May 21, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
We have been just loving our cute days with your (our) children and know each child is feeling our love. It is just startling to think of this as our last letter to you. Our year together has been more interesting and much more fun than ever thought possible. Thank you for all that you did to make it this way and for the incredible loan of your children. Upon reflection we wanted to share some observations and thoughts.
The fact that each child loves to play and knows how to, is just terrific. Pretend takes all of us just where we need to be. The children all pretend, everyday and bring us with them. Surprises, a love of the ridiculous and of very real things, is deep.
We have been happy to put out more lint to help our little animals with their nest building. The word is traveling quickly and it is so much fun to see that we have takers for our soft little presents. The enormous connection to nature, the moon and our lives together offers us all boundless feelings of deep possibilities, everywhere.
Water and paper are being conserved so naturally now. No one ever wants to waste a thing. We think this will last a lifetime.
Art means something different to each child but each person now treasures his/her chances to create things. Other people’s work is valued so much too.
Letters have been wildly interesting for many, for months. Others are falling for them now and are being encouraged by their friends.
Listening to stories and to one another has become just what the children love to do. Books are treated like paper friends and tape is nearby to repair any little tears.
When little problems come up, and of course they have to, it is no longer so hard to work things out. Remedies are sought out and put forth. Peace is made quickly. Feelings are valued more.
So many influences have helped to shape the dearest, sturdiest children around.
Thank you again. Love and hugs xxx
Anne and Stephanie
May 14, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
(We thought this was posted but apparently not! So sorry for the delay!!)
Thank you for all that you all did to make our evening, last night so beautiful, delicious and so much fun. The cute bartender fathers were absolutely fantastic. It was a great night and it was wonderful to catch up with people we see so often, yet never have the time to really talk to. It was like suddenly having new friends that were so familiar. The magician was absolutely amazing. We have no idea how he did one part of any trick. Thank you for all of the favors and for just spoiling us to bits. Again, dancing together was a riot. Our knees today will be reminding us of all the fun we had last night. Thank you for this wonderful outpouring of affection.
Love to all and we hope your weekends are fun and sun filled. xxoo us
May 9, 2010
Hello dear Mothers,
We have loved our week together with your (our) children!
We hope you know more than ever how your children love you. Thank you for loving them so much too!
Love to you!
xx
Anne & Stephanie
April 30, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
Thank you for making the time to meet with us! We are loving these times. It is funny to think that we even feel closer to you and our (your) children. We didn’t think this was possible, thank you. We did miss our little friends when we were apart.
We are so excited about the planting of our wonderful tree. It is another double cherry tree and we are all already nuts about it! We know you will be too!
Life in class is about the loudest ever due to our amazing moon but so much fun. Buzzy has had an easy week. Thank you!
Love,
Anne & Stephanie
PS- We are all so excited that Allison O’Toole had her baby! Colin Patrick O’Toole was born at 7:12 this morning. He is 7lbs 1oz and he and Allison are doing great!
April 9, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
This beautiful weather has allowed us all to be outside feeling the sun and the new air in an extra amount. The children are running and climbing so fantastically now. We feel as if the children are doing exactly what they need to do. The monkey bars are not knowing what hit them! They and the hill are the hottest spots on the play yard.
Art has never been more beautiful. People who wouldn’t dream of going to paint at the easel before are suddenly mixing colors together and admiring each others work.
We are floored by the writing in this class! As the children who are flipping for writing want more and more time at the writing table, new ‘writers’ are encouraged by all they can suddenly do. ‘Tiny teachers’ are assisting all the time and we are almost out of work! The crabby pencil isn’t so crabby anymore.
We’d love to ask a favor. This will help all of us. When a little plan is going to happen with a friend in our class, it would be great if you’d ask your child to not discuss it endlessly. It would be best if you simply remind your child of this plan in the car before she/he arrives. Writing it in the book is perfect for us. Unintentionally, feelings are being hurt as children discuss their plans openly. As we’ve said before, often if plans are so discussed the children are losing it for each other by snack time. Thank you.
The beautiful new time of the year sometimes makes new feelings about everything emerge. Bits of hurtful language and actions are on the scene. We will help each person on the dishing out end or receiving end to be able to treat this newness in the clearest, most no frills way, so fun is back in action speedily. Teachers acting out in dramatic, outlandish ways hit home very quickly. Perhaps because spring just came upon us in such a hurry our (your) children responses have been understandably nutty to them and us. They are even surprising themselves!
