Egypt, to return once more to Greece next fall when we will take up its history.
Anthroposophical Medicine is an extension of orthodox medical practice rather than an alternative. An Introduction for Health Professionals by Dr Kenneth McAlister February 18 & 19, 2005 at the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto in Thornhill Fee $100 Call 905-764-7570 to register Through anthroposophy – the study of the human being founded by Rudolf Steiner – it is possible to experience that: • Each human being is a unique individual and needs to be treated accordingly. • Scientific, artistic and spiritual insights may need to be applied together in restoring health. • Life has meaning and purpose. The loss of this sense is often reflected in a deterioration of general health. • Illness may provide opportunities for positive change and new balance in our lives. If you know a health professional who might be interested, please request a package by email from info@rsct.ca or check the Rudolf Steiner Centre web site at www.rsct.ca or call 905-764-7570.
Anthroposophical Medicine
The myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone fits well with this season in which all growth seems to be absent from the earth: it is fall when Persephone returns to the underworld as Hades’ queen, on account of the four seeds she ate from the pomegranate. Demeter grieves until she hears her daughter’s footsteps in the spring at the end of the four months. (There seems to be disagreement about how many seeds Persephone actually ate, and I am personally convinced it was six rather than four!) The children are making beautiful borders in their main lesson books using Greek running patterns. In the new year, we will embark on a 5
By Jessica Brown
Our Relationship to the Earth by Cory Eichman Sundays Feb 6 to March 13, 2005 and Saturday and Sunday March 19 & 20, 2005 at the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto in Thornhill Fee $400 Call 905-764-7570 to register
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening
Cory Eichman started farming biodynamically 14 years ago. He co-manages the Saugeen River CSA in Durham, Ontario. The farm provides 150 families with fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit and beef. Biodynamic agriculture combines an understanding of nature with careful observation and sustainable techniques. Rudolf Steiner’s work describes the forces of nature which enable life on our planet. When agricultural work is attuned to these forces, its products become more wholesome.
Magazine, Page 8, November 2004.
"The philosopher Rudolf Steiner initiated the organic farming movement, and his concepts are still the basis of modern organic agriculture." Vitality
From the Faculty Chair
Our second P.D. day of the year was spent being introspective and learning ways to nurture our working relationships. We studied a section from M. Scott Peck’s, The Different Drum; Community Making and Peace, entitled ‘Group Dynamics Stages of Community Making’. We discussed barriers to communication, and ways to overcome these difficulties. These days allow us to look at one another as individuals. Our faculty is strong - but we need nurturing too. Since then we have enjoyed sundae making and creating the puppet play ‘Shingebiss’ for the Winter Fair together. I wish each of the staff a rejuvenating holiday. The new year will bring new energy and life. Our faculty will welcome two new members as we bid adieu to Jane and Carone, albeit for only a relatively short period. For Carone, we wish her rest, good food and the warmth of her new babe snuggled next to her. For Jane, we wish her joy in her adventures out west. There is no doubt she will be finding ways to keep busy and active in the The school has small maintenance jobs that need doing from time to time that usually take only an hour or less to complete. We ask that interested and available parents check in from time to time with the administrator or their child's teacher as to what might be needed. We thank you in advance!
By Tammy Caldwell
beautiful setting of the Rockies. I am very excited about the upcoming Biography workshop on Saturday, January 29, 2005 with Dorothy LeBaron. The workshop will be held at Mulberry School from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Childcare is being offered by Lucie in the Preschool room. There is space in the childcare for eight children and the program will be best suited to 3 - 6 year olds. The sign up is on the main bulletin board, and there are six copies of articles related to biography work that may be borrowed and returned to the table. This is a first for Mulberry School, and I am sure those of you who participate will be left wanting more. There is no experience necessary! Tell your friends, bring your family. The cost of this workshop is only $60.00, which includes all artistic materials. Childcare is an additional $20.00 per child. Please submit payment by January 15.
“I have come to see creativity as essential to healing and transformation. I do this work out of a love for it, and out of a deep belief in its healing power to guide people to an experience of spirit at work in their lives, in themselves, and in the cosmos.”
