I can tell the children are really settling in and becoming very comfortable at the school. We officially have no children crying at drop off and all the children coming with a smile on their face and I think some of them even have too much fun because before we can get to our “good bye” song they are falling asleep. This week seemed packed full of activity with the children in all four classes. Two of the classes have started dialogues about cows, plowing, and farming. Since all of their parents are farmers, the children know a lot about plowing, planting, and harvesting, however, I still think there is a lot we can learn together as a class. 
All the conversations about plowing came up since the children started making cows with play dough and even being creative enough to put a yoke over their heads. Some of the other children were also playing with the cows in construction center and they too would create a yoke by putting a cylinder shaped block on the back of the necks of two cows. Then they would walk the cows around saying they were “plowing the fields”. Medis and I are hoping to provide avenues in the class for the children to continue their learning about cows and plowing, and maybe even take a field trip to someone’s field in the next couple of weeks to learn even more about farming.
In the writing center the children are getting more comfortable going there themselves and writing the letters we are learning, as well as, ones they have already learned how to make. The younger classes are using it more and more, and in the older classes new friends are finding the center and utilizing the tools there to help them practice writing.
Last week the children explored cool math by noticing there were “big” pieces of sand and “small” pieces of sand. They were able to sort piles of sand and make a chart depicting the big and small piece they found. This week, we thought it would be fun for the children to explore measuring length, finding short and long items around the classroom. They used a line on the table to compare the items to in order to discover if it was “shorter” or “longer” than the line. Both the younger and the older classes enjoyed measuring things and using their cool math skills in the process.
This week the children were introduced to the letter “T” and some English and Tonga words that begin with that letter. A lot of the children enjoyed making the letter T and some of the other one’s they know (M, A, S) with play dough at the art center later in the week. They brilliantly showed off their wonderful art work to each other and challenged one another to make the letters as well.
In addition to everything else the children did this week, we managed to find time to go outside on a nature walk. The children were looking to collect grass, sticks, bark, seed pods, leaves, and anything else they could find on the ground. Each class collected a large bag full of these items and they are going to work really hard on a community art project in the coming week.
Jeremiah had a wonderful message from God this week…he told all the children that they were “Born For A Purpose” and that God has a special plan for each of them. He then told them the story of Esther and how her purpose was to save the lives of her people by trusting God and going before the king to ask for his help. Before God made Esther Queen, she was just an ordinary girl, but she took the opportunity God laid before her, trusted in His plan, and saved her people from an evil man. God used Esther to glorify His name and fulfill His plans and promises to His people.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you…”
John 15:16
No comments:
Post a Comment