It is suddenly May without an extra few weeks of development. We were not able to assist them in advance with the appropriate social tools. We are now on an accelerated track to try to help the children to be able to embrace this new time in their little lives and all of the emotional changes this is stirring. We already feel the old an the new feelings cobbling together. We are all closer to one another today.
Our busy, spring together, we know will continue to be an amazing interesting time. The giving season, in and out of the room is in full swing. Thanks for (our) your children and for all of you!
xx
Anne & Stephanie
Isn't the moon beautiful?
March 26, 2010
Hello, dear Parents,
It is so much fun to see you and be with your (our) children. Little tales of the creepy storm are still being shared. We are sorry for all of the upsetness it caused for so many of you. We are happy that it is essentially unstormy in the class. A bit of buzzy stuff is already leaving. It is just related to wanting the same things. Being away, has probably helped some children to forget that sharing with a sibling or even a few of them is much easier than with many who want the same toy, turn at the easel, jacket in the dress-up area, etc.
We have loved our week with our little visitor, Robert Ulmer. He, for those who don’t know, was in Nursery 1 PM last year. He now goes to Greenwich Country Day. He was invited to join us because he is off this week and so close to many of the children in our class. Now he has even more friends. It has been a seamless transition and a week of fun.
We are amazed to see all of the new abilities and interests of the children. Cutting is suddenly just ‘it’ for so many. Ones who we uninterested in making things are sitting down and going to town in this department. The easel still attracts droves and the work is so beautiful. Details and a new sort of attention are making a huge difference.
We are so excited to be entering nature’s most spectacular season together!
We also want to welcome Zachary William Mathias to the world. He was born on March 16th and rang in at 7 lbs 9 oz! Congratulations to the whole Mathias family!
We hope you all have a great weekend. How about our moon?
xxx
Us
March 5, 2010
Dear Connecting Parents,
Yesterday Sarah and I took the children to see the Andy Goldsworthy Cairn as well as a number of sculptures at PepsiCo. We had a great time! Your children were very enthusiastic- despite chilly winds. They made some wonderful sketches of the Goldsworthy sculpture, and discovered that it was much larger than we had originally thought. At PepsiCo they explored sculptures by Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, Robert Davidson and more.
Not only were they carefully looking up and around at the artwork, but they were also looking down. A lot of children enjoyed collecting pinecones and other objects from the ground as we were walking through the more wooded areas at PepsiCo. We hope they have told you of our adventures and we look forward to taking the next group on the same tour after the vacation. Please click on the pictures to see the children in action. We wish you all a very happy and relaxing two weeks.
Enjoy!
Ferris
March 5, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
We have been having great days in our class. Thanks to the effects of our good old full moon, the volume has been turned up very high. Extra creativity and a few random falls have been woven into the picture too.
New glimpses of wonderful development are showing up all of the time, and this offers new opportunities for all of us. Seeing what is so familiar in new ways as well as seeing different aspects of someone so familiar is happening a lot right now. Variety seems to be all around us, making this time so full of life. Taking turns goes from being next to impossible to almost a snap, and then back to something like, “You’ve got to be kidding! Share this??” The ever-changing qualities blended with the consistent fundamental framework allow each person to learn and grow all of the time. We are too. Doing this together is so much more meaningful, helping to make us closer and sturdier, everyday.
We will miss our wonderful class and will be loving you all the whole time.
Love,
Anne and Stephanie
February 22, 2010
Dear Parents,
The Connecting class has been talking a great deal in the classroom, the science room and the studio about nature and natural materials artist Andy Goldsworthy.
In an effort to enhance their knowledge of this artist as well as others, we would like to take the children to SUNY Purchase to see The Cone by Andy Goldsworthy and to Pepsico to see the Sculpture Gardens.
We will leave at 9:15 a.m. and return by 11:30 a.m. We will be outside, so please dress your child accordingly ~ boots, hats, mittens, etc.
Please sign the attached form and return. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sarah and Ferris
February 19, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
We all enjoyed our wonderful Staff Development Day. It was fun to be with one another and talk about life in school without our little friends. The speaker, Cindy Rzasa Bess was absolutely perfect. She reconfirmed how understanding, fun, love and attention make the hugest differences. She was so comical and thought provoking. Please try to hear her when she speaks on Parenting, Friday, February 26th at 9:00am.
Our week has been fun filled! Valentine’s Day all week long and our wonderful party have made this an extra cozy and happy little time. Thank you Lisa Allen and mothers for your treats and time and fun!
Our days are wonderful adventures. A simple plan takes the children and us to places we all love. Lessons that are planned lend themselves to wonderful conversations and new ways of thinking. Learning is constant and deep.
