Klahanie School
January 2016 Newsletter
December 2015 Reflection
Happy New Year!
We hope you and your family experienced a joyful holiday season. We are excited to venture into the New
Year with intention and care to reacquaint your child back to the classroom
community and experiences.
January Curriculum Topics
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Along with revisiting our daily routine we will begin to
focus our attention and circle-time lessons on Martin Luther King Jr. MLK is the first of many Peacemakers we
will study from around the world.
We begin the discussion of civil rights using age appropriate and
relatable-fictionalized stories along with open-ended questions the children can
identify with. I also like to
continue incorporating examples and role-playing of classroom community issues
to assist the children in finding some understanding of human rights, empathy and
compassion development through listening and sharing.
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you
can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do keep moving forward.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
To celebrate MLK day we will make personalized “I have a
dream” clouds for all children who want to participate. The clouds state what the child’s
dreams are for the future of selves, family, community and/or world. These clouds will be hung in the
classroom. We will also make MLK
posters and have a peace march on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th
(his actual birthday), where we chant:
“Martin Luther King was a mighty, mighty man
and a mighty, mighty man was he.
He worked for peace, he worked for love, he worked for harmony!”
While celebrating diversity we will begin making
self-portraits. Each child will
have the opportunity to observe his/her features in a mirror then with the
assistance of an adult, create a self-portrait that will be displayed in the
class until the end of the school year.
When you come to visit our classroom have fun finding your child! Please contact me if you would like to
help in class on this wonderful project.
January and February we will be introducing different
musicians, authors/poets and artists that have had important roles in using
his/her art as a tool for looking for answers to world injustices.
“A simple and exhilarating truth: music and
open, honest, human-to-human communication can shift ideologies and create
meaningful change” (Lee Hirsch).
Two artists we will begin to study and celebrate during
January will be Bob Marley and Michael Franti of Spearhead. Marley is a reggae artist from Jamaica
who sang about civil peace and equality. Michael Franti and Spearhead are San
Francisco based musicians working for peaceful listening and communication
around the world. What is
important about these musicians is they actively took the messages of MLK to
the next level for bringing awareness and understanding in their own
communities and beyond.
This unit study is close to my heart for it stimulates the
children to look deeply and proudly at ways they themselves are
peacemakers. I look forward to
hearing your home observations of family conversations and questions asked by
your child while we study Martin Luther King Jr. and extended Peacemakers. Please contact me if you have any
questions or concerns, I am happy to listen and make time.
We will also begin study:
·
Pacific Northwest beavers and their vital
importance in our ecosystem
·
Winter birds
·
Snowflakes and clouds
Reminders/Thank You
·
Parent Kindergarten Curriculum and
2016-17 information Night: Monday January 11th 5-6/6:30pm
·
Thank
you for the sweet Holiday Gifts from families to Teachers, such kindness!
·
Cold
& Wet Days! Please & thank
you for remembering to layer your child in warm clothes, our schedule remains
the same! Please pack extra socks
(can be mismatched): socks are great mitten substitutes when needed as well as
extra cozy pants and rain pants if have them.
·
Thank
you Sara Bennett for the Play-dough!
