Home Sweet Home is grateful to our families for honoring our staff's time to engage in rigorous training and professional development. We wish to share our exploration of pedagogical content with our learning community of families and peers.
On Monday, the entire Alternatives in Action team (all three sites) met to follow-up on the Yearly Flow - each program sharing calendar through multi-media presentations. The goal was to identify opportunities for integration and support of services and programs, and to celebrate the youth achievements and performances. The Home Sweet Home team then met to discuss Big Friends, the Child Development class objectives/outcomes, creation of syllabus, potential for parent-youth mentoring and support, and expectations for student performance.
On Tuesday, the AIA team met again, but this time broke into our cohorts and worked with the youth leadership from all three sites on our individual Learning Plans. The youth provided outstanding criticism and feedback to our personal and professional goals and helped us to craft action plans. There is a strong initiative to include the same students as matched to their cohort at the September Learning Plan check-in. The HSH team then met for lunch and further discussion on program organizational pieces, schedule, policies and procedures.
On Wednesday, Artensia, Cierra, Jose, Kathleen and Sky met at 9:00AM and boarded the ferry in pursuit of our intellectual adventure. Climbing the stairs to the benches, we sat in the sun with our faces to the wind and began a discussion on our individual understandings of Reggio principles and practice.
Arriving at the Ferry Building we were elated to find a large wooden table and we spread out our books. Grabbing refreshments, we shooed away the inquisitive pigeons and set down to work. Holding to the culture of Alternatives in Action, our group facilitated OARR establishing Objectives/Outcomes, Agenda, Roles, Rules. Artensia volunteered to timekeep, Cierra to scribe, and Jose to facilitate. We were off!
Jose and Artensia presented an analaysis of the articles based on HSH Philosophy in Theory, HSH Philosophy in Action, HSH Communication (teacher-teacher; teacher-child; teacher-parent). This resulted in a rich discussion, creating more questions than answers.
We moved on to the Slanted Door for a delicious meal. In a Reggio environment, everything is beautiful and of the highest quality. The team engaged in a strong conversation.
What Can We Learn from Reggio Emilia? by Lilian Katz
Project work is child initiated and teacher framed, resulting in a "negotiated curriculum". The value is that project work gives young children an early experience of knowing and understanding a topic in depth. Children use graphic languages and other media to record and represent their memories, ideas, predictions, hypotheses, observations, and feelings in their projects. Educators use visual media with children to explore understandings, reconstruct previous ones, and construct and co-construct revisited understandings of the phenomena investigated.
We broke into pairs to further our deeper discussion and grow our personal relationships.
Jose and Cierra discussed that teachers all have our own individual backgrounds, style and skill, and how can we collaborate to strengthen our program through our diversity. They also marveled at the construction of the children's chairs in a shop on the way out of the building.
Artensia and Sky admired the display in the mushroom shop, identifying the chanterelle that had been used in our snow peas at lunch. They tried on sun hats, despairing at the prices. They discussed a system for documentation to support consistency of presentation and exchange.
Kathleen bought chocolate and butterscotch for the team to nibble on.
We boarded the ferry for the journey home, but the learning continued with lively discussions. Arriving back at the site, we were greeted with the glorious sight of a Big Friend having completely emptied out the playground shed in anticipation of our organizational work. As we cleaned classrooms and made plans for the next days, our excitement rose instead of waned. Jose volunteered to research and present on Discipline. We were making headway.
On Thursday, the team met to discuss the article Negotiated Learning by George Forman and Brenda Fyfe. As teachers engage in analysis there is an appearance in our work room of a bright tow head, one of our Home Sweet Home children, delivering a package of love from the PAC Appreciation Committee. It is healthy food to nourish our bodies, but the expression of affection nourishes our souls. We all remark on our renewed energy to work together.
As a team we identified the possibility for documentation:
Drawings as designs.
Descriptions transform into documentation.
Talking elevates to discourse.
Remembering supports revisiting.
Symbols combine into languages.
Listening includes hearing.
Understanding leads to provocations.
Encounters expand to projects.
Assessment is replaced by study.
