Dear CCC Community,
Our annual CCC auction is fast approaching. In the weeks of planning leading up to this event many parent volunteers, headed by the fundraising committee, are working like busy bees to make this event a great success. You might think that the money we raise in our fundraising efforts goes directly to our school. Think again! All money raised from our CCC auction goes to support our scholarship program. Our scholarship program allows families with special financial needs to join our community. What a great event to support. We hope that alumni and current families rally together to join the fun and spend their money on the wonderful items the fundraising committee has collected.
The Polynesian theme is perfect to set off the night. So come in your flower dresses, shirts, and leis. The greatly anticipated event is on Saturday April 16th from 6:00 to 10:00.
The food will be delicious and will be a combination of Hawaiian catered and homemade Hawaiian specialties (organized by Deedee (Meiko FY).
We will have two choice of music for the evening:
DJ CB & a live performance by The Kapalakiko Hawaiian Band. Please check them out on their website www.kapalakiko.org
And of course the information you really want to hear is the big ticket items from vendors:
We have tickets from the following places:
Philharmonia Baroque (www.philharmonia.org)
Berkeley Symphony Orchestra (www.berkeleysymphony.org)
The Jazzschool (www.jazzschool.com)
San Francisco Early Music Society (www.sfems.org)
Berkeley Repertory Theatre (www.berkeleyrep.org)
Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse (www.thefreight.org) and more...
MORE ITEMS INCLUDE:
A Black and White photo session from Nan Phelps Photography (www.nanphelps.com)
Adam's Trail-a-bike from Missing Link Bicycle Co-operative (www.missinglink.org)
plus a variety of camps for kids!
BIG TICKET ITEMS CONTRIBUTED BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS:
Margo Lowe (Aurelio FY) - Amazing jewelry from her store. (www.mlowejewels.com)
Jenifer (Zoe FY) - Original artwork (www.jeniferkent.com)
Tim Slifer (Eli FY) - Gourmet dinner for two prepared by professional chef (aka Tim), who has cooked at various restaurants such as Chez Panisse, Zuni Cafe, Oliveto's and Stars.
Runa Basu (Gitanjali FY) - Comprehensive medical evaluation and osteopathic treatment (www.ecoosteopathy.com)
Debby Gipsman Roisman (Meirave FY) - Folk music house concert, plus two of her CD's (www.cdbaby.com/cd/debbygipsman)
Kathy Chew - Two hand-knitted blankets
And many more!! (We have such a talented and generous community!!)
And finally we want to send a shot out and a big thanks to Tod World (Tod and Jenny's event planning business (Tallulah FY)) for all their support and contributions to making this a special event.
We hope to see you all there! Aloha!
Sincerely,
Jessica and Shareef Salaam (Aeneas BY)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Storytelling at CCC "The Hobbit" with Big Brian
Storytelling is an integral part of CCC. In the Frontyard the children get storytelling during circle time with Allyssa, during the parent meeting when the children are outside with the staff, and outside during lunch with the parents reading books to the children. Jim Beatty does stories when he is with the children as well. In the Backyard the children hear storytelling during circle time with Lara. The bulk of the storytelling is during lunch time. As Backyard parents it is impressive to watch the teachers: mostly Auden, Big Brian and Ryan take turns telling a story to the children during lunch. The children are captivated as they slowly chomp away. Storytelling is a unique part of CCC that we wanted to highlight and honor. Thank you to the teachers who make this a part of our children's experience. They love it!
February 8th - March 29th is the annual event of our beloved Big Brian's storytelling of The Hobbit. Big Brian will be in the Backyard every Tuesday at 1:00 sweeping the children away and igniting their imaginations. As new parents to CCC almost three years ago we did not take advantage of this hidden treasure. We were unsure of the story and were not aware of the deep thought, preparation, and talent that went into this event. Our hope is that this blog will allow you to make an informed decision to allow your child to have this experience one of their years at CCC. Brian's unique approach to this story and the sharing of it with the children is a CCC tradition that started many years ago and has become a part of our CCC culture. Please read below as Big Brian discusses it in his own words in the following interview:
How long have you been reading the Hobbit to the children at CCC?
and
How did you decide to start reading the Hobbit to the children at CCC?
