Our First School Day of 2011 ~ The Comfort of Community

Happy New Year!  Today was our first day back after the Christmas holidays.  It was fantastic to see everyone again and catch up with each other.  In speaking with the parents, we were told time and time again how excited their child was to be back at school.  The children couldn't wait for the holidays to be over!  They missed their teachers and their friends.  Their sheer joy was evident in the way they ran up the walkway to get into school, their bright and smiling faces and the many hugs that were bestowed on teachers and fellow classmates.

The children had so many stories to share with us!  We heard about getting to see cousins visiting from the USA, spending time with grandparents, skating on frozen lakes, sledding down hills, and spending time with family at a farm that had ponies.  One of our four year olds announced that he had gone to a 'new world' during the holidays.  A five and a half year old told him that that was impossible. Did he leave the Earth and go to a new planet?  Well, it turned out that the 'new world' was on the way to New York.  It was Great Wolf Lodge.  He did tell us not to worry as there were no wolves in site.  Thank goodness for that!

One of our five year olds had a life changing moment.  She lost a tooth.  Here is the story she wrote.

Fortunately, another tooth fell out over the break and she brought it in to show everyone.
  
Our first day showed us that after all the excitement and the unpredictability of the holidays, the children craved the comfort and security of their classroom communities.   The repetition of familiar recurring patterns - talking with their teachers, working with the Montessori materials, sitting with their friends, sharing stories at circle time, singing our favourite songs, seeing Madame for French, setting up for lunch - these are the everyday landmarks and routines that make them feel they belong.  Everyone has a special and unique place in the community - children, parents and teachers.  It was a lovely first day.

We would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy year full of the joys and wonders of life!