Thursday, January 12, 2012

The joys of a mixed age group


Think of it as a big family with plenty of brothers and sisters:)
The active two year old, constantly exploring and testing...


We have the dreamy 3 year olds, not quite awake to the big world around them...
The younger and older 4 year olds, ready to help and join in on ideas...
The 6 year old, always building, planning, problem solving...


*Thanks to my awesome assistant, Monica for snapping these photos on our rainy day outside!*
Gosh, I just love her!!


There are challenges, of course...such as how to get down to our Rose Garden park and stay together as a group...but not rush anyone along during their experience. We cross two streets, which is always a concern as far as safety. Tomorrow, I'm going to experiment with a long piece of rainbow finger knitting for the youngest children to hold onto. Perhaps each little one will hold a different color?
My Waldorf Early childhood observation this month was at an urban Waldorf kindergarten classroom. It was a wonderful experience and an example of a seemingly beautiful teacher/assistant relationship. It is so inspirational to be a part of a morning in the classroom...but at the same time, I'm on the long journey of discovering who I am as a teacher. It's easy to mimic something you've seen done so beautifully in a classroom, but if you do something (such as a song, verse, festival etc.) only  because you've seen it done before and it feels like it's something you should do...well, I've learned that it kind of becomes meaningless and rote. It's also helped me a great deal having an early childhood teacher as a sort of mentor-type to me...she has helped me begin to realize many things and to consider what I may have never on my own.


Thank you for all of your kind words and thoughts regarding our upcoming wedding:)
It looks like July 1st will be our date!

10 comments:

  1. I love your comment about how things can be meaningless if you just do them because you think you should! So true! Best wishes as you plan your wedding, too!

    Rachel from JustToSay.typepad.con

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  2. You put so much of yourself into caring for the children I don't think anyone could say that you are doing something purely because you saw someone else do it. Your warm caring nature comes from within, follow what feels right to you and it will all be good!
    If something doesn't feel right for our family I never include it just for the sake of including it. I'm sure many would say that we are not "truly" Waldorf then, but it's like when I collect a bouquet of flowers, I just pick the ones that we like to have in our home because we have to live with them! :o)
    It's your journey to enjoy my friend!
    xoxo
    ~ joey ~

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  3. We always find the phlegmatic three year olds nearly need to be dragged home on the way back! Always slowing down to a near halt, while the six year olds run off ahead. Thank goodness for baby slings for the littlest ones! It is always worth the effort to get children outside. Funny my other homeschool co-op mama is named Monica too!

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  4. cedarringmama- YES. this is SO true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  5. sounds just like my home -- been doing in home mixed ages waldorf inspired for years - love the mixed ages magic

    light and magic to you

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  6. lucy Martinez-ZuviriaJanuary 13, 2012 at 5:54 PM

    SO happy to have you with us this past week. You my dear are the real deal, nothing you do could be meaningless - just like I said on the phone; the children want to see the real you and so long as you bring it from the heart the children will feel that too!

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  7. Those pictures are lovely. I am a big believer in mixed age groups. Every time I read about your playschool, I wish my son could attend!

    And congrats on the upcoming wedding. We were married in late June...summer weddings are so lovely, all those flower choices!

    BTW: You've been tagged http://sara-savel.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-was-tagged-meme.html

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  8. We have a walking rope in our classroom and I highly recommend them! It keeps everyone going at the same place and safely together though you must remember to stop at times and enjoy the scenery since they can sometimes hurry along those little ones who enjoy to stop and explore absolutely everything along the way. My group are all children that range in age from 15 months to 36 months and we take a yearly field trip to a local farm which is a 1.5 mile walk each way, this walking rope is a life saver :)

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  9. YAY for a summer wedding!! xoxox

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