The Carrot...and other nourishing thoughts

 I've been meaning to post about the story I told for my nursery interview, but for some reason it has been escaping me for almost 3 weeks now! I have yet to hear anything about the position either way, but I have heard that there is still talk about program logistics. I'll keep waiting... (**update at end of post)
 It was very difficult for me to chose a story for this huge day. I sifted over so many books and read through some really beautiful tales. But the one I was looking for had to be just right..and it had to mean something to me. (just as every story does!)
  I finally settled on the Chinese folktale, The Carrot. I ended up adapting a lot of the story to fit the season, age group, and several other factors. This was the very first story I told at playgarden; back when it was a brother, sister, W and I. I was nervous and didn't know how they'd react. It was a learning experience for me, and I felt like maybe things had come "full" circle as I took the last deep breath before sharing it with the children during the interview. It was helpful to think about these things.
  During my reflections about the adaptions for the story, I became stuck a few times. I recalled advice from Suzanne Down about taking a walk outside in nature to find inspiration. Surely enough, it did come to me. The whistling bird in the story was inspired by a bird that sits outside our bedroom window and sings at sunrise and sundown. Every Spring, he makes his appearance and I know that the change of seasons is surely in the air. Sometimes I love the singing, other mornings, I wish he'd quiet down a bit!!!

Early One spring morning, a robin woke in his nest high in a tree. He opened his eye and gazed upon the fresh green grass, the small white flowers growing in the field…the  warm sun in the morning sky…yes, this was surely spring! And this made the robin feel like singing…and his voice was most loud and clear in the early morning…

(whistling)

His song was heard throughout the meadow and all of the forest. The robin decided to set out for his breakfast..and found 2 juicy carrots sitting under a tree. “They must have been left by the children who were having a lovely picnic here!” He ate one up and  wondered what to do with the other…

“My belly is full from that juicy carrot…I wonder what I shall do with the other…oh! I shall give it to my friend, white wooly lamb! It is so early in the morning and surely he has not eaten his breakfast yet!”

So robin dropped the carrot in the grassy spot where the white wooly lamb loved to graze. But he was not home. A few moments later, he returned . “Why, what a fine carrot! But my belly is so full from the delicious spring cabbages I found in farmer’s garden. .  I set out to find my breakfast early after waking to the most beautiful song..(whistling )Hmmm…I will give the carrot to my friend, rabbit. It is so early in the morning and surely he has not eaten his breakfast yet!”

So white wooly lamb dropped the carrot close to rabbit’s hole in the ground.  But he was not home.  A few moments later he returned home..“Why, what a fine carrot! But my belly is so full from the delicious spring lettuce I found in farmer’s garden.  I set out to find my breakfast early after waking to the most beautiful song..(whistling)  Hmmm…I will give the carrot to my friend, squirrel. It is so early in the morning and surely he has not eaten his breakfast yet!”

So rabbit left the carrot close to squirells hole in the tree.A few moments later he emerged from the hole in the tree...“Why, what a fine carrot! But my belly is so full from the delicious nuts I found this morning. .  I set out to find my breakfast early after waking to the most beautiful song..(whistling.  Hmmm…I will give the carrot to my friend, robin. It is so early in the morning and surely he has not eaten his breakfast yet!”

So squirrell scampered up the tree to robin’s nest. He was sleeping. Robin awoke and felt so very surprised to see the carrot again. He thought it may have been a dream. He ate it up. And it tasted good.

I had a wonderful time creating the pieces for this story....the felted "tree house" took the most time and innovation. I wet felted a large piece of wool and seemed it to create a tube like figure. It looked like a big top hat at the beginning stages and I started to become unsure if my vision was going to work out as I had originally thought....after cutting a hole in the center and adding some greenery and flowers at the base, I was very pleased.

*I did find out this weekend that the nursery position has gone to another candidate; someone with extensive training and years of experience. I'm slightly disappointed, but I do think that it is perhaps for the best. I'll get another year at home with W (who turns 3 in August), which is invaluable. Home really is the best place for us at this time, after all. Our commute to the school will be a good 35 minutes each way, so I am somewhat glad to put that off for another year. I'll also be able to keep our playgarden group, which is such a joy. I so value fostering this long term relationship. Here's to another wonderful year!!!
  My "plan" is to become a nursery or kindergarten assistant in fall 2013, pending an open position. Thus W will be in the nursery at age 4 (about the right age, I think...) and I'll gain the classroom experience which I'll be needing. I'll assist until another lead teacher position opens, and apply again. My training will be complete in Summer 2014....wow!
   I did receive very positive feedback regarding my interview and sample teaching, which means a lot to me. It was a great experience and I am excited to continue on this journey that is laid out in front of me. There is so much to read, learn, experience, and take from everything I am exposed to. I'll have another full school year of observations in various Waldorf schools, the trainings, a Waldorf Early Childhood conference, and hopefully more Eurythmy intensive courses, all while continuing to grow with my wonderful group of playgarden children. What could be better? :)