We’re looking forward to hosting Opal School Visitation Days, when 80 teachers and administrators from seven states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces will gather in Portland to wonder with us: How might play, inquiry, and thinking in questions sustain communities of learners, ages 3-11, and the adults who work with them? This …
In recent years, much has been said about creative thinking, teamwork and research as positive resources that will support the advancement of human culture. I believe that it is important for those of us who work with the children and youth of today to constantly rethink these concepts, and make connections between them and contemporary …
Re-reading this article tonight, after a particularly creative third grade Literacy Studio today, I was thrown against the cold reality of the mindset of those who really would have us believe that control, certainty, and the dehumanization of the students in our care is the way to a more robust economy and stable society. In Creativity …
“A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson In the first few weeks of school we have witnessed the children’s joy, wonder, curiosity and strong desire to be in relationship with their classmates and teachers. Immediately we noticed children finding ways to connect through common interests and mutual experiences, …
Read more “What does friendship look like in the first weeks of Preschool?”
As the weather turns colder, our bellies and hearts remind us that we’ve got to work together to stay warm and loved inside and out! Small groups of children have been scurrying around our beloved play spaces, preparing recipes of mud soups for our community. They’ve been collecting and gathering bits and pieces of natural …
The final goal and expecation that we have for Opal School students is this: Develop strategies that contribute to the quality of the community by having a keen sense of place, identity and belonging while respecting the rights and identities of others. In the end, it’s about understanding the complexity of a community that intends …