Tashlich Ceremony In Kohavim woods

Today in the Kohavim class we had our morning meeting outside. We have been preparing for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We wanted to provide the children with a visual representation of looking forward to the New Year, with new resolve to try our best. Everyone, children and adults make mistakes, but the important thing is to learn about how we can do differently by thinking about what we could do better the next time.

We read some of the story of the Tashlich at Turtle Rock. In this story a family goes out in the woods to their favorite places, all the while thinking about both the good things and the sad things that have occured through the year, and make plans for a sweeter new year. What things have we done that we feel badly about? What could we do differently to make it better? We heard that sometimes, we are mean to brothers, but we don't want to do that., sometimes we run super speedy and knock people down, sometimes we get aggravated, sometimes we punch, and sometimes we don't listen to our parents when they ask us to get our P.J. on at night, even after they ask three times, and sometimes we raise our voices. So we thought about how we could do better. Your children said: I will take a deep breath before I get angry and not punch, can look around where I am going watching for a friend, and not be mean to my brother, (with teacher guidance~ think about getting pajamas on after being asked the first time., and teachers as parents remember to take deep breaths when speaking to their own children (who sometimes don't listen) We didn't have a stream, but we dug a ditch, crumbled our breadcrumbs and watched them disappear to symbolize throwing our sadness away with resolve for improvement.
 
As we look forward to a New Sweet Year, may we remember this Tashlich ceremony as a symbol of throwing away our mistakes, and looking forward to trying our best to be kind and thoughtful.

Happy New Year to all.

The Kohavim class participate in Tashlich

Who said you need to go to a body of water to participate in Tashlich? We created our own "stream" near the shed out back by digging as much as we could and then pouring water into the trough that we made. Each child had a digging tool, a cup to continually refill with water, and breadcrumbs. Before our ceremony, we read the children a book which described the meaning of the traditional Rosh Hashanah ritual. We then asked them if there were any behaviors of theirs that they would like to change during the New Year. It was a hard concept for them to grasp at first, and most of their responses were about transgressions of other people towards them. That however was a start. With some modeling and examples, the children began to think about their own behavior towards others. Each child then poured some water in the ditch, threw in some breadcrumbs, and said what behavior he/she would like to change this year. The throwing away of the breadcrumbs represented the discarding of unwanted behaviors. A number of the children's responses centered around their behavior towards their siblings. As parents you will hopefully be seeing much kinder and well intended acts from the Kohavim children towards their brothers and sisters over the coming year! Please stop by the class to see a posting of some of the behaviors each child wanted to change. Photographs for this blog will also be forthcoming.

Go Dylan and Hannah

 
 
 

Passing the Baton ~ It's a Relay

 
 
 
 

It was a beautiful day for a TBSCC relay. Sam, Oliver, Matt, Josh, Joshua, Nathaiel, and Jesse stood on their mark waiting and cheering for the runner. The baton was passed on and then they were off and running running running. Soon other class friends joined us. Dylan and Hannah were welcomed into the Kohavim class relay and were cheered onward as well. Such welcoming boys and girls.

If you're happy and you know it...

"Circle" shapes...what a difference they make!! The Sunshines have been having circle time every morning, but have been struggling with sitting in a "real" circle. Today, we found square plastic seat shapes and placed them in a big open circle. The children did a fabulous job finding a square and plopped right down! We had such a terrific circle time! In fact, because we had our own space to move and groove, we sang two rounds of our Twinkle Twinkle Apple song AND got a request by Lizzie for "If You're Happy and You Know It"! The children loved clapping, stomping their feet, shouting hooray AND giving high fives! Great Job Sunshines!!

Haifa's Stick Person of the Week!

Zack is Haifa's stick person this week!! He was able to lead us in our lines and circle, and he is lucky enough to spend Rosh Hashanah and a long weekend with our elephant Wallaby! We can't wait to hear what they got up to this weekend!

-Alison and Sauci

Our Round Rosh Hashanah Challah!!

Here we are, on the day of Erev Rosh Hashanah, and the Haifa class spent it making round challah!! Our families will get to enjoy the sweet taste of homemade challah that their children worked very hard on!!

L'Shana Tova!!

-Alison and Sauci

Adam's Song

Adam wrote his own original version of the ABC song.  Enjoy his creative compilation. 

Adam's Song

Adam wrote his own original version of the ABC song.  Enjoy his creative compilation. 

Playground Play!

Lily, Hannah, Eliza had a busy morning right from the start. Eliza brought in stickers from home to share with the other children on the playground. Then the girls played "house" (Hannah was the mom, Lily was the baby and Eliza was the big sister). They played for a while in the sand box and then they went on the swings. Then it was time to go inside for a short circle! Tomorrow will be another day for outdoor play!

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

On Rosh Hashanah, we go to the synagogue and hear the shofar being sounded. The call of the shofar serves to wake us up, directs us to pay attention to the kind of person we are, so as to become a better person in the year ahead.

In honor of Rosh HaShanah we read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol Mc Cloud.
If you are not familiar with book let me share the gist of the book with you. Every baby is born with an invisible bucket. The bucket represents a child's mental and emotional health. You can't see the bucket, but it's there. All day long everyone in the world walks around with an invisible bucket. Your bucket has one purpose only. It's purpose is to hold your good thoughts and good feelings about yourself. You feel happy and good when your bucket is full, and sad/lonely when you bucket is empty. You fill a bucket when you show love to someone or when you say or do something kind. But, you can dip into a bucket and take out some good feelings too. You dip into a bucket when you make fun of someone, say or do mean things, or even when you ignore someone.