"I can't recall exactly when I started, but it was in the early '90's, when the afternoon program was being notably underutilized, and I offered to tell the Hobbit in 4-year-old terms as a draw to greater attendance. I do recall that it worked quite well in bringing more children to attend for at least that one day of the week."
How did you choose the Hobbit over other stories?
" I discovered and fell madly in love with Tolkien's work in my late twenty's, and was still infatuated when the above situation arose."
What appeals to you about the hobbit?
"Tolkien and his colleagues described their style of writing as mythopoeic, in which they attempted to write new works with the power and depth of the great myths. I think that Tolkien succeeded magnificently in his attempts, with "The Hobbit" being a child focused book that adults can enjoy, and "The Lord of the Rings" being an adult focused book that children can enjoy once they're old enough (7-8?)."
What are children's past reactions to the reading that you remember?
"I believe that children need all kinds of creative images to work with in their play, and I try in my storytelling to provide a range of such imagery. The reactions that move me most involve seeing the children disperse after hearing the weekly installment and heading off to play Bilbo and Gandalf and embark on adventures. Some of them even want to indulge in the dark side, and play at being goblins.
During the telling, reactions range widely according to personality, with some kids eagerly listening to even the most frightening aspects of the drama, while others decide it's too intense and get up to play elsewhere. There are usually one or two who leave the immediate story circle when things get intense, but don't want to fully break away, and so place themselves nearby to keep an ear on the action."
In your eyes what is the appropriateness of the books content for Front yarders vs. Back yarders?
"Age-appropriateness is so important, and yet hard to gauge individually. I get surprised every year by a few young children who choose to not miss a single minute of "The Hobbit", while some older kids I thought would really enjoy the story leave after five minutes to engage in their own play choices."
Is there anyway that parents can support this reading by reading at home too?
"A few parents have read the story concurrently with my presentation at CCC, but I can't say that this is supportive at either end. Some of the children who have had this experience seem to enjoy hearing my digested version and then hearing Tolkien's full verbiage, though I think that several aspects of the full book are not age-appropriate in general, which is why I render it for the preschool level. The only problem with hearing it at home is if the home presentation gets ahead of the one at school, and the child keeps jumping up and yelling out what's about to happen..."
What are the special ways you read the Hobbit?
"I'm not an actor, and can't memorize lines well. Each night before the story day, I read the 2-3 chapters I'll be telling to make sure they're fresh, and then tell them in my own words as the images unfold in my imaginative memory. If I were to tell the story to 9-year-olds, I would see the same imagery in my mind, but use different language that fit my audience. I bring the book only to show Tolkien's original paintings and drawings, and to read a few lines where his words are really needed to get the full story.
For me, the most important aspect of telling any story is that the teller has a strong positive relationship to the story. I can't do justice to a story I don't like, or that I don't understand. Once I've found a story that I admire, I tell it with no judgment of belief or disbelief, I enter the story in my imagination and tell it as truth in the moment and context of that story, and that provides the power that makes it magical to my young audience.
I've never felt comfortable telling when there are too many adults in the room, because I feel that adults live too much in the mindset of skepticism, which kills the magic and leaves me feeling as if I'm flailing around trying to talk to atheists about the nature of Gods and Goddesses, when I'm simply trying to share a story that I believe has archetypal value. I aspire to the day when I can tell a story to any audience with enough inner power to push past all intellectual stands of disbelief, but this may just be an egotistic fantasy..."
What are your favorite parts and why?
"I love Bilbo's choice to leave behind the comfort of Hobbit culture and head out into the unknown, the scene with the rock giants playing rock ball, Bjorn the Bear-Man, and most of all, Bilbo's conversation with Smaug the dragon, although the part in which Bard the Bowman shoots Smaug from the sky is a close second. Why I like these parts is tied to my persona, and would take some time to diagnose and report on..."
Does each yard/age group get something different out of the story from your perspective?
"We would have to do serious socio/psychological studies to precisely determine what each child gets from the story, and how different that substance might be if they get to hear it both as a front yarder and again as a back yarder. From my perspective, I judge my success from the look of magical wonder that glows from a child's eyes as I'm telling, and secondly, whether they then take the imagery into their play."
How can parents encourage storytelling in their children?