Parent involvement develops into intellectual partnership.
Documentation supports parents understanding and cooperation with the rigorous manner in which children learn to enable the learning model, allowing deep investigations and moving the parent-child-teacher relationship forward to a generative case of co-construction.
Teachers hopes for the future:
Parent cooperation with program schedules becomes collaboration with program goals for learning.
Adults share an understanding of Home Sweet Home program design knowing that every decision reflects intentionality toward support of the shared vision of the child as a capable being.
Teachers and families will honor routines and meetings as essential tools to construct our knowledge and understanding of the individual child. This will include taking the time for meaningful conversations; to engage fully with the child in her/his learning environment to support transition pieces and revisit their work through documentation; and meet together during established conference times fully present and willing to share with open honesty.
Adults treat talk as discourse; this is not trivial or jargon, but a deeper opportunity for adults to perceive theories, assumptions, false premises, misapplications, clever analogies, ambiguities, and differences in communicative intent. This conscious effort may result in fundamental shifts in levels of perception, analysis and understanding.
The day continues with classroom work, constructing our learning environment in the physical space while envisioning the relationship building with children and parents that will promote a Reggio-inspired Early Education. This is the teacher prep. It's also dirty, gritty, prone to accident and hilarity and frustration. We are taking cues from our observations, but making predictions on what will work to serve the children entering the program. It is high stakes and we want to get it right. Relax, breathe, eat another strawberry dipped in granola. We're in it together and when the children and parents join us it will be wonderful!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tuition Payment by Credit Card POLICY CHANGE
Please note that Home Sweet Home will be applying a $30 per tuition credit card charge transaction fee effective October 1, 2010. This fee WILL NOT be applied to credit card charges for September tuition payment.
Parents who wish to continue paying by credit card are welcome to do so for October and all subsequent tuition payments. Please be advised your regular monthly tuition fee will be charged and an additional $30 flat fee.
Families that wish to avoid the $30 fee may pay by check. Please write the check to "Alternatives in Action", put your child's first and last name on the memo line, and submit to Kathleen's basket no later than October 1st.
Thank you for your attention to this information! Please feel free to direct questions to Kathleen Seabolt.
Parents who wish to continue paying by credit card are welcome to do so for October and all subsequent tuition payments. Please be advised your regular monthly tuition fee will be charged and an additional $30 flat fee.
Families that wish to avoid the $30 fee may pay by check. Please write the check to "Alternatives in Action", put your child's first and last name on the memo line, and submit to Kathleen's basket no later than October 1st.
Thank you for your attention to this information! Please feel free to direct questions to Kathleen Seabolt.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Acknowledgements for Graduation
Gratitude to Artensia, Cierra and Sky for supporting the creation of the children's song into a performance with scenery and props.
Gratitude for Jose jumping in to hold routine in his first week to keep program steady during rehearsals and prep time.
Gratitude to Ginger McBride for the beautiful slideshow.
Gratitude to Franklin for setting up the tech.
Gratitude to Heather and Haleh for supporting set-up.
Gratitude to Frederica for coordinating clean-up.
Gratitude to JulieAnn for the Fairy Project presentation.
Gratitude to Sheri for last minute lemonade rescue.
Gratitude to Patricia and Alex for finding the keys.
Gratitude to Jacqueline for providing the celebration cake.
Gratitude for the delicious food from our HSH families.
Many thanks to Kandra and Rose for supporting the ceremony.
With appreciation to the Home Sweet Home Learning Community for a wonderful Brown Bear Graduation 2010!
Gratitude for Jose jumping in to hold routine in his first week to keep program steady during rehearsals and prep time.
Gratitude to Ginger McBride for the beautiful slideshow.
Gratitude to Franklin for setting up the tech.
Gratitude to Heather and Haleh for supporting set-up.
Gratitude to Frederica for coordinating clean-up.
Gratitude to JulieAnn for the Fairy Project presentation.
Gratitude to Sheri for last minute lemonade rescue.
Gratitude to Patricia and Alex for finding the keys.
Gratitude to Jacqueline for providing the celebration cake.
