Phantom Limbs and Shooting Stars
One of the hard things about this COVID time is a licensing rule that prohibits preschool families from entering the building. Saying goodbye to families at the main entrance feels so unnatural. The absence of the families in the school reminds me of a phantom limb: I experience sensations as I walk past spots where […]
The Future Is A Lovely Day
Tara Papandrew was asked to review The Future is a Lovely Day for the Summer 2020 issue of Innovations in Early Education: The Reggio Emilia Exchange, a periodical published by the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA), that focuses on the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Innovations was developed in 1992 through an […]
The rights of bugs
One of our goals for all students in our school is to take action as mindful citizens who care about making contributions to a future that acknowledges living systems as an integrated whole. We want every child to know, as we do, that their unique ways of being offer essential ideas and strategies which deepen […]
Changing shape; continuing to grow
A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. Brené Brown How do young children demonstrate their deep sense of love and belonging? What are the many ways that they show us their capacity to […]
Fear can’t survive proximity
What happens when fear drives our actions – and how can we interrupt it? This is a story about four-year old Mason. He is a passionate person, full of ideas, questions, and working theories of the world that he readily shares with his community. He has a generous heart with everyone and his perspectives of […]
Practicing strength by being vulnerable
Maintaining connection while feeling big emotions is something that we work hard on and practice a lot at this school. We want children to experience discomfort so they can practice being vulnerable and taking chances. When placing their idea into the world, like Bella did when she asked “are you still my friend?, the children trust […]
Finding stories; finding each other
About once a week in the Alder community of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, we split the group in two, carefully considering friendships we want to support or stretch. We affectionately call this structure “half-sies.” The smaller groups give each person (children and adults) a chance to see, hear, and know one another in new ways. […]
The Space Between Us
I couldn’t sleep Tuesday night, and when I compared notes the next morning with my colleague Mary Gage, she said she couldn’t sleep either. We were both replaying that night’s Back to School Night over and over again, dwelling on missed opportunities and missed connections. At 2am, my mind was looping the things I wish […]
The Courage to Show Up and Be Seen
Connection is the energy that is created between people when they are seen, heard, and valued — when they can give and receive without judgement. – Brené Brown At Opal School, we see all children as curious and competent citizens with rights. We see them driven to connect and eager to be understood. We know […]