"By engaging their child's imaginations in appropriate ways as often as possible. Yet it still depends on the child's persona, as imaginative input is impossible to judge as to how it will reappear as an outer manifestation. A few kids will probably never engage in telling a story themselves, while others will spin more yarns than anyone wants to hear, including ones to justify their poor behavior."
Thank you for reading,
Jessica and Shareef Salaam
February 2011
February 8th - March 29th is the annual event of our beloved Big Brian's storytelling of The Hobbit. Big Brian will be in the Backyard every Tuesday at 1:00 sweeping the children away and igniting their imaginations. As new parents to CCC almost three years ago we did not take advantage of this hidden treasure. We were unsure of the story and were not aware of the deep thought, preparation, and talent that went into this event. Our hope is that this blog will allow you to make an informed decision to allow your child to have this experience one of their years at CCC. Brian's unique approach to this story and the sharing of it with the children is a CCC tradition that started many years ago and has become a part of our CCC culture. Please read below as Big Brian discusses it in his own words in the following interview:
How long have you been reading the Hobbit to the children at CCC?
and
How did you decide to start reading the Hobbit to the children at CCC?
"I can't recall exactly when I started, but it was in the early '90's, when the afternoon program was being notably underutilized, and I offered to tell the Hobbit in 4-year-old terms as a draw to greater attendance. I do recall that it worked quite well in bringing more children to attend for at least that one day of the week."
How did you choose the Hobbit over other stories?
" I discovered and fell madly in love with Tolkien's work in my late twenty's, and was still infatuated when the above situation arose."
What appeals to you about the hobbit?
"Tolkien and his colleagues described their style of writing as mythopoeic, in which they attempted to write new works with the power and depth of the great myths. I think that Tolkien succeeded magnificently in his attempts, with "The Hobbit" being a child focused book that adults can enjoy, and "The Lord of the Rings" being an adult focused book that children can enjoy once they're old enough (7-8?)."
What are children's past reactions to the reading that you remember?
"I believe that children need all kinds of creative images to work with in their play, and I try in my storytelling to provide a range of such imagery. The reactions that move me most involve seeing the children disperse after hearing the weekly installment and heading off to play Bilbo and Gandalf and embark on adventures. Some of them even want to indulge in the dark side, and play at being goblins.
During the telling, reactions range widely according to personality, with some kids eagerly listening to even the most frightening aspects of the drama, while others decide it's too intense and get up to play elsewhere. There are usually one or two who leave the immediate story circle when things get intense, but don't want to fully break away, and so place themselves nearby to keep an ear on the action."
In your eyes what is the appropriateness of the books content for Front yarders vs. Back yarders?
"Age-appropriateness is so important, and yet hard to gauge individually. I get surprised every year by a few young children who choose to not miss a single minute of "The Hobbit", while some older kids I thought would really enjoy the story leave after five minutes to engage in their own play choices."
Is there anyway that parents can support this reading by reading at home too?
"A few parents have read the story concurrently with my presentation at CCC, but I can't say that this is supportive at either end. Some of the children who have had this experience seem to enjoy hearing my digested version and then hearing Tolkien's full verbiage, though I think that several aspects of the full book are not age-appropriate in general, which is why I render it for the preschool level. The only problem with hearing it at home is if the home presentation gets ahead of the one at school, and the child keeps jumping up and yelling out what's about to happen..."
What are the special ways you read the Hobbit?
"I'm not an actor, and can't memorize lines well. Each night before the story day, I read the 2-3 chapters I'll be telling to make sure they're fresh, and then tell them in my own words as the images unfold in my imaginative memory. If I were to tell the story to 9-year-olds, I would see the same imagery in my mind, but use different language that fit my audience. I bring the book only to show Tolkien's original paintings and drawings, and to read a few lines where his words are really needed to get the full story.
For me, the most important aspect of telling any story is that the teller has a strong positive relationship to the story. I can't do justice to a story I don't like, or that I don't understand. Once I've found a story that I admire, I tell it with no judgment of belief or disbelief, I enter the story in my imagination and tell it as truth in the moment and context of that story, and that provides the power that makes it magical to my young audience.