After we read this wonderful book to the children today, we talked with them about in the year ahead how we can best be bucket fillers and not bucket dippers!
We will be using the terms "bucket fillers and bucket dippers" here at school throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more about this book and it's powerful message perhaps you might want to pick up a copy for your home library or you are more than welcome to borrow our classroom copy.

Imagine that....

The block room has been a source of much imagination. Today friends were determined to make a long bridge from one end of the room to another. Can you imagine, trying to construct a bridge with many architects, each with a different vision of just how that bridge was to be completed? There were many: No not that way, you made it fall. Frustration in the process of having each idea represented, but in the end they were able to work cooperatively and finish it. Oh the pride.... Then came the imaginative waterfall and the water proof houses under the bridge. But that is another story.

Parents ~ Be Proud ~ I help others when I.....

Today we read a book entitled: Have you filled your Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. Here we are with a group, much larger than our families, and in a smaller space, and we have to figure out how we can all live together, for this time, within this space, and feel good about ourselves and one another. We talked about Mitzvot and the idea of how we can help one another. We posed the following: I help others when I ....... The challenge was for them to think of ways they can be helpful... Just wanted to share that the responses given and illustrated for this class book involved an act of kindness to a family member as well as friends at school. 1) .... push my brother on the swing 2) .....share a toy with ______ 3) .....share food and love 4) ----- when my brother is sick, I give him one of my blankets. 5) ----- build blocks again 6) ---- when my mom is sick, I'll give her one of my blankets if she rests on the couch 7).----- when my mom is tired, I'm going to help when she tells me what to do 8) --- I want to write something to my mom to say I love you and will do something nice for you~ I will draw you a picture. 9) ---- help someone climb a walkway. We look forward to hearing and witnessing these life lessons of caring for each other, ourselves, and our environment as the year evolves.

Wheee.........!!!!!

The Rainbows were flying high on the swings this morning! The unbridled joy on their faces was infectious. As parents came to pick them up, they asked for a few pushes and giggled as they soared. They had a wonderful time...

Levana Shakes the Tree

Our Levana children have been working on learning a new poem this week! Every day we read Way Up High in the Apple Tree together! Today we shook real apples as hard as we could!

Making Challah...on a Tuesday?!

The Haifa children were filled with the Rosh Hashanah spirit today and spent their day making challah dough! Yesterday the children ended their day reading the book How the Rosh Hashanah Challah Became Round. So today, we started the process of making our own round Rosh Hashanah challahs!
Tomorrow we will bake the challah so that it comes home in time for Erev Rosh Hashanah!

-Alison and Sauci

The torch has been passed

Sam was very excited to be the line leader this week and especially to be the Havdallah helper. In another pose which I was seconds too late to capture, he looked a little startled when Ellen lit the flame and carefully extended her hand and the candle out to him. Yes, Sam, you are now a Kohavim, the oldest class in the Center. You are the one to hold the candle during our Havdallah celebration. I have the rare privilege this year to teach many of the children who were in my class last year as well. Seeing their growth and maturity over the summer is amazing. Today I truly saw Sam "in a new light".

Precious Conversation!

At Lunch Bunch today Ali spent some time beading jewelry at the small round table outside. Ali announced, "I'm going to make a necklace for my Mom." She sat for a bit and carefully selected her beads. All of a sudden she perked up and asked, "Lauri what time is it?" I said "It's almost time to go home." She replied in her most serious voice, "Good because I have to go home for the wedding!" Clearly she was excited about this big event! I asked, "Who's wedding?" She looked at me as if to say, "What a silly question Lauri! Well Girl Bear is getting married to Teddy Bear, they are my stuffed animals!"

I can't wait until tomorrow so I can get all the details about the wedding!

Outdoor Classroom!

Today in Lunch Bunch the children decided to take our planned indoor activities outside. At one table the children enjoyed playing with play dough and sticks. Jacob Shaw and Avram rolled out a few worms and snakes. Eli walked over to me to show me how he carefully rolled out three long snakes. Eli asked me to help him braid the snakes as he wanted to make green challah. So, I coached him and he did it all by himself. Once the challah was braided Eli said, "There is one more thing I have to do, cut it!"

In Search of a Hebrew Name

As we were reading the history of our names, Maria Gonzalez-Griffith, and Melissa Bogden, the children noticed that I Maria did not have a Hebrew name. Though I was born in Cuba, and the English name for Maria is Mary, I never changed my birth name, and kept Maria, though the pronunciation is a bit different. Maria versus "MaRia" rolling that R. They asked me WHY I did not have a Hebrew name, to which I responded I was not Jewish, but I would gladly take on a Hebrew name, but I needed some suggestions. So if anyone has any ideas, please pass them along. I welcome the opportunity and decision making process that will develop.

Teddy Friedman~ I want to show mom

Teddy was unable to show mom (Rebecca) his climbing skills and asked me to please post this on the BLOG so mom could see. Rebecca this is for you!!!

Thank you Jesse Gift of Time

 

Last week we could not locate the apple visual for our snack table. Jesse graciously offered to make one for us. Thank you Jesse for taking the time out your snack time to make us a visual reminder of how many slices to take.