Joyful Beginnings Bluebirds: January 21 - 24, 2025
Dear Joyful Beginnings Bluebirds Families,
We had a brief yet delightful week at Bluebirds. The children were excited to play with their friends. We spent more time in our indoor classroom, where children let their imaginations run wild and made up a variety of games. They liked to set up a party house and invite pretend "cats" to join them. They also had fun building a large castle with a bridge leading to the forest. The farm provided us with a sunny space to play in nature. The students have developed strong motor skills. At the farm, the students worked together to move a small pine tree around. Additionally, they became skilled at climbing the platform and the big rock.
We wrapped up this week by finishing telling the helping story. A sheep and a curly-tailed pig wanted to build their own home, so they set off on a quest to find the ideal spot for it. On their journey, they met a rabbit, a big white goose, and a barnyard rooster who all wanted to live with them. The sheep and pig needed help in building a home, and the three friends they met on the trip volunteered to use each of their unique skills to help. They eventually discovered their own plot of land and, with each other's help, built a cozy small house to live in together. Stories can be used in Waldorf education to help students acquire confidence, process life transitions, learn social skills, and so on. When young children hear a story for an extended period of time, they are more likely to build deep connections with the characters and internalize the ideas conveyed in the story, which might then manifest themselves in spontaneous play.
We are looking forward to having a special day with Ripley and her family on her birthday this Monday. For the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the students will hear the traditional Chinese story 12 Zodiacs in class. This evening, we will have our Early Childhood curriculum night, during which we will talk about the power of storytelling in Waldorf education and start preparing our spring auction project. Our Hope Blooms auction is a valuable opportunity to come together as a class and have fun while creating a beautiful project to be auctioned off, which in turn benefits our school community. We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for your participation.
Announcements and Reminders for Bluebirds:
Conferences are coming up on February 6th and 7th. Please sign up here for conferences, thank you! Conferences will be in person at the school. If you do not see a time that works for you, please let me know, and we will schedule a different time. Conferences are planned for 20 minutes. If you may need longer for your child's conference, please let me know before scheduling so we can work out a time that respects your time and that of other families. We ask that children do not attend conferences, allowing us to communicate in confidence.
1/28: Early Childhood Curriculum Night - 6:00 p.m.
2/1: Community Work Day 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
2/1: All School Meeting - 12:30 p.m. (adults only, community encouraged to attend)
2/6: Lunar New Year Performance - 11:30 a.m.
2/6: Half Day - Parent Conferences
2/7: No School - Parent Conferences
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Cecilia