Gratitude for the delicious food from our HSH families.
Many thanks to Kandra and Rose for supporting the ceremony.
With appreciation to the Home Sweet Home Learning Community for a wonderful Brown Bear Graduation 2010!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
New School Year!
August 30th is just around the corner, and AIA staff are excited to welcome our returning and brand new HSH families!
Home Sweet Home has utilized our week of staff development to focus on Reggio pedagogical theory, engage in more team building with the entire Alternatives in Action staff, and enhance the learning environment.
Some updates and reminders:
The HSH sign in and out procedure has changed to a full page for each child for the entire month. Each class will have an attendance book to prevent parent traffic jams at transition times. Parents are reminded that children must be signed in and out each day with your full legal signature.
HSH expects staff to regularly contribute to this blog, and for parents to read it weekly. Please review annual calendar in post below. Families and staff are responsible for knowing the content of these pages and staying informed. Families and staff are also reminded to utilize the white boards daily in both classrooms and the Staff and Parent Bulletin Boards in the hallway. The Parent Yahoo group is an excellent way for families to reach out to one another to build community, facilitating carpools, play dates and sharing strategies for parent happiness. HSH is committed to Green principles and would like to reduce paper consumption. Paper will be used to support only confidential, individualized communications.
List of first day essentials for Brown Bears and Butterflies:
sleep pack*
emergency kit (if you brought one in June 2010 or more recently - nevermind)
two changes of underclothes and one change of clothes (all labeled)
Composition Book (please help your child write her/his name in the front cover)
water bottle (labeled with first and last name)
lunch box (labeled with first and last name)
family collage (if you do not already have one)
Butterflies may also need 10 diapers/pull-ups and an additional change of clothes
Other stuff:
We are asking each family to email two recent photographs of your child no later than August 22nd. Please make sure these are primarily head shots that your child can recognize as her/himself.
Butterflies email photos to cprice@alternativesinaction.org
Brown Bears email photos to syoung@alternativesinaction.org
Many thanks to our families for supporting the Home Sweet Home community through their partnership with staff. We look forward to an amazing year of joyful discovery and creation.
SLEEP PACK HOMEWORK
Each child is requested to (with their parent) prepare their Home Sweet Home Sleep Pack. This is a small, canvas backpack or tote bag (check out JoAnn's or other craft houses) no larger than 12" and decorated by the child featuring their name. Parents will pack a crib sized sheet (no larger) and a small blanket and/or cuddle toy (if needed). This pack arrives on the first day of school and goes home for weekend laundering. Children and teachers will make up the mats fresh daily, with children supporting folding sheets back into their backpack after nap, and teachers spray disinfecting mats daily. HSH believes this new practice will support better hygiene, reduce opportunities for germ sharing, and create another routine that supports children's self-help skills. Please be advised that HSH will not accommodate sizes larger than expressed here (including sleeping bags, regular sheets, pillows) - parents are encouraged to check out resale shops such as Fashion After Passion if they do not have these items at home.
Home Sweet Home has utilized our week of staff development to focus on Reggio pedagogical theory, engage in more team building with the entire Alternatives in Action staff, and enhance the learning environment.
Some updates and reminders:
The HSH sign in and out procedure has changed to a full page for each child for the entire month. Each class will have an attendance book to prevent parent traffic jams at transition times. Parents are reminded that children must be signed in and out each day with your full legal signature.
HSH expects staff to regularly contribute to this blog, and for parents to read it weekly. Please review annual calendar in post below. Families and staff are responsible for knowing the content of these pages and staying informed. Families and staff are also reminded to utilize the white boards daily in both classrooms and the Staff and Parent Bulletin Boards in the hallway. The Parent Yahoo group is an excellent way for families to reach out to one another to build community, facilitating carpools, play dates and sharing strategies for parent happiness. HSH is committed to Green principles and would like to reduce paper consumption. Paper will be used to support only confidential, individualized communications.
