Liam went blackberrying with his class at a local organic farm today. We had blackberries with cream &ice cream for dessert tonight. Delicious. Eliane thought so too, I think she ate as many as anyone, almost.
Recently Chris and I (and Elli) went to a parent teacher class meeting for Liam's class. I love those meetings. It's where we get to find out what they're doing in class, but also about the age in general. And, we get to chat with other parents of similar aged kids, and have issues like our kids' sibling rivalry issues put into perspective of the norm.
This year the kids are turning nine, which is apparently when they typically start to really see themselves as separate to the world, which can bring with it some fear and loneliness. So of course that is reflected in the curriculum. Up until this point they still see everything as connected; animals can talk, magic can happen. Fantasy and reality still aren't entirely separate. So in the last two years they've read alot of fairy tales and stories of magic. And, in terms of mythology last year they looked at Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. This year they are starting with the Hebrew creation myths, with the separation of human from God, the casting out of Adam and Eve from paradise.
I love how everything in the curriculum is so careful thought out and tied together with their age and development. From the stories they tell to the gardening that they will be doing every thursday afternoon thus year, addressing that separation of fantasy and reality by teaching them practical skills of living in the world, from harvesting seeds to composting to making grapejuice and eating their produce.
