Helping Hands

It's the beginning of the year which has us pondering, what do we want our class to be thinking about as they embark on a journey into a new classroom? How do we ensure a safe, happy, creative environment so everyone's language of expression is honored in a more soulful, natural way? By asking these questions, we are sure to set an intentional, mindful tone for our early learners.  Our goal is to provide a classroom environment that aids in learning, just as much as a Morah would. In other words, our classroom is also a teacher. So, our students should above all learn how to properly use materials, respect spaces and others in it, and be able to freely and openly express themselves through many ways of play and creation. How do we do this? Read on for heartwarming stories of how we blend rules/agreements and empathy.

During our meet the teacher sessions we had parents trace their child's hands, this was our segue into talking about what our hands can do to be helpful. Here, parents have a hand in our project, strengthening our school family as a whole.

 

We cut the hands out and allowed the children to paste and paint at free will. Once we were finished and the artwork was dry, we invited the children to help us hang them up. Exercising free will, some chose to help while others allowed their friends to hang theirs because they were buys on another activity. Choices are always good to offer when appropriate. 

We've got our classroom routines down pretty well by now! Upon entering the building back packs get hung, lunch boxes and water bottles removed then placed into individual cubbies, then the children follow visual prompts to see what room they start in and what is open vs. what is closed.

Circle time is the optimum time to introduce classroom routines and rituals, along with any rules/agreements. We demonstrated how to carefully put our things away because we noticed clean up time became more of a demolition frenzy rather than mindful cleaning to be helpful.  We also made a mini classroom on a tray so children could reinforce what they are learning to do themselves.

See how helpful our friends are becoming? Holding doors, sweeping up messes so friends to slip, carrying something for another, working together, teaching each other new skills, and the list goes on.  By displaying our mitzvot (good deeds) in class through panels of documentation, books, and social games, we reinforce good behavior and provide references to refer back to from time to time.

 How fortunate we are to have multiple sets of siblings attending our school. We see each other in the yard, celebrate reunions daily, and foster support through connection and role modeling.

By now we all have a good idea of how we best respect our friends and space. With a lot of patience, forgiveness and the assumption of positive intent, we are learning and growing together. According to conscious discipline, the creation of healthy connections with other people wires the brain for improved impulse control and a willingness to cooperate. We hope you enjoy our journey and can carry out these same methods at home or in your classroom. 

Meet KDH - Class of 2016 - 2017

Welcome to School Year 2016-17 and to the Yiladim of KDH.  As part of our All About Me exploration, each child is interviewed. We love hearing what the children have to say about themselves. You can read their complete answers which are posted above their hooks with their photographs and self portraits,
Most of our children were born in Atlanta. Izzy says she was born in Cape Cod. Ari Effron reports that she was born in a hotel. Ari Shacham was born in a hospital, far far way. Dovid was born in Raleigh. Cassie and Levi were born in New York.
Most of the children have brown hair. One child reported that his hair is grey and yet another has silver hair. One child has blonde hair and many of the children have black hair. We graphed eye colors and found that many of the children have brown eyes.  Hannah has one blue eye and one green eye! We looked and it's amazing!
Favorite foods are: Pizza, grilled cheese, chicken, grapes, yogurt, Chinese food, candy, fish, crunchy chicken, cereal and milk, cake, ice cream, lettuce, watermelon, waffles, and tuna. Pasta, avocado, ice cream, broccoli and cucumbers the most popular.

In school a favorite activity already is using the poking tool to make cutouts. Presently, there are apple designs in the art center for that. Yoni loves learning about everything. Max, Cassie, Reed and Pearl like building with Lego. the children also use the colored taped together with the recyclables, popsicle sticks and paper to make interesting designs and objects. Outdoors, Dovid, Ruth and Shaya expressed pleasure at riding bikes. The tire swing and sandbox are outdoor activities that the children enjoy together. Many of the children joined to pile up a mountain of leaves and then jumped in!
What have the morahs noticed? The children take turns and share with each other. They build together, read books in the library together, do art with each other, make puzzles cooperatively and wait patiently for their turns when doing a class project at circle time, e.g when planting the carrot, radish and onion seeds today.
We're off to a great start!

Morah Ruth
Morah Sara
Morah Gail