List of first day essentials for Brown Bears and Butterflies:
sleep pack*
emergency kit (if you brought one in June 2010 or more recently - nevermind)
two changes of underclothes and one change of clothes (all labeled)
Composition Book (please help your child write her/his name in the front cover)
water bottle (labeled with first and last name)
lunch box (labeled with first and last name)
family collage (if you do not already have one)
Butterflies may also need 10 diapers/pull-ups and an additional change of clothes
Other stuff:
We are asking each family to email two recent photographs of your child no later than August 22nd. Please make sure these are primarily head shots that your child can recognize as her/himself.
Butterflies email photos to cprice@alternativesinaction.org
Brown Bears email photos to syoung@alternativesinaction.org
Many thanks to our families for supporting the Home Sweet Home community through their partnership with staff. We look forward to an amazing year of joyful discovery and creation.
SLEEP PACK HOMEWORK
Each child is requested to (with their parent) prepare their Home Sweet Home Sleep Pack. This is a small, canvas backpack or tote bag (check out JoAnn's or other craft houses) no larger than 12" and decorated by the child featuring their name. Parents will pack a crib sized sheet (no larger) and a small blanket and/or cuddle toy (if needed). This pack arrives on the first day of school and goes home for weekend laundering. Children and teachers will make up the mats fresh daily, with children supporting folding sheets back into their backpack after nap, and teachers spray disinfecting mats daily. HSH believes this new practice will support better hygiene, reduce opportunities for germ sharing, and create another routine that supports children's self-help skills. Please be advised that HSH will not accommodate sizes larger than expressed here (including sleeping bags, regular sheets, pillows) - parents are encouraged to check out resale shops such as Fashion After Passion if they do not have these items at home.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Brown Bear Graduation
On Friday, August 20th many of the Home Sweet Home Brown Bears will be graduating to Kindergarten. The community is invited to celebrate with us - ceremony at 5:00PM, potluck to follow.
Many of our graduates have honored HSH with their energy and spirit for three years! But the journey does not end at graduation, all HSH alumni are very much encouraged to visit, including on our special alumni event dates (please see calendar). We always want them to return home.
Many of our graduates have honored HSH with their energy and spirit for three years! But the journey does not end at graduation, all HSH alumni are very much encouraged to visit, including on our special alumni event dates (please see calendar). We always want them to return home.
Monday, August 2, 2010
2010-2011 Calendar
2010-11 HSH Events Calendar
August 2010
August 5 - New Family Orientation 5:00PM – 7:00PM
August 23-27 - Staff Development – No School
August 30 - First Day of School
September 2010
Sept 6 - Labor Day – No School
Sept. 14 – Parent Advisory Council 5:00PM-6:30PM Classroom #2
Sept 22 - Youth and HSH Parent Meet and Greet 4:30PM-6:00PM
Back to School Night 6:00PM-7:00PM
October 2010
Oct 8 – HSH Alumni Return “Home” Day 9:00AM-12:00PM (Rsvp)
Oct 12 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Oct 23 – Community Build #1 (All families) 8:30AM-12:30PM
Oct 28 – HSH Fall Festival 4:00PM-6:00PM
Oct 29 - Parent Teacher Conferences – No School for Children
November 2010
Nov 5 - HSH Alumni Return "Home" Day 9:00AN-12:00PM (Rsvp)
Nov 9 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Nov 11 – School Closed for National Holiday
Nov 18 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
Nov 24 – Nov 26 - Thanksgiving Break, School Closed
December 2010
Dec 14 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Dec 17 – Joy Through Music Celebration with Families 10:30AM-12:30PM
Dec 21 – Parents Need a Break 6:00PM-8:00PM ($5 per child, sign-ups)
Dec 23-Dec 31 - Winter Break – School Closed
January 2011
Jan 11 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Jan 14 – Staff Development – School Open Half-Day 7:30AM-12:00PM
Jan 17 - MLK Holiday – School Closed
Jan 29 – Community Build #2 8:30AM-12:30PM
February 2011
Feb 8 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00-7:30 Classroom #2
Feb 14 – Parents’ host Valentine Party 4:00PM-6:00PM
Feb 18-21 – Presidents’ Holiday – School Closed
Feb 23 - OPEN HOUSE for 2011-2012 6:00PM - All Prospective Families
March 2011
Mar 8 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Mar 21-25 – Spring Recess School Closed
Mar 29 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
April 2011
Apr 12 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Apr 21 – Staff Development – School Closed
Apr 22 – Spring Fever Day – School Closed
Apr 30 – Community Build #3 – Garden Day 8:30AM-12:30PM
May 2011
May 6 -Parent Teacher Conferences - No School for Children
May 10 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
May 11 – Mother’s Day Tea 6:00PM-8:00PM
May 24 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
May 30 – Memorial Day – School Closed
June 2011
June 11 – Friendship Party in the Park 10:00AM-1:00PM
June 14 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
June 21 - Father’s Day BBQ 6:00PM-8:00PM
July 2011
July 4 – Independence Day/4th of July -School Closed
July 8 – HSH Alumni Visit 9:00-12:00 (Rsvp)
August 2011
Aug 3 – New Family Orientation 5:00PM-7:00PM
Aug 19 – HSH Graduation Day!