We have been helping the children to remember that when they do things accidentally, they still hurt. Running away because it wasn’t intentional is almost a thing of the past. A cold, wet cloth, a pat or any gentle acknowledgement are possible remedies that are helping children who got accidentally hurt as well as the ones who didn’t mean to do the little thing feel so much better too. These little changes are making a huge difference.
Thank you all for coming to our art show! The children were thrilled to tell us about how they were able to show you their art and be in school over the weekend! The large attendance to this event will make such an enormous difference to these less fortunate people, thank you. We will let you know how much we actually raised as soon as we know the full amount! Thank you again for all your wonderful support!!
We love our dear littlest Valentines, thank you!
Love to you!
How about the moon?!
Xxx
Us
February 5, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
It has been a long time since we have had our whole class together in our room. Little colds and stomach bugs have really taken their toll on your (our) children and we look forward to perfect attendance soon.
We have been enjoying listening to all sorts of stories read and made up in all sizes of groups. Listening is something everyone is getting better at all of the time. It makes more sense to everyone. Rhyming is becoming more familiar to all of the children. It is a riot to hear something like, "bat, cat, sat," said by someone and "blat, mat, wat," by someone sitting nearby. It is fun to hear the children say, “Hey, that rhymes!” as they are speaking to each other.
The Art Show continues to be Topic A. We all are excited about the work and the idea of being at it together on Saturday. Please come! The children are counting the days until Saturday. The idea that so many people in other countries can actually be helped by the beautiful artwork we make in our class is becoming clearer and clearer to them. It feels simple and possible. It is!
Writing is in bloom. We feel as if suddenly many children who would run from a pencil, are now seeking out time at the writing table. Grips are changing and are helping the children write as they see the letter in their minds. This is just fantastic!
Paintings and drawings are so beautiful. They are like little presents to all of us each day. The children are excited for their friends and for themselves as they see what they are doing and as they marvel at their own gorgeous work!
We know our rare, good fortune to be in this great year. This is a remarkable class, thank you! You’re not so bad, yourselves. We look forward to seeing you at the Preview Party, Friday night (6:30-8:00) and on Saturday, 10-12.
xxx
Us
January 22, 2010
Hello dear Parents,
We are so happy to be with our (your) children. The buzzy stuff has magically (almost) and mysteriously left us. Now, happy and productive ways are filling our busy, sunny room. Again, little things have to happen with so many young children in a room together.
The Art Show is being worked on and talked about all of the time. The children love knowing that you will come and see all of the children's work. They are fully understanding and love the idea, that the admissions fee will go to Heifer International. Through this charitable organization the money is 'turned' into a variety of pregnant animals. This organization, for clear reasons, is dear to the heart (s) of our school. It makes sense to the children and they can really take part in it's support. There are small villages in third world countries that will be receiving these life changing gifts. The children are imagining which animals will be given. There are choices depending upon how much money is in fact collected. The class is grasping the essence of this. The lives of these people will be made easier, happier and ultimately just more possible. These changes will be permanent. Having great nutrition and the means to sell eggs, goat's milk, and cheese will offer them ways to have chances on life.
Images are touching, comical and perfect as the children envision many animals in a boat or on a plane or train to other countries. They prefer this visually rich idea rather than a more realistic one. The seeds of wanting others to have meaningful, happy loves are being planted right now and your (our) children are taking hold to this beautiful concept. This feels important and possible to all of us.
Thank you all again for the amazing loan of your children each day. Love to all!
xxx us
January 8, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
Happy new decade! It is so great to be back with our dear little friends. The children are so happy to back together and at school. We are too. It is wonderful to see new little friendships emerging and older ones are still right in there.
Trying out new ways of being is a necessary and essential part of development. Some of the children are seeing that some of this is wonderful. Influences, new routines, more or less sleep etc. alter things startlingly quickly. Changes are sometimes so subtle while others are less so. If a little experimentation has gotten a bit too much for the classroom, a 'buzz' report has been delivered. Please do not lose heart, we will be able to work these things out and become all the closer as a class. We are spending our days with very young children. There is no way they can or should know exactly how to be. We are loving them all the time and this, we know will serve as an underlying support.
The lint that you have been bringing in has been terrific. We've put it out and watched for any 'takers' the next day. The word is getting out and most of it is being found and taken. We've put out crackers too. These gentle offerings are now built into the way many of the children think. Being aware of living things and just what is all around us, helps us all to feel closer to the time we are in, right now.
