Nadirchat

~Potential is lost in the absence of effort and passion. I'm not sure where I came across this powerful piece of insight, but it hits home in so many ways. Imagine the world without Michelangelo, Dante, Pasteur... What if they'd chosen to squander their talents because they couldn't be bothered to research, invent and create. How many of us attack each day with a desire to do our best and be our best?  I know, it's exhausting to exist in this state but so well worth it. It is here that greatness is born-most often not the greatness of the masters but the greatness found in the ordinary moments of living in a school that is filled with passion by all those who inhabit it. Children are born with this type of passion; the need to know all, be all and do all. It is when they encounter apathetic teachers and adults that they lose their potential. I speak of the teachers who arrive each day content with mediocrity. The teachers who forget to read, research, and investigate in...

Tutti What a great Italian word. All of us! We are the sum of all our shared experiences and memories, the very things that define us, not only as people but as a school community. The children, families and teachers, present and past, have been part our journey. We live like every moment counts creating context for our notebook. We are tutti inseme-all together Tutti uniti-all united Tutti una famiglia-all one family No matter where life leads us we will always remember tutti-all those who have lived in our spaces.

I call it a conversation because teachers and children are in a constant state of exchange and interaction with loose parts. Without these two elements the materials are simply stagnate objects. When loose parts are selected and organized in an inviting and thought provoking manner they have the power to entice children to explore, think, engage, create, exchange ideas, communicate, problem solve and scaffold learning.

There are stages in the evolution of loose parts-much like blocks, drawing and clay-children begin by exploring them with their senses, testing their properties, and piling before we see the emergence of representations.

There are many ways for children to represent their thinking, tell us their stories and share their ideas. Our children find great joy in giving their drawings dimension using loose materials.

A wonderful way to start the day. Enjoy!