I've never felt comfortable telling when there are too many adults in the room, because I feel that adults live too much in the mindset of skepticism, which kills the magic and leaves me feeling as if I'm flailing around trying to talk to atheists about the nature of Gods and Goddesses, when I'm simply trying to share a story that I believe has archetypal value. I aspire to the day when I can tell a story to any audience with enough inner power to push past all intellectual stands of disbelief, but this may just be an egotistic fantasy..."
What are your favorite parts and why?
"I love Bilbo's choice to leave behind the comfort of Hobbit culture and head out into the unknown, the scene with the rock giants playing rock ball, Bjorn the Bear-Man, and most of all, Bilbo's conversation with Smaug the dragon, although the part in which Bard the Bowman shoots Smaug from the sky is a close second. Why I like these parts is tied to my persona, and would take some time to diagnose and report on..."
Does each yard/age group get something different out of the story from your perspective?
"We would have to do serious socio/psychological studies to precisely determine what each child gets from the story, and how different that substance might be if they get to hear it both as a front yarder and again as a back yarder. From my perspective, I judge my success from the look of magical wonder that glows from a child's eyes as I'm telling, and secondly, whether they then take the imagery into their play."
How can parents encourage storytelling in their children?
"By engaging their child's imaginations in appropriate ways as often as possible. Yet it still depends on the child's persona, as imaginative input is impossible to judge as to how it will reappear as an outer manifestation. A few kids will probably never engage in telling a story themselves, while others will spin more yarns than anyone wants to hear, including ones to justify their poor behavior."
Thank you for reading,
Jessica and Shareef Salaam
February 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Optional Diversity Community Meetings
Please read the blog and add to our list of children's books on diversity. Please also share with us children's books that you read to your children and why. We want to hear from you!
We also want you at the upcoming optional diversity meeting on January 31st:
For the upcoming meeting our two diversity chairs Rikki and Mollie have selected two readings that will be discussed at the meeting from these two resources: The First short reading is entitled, "The Complexity of Identity: Who Am I?" by, Beverly Daniel Tatum. The second is an excerpt from Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by, Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards.
We hope community members will respond to their e-mail and join us for a continued discussion on diversity.
At our last meeting discussed in more detail below we had about 11 of us who attended the meeting, 3 of which were teachers and four board members. We hope to have more participation in the upcoming meeting. Be corageous! Make it a priority! Join us for more dialogue on January 31st.
We had an optional diversity meeting back in November 8th, 2010. For this first meeting, we were asked by our diversity chairs Mollie and Rikki to bring a favorite preschool age appropriate book that we felt communicated an important message about diversity for young children. We critically examined the messages the books communicated to children and brainstormed follow up questions/conversation starters we could utilize as parents to engage our children in their own learning about these topics.
We asked attendees to share with us the books they chose and why. Here are a few comments:
Kathy Chew (Teacher):
Dim Sum by Grace Lin
"Diversity is an important part of my CCC experience and I try to attend each meeting. This year's meetings have been awesome; attended by a number of CCC members and discussions on a variety of topics. I chose to share Dim Sum by Grace Lin. This is a book I purchased many years ago to share with our children. We enjoyed reading about a young Chinese girl's experience of going to a restaurant with her family to eat dim sum, a variety of Chinese dumplings and desserts. As our kids (and now grandsons) grow, reading is always an imporatant part of our family time. As a parent and teacher, I search for books that show pictures and tell stories of many family structures. When I find a book with Chinese culture, I am even more excited. This book also shares a common idea that everyone can relate to: food!"
Rikki Moreno (Diversity Chair):
Pablo's Tree by Pat Mora
"I chose this book because it wove together the magic of a boy's tradition of celebrating his birthday year after year with his grandfather. The book touched on the topics of adoption, cultural traditions and family relationships in a way that was age appropriate for our children. Lastly, the illustrations were sweet, simple and interesting."
Elizabeth Stark (Front Yard Rep):
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham
"I love this book because it's about a little girl of color running for president of her school when she finds out there's never been a woman president of the United States. It's a book about gender exclusion, but to my mind, it makes good points about race, too, and about voters picking "the best person for the job," not the person who looks like them or seems to share an identity with them. And how that might change the world . . . It's a little sophisticated for our 3 & 4 crowd, but my kids enjoy it, and it's not too early for them to see images of an African-American woman (and possibly also Latina) President. I'm preparing them for the future!"