On the drippiest note alive, please check your child's change of clothes box. Summer duds might not do the trick so well right now. Please also label all your your (our) children's clothes. Their are so many navy blue things and even their owners have no idea if they are actually his/hers, thank you!
Thank you for all of your extremely generous and thoughtful presents. The cards and notes were/are so great too, thank you!
xxx Us
December 23, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
We have loved these last days together so much! Some how our closeness has just gotten even more dear to us. Thank you for sharing your children with us. We will miss all of our (your) children so much. It will be fun to imagine so many happy times with all of you.
Our marvelous presents are just too much to really take in! You are so generous and thoughtful and just too wonderful to believe!
Please look for our moon. We will too and think of you!
xxoo
Love, Anne, Stephanie & Sarah
PS- If you have the time and some inclination, please put our some lint! xxx
December 14, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
We have been loving our conferences with all of you! It is great to talk to you about your (our) children. The few remaining conferences will be scheduled soon!
We know this last week before break will be extra cozy!
Love and Thanks!
xx Us
December 11, 2009
Hello,
Arnie Kolodner, an actor and magician, from NYC, visited last week and performed a spellbinding version of Peter Pan!
Thank you!
December 4, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
As you know we have been thinking about our animals as the weather is changing. We finally had a day chilly enough for us to put out some of the lint that's been arriving daily. The children loved putting it out our back door. The next to find some of it missing was so amazing! We know birds and other animals have cozier nests and little homes now. Thank you for the lint and for helping us to help the children feel how we are on our dear planet together and how much nicer it is to share it.
Days continue to fly by and we are loving each one. We so look forward to meeting with you soon to talk about your (our) children.
How about our moon?!!
Love and Happy Weekend! xxx Us
November 22, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
We have been talking about how nature is changing and wanting to help the animals as it gets colder. We will be leaving lint from the dryer (if you will please bring us some) for the animals this week. This will be an ongoing little help for them so they can have cozy little nests to keep warm. Thank you!
xxx
November 12, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
It was so great see so many of you at the wonderful auction. Thank you so much for your hard work, love and for creating such a happy atmosphere for us all. It's seems as if the dinero keeps coming in and that is fantastico, gracias!
Empathy lessons have been presented on the spot, as needed, since the first week of school. Right now we are spending concentrated pieces of time, intentionally teaching the children that sad things happen sometimes. At the same time, they are learning that they can really help to make things better. A little cold wet cloth, a pat or kind words, quickly make a great difference. The children are so interested in these lessons and its apparent that they are learning so much, so quickly! Little spills are so frequent. Instead of either just reporting the news of the spill or flipping out over it, we are helping the children to see how easy it is to make things better for their friends and themselves. Helping is becoming natural. Modeling how to do this makes perfect sense to them. It is so amazing to see this at work! We sometimes wonder if the spills are sometimes done on purpose just to be able to help. It is a riot and no one can ever help too much!
Thank you so much to Jill Raker for reading How To Be A Pirate to our classroom!
Our staff development day was challenging and enlightening! We have a lot of work to do but want to do it!
We missed your (our) children!
xxx
Love Us
November 6, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
Thank you to Margaret, Grandma Lee and Grandma Barbara for making the most delicious dumplings ever!! We all loved them so much! It was so fun learning how to make such a yummy treat!
Elizabeth Lynch visited today and read, Where the Wild Things Are. Your (our) not so wild things listened to and loved every word.
We are so looking forward to seeing you at the Viva Putnam Auction!
xx
October 30, 2009
Hello dear Parents,
We are loving our days at school with the pumpkin patch! The children have been busy exploring their playground full of hay bails, corn stalks, rakes, and pumpkins. We have also enjoyed running, jumping, skipping and climbing around all the new obstacles!
The children had a chance to make apple crisp! Sarah's old fashioned apple peeler was a huge help. The children all enjoyed turning the peeler as it quickly took the little skin off the apples. They helped to add all the ingredients and deliver the crisp to the kitchen. We were able to smell our apple crisp from our classroom! We will enjoy eating it today for snack!
Everyone has been able to go to science this week as well to carve our class pumpkin. The children have used all five senses to explore the pumpkin and sort the seeds away from the pumpkin pulp. Then we baked and ate the seeds. The children were also able to draw a picture of our carved pumpkin as well!
Viva Putnam! The auction's influence is huge and inspiring in the dress-up area!
Unfortunately, sad news has come our way. Connor fell at home and hurt his mouth. The children have been making cards and have been blowing kisses to him every day.
Life is full and happy. We are loving our days with your (our) children. Thank you! Please "find" the moon as you are having a Happy Halloween! Love and thanks!
xxx
Us