We had a very successful visitor morning yesterday with several parents interested in the younger class and who made plans to visit again in the classroom and/or have their children visit. I am always so proud of The New School kids on visitor days; the older ones give great tours which always receive favorable comments and the younger ones are very friendly and welcoming and love answering questions! I also appreciate input from parents who are around on Wednesday and join in the conversation. Visitors always appreciate hearing parents points of view.
I have finally met with all of my older class groups with regard to taking responsibility for monitoring themselves on class behavior during lunch and general rules during the day, and getting their ideas for management of this. These talks run the whole gamut from serious suggestions on conflict resolution that would impress U.N. delegates to what Jay calls “playing the puberty card” which often starts with “what’s the fuss, we’re all perfectly fine.” My plan to share the groups’ ideas and put some of them to action will have to wait until next week (due to absenteeism due to trips and sickness) as will my concluding the reading of War Horse. I asked for comments on the book today and had favorable reviews of the book, one liking it because it featured war and another because the story was told by the horse himself. One or two have borrowed the book to catch up on what they missed.
On Tuesday I worked with the middle class writing a group poem on wind for the beleaguered Literary Edition. It will go out before the spring break and I am looking at this delay as an opportunity for slower workers to add their gems of literature and art to the mix! (Note from Jill: That last sentence is part of the problem—there’s always something to add!)
It’s been fun having Kayla (2009 TNS grad) here for a couple of days this week. She has been doing improv and poetry with older classers and was interviewed today by the younger classers for the newspaper.
Finally a note about my purple nails which a few parents and several kids have commented on. I have only had my nails “done” twice in my life and the first doesn’t count because the nail polish was a pale, pearly pink—not exactly eye catching. So purple nails are quite dramatic for me and here are the three reasons: 1. They match my toes; 2. I love the poem, When I’m Old I Shall Wear Purple; 3. I am reading a book, How to Train a Wild Elephant- Simple Daily Mindfulness Practices and one is “Appreciate your hands” which suggests watching your hands when they are busy and at rest. One suggestion is to wear nail polish if you don’t usually do so. Believe me this past week I have been very mindful of my hands and so has Lily who likes anything bright or shiny. I think the worlds at the end of this exercise are worth repeating: When we observe our hands, they work in perfect harmony, complimenting one another and never hurting. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if pairs of people in the world could work together so well.