Buried Treasure From Last Year

Posted on September 11, 2010 by randomyriad

Last year I was planning to use a blog as a way of reporting and documenting our class happenings, but I could never find the time to make it happen. I was rooting around in my archives and came across this never posted first post, and all the memories of those wonderful days of exploration and getting to know each other came back. It was a good beginning to an awesome year. Even though the school is not there physically, the experience we had together is still very concrete in my mind. The pictures and words just make it more so.

First Steps

We have had a beautiful 3 weeks to start our learning year together. We have spent most of our time getting to know each other and getting used to working together.

Some of our initial projects:

Tape Gates in Progress

Tape gates and classroom web: Children have been exploring the space in the classroom by attaching tape and yarn to walls and furniture and negotiating passages around, under and over these constructions. We are creating a wall hanging and weaving with some of our materials.

For outside time we have been mostly using the ramp as gross motor dramatic play for very active and exciting scenarios. We have also made use of some interesting balls with various properties and textures.


But mostly I am learning who the individuals in this group are and how they work together.

Posted in capturing light, change, developing relationships, discovery and recovery, mindworks, my life, Teaching and Learning, thinking in words, time travel, wonder world, working world | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dream A Big Dream: A Book I Wish I Had Written

Posted on September 10, 2010 by randomyriad

As soon as I saw the illustration and read the words, I loved this book. I haven’t even seen a hard copy yet, but it is the kind of thing the world needs.

You can read it here. I think it speaks for itself. We need to teach our children to dream big, or our world is in big trouble.


Posted in Check this out, Dreamtime, make your own world, mindworks, my museum of inspiration, Other peoples words, Teaching and Learning, thinking in words, Wacky World, wonder world | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Working on The Hidden Land

Posted on September 8, 2010 by randomyriad

I have been working on this piece over the last few days. It started out as whole picture I drew last year and posted here. I still think it is one of my better pieces, but I am much more of a digital artist now. I just do not have the patience to finish pieces for framing, and it is so much easier to store art digitally.

Posted in All part of the process, doodles, Drawing, hidden places, mindworks, My Art | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Aranansi #18:The Road and The Prairie Night

Posted on September 6, 2010 by randomyriad

June 13, 2010, 11:36

I came up through a square hole in a sidewalk.

“Everything is surrounded by the prairie night!”

The ecstatic voice came from the starry sky over a night street, flat and straight disappearing into utter blackness. I could feel the endlessness all around. Andre and I stood outside a seedy pool hall. The square hole was gone. Suddenly the sound of popping engines roared  up from behind us. Vintage cars with customized engines and flames painted on the sides. They did U turns circling the street like mad hornets around a hive then came to a stop outside a dance club bar with a huge red neon sign “Furies” above the door. Pale Women’s faces appeared in the dark window of the club peering out into the night street.
We crossed the street to get a closer look and caught the smell of hamburgers and cigarettes as the door opened to admit the jostling, boisterous young men clamoring for some experience, something they could not name.
“We can’t go in there,” Andre said sadly, “they wouldn’t know us anyway.”
“Let’s go back and try another door,” I said turning to cross the street. Again I looked out into the depth of the night with the endless road running straight into it like an iron shaft through its heart.
Andre came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.
“There is another option!” Andre said brightly pointing to a bright green glowing sign down the street.

Posted in Aranansi, Dreamtime, Fiction, Of the Road and The River, Other peoples words, Telling Stories | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Partners in the Classroom

Posted on September 5, 2010 by randomyriad

As I was walking into the local farm supply store on my way to look for some galvanized tubs to make into sensory activity centers in my classroom, someone yelled my name. I turned and there was my ex-assistant and one of my truly favorite people in the world. She works for the agency I recently walked away from with no regrets and was full of stories about the doings there from her point of view which is always kind and a little bewildered. She is wise enough not to go too deeply into the mess of it all. I worked with her 6 years ago with a difficult class.

“I have an easy class this year,” she said smiling, “finally.”

I pointed out that it was our class that started her run of hard times. She remembered clearly. Talking with her made me realize I do miss working with an assistant. I have worked with a long string of assistant teachers who, due to the everyday nature of the job, became a part of my world and who I came to love, in a different way than any of my other relationships. They are all very different from each other, but the bond I felt with each of them was clear and honest as we struggled to bring authentic learning into the classroom with all of the obstacles that confront Head Start classrooms .

Posted in conversations, developing relationships, my life, Teaching and Learning, thinking in words, working world | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment