"Babies" are capable of a lot!

Today marks five days of school into the 2013-14 school year. We stagger the entry of our JKs and now all of our littlest learners are with us. September is a time where routines become established and - supposedly - it is best not to set your expectations too high, because teachers will be fortunate enough just to have people sitting for a five minute consecutive stretch and a room full of dry pants before lunch. Well, the "babies" at our school have turned that notion topsy-turvy this past week!

I decided to review my definition of media with the kindergarten classes. ("Media is made by people, for people. You can see it; you can hear it; you can feel it; you can wear it; you can experience it. All media has a message.") I was delighted and surprised to see some of the 4-year-olds trying to mimic the actions and repeat the words of their older peers.

Our initial inquiry will be about choice, so I allowed them to vote and choose which book they wanted me to read this week. They lined up behind the book of their choice without dithering and made their opinions known.

As I read the book(s) out loud, I was amazed by the students' insights and comments.

"I have a connection!" proclaimed one newly-minted SK. "The crocodile in the story is you, Mrs. Mali!" (This was a story about a young giraffe who was a little scared of the local librarian, a crocodile, but became comfortable with her as they shared books.) The children then proceeded to identify each character with a real-life equivalent.

"Spiders don't fly. They spin webs." This came from a brand-new JK. (This comment popped out in the middle of the reading of Little Miss Spider at Sunny Patch School.) There were many other observations shared about this story, such as the bee with teeth ("bees don't have teeth; they have stingers") and Little Miss Spider's school experiences.

I've also been impressed with the baby in my house. The baby in question is Owen, our brand new skinny pig. You may recall my post in June when I reported the loss of my beloved pet skinny pig Max. It's been several months and I finally felt ready to add another pet to the household. I drove all the way up to Owen Sound after my Tribes TLC training at the University of Toronto this past weekend to pick him up, and for a little guy who is just a month old, Owen handled the long drive well and has adapted comfortably to his new living quarters. I think Owen will be a home pet rather than a school pet like Max was, but having such a tiny sweetheart in our midst is a breath of fresh air. Like my newest students, I look forward to seeing him develop, creating a safe and happy environment for him to thrive, and making memories together.

This is Max' gravesite - the memorial stone was created by last year's Grade 1-2s in Room 115.

Here is Owen just before moving into his new abode! He fits in my hand.

It looks like I'm getting kisses from Owen - affectionate just like the JKs!