Each day WF teachers try to step back and take a few quiet moments to simply observe the children as they play and learn. It gives us a chance to assess what our friend’s are learning, absorbing and interested in. Here are some insights that we gathered today:

When Alexandra walked in this morning and heard the gentle music playing she asked Melinda “Can we have music meditation?” When Laurie arrived, she collected her green mat and positioned herself to meditate!

Simon likes to begin his day in the reading area with a book. You can always find him there gently easing into morning with a book.

We are just getting to know Elliott and his curiosity about his new environment and friends keeps him on the move. For the first time since he started, he chose to pedal his trike around our circle. He then moved to the big kids red bike and exclaimed “I’m a big boy!” At one point we heard him yell “Simon!” At today’s concert rehearsal, he sang, by heart, the first lyric to “Wee Friends, Wee Friends, Mighty Mighty Wee Friends..”!!

This morning as Nate ate breakfast, he looked at Elliott and expressed “haircut!”. His keen observation was apparent again as he sifted through our baby animals cards. He chose three cards (out of 30 or so): an orangutan, gorilla and monkey, laid them out next to one another, recognizing they are all a part of one family.

Stephen, daily, incorporates Batman into his play. He creates multiple structures that Batman might use. In imaginative dramatic play, Batman always makes an appearance.

At some point each day, Arleigh asks for music. Yesterday, at naptime, when an upbeat song played, we found her on her cot jamming out. Recently, she has asked for Malificent (from our Fairy Tale study) and our Ship at Storm track.

Alma is particularly interested in sharks. Like Stephen, she incorporates shark play into many improvisational moments. She has also enjoyed playing Malificent with Arleigh. Her first question each day is “Where is my best friend?”

Macy has been interested in acting out Grocery Store in housekeeping. For the last several days, as cashier, she has set up the cash register, gathered wooden coins and has sold stuffed animals to all her friends. She is a devoted lunch buddy to Elliott and today we saw her kiss him on the cheek as they waited together to wash their hands.

We have seen Jane act out the part of a teacher several times over the last few days. She has taught Annie her letters and led a group of kids in a sandbox activity. The calls all of her friends “Sweetie”.

Umi loves her brother Marat. Everyday she tells us that her brother is one of her best friends, Alma, of course, being the other.

Addi’s favorite moments are snuggling with teachers. As we are working and playing, we will find Addi very close, offering to help and just enjoying being close to us.

Knowing that Stephen loves hammers, Kai spent some time at the workbench making one for him. Each day we see Kai approaching friends as a positive role model and compassionate person.

Owen loves ships. All sorts, anywhere, anyhow! Because he was with us all morning, we had the opportunity to explore his interest in an educational, fun way! We discussed several different types of boats (canoes, sailboats, tugboats, warships to name a few). In hopscotch, Owen led us in a gross motor exploration of turning our bodies into the different ship’s shapes.

Each of our friends bring their own unique interests and learning styles to our environment. It makes for interesting, inspiring and very busy days!

For breakfast this morning we served oatmeal and bananas. Lunch was Tami’s delicious three bean soup, bananas and homemade biscuits. For snack we served cottage cheese and pineapple.

See you tomorrow at 4:30 for the WF Fall Concert. It runs about 5 minutes long. Have a great day.

Next Thursday, Nov. 17th at 4:30 Wee Friends will sing several of the songs we have been working on all year-and a couple new ones! Melinda taught us the Chicken Dance!

Each time we rehearse, we instruct the children “If you are a taller friend stand on the back row. If you are a smaller friend, stand on the front row.” With our guidance, and the help of each other, friends organize themselves accordingly. Today we determined that our smaller friends would be more comfortable sitting down. After we are all assembled, we sing through our songs. The two main points we work on are 1) singing in a natural inside voice and 2) singing all together. Wait until you hear your singers! They are amazing!

In the art room, Annie asked if she could make another alphabet letter game. This led to a Thomas the Tank Engine sticker exploration. Elliott, an avid train lover, began his day very happy! Owen helped Elliott unstick some stickers and Simon knew the names of each train!

In housekeeping, Kai, Annie, Macy and Nate set up shop, selling babies and stuffed animals. They used wooden chips for money and counted out loud as they popped them into the cash register.

Back in hopscotch Jane, as the teacher, instructed, helped and cheered on friends as they jumped off blocks.

Friends played with sticky floam, sorted teddy bears and ships into corresponding colored cups, built structures with Magna-Tiles, explored a pirate ship and played dollies in the loft.

Today for lunch we served whole wheat pasta with chicken, green beans and pears.

Have a restful weekend!

At Wee Friends, each, day, we have the opportunity to observe the many benefits of a multi-aged classroom setting. Stanford PhD and international leader in early childhood education, Lillian Katz, expresses:

“Young children who are encouraged, comforted and nurtured by older children will be able to emulate their older classmates when they themselves become the oldest in the group. Children need opportunities to not only observe and imitate a wide variety of competencies, but also to find companions among their peers who match, compliment or supplement their interests in different ways. In a mixed age group, younger children are capable of participating and contributing to far more complex activities than they could initiate if they were by themselves.”

Game playing has emerged as an area of great interest. After breakfast, Kai asked if he could set up a game of “Zingo!”. Alexandra and Nate were the first two friends who joined in. As Kai called out the object, he helped both friends recognize if they had a match on their board. Later, Ada and Arleigh requested that they play on the board’s red side. Simon worked diligently at replacing the tiles into their rightful place.

We introduced a new game yesterday called “Buckaroo!” which requires players to hang different objects on the donkey’s saddle, making sure the donkey doesn’t buck his hind legs with the growing weight on his back. Alexandra carefully placed objects on his saddle while Annie showed her how to press his tail to get his legs down again.

In both scenarios, our Wee Friends were able to work collaboratively on the same game at different developmental levels.

At the art table, we set out long strips of construction paper, pieces of paper with numbers 1-10, glue and sparkles. Again, each friend mastered this math/art experience according to their own developmental ability and momentary interest!! Macy sequenced numbers 1-7. Annie chose various numbers and then glued the corresponding number of sparkles to each one. Nate exercised fine motor muscles by squeezing the glue bottle and gluing multiple numbers to the paper strip. Arleigh combined numbers and sparkles in an artistic, creative way. Addie sequenced numbers 8-9 and studied the various sparkly shapes in the bowl.

Umi, Alma, Alexandra and Nate gathered in the reading area. They took turns reading books and together, retold the stories and then acted them out. They sat together and talked to each other, sharing ideas and listening to one another.

Alexandra tucked her two older friends in bed and read them a bedtime story.

With his two older buddies, Stephen explored Simon’s (on loan!) new washing machine experimenting with all the different items that would fit inside it. Ultimately, we all decided clothes were the best and safest fit!

Whether it’s working a puzzle, snapping beans or sitting in parallel play with a new friend, Elliott fits right in and participates the many activities we explore each day!

Multi-aged classrooms teach children to “…appreciate their own progress and to develop a sense of this continuity..” -L. Katz

We rehearsed for our upcoming THURSDAY NOV 17th CONCERT at 4:30, introducing a new song! We ate a delicious lunch of peanut butter on whole wheat bread, applesauce and cucumbers with cream cheese.

Have a fabulous day.