- Dorothy LeBaron
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Grade Two
There is a new fever in the grade 2 class; it hasn’t lessened the knitting fever but it certainly is hot! I call it creative freedom or creative independence. The ability to read, spell and organize thought on paper has resulted in a flurry of writing activity. No story or letter is too short or too long; there is also a definite preference for personal recounts in the main lesson book as opposed to copying the teacher’s! Some children even left little notes in their shoes for Saint Nicholas. It is very exciting and refreshing to watch this unfolding so freely and uninhibitedly. As we are in a language arts block, our extra main time is filled with lots of math practice. We have been busy working with place value, as well as column algorithms. Count Correct has a new assistant in the king’s treasury and he is teaching the children how to carry over from the ones (singles) to the tens column and from the tens to the hundreds. He is a very careful number gnome who can only count as high as ten. When he counts ten gems he puts them in a red sack, when he counts ten red sacks (with ten gems in each sack) he puts the ten red sacks in a gold box and uses ten nails to close the box. He has yet to reach ten gold boxes! We also spent a fair amount of time playing math games with dice and dominos to strengthen numeracy skills in a fun and almost effortless way. We sadly say “so long for now” to our classmate and friend, Evan. Evan will spend the next term with his family in Norway. We will miss you Evan and wish you lots of fun. Please be sure to watch the mail for letters from your grade two friends!
Grade Two’s making dragon bread
By Serena Manson, Grade Two Teacher
Kindergarten News
We are still waiting for King Winter to come to the land. Jackie Frost has visited a few times but the King seems to be on vacation! The puddles and mud reign. It is a good thing the children don’t have expectations; they are so content with what is and have been finding all sorts of imaginative things to play. On November 30th, the Kindergarten class participated in their Spiral Walk. Parents walked with their children into the Spiral to light their candle:
By Jane Mead, Kindergarten Teacher
We light one candle shining clear, Eternal light may enter here, That shineth in the darkest night, To make us children of the light.
To both Christian and non-Christian alike, the act of walking quietly, reverently, in darkness toward the light, lighting the candle, and carrying it through the darkness to place it upon a star can be deeply symbolic. For the Kindergarten children we wish only to bring the beautiful, simple symbol of
carrying the light securely into the darkness. As the children move up through the grades, they will be able to experience this feeling anew each year as it is an annual event. We hope that this experience will stay with the children for years to come. On November 1st Tammy and I hosted a Parent Education Evening. The topic was “Challenges we are facing with our KindergartenAged Child”. We had a good turn out of parents and some good discussion. I have included the handout we developed for use during this evening in this newsletter in hopes that it will be useful for those of you who have young children who have not yet reached kindergarten age. Many of these points are also quite relevant to the elementary aged child. In the New Year we will say farewell to two families for the rest of the school year. Kai and his family will be heading to Norway and Zinta and her family will be heading to Australia. We wish them well on their adventures and certainly look forward to their return. We will hold them in our hearts. I (Jane) would also like to say farewell to all at the school, as my family and I will be heading to Vancouver for the rest of the school year. Quinn, our son, will continue grade three at the Vancouver 7
Waldorf School and I hope to do some substitution work there. I hope to bring home many new ideas for our program next year. We will miss our wonderful community here and look forward to our return. Wishing all of you a Happy New Year and a joyous holiday season.
