Saturday, May 22, 2010

Spring Class Room On Temple St

OK I have finally done it. I know a few of you have been after me to take pictures of my class room and here they are.



The Basket's on top of the shelf's hold all of the seasonal items for the nature table. I have one for each season and then others for seasonal puppets for story telling. This way I have them on hand. When I make something I can just pop it in the basket.



Being surrounded by window's helps to bring the outdoors in and the kids don't feel so shut in.

Even my eldest Son enjoys the fun of the room. They anticipate the change of the season as the room magically changes over night. This is where the handy seasonal baskets make my work easy. I supply the room with simple toys and a basket for my youngest. Where she finds containers with buttons, sewing cards, stamps and trinkets. I change these out every so often.

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The play table makes a great place to set up a story told with figures and puppets. I can lay it all out the night before and cover it with a silk.The anticipation of a new story or an old favorite really inspires them to finish up. And if we need a space to spread out something we are working on it usually winds up here. And makes a great table for a lunch or supper sitting cross legged on the floor.


Seasonal nature tables are the best thing about Steiner inspired teaching . I get to create something new and different with my hand work skills. And stimulate the children into the seasonal changes. It holds such reverence that the children just naturally respect this space as sacred and treat it with the same loving kindness. I have even thought of putting one in my bedroom with all my favorite things of the season.



The chalk board can be a fun place to decorate as well. I draw a seasonal border around it with the month at top. I begin the year with each child's name and grade in the top corners. I also pin up that Months Cheat sheet for circle time. You can see it here written on the heart paper. The wreath above the chalk board was grown and made by us. We planted the Marigolds in 2008 and dried them. Then made a wreath out of them with some moss.
I also decorate a Dogwood tree limb seasonally. Right now it has flower faeries and bumble bees. And I make stars, rose windows and snowflakes for the windows. In the winter I put the room together in the evening and hand snowflake from the ceiling and put white snow faeries in the Dogwood branch. Then I set King winter on his thrown with crystals and candles. And put candles all over the room. I then set the table with a white table cloth and clear Crystal dishes. And make a white finger food meal. It is absolutely beautiful and amazing. Each person (including me) Gets a white stone or crystal. OH I also play Faeries in the Woods CD.

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