Weaving Children And Nature: July 2012

“The question is not “What can children do?” Rather, it is “What should children do that best serves their development and learning in the long term.”

~Lilian Katz

“My passion is to make sure all children are taught in environments and in ways that truly nurture their ability to grow and develop.”

~Louise Derman Sparks

“I’m not here to save the world, I’m here to make a difference in my community.”

~Raymond Hernandez

“We must be the voice of the voiceless.”

~Marian Wright Edelman

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Personal Childhood Web

Being the youngest of 8, "just you and me time" was precious.

#1 Mom, she was at the other end of my continuous talk of how my day went. She listened and was the soft comfort that made me feel like an only child. She gave me the gift of playing outside, true freedom.

#2 Dad, had boundaries and lessons at every turn, but he made me feel safe. His Catholic faith and his Italian culture were so important to him; it made me feel a part of the culture I never physically experienced.

#3 Grandma Porter, she looked at me (all my siblings too) through rose-colored glasses, never seeing imperfections. At grandma's house the rules were relaxed, she taught me how to play her organ, most of all she had the gift of time.

#4 Uncle Jimmy, although I only saw him about once a year, and could hardly keep track of all the aunts a uncles and cousins. Uncle Jimmy stood out, he noticed me and always sought me out from the masses to play cards or sit outside and talk.

To this day the gift of the outdoor space is the most profound experience that directed both my personal and professional life. My family went on numerous camping and fishing trips; my Mom and I would grab our sketchbooks and find a soft rock (a large rock shaped perfectly to our bodies so it felt soft). In a family meeting my Dad asked if we kids would be willing to give up our allowance for a year to help the family buy a little piece of mountain property. My parents showed me the love of nature, and this made me feel such stewardship for what we all still feel is our sanitary.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Children Learn What They Are Exposed To

Children learn early from us, if we fear a spider so do they. If we love snakes so do they.

Choose your words and actions carefully.

Thanks Mom and Dad!

My Favorite Children's Book

"Everybody Needs A Rock" by Byrd Baylor with pictures by Peter Parnall

I love this because it has 10 simple rules to picking that special rock. I've done this with my pre-k classroom in so many different ways. We all went our sperate ways and collected our rocks, if the kids want they can tell us why they chose it other wise it's kept our little secret. We compare sizes, textures, colors and we've bathed them to name a few activities. In the illustrations there are animals in the rock pictures, that's another direction for more outdoor adventures. What's great about this is there are rocks everywhere, so if you only have a parking lot, that works. What a great way to get kids outside to look closely and befriend a rock!