By Archie Given
Challenges we Face with Our Kindergarten Aged-Children
Challenges we face with our kindergarten-aged child can be staggering at times. Often small changes parents make in day to day life can have wonderful and positive impacts upon their relationships with their children and partners. Sometimes big shifts are necessary. Below are some of the key ingredients we know of, strongly support and live by from our experience as Waldorf kindergarten teachers and parents. We hope this list will be a useful tool for helping you identify some sources of challenging behaviours you face with your kindergarten-aged child. ♥ Rhythm, Routine and Repetition • Enough sleep! Bed at 7 pm is not too early for a kindergarten-aged child. • The child needs a daily schedule they can relax into. A busy weekly routine including a number of different lessons or even play dates can be too exhausting. • ‘Quiet time’ is essential for all of us including our kindergarten-aged child. Also remember that children who are 4 years old still benefit from an afternoon nap. • A good balance of breathing-in and breathing-out activities in the day is important. • Repetition will be necessary since the kindergarten-aged child has not yet developed a capacity for memory in the way we understand it. Try to maintain calm even when you have to repeat yourself or redirect a behaviour for the umpteenth time. Good habits will form from your repetition. ♥ Protection of the Senses • The kindergarten-aged child should be protected from the media in its various forms (radio, television), as even background media is taken in and can have damaging effects on the child. Most ‘children’s’ videos, movies, computer software and games are much too stimulating. • Loud, chaotic places are too much for this age; for example, a busy shopping center. • Constantly entertaining your child or filling every waking moment with an activity can be over stimulating. • Answering a kindergarten-aged child’s questions with technical and involved information is too much for them. Try “I wonder” as a response; this will leave it open for them to discover. You might also try answering with a very simple picture... “Why do plants grow up?” “Because they are children of the air.” Your child will probably be satisfied with these beautiful pictures unless they are already used to technical answers. If this is the case, use “I wonder” and leave it at that. • Selection of toys for your kindergarten-aged child is critical. Simple ‘unfinished’ toys made of natural materials allow your child to delve into their imagination and will support their play in a more meaningful way compared to many of the toys out there today which usually only have one way to be used. • Keep birthday parties structured and small! Large chaotic groups and gatherings can be too much. 8
By Jane Mead and Tammy Caldwell, Kindergarten Teachers
♥ A Loving Ego-Presence • Knowing your values and how you wish to live these is critical. • Consistency among parents is essential. • Your child needs clear limits to be set for him and needs to experience these as firm. It is natural for the kindergarten-aged child to test and retest these limits. When testing does occur, the child needs to be met with consistent responses that support these limits. Being lenient on an already established limit will invite more testing. A parent need not feel guilty about setting limits! • Remember that a balance of gravity and levity in life will do you and your family well. A child needs to experience humor and lightness. At times humor can be the gift we bring to a challenging situation. All strictness and deep rigidity may result in repression which could later be expressed outwardly and/or inwardly through unhealthy behaviour. • The parent must decide what is right for their child; they must intervene and protect their child if another adult such as a relative or neighbour is allowing something that is not suitable for their child. To do this without being self-righteous is a skill to learn. • Detailed explanations are not necessary for your child, if you engage in them the child may become persistent in trying to win you over and may very well wear you down. • Choice is not necessary at this age, with choice goes responsibility; this child is too young yet for this step. Parents must be the ones to decide on what the child eats, how the child dresses, bed times, and the toys and entertainment a child will have. The child has choice in their free play at home and at school. Allow them freedom in this way. Do not create children dependent upon you for play ideas. ♥ Living in Her ‘Will’ • Play is key. Include ample opportunity for gross motor play, quiet play, exploration of nature and peer play. • Be wary of early intellectualization and toys and games aimed at developing your child’s intelligence. • Keep your child open to various experiences and possibilities. By talking about your child’s ‘favorite’ thing, or their ‘best’ friend you will serve to limit their pallet of life’s colours. Avoid specialization - for example in art, music, and sports. • Don’t be afraid to allow your child to experience a variety of feelings. Avoid over reacting to feelings in a negative way. Sadness for example is a human feeling that is not in itself bad. • Also try to avoid naming your child’s feelings, “you must be feeling lonely, sad, frustrated...”, this can again limit them in the long run and may be taken on as an attention seeking strategy if you are not