Mollie Crittenden (Diversity Chair):
My People, by Langston Hughes, Photos by Charles R. Smith
"I like this book because it does several things. It teaches children an important and beautiful poem written by an important African American writer. It affirms blackness and black people as being beautiful inside (souls) and out. It has great photographs of people, and lends itself easily to conversations about how to be black is beautiful and bright (which contradicts most messages in our society about Black and dark skinned people), and what a soul is/how important it is to be beautiful on the inside."
Mollie put together a list of some children's books that focus on different aspects of diversity:
Diverse Families:
Families are Different by, Nina Pellegrini
Daddy, Papa and Me by, Leslea Newman
Mommy, Mama and Me by, Leslea Newman
And Tango Makes Three by, Justin Richardson
Heather Has Two Mommies by, Leslea Newman
Who's In A Family by, Robert Skutch
Buddy G. My Two Moms and Me by, Mary Warren Folk
The Family Book by, Todd Parr
(Anti) Gender Stereotypes:
The Sissy Duckling by, Harvey Fierstein
The Paper Bag Princess by,
Oliver Button Is A Sissy by, Tomie de Paola
Amazing Grace by, Mary Hoffman
Princess Grace by, Mary Hoffman
African-American:
Shades of Black by, Sandra L. Pinkney
My People (Langston Hughes) photos by, Charles R. Smith
Amazing Grace by, Mary Hoffman
Princess Grace by, Mary Hoffman
I Love My Hair, by Natasha Tarpley
Be Boy Buzz by, Bell Hooks
Happy to Be Nappy by, Bell Hooks
Yo! Yes? by, Chris Raschke
My First Kwanzaa by, Karen Katz
Before John Was A Jazz Giant by, Carole Weatherford
Grace for President by, Kelly Dipucchio
Latino:
Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English by, Alma Flor Ada
Margaret and Margarita by, Lynn Reiser
My Way/A Mi Manera by, Lynn Reiser
My Abuelita by, Tony Johnston
Abuela by, Arthur Dorros
Pablo's Tree by, Pat Mora
Asian American (we need more titles):
Dim Sum by, Grace Lin
Bi-racial Kids/Families:
Black, White, Just Right by, Marguerite W. Davol
Black is Brown is Tan by, Arnold Adoff
My Tw Grannies by, Floella Benjamin
Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids by, Kip Fulbeck
Affirming Diversity in General:
I Like Being Me! by, Todd Parr
It's OK to Be Different by, Todd Parr
The Colors of Us by, Karen Katz
26 Big Things Small Hands Do by, Coleen Paratore
Everybody Cooks Rice by, Nora Dooley
We also want you at the upcoming optional diversity meeting on January 31st:
For the upcoming meeting our two diversity chairs Rikki and Mollie have selected two readings that will be discussed at the meeting from these two resources: The First short reading is entitled, "The Complexity of Identity: Who Am I?" by, Beverly Daniel Tatum. The second is an excerpt from Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by, Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards.
We hope community members will respond to their e-mail and join us for a continued discussion on diversity.
At our last meeting discussed in more detail below we had about 11 of us who attended the meeting, 3 of which were teachers and four board members. We hope to have more participation in the upcoming meeting. Be corageous! Make it a priority! Join us for more dialogue on January 31st.
We had an optional diversity meeting back in November 8th, 2010. For this first meeting, we were asked by our diversity chairs Mollie and Rikki to bring a favorite preschool age appropriate book that we felt communicated an important message about diversity for young children. We critically examined the messages the books communicated to children and brainstormed follow up questions/conversation starters we could utilize as parents to engage our children in their own learning about these topics.
We asked attendees to share with us the books they chose and why. Here are a few comments:
Kathy Chew (Teacher):
Dim Sum by Grace Lin
"Diversity is an important part of my CCC experience and I try to attend each meeting. This year's meetings have been awesome; attended by a number of CCC members and discussions on a variety of topics. I chose to share Dim Sum by Grace Lin. This is a book I purchased many years ago to share with our children. We enjoyed reading about a young Chinese girl's experience of going to a restaurant with her family to eat dim sum, a variety of Chinese dumplings and desserts. As our kids (and now grandsons) grow, reading is always an imporatant part of our family time. As a parent and teacher, I search for books that show pictures and tell stories of many family structures. When I find a book with Chinese culture, I am even more excited. This book also shares a common idea that everyone can relate to: food!"
