Issue #7  May 10, 2020

Happy Mother's Day!  At the end of every year at our last location, we always celebrate our moms with a tea party that the children create entirely themselves, making sandwiches (often messy ones), cutting strawberries, and pouring tea as they get to be the servers.  They delight in this role reversal and are proud to sing their songs and give their handmade gifts to their mamas.  This day holds such special meaning to the teachers as well though, to honor those who gave birth and mother the children we love so much.  We feel as if you chose us to help raise and protect, educate and love these beautiful humans and that honor is one we do not take lightly.

Today and all year, know that we are with you when you struggle, when you are tired, when you feel alone.  We have your back and are only a phone (or Zoom call away).  Thank you for sharing the most important thing in your life with us.

Did you know that dandelions are the only flower that represent the 3 celestial bodies all in one: The sun, the moon, and the stars.

The yellow flower represents the sun, the puff ball, the moon, and the dispersing seeds the stars.  MAKE A WISH!

*They are a super important plant to our bee population as well.

 Bugs that Buzz

contributed by Teacher Sarah

Nature Connection- Sit Spots

contributed by Teacher Michelle

Once I was sitting quietly underneath the stars at the river’s edge on a stone listening to the symphony of frogs. I had been sitting there for quite a while when all of a sudden, to my surprise, a frog jumped almost right into my lap! In the spirit of nature connection, this little frog let me know that I had found myself a Sit Spot there at the river’s edge that evening. 

What exactly is a Sit Spot? 

Sit Spots are places in nature where one sits quietly with an open heart and mind. We bring awareness to our senses and begin to breathe with nature. When we are quiet and linger long enough in a place, in a nonthreatening way, we become part of its baseline. Animals and insects may come closer. For example, a mouse may poke its head up from a burrow just beside us to nibble on some miner’s lettuce. We may get to see cultural wonders of animals and insects unfold before our own eyes. For example, a scrub jay who flew away when we first arrived might return after some time to continue building her nest in the branches of the tree underneath which we sit. 

How exactly do I practice Sit Spots?

1. Find a spot outside, where you can comfortably sit for a while. 

2. Sit silently and simply notice. Bring awareness to your Owl Eyes and Deer Ears to see and hear what comes. You may even use your Raccoon Hands, Snake Tongue, and Coyote Nose to nestle deeper into place. 

3. Give yourself a time limit anywhere between 5 – 15 minutes to begin. 

4. Share the stories you have from your Sit Spot with others. These stories celebrate the magic of nature and your experience in a way that also inspires others to give Sit Spots a try.

5. Return to the same Sit Spot to build familiarity with the place or find yourself a new one.

Can kids exactly do Sit Spots, too?

Absolutely! When left alone outside, children often naturally find their own Sit Spots. In kindergarten, I find Saplings practicing Sit Spots alone for example while resting in the branches of a tree or while sitting with their feet in the flowing river. By modeling Sit Spots and sharing your own stories from them, your children will develop an interest and be able to practice doing them on their own. You may even invite your little one to join you and simply whisper, “Let’s listen to the birds sing and how many different songs we can hear” or “Let’s feel how many times Brother Wind blows through our hair.” Over time, you may discover that visiting your Sit Spot just might start to feel a bit like coming home.

Parenting Tips

contributed by Teacher Tracy

Children live in their right brain and therefore speaking to them from that place will equal cooperation in tasks that need to get done.  Here is a common tactic we use at Acorn Village

Anthropomorphism: the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to animals or objects.

For example:

"Brother Wind made such a mess and blew all the dirt inside our house, but I  know Joe the Broom will want to help clean it up."

"Oh no, the poor little crayons have fallen out of their beds.  Who can help the crayons get back into their cozy box bed?"

"We're off on a walk! Oh, but Jack and Jill, do you want to come on a walk and see what's around today?(talking to your child's shoes).
I do believe Jack and Jill want to come along as well, but they have no feet to walk with...Hmmm...I wonder who has feet to share with them?"(talking to yourself while your child listens nearby)

Crafternoons- Stick Puppets

contributed by Teacher Philipp

You need:

some sticks, cardboard, sizers, colors and some glue (ideal is a glue gun)

Instructions:

Cut animal shapes with the sizer out of the cardboard.

Then color and glue them on the stick. 

If your child struggles with one of the steps, give some support (but as little as possible).

Educational potential:

Stick-puppets are a great toy. Puppets are not like a cuddly toy but rather a character. With that small but important difference, the puppet becomes a figure to identify with and takes over own roles. There is a high potential that your kid will enjoy playing with these puppets and might create whole stories with them and might be even eager to step on stage to present a spectacular theater show to the parents and sibblings.

The less detailed the puppets are the better, because the more we have to work with our imagination. So do not „correct“ the cutting or drawing of your child.

It will be also worth it to listen to the puppet when your kid is playing with it. Some of your child's inner life and fears might come to the surface. Especially for children it is easier to express their feelings through a puppet rather than to tell them directly to you. To allow a proper expression of the inner, this rule is important:

Puppets can do everything and are allowed to do everything what „normal“ children might not be allowed or able to do. That is when an unlimited expression becomes possible.

Anyway: Have fun however it will turn out (:

Moment of Zen

contributed by all of us

"Acorn Village is indeed the tree it is.  All the branches, twigs, leaves, saps, saplings, buds, flowers, fruit, all interconnected in a most majestic weave.  The fullness in my heart for seeing the fortitude and solidarity within this community moves my soul.  Thank you profoundly to all the parents for their appreciation gifts and their love. " -Teacher Juliette