CRANKIES! The last few weeks we have been creating a Crankie show to depict the story of our school mascot, the Raven. As Sandglass Theatre says "crankies are an art form that accompanies songs and stories with illustrated scrolls that are hand-cranked within small wooden theaters.". Crankies have even been used for news over the year. …
Category: child driven learning
Maintaining the ecosystem
Likely not a conscious choice, the garden at Symonds is an unofficial symbol of nourishment, connection, and being part of something greater in our world. Tom Julius, Director of the teacher certification program at Antioch New England Graduate School has referred to the ideal educational setting as an elaborate ecosystem. One main idea being …
A quick song on “Whole Body Listening”
Very Brief- Here's a YouTube link to a song I put together to discuss Whole Body Listening with Symonds kids.
Child Driven Learning
Moving past the phase of getting students "culturally adjusted" to the classroom, I'm now focused on how we learn in the classroom. I've become increasingly aware of (and acutely frightened of) the idea of becoming a talking head teacher. I LOVE to talk in front of people, often to a fault. This comes from …
All School Assembly Song!
Today was our second all school assembly of the year so it's time to get kids in the mindset to what it means to be a "whole body listener" in a large room. Last year I was tasked by some colleagues to come up with a song for these occasions. I've developed a bit of …
Music Saves Education 