Rikki Moreno (Diversity Chair):
Pablo's Tree by Pat Mora
"I chose this book because it wove together the magic of a boy's tradition of celebrating his birthday year after year with his grandfather. The book touched on the topics of adoption, cultural traditions and family relationships in a way that was age appropriate for our children. Lastly, the illustrations were sweet, simple and interesting."
Elizabeth Stark (Front Yard Rep):
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham
"I love this book because it's about a little girl of color running for president of her school when she finds out there's never been a woman president of the United States. It's a book about gender exclusion, but to my mind, it makes good points about race, too, and about voters picking "the best person for the job," not the person who looks like them or seems to share an identity with them. And how that might change the world . . . It's a little sophisticated for our 3 & 4 crowd, but my kids enjoy it, and it's not too early for them to see images of an African-American woman (and possibly also Latina) President. I'm preparing them for the future!"
Mollie Crittenden (Diversity Chair):
My People, by Langston Hughes, Photos by Charles R. Smith
"I like this book because it does several things. It teaches children an important and beautiful poem written by an important African American writer. It affirms blackness and black people as being beautiful inside (souls) and out. It has great photographs of people, and lends itself easily to conversations about how to be black is beautiful and bright (which contradicts most messages in our society about Black and dark skinned people), and what a soul is/how important it is to be beautiful on the inside."
Mollie put together a list of some children's books that focus on different aspects of diversity:
Diverse Families:
Families are Different by, Nina Pellegrini
Daddy, Papa and Me by, Leslea Newman
Mommy, Mama and Me by, Leslea Newman
And Tango Makes Three by, Justin Richardson
Heather Has Two Mommies by, Leslea Newman
Who's In A Family by, Robert Skutch
Buddy G. My Two Moms and Me by, Mary Warren Folk
The Family Book by, Todd Parr
(Anti) Gender Stereotypes:
The Sissy Duckling by, Harvey Fierstein
The Paper Bag Princess by,
Oliver Button Is A Sissy by, Tomie de Paola
Amazing Grace by, Mary Hoffman
Princess Grace by, Mary Hoffman
African-American:
Shades of Black by, Sandra L. Pinkney
My People (Langston Hughes) photos by, Charles R. Smith
Amazing Grace by, Mary Hoffman
Princess Grace by, Mary Hoffman
I Love My Hair, by Natasha Tarpley
Be Boy Buzz by, Bell Hooks
Happy to Be Nappy by, Bell Hooks
Yo! Yes? by, Chris Raschke
My First Kwanzaa by, Karen Katz
Before John Was A Jazz Giant by, Carole Weatherford
Grace for President by, Kelly Dipucchio
Latino:
Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English by, Alma Flor Ada
Margaret and Margarita by, Lynn Reiser
My Way/A Mi Manera by, Lynn Reiser
My Abuelita by, Tony Johnston
Abuela by, Arthur Dorros
Pablo's Tree by, Pat Mora
Asian American (we need more titles):
Dim Sum by, Grace Lin
Bi-racial Kids/Families:
Black, White, Just Right by, Marguerite W. Davol
Black is Brown is Tan by, Arnold Adoff
My Tw Grannies by, Floella Benjamin
Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids by, Kip Fulbeck
Affirming Diversity in General:
I Like Being Me! by, Todd Parr
It's OK to Be Different by, Todd Parr
The Colors of Us by, Karen Katz
26 Big Things Small Hands Do by, Coleen Paratore
Everybody Cooks Rice by, Nora Dooley
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Diversity: "The work is not the workshop"
As we start the new year we have an opportunity to expect more of ourselves and to strive for progress in our lives. We would like to publisize all the great efforts of CCC in this direction. On November 30th we had Tarah Fleming from Start Dialog (www.startdialog.com) come and talk to our community. She said things like "the work is not the workshop" meaning our work to continue anti-bias education is in our everyday lives. Especially at those inopportune moments when your child springs a question on you that you may not know how to answer. She also said intention and impact are two different things.
Tarah shared with us what she believes is the key to peace. She shared Sue Miller Hurst's five disciplines of dialogue:
1.) Listen
2.) Suspend Certainty - for a minute believe and practice "I don't know"
3.) Hold the Space for Difference - Can you stay at the table with someone you consider culturally and ethically rude? How you interact with this person is a skill.