careful. If a child is hurt give them comfort. If a child hurts another, have that child stay with you while you ensure that the other child is ok. Modeling taking care of the other child’s needs, both physical and emotional, will teach the children more than insisting on a quick ‘sorry’ which may soon become an empty word. • Keep your child warm. A child’s heat and cold regulation system does not fully click in until the child reaches the age of 8 years old. A child that is too cold will not be ‘in their body’ and will be unable to participate as fully in their play or in other structured activities. Layering is a good clothing system. Often they want to take their coat off because they see others doing it. Insist they keep on what they need on in your opinion. ♥ Feeling Part of a ‘We’ Experience • Treating your child as the centre of attention in your family can result in your child becoming the tyrant in your family. Such a child will grow up to expect that all should be served to them on a silver platter and that they will be able to get others to do their work for them. This is the ‘I, Me, My’ child. They tend to lack motivation in life and often don’t grow up emotionally. • Develop special family signals that indicate transitions so you are not left nagging during these busy and time-sensitive moments. A warning bell, song or verse will prepare your children for these times. If your child does not heed these you may need to provide natural consequences. For example, if it is time to get dressed in the morning and your child is still playing with a toy, take the toy away for a week and return it when your child is following through with what is expected. Focus on the need to help one another be ready together. • Involve your child in the work of the family (as their age allows). • Model inclusion, compassion, and reverence for life. 9
Grade Three and the Pioneers
The Grade Three class has had a busy few weeks of school and it's not over yet! We are winding down from an intensive introduction to cursive writing. We have been walking o’s, e’s, l’s, and j's, to name a few, as well as the letters that spell each child's name. After walking them, we draw them, sometimes in mid-air, sometimes on large form drawing paper. They are practiced many times before they are finally put into our books. Visitors to the class have commented on how well-formed the children's letters are and I'm certain it must come from the pre-page practice. The children have also been very excited to hear about writing in pioneer days. They found out how painstaking it was for pioneer children to learn to write on slates and how their teachers would make them do their letters hundreds and hundreds of times (which Ms. Beaucage would never do - although she has mentioned it a few times!) The children also discovered how exciting it was for pioneer families to receive letters which had often come from so far away, and how writing beautifully was a gift from sender to receiver. They were also quick to point out that a lot of mistakes probably weren't good - as paper would have been in short supply. Concurrent with our cursive block, we have been reflecting on our visit to the McLaughlin Woodworking Museum where we immersed ourselves in the life of a pioneer child. We experimented with the barter system, planed wood in the cabinetmaker's shop, cut with a cross-cut saw, made candles and built toolboxes. The children returned to class and worked in pairs to compose work about their experiences to put in our new pioneer studies book. I am now hearing inklings that 'pioneer paraphernalia' are the big items on some Grade Three Christmas wish lists.
By Carone Beaucage, Grade Three Teacher
Grade Three Frame House
By Maxine Cotton
Composition by Sasha Douthwaite Pioneers were early settlers of Canada. They came from Germany, Scotland, France, Ireland and the rest of Europe. They came here for the trees, food and the promise of a better life. Pioneers came on big wooden ships. On the ships people had babies, and many got sick with cholera.
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The Grade One class and Miss Dawson say goodbye and bon voyage to Hayden! We are looking forward to hearing about all his adventures when he returns to Grade Two.
Parent and Infant Program
Appreciations
• • • • • Andrea Graham for the beautiful “Little Brown Duck”, Shingebiss featured in the Winter Fair puppet show. Eric Walton for taking his own initiative - and brawn - to carry out the trash from the school this week! Danny Mauro, Dad of Sam in Grade 1, for helping with the hanging of lights and a thermometer in the Grade 3 classroom The Administrator would also like to acknowledge the Mulberry Board of Directors for their ongoing hard work regarding the many issues concerning the School. It is a boost to the administration and to the school at large. As well, it is reassuring to have a full board in operation. The newsletter team of Jude Larkin, Serena Manson and Jane Mead for your diligence in giving us our Christmas Mulberry ‘Tree’.
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School Address:
Mulberry School 25 Markland Street Kingston, Ontario K7K 1S2 Phone: (613) 542-0669 Fax: (613) 549-8568 Email: administrator@mulberryschool.net www.mulberryschool.net
Credits:
Organization by Jane Mead and Serena Manson Newsletter editing/layout by Jude Larkin Christmas illustrations by Bryn Arthur Proof reading by Tammy Caldwell
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