Aug 22-26 – Staff Development -School Closed
August 2010
August 5 - New Family Orientation 5:00PM – 7:00PM
August 23-27 - Staff Development – No School
August 30 - First Day of School
September 2010
Sept 6 - Labor Day – No School
Sept. 14 – Parent Advisory Council 5:00PM-6:30PM Classroom #2
Sept 22 - Youth and HSH Parent Meet and Greet 4:30PM-6:00PM
Back to School Night 6:00PM-7:00PM
October 2010
Oct 8 – HSH Alumni Return “Home” Day 9:00AM-12:00PM (Rsvp)
Oct 12 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Oct 23 – Community Build #1 (All families) 8:30AM-12:30PM
Oct 28 – HSH Fall Festival 4:00PM-6:00PM
Oct 29 - Parent Teacher Conferences – No School for Children
November 2010
Nov 5 - HSH Alumni Return "Home" Day 9:00AN-12:00PM (Rsvp)
Nov 9 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Nov 11 – School Closed for National Holiday
Nov 18 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
Nov 24 – Nov 26 - Thanksgiving Break, School Closed
December 2010
Dec 14 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Dec 17 – Joy Through Music Celebration with Families 10:30AM-12:30PM
Dec 21 – Parents Need a Break 6:00PM-8:00PM ($5 per child, sign-ups)
Dec 23-Dec 31 - Winter Break – School Closed
January 2011
Jan 11 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Jan 14 – Staff Development – School Open Half-Day 7:30AM-12:00PM
Jan 17 - MLK Holiday – School Closed
Jan 29 – Community Build #2 8:30AM-12:30PM
February 2011
Feb 8 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00-7:30 Classroom #2
Feb 14 – Parents’ host Valentine Party 4:00PM-6:00PM
Feb 18-21 – Presidents’ Holiday – School Closed
Feb 23 - OPEN HOUSE for 2011-2012 6:00PM - All Prospective Families
March 2011
Mar 8 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Mar 21-25 – Spring Recess School Closed
Mar 29 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
April 2011
Apr 12 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
Apr 21 – Staff Development – School Closed
Apr 22 – Spring Fever Day – School Closed
Apr 30 – Community Build #3 – Garden Day 8:30AM-12:30PM
May 2011
May 6 -Parent Teacher Conferences - No School for Children
May 10 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
May 11 – Mother’s Day Tea 6:00PM-8:00PM
May 24 – Parent Education Workshop 6:00PM-8:00PM
May 30 – Memorial Day – School Closed
June 2011
June 11 – Friendship Party in the Park 10:00AM-1:00PM
June 14 – Parent Advisory Council 6:00PM-7:30PM Classroom #2
June 21 - Father’s Day BBQ 6:00PM-8:00PM
July 2011
July 4 – Independence Day/4th of July -School Closed
July 8 – HSH Alumni Visit 9:00-12:00 (Rsvp)
August 2011
Aug 3 – New Family Orientation 5:00PM-7:00PM
Aug 19 – HSH Graduation Day!
Aug 22-26 – Staff Development -School Closed
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