4.) Slow down the Inquiry - allow for silence, pauses, suspend interogation, summarizing, and clarifying. Allow people to share and tell more without interruptions.
5.) Speak from Awareness - Bring forth your experience. Do you speak from a place that you always speak from? Speak from who you are right now.
You can download these principles in more detail: mfinley.com/kraken/sue_miller_hurst.pdf
As we move forward let us continue to do the work in our community!
Our diversity chair Mollie could not have said it better: "Our next challenge, from my perspective, is to figure out how we are going to utilize and practice the information Tarah exposed us to in our work together."
Mollie and Rikki have sent out extensive e-mails with resources and information for us to continue to gain heightened awareness and consiousness building.
Please share with us your comments and what you think the next challenge is for our community in relation to diversity.
Tarah shared with us what she believes is the key to peace. She shared Sue Miller Hurst's five disciplines of dialogue:
1.) Listen
2.) Suspend Certainty - for a minute believe and practice "I don't know"
3.) Hold the Space for Difference - Can you stay at the table with someone you consider culturally and ethically rude? How you interact with this person is a skill.
4.) Slow down the Inquiry - allow for silence, pauses, suspend interogation, summarizing, and clarifying. Allow people to share and tell more without interruptions.
5.) Speak from Awareness - Bring forth your experience. Do you speak from a place that you always speak from? Speak from who you are right now.
You can download these principles in more detail: mfinley.com/kraken/sue_miller_hurst.pdf
As we move forward let us continue to do the work in our community!
Our diversity chair Mollie could not have said it better: "Our next challenge, from my perspective, is to figure out how we are going to utilize and practice the information Tarah exposed us to in our work together."
Mollie and Rikki have sent out extensive e-mails with resources and information for us to continue to gain heightened awareness and consiousness building.
Please share with us your comments and what you think the next challenge is for our community in relation to diversity.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Last Hurrah
Last Friday, Back Yarders celebrated their “Last Hurrah” with a camp-in at CCC. After a potluck dinner and a screening of the movie Kiki’s Delivery Service, kids and their grown-ups, and a healthy showing of siblings, settled into their tents and said good-night (with exceptions: Rumors that certain young parties attended an 11pm mint tea party have been confirmed).
In the morning, there were pancakes, lots of running around and hide-and-seek in the tents. Lara led a final circle with songs accompanied by Gabriel on guitar. Even after Lara declared the last song, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” kids kept shouting out more requests, and more songs were sung—it seemed that no one wanted the circle to end.
For me and Pearl, after being away from school for the summer, the camp-in was a reminder of how much we enjoy the CCC community, and of the great friendships we have both made there. A neighbor of ours, whose kids attended CCC 20 years ago, told me that they still have many friends from those days. I can see why. These past two years have been so incredibly rich for our entire family. I never cease to be amazed by the creativity, commitment, kindness and love that abound at CCC.
So I won’t say good-bye, but so long, see you all soonish (as Rachel said in a recent email). I truly look forward to keeping in touch. And for those who continue on at CCC, enjoy these precious times. I know you will.
Friday, May 28, 2010
A Greener CCC
This year, Elise (Hazel Rose, BY) created and filled a new parent administrative position at CCC. As the school’s first “Green Guru,” Elise set out to help the community implement eco-friendly procedures, such as using greener products and cutting down on waste throughout the school.
I asked Elise to share some highlights from the past year.
Cleaning alternatives. One accomplishment was the adoption of Benefact, a nontoxic cleaner used in place of bleach products for cleaning surfaces. (Bleach has several known adverse effects on health and the environment.) But, Elise notes that some bleach must still be used for sanitizing dishes, due to licensing requirements for preschools. Purchasing a dishwasher (perhaps a project for the future?) would eliminate the need for bleach, she adds.
Cutting down on waste. Elise had a longtime leaky sink repaired; got the classrooms to start composting soiled paper products through the municipal compost program; and worked to improve the school’s compost system for food scraps. She also worked to cut down on paper towels and dish sponges by collecting old towels and rags to make washable cleaning cloths.
