How Do You Feel About Your First Try?

Each time I write here, I am feeling so happy and excited to be working with your children.  There is so much to say each day, so I hope you can make it work to find time each week to have your child give you "a tour" of their latest work in progress.

Something to know about our work is that I am asking the children for the most part to leave their work at school for at least a day.  (Messages are an exception, usually)  We leave work out as a display for other children and parents to see as an example of all of the thinking that is happening in our class.  Basically the group is so connected that the work feels to all the kids as a part of their learning, even when they weren't directly involved.  Sometimes the greatest thing is to see children excitedly showing thier parent the work that another child did.

Today for example, there were many children who made multiple tries in their work.  We are beginning our class culture to include the feeling that making practices, rough drafts and many attempts is key.  The children are already realizing that meaningful, beautiful and special work doesn't usually happen in the blink of an eye.  My goal is for all the children to feel that this process is okay, rather than being hard on themselves in their learning and saying after one try "I can't" or "I'm not good at this".  Instead, They will begin saying, "This is the part that works for me, and this, next time I will try to..."  Truely, how often are we perfect at something from the first try anyway? 

Thank you already for taking this time with your children!  I love seeing  you with the kids at the end of the day and the excitement you share in seeing eachother and connecting.  And thank you for coming to me with all your questions and concerns. 

*** Next Thursday is our Open House night! *** I will be sharing images of each part of our day so that you may see the flow of the day, as well as what we are doing together.  I hope this will help, as well as the time together with other families to ask questions, clarify and connect.    There is a dinner beforehand at 5pm, and the Open house part will be at both 6 and 6:30.  Please try to come for one of these two times! 

Thank you and see you soon.  Love, Jennifer