Opal School Blog
Sometimes We Feel…
Emotions and feelings exist inside all of us as a type of energy that has potential to be expressed, utilized, and shared outside of us and…
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Getting the lights right for dancing
At Visitation Days, we explored this definition of Playful Inquiry with educators from across the United States and Canada – and we’ve been chewing on…
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Culture Makers + Word Breakers
The language we choose in our teaching changes the worlds children inhabit now and those they will build in the future. — Peter Johnston, Opening…
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Our 100 Days Plan
With January’s fickle weather, it felt like we were never going to settle back into our regular school and home routines. After the winter break, in the…
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An act of freedom
It’s been a stunning, bewildering, shocking ten days. I’ve heard people across the political spectrum call the rapid-fire developments chaotic and confusing. It’s hard to…
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Boys Only Ice Cream
“Boys only ice cream! Boys only ice cream!” a child called out. Ice cream shops are part of outside play for Opal Beginning School. One…
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The Secrets of Wire: Play, Reflection and Relationships with Risk
As my colleagues and I continued to think together about our big idea of transformation and some of our research questions, we wondered what materials…
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Open Spaces of Democracy
Portland got a lot of snow this week – and, as a result, Opal School and schools across the city have been closed. Snowed in,…
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Finding a Path to Productive Disagreement: Reflecting on our Response to Uncertainty and Confusion
When I think about the Opal 3 community, I find and feel evidence of tremendous growth as a community: we are more cohesive and…
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A Room Full of Information
“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what…
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