Future Green Projects. Elise has begun investigating solar panels (Do they work? Need to be cleaned? How to maintain?). She has also introduced ideas for greening supplies that teachers usually buy, and she has looked into a green school certification—a project for one to two years down the road.
“There is a lot yet to do, mainly in educating people so participation in all of it is more smooth, and implementing new systems,” says Elise.
The next Green Guru? As administrative positions for next year are being filled, Elise adds her two cents on the future of the Green Guru position: “I feel that if the school wants to commit to sustainability, the Green Guru position should be permanent. I think that is the only way for any more than one year's worth of slow progress to be made in this arena.”
A big thanks to Elise for helping our community to think and act more greenly!
I asked Elise to share some highlights from the past year.
Cleaning alternatives. One accomplishment was the adoption of Benefact, a nontoxic cleaner used in place of bleach products for cleaning surfaces. (Bleach has several known adverse effects on health and the environment.) But, Elise notes that some bleach must still be used for sanitizing dishes, due to licensing requirements for preschools. Purchasing a dishwasher (perhaps a project for the future?) would eliminate the need for bleach, she adds.
Cutting down on waste. Elise had a longtime leaky sink repaired; got the classrooms to start composting soiled paper products through the municipal compost program; and worked to improve the school’s compost system for food scraps. She also worked to cut down on paper towels and dish sponges by collecting old towels and rags to make washable cleaning cloths.
Future Green Projects. Elise has begun investigating solar panels (Do they work? Need to be cleaned? How to maintain?). She has also introduced ideas for greening supplies that teachers usually buy, and she has looked into a green school certification—a project for one to two years down the road.
“There is a lot yet to do, mainly in educating people so participation in all of it is more smooth, and implementing new systems,” says Elise.
The next Green Guru? As administrative positions for next year are being filled, Elise adds her two cents on the future of the Green Guru position: “I feel that if the school wants to commit to sustainability, the Green Guru position should be permanent. I think that is the only way for any more than one year's worth of slow progress to be made in this arena.”
A big thanks to Elise for helping our community to think and act more greenly!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Snack Week: Easy Pizza
Kids everywhere love pizza. Front Yarders have recently enjoyed two different takes on the perennial favorite.
English Muffin Pizzas
- Sara (Ethan, FY)
Sara notes these were surprisingly easy, and the kids loved them!
Whole wheat English muffins (Sara bought 32 muffins and almost ran out)
One large bag of shredded mozzarella (optional: shredded Tofurella for those with dairy allergies)
One jar of Trader Joe's pizza sauce
Cut the muffins in half and then again (so they're half-moons). Spread with pizza sauce, and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the convection oven until cheese is bubbling.
Pizza Faces
- Annie (Alex, FY)
A slightly more ambitious effort, Annie offers this recipe from Molly Katzen's Pretend Soup cookbook. The recipe calls for making the pizza dough, and I've included a link to help you in that effort, but no one will judge you if you opt to buy fresh dough at the Cheeseboard or Trader Joe's.
1. Make the pizza dough.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil a baking tray.
English Muffin Pizzas
- Sara (Ethan, FY)
Sara notes these were surprisingly easy, and the kids loved them!
Whole wheat English muffins (Sara bought 32 muffins and almost ran out)
One large bag of shredded mozzarella (optional: shredded Tofurella for those with dairy allergies)
One jar of Trader Joe's pizza sauce
Cut the muffins in half and then again (so they're half-moons). Spread with pizza sauce, and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the convection oven until cheese is bubbling.
Pizza Faces
- Annie (Alex, FY)
A slightly more ambitious effort, Annie offers this recipe from Molly Katzen's Pretend Soup cookbook. The recipe calls for making the pizza dough, and I've included a link to help you in that effort, but no one will judge you if you opt to buy fresh dough at the Cheeseboard or Trader Joe's.
1. Make the pizza dough.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil a baking tray.
3. Flour a wooden board. For each individual pizza, take a quarter of the dough and roll it out until it is about a 1/4 inch thick. (Note: This is very flexible! It doesn't really matter how thick—or even in what shape—the pizza ends up. Children love it regardless). Place on the baking tray.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon tomato sauce over the dough. Add slices of zucchini and mushrooms to create faces. Sprinkle with Parmesan and a small handful of mozzarella.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until brown on the bottom and bubbly on top.
6. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then eat!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
