Klahanie School
January 2015 Newsletter
“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.
December 2014 Reflection
Wishing you all a very happy Winter Solstice and New Year
filled with love and laughter to you and all you love! As we enter back in the classroom
routine we will re-visit the meaning of listening practice and Grace and Courtesy
with friends and Teachers. Much of
our work will be focusing on taking turns, asking permission before entering
someone’s work/play space, requesting space and to play later in positive and
kind method, as well as the difference introduction to inclusion vs. exclusion
based on the situation. This
is a month of introducing a lot of role-playing and games to illustrate these
big points of social development.
Role-playing is a fantastic way to communicate big ideas as well as fun
ways to ease into imagination, acting and understanding the world. .
Please ask Emmy if you are working on similar things at home and seek
more ideas.
January Curriculum Topics
“Only in the darkness can
you see the stars.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
·
MLK Day:
This is a very important study topic for our yearly Peace Maker
introduction. We begin to talk
about what makes a Peace Maker, why they are important (from past and present)
and ways we too contribute to the creation of peace within self, neighbors and earth. We also tell an age appropriate story
of MLK as a boy and his awareness of the world and how he can help change
things. I also like to introduce
the idea of “stepping into another person’s shoes” and imagining his/her story
to nurture the development of empathy.
We use some fun classroom games and props to do this. Our MLK parade will be on his actual
birthday: Thursday January 15th and a day we make instruments and
posters to celebrate his commitments to Peace with the following chant:
Martin
Luther King was a mighty, might Man and a mighty, mighty Man was he. He stood for peace, he stood for love, and
he stood for harmony.
·
How
to Be a Neighbor: Song and poem introduction to Fred Rogers’ work and the
importance of compassion.
·
Winter
Birds of the Pacific Northwest: these beautiful little workers will be our
focus of habitat, needs, life-style and food. We will make our yearly bird feeders this month!
·
Sewing
and Weaving: Specialist Jordan
Beck will be in class to introduce the children to weaving. We will spin off this with more sewing
projects in class.
Reminders/Thank You
·
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 Elizabeth Shaw for the Play-dough!
·
Parent Volunteers Needed: Please Help Take & Organize Distribution of Class Picture!
Island Community
Developments
This January 2015,
Klahanie School will begin support and temporary housing for a weekly Vashon
Island Compassionate Listening Teen Girls Talking Circle group, Gender Talks
and Island community member specialist trades, farming & arts mentorship
introduction. The emphasis of this
group (based out of the Teen Talking Circle Project: founder and Director Linda
Wolf) is to support sharing life truths in a safe, confidential, nurturing
space with the goal to feel seen and heard as well as mentorship opportunity
using the Compassionate Listening format as the core. The group is Free to Vashon Island Teens 14-18 yrs. Guardian permission and contact
information is required for teens under 18yrs. Emily “Emmy” Graham and Maggie Smith will
Co-Facilitate.
Please contact
Emmy if you are interested in learning more about this group and how you can
support.
o Emmy
is a Trainer and past Facilitator for Teen Talking Circle Project on Bainbridge
Island alongside founder Linda Wolf. Please check out teentalkingcirclesproject.org for greater Teen Talking Circle Project information.
·
Thursdays
8pm KPLU: Jazz Student Special Guest DJs.
These accomplished Seattle Jazz student Teens share their jazz favorites!
