Dear Families,
Our Spring Festival is tomorrow. As some of you may remember, it was rather chilly last year during this festival. Because I have a puppet show set up inside the Butterfly classroom, it will not work to have early birds play inside the classroom (and as you may remember, once we get beyond 8 pairs of parents and children, the classroom feels too small). It would be good for you to have a plan (especially for parents with grades children they are dropping off early) of a way to keep warm until 9am.
I intend to have warm soup, warm rice, bread with and without butter, water, and warm tea available at 9am. We will eat first and dance later after it has warmed up. Worry not, however, if you arrive at 9:30am just in time for the puppet show--I will leave the food out for you and your child, and you are welcome to have a picnic after we return from our walk at about 10am while others dance, play, and help tidy up.
With hope for warmth and light and acceptance for rain and cold,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Festival, Sample Nursery Reminders
Our Spring Festival for young children and their parents, grandparents, and friends comes to life this Friday, March 19, from 9 to 10:30am at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School. Everybody is welcome.
On March 25 and 26, I am offering two nursery mini-mornings from 9 until noon for current Rosebud and Dewdrop families as well as others with young children. We'll experience the joys of outdoor play and work in the woods.
Meet me and Crispin directly in our clearing by the teepee (this is where we will meet Mother Earth as part of the Spring Festival) at 9am. Signs will guide you if you don't know where this is. We'll be outside in the woods for an hour (where my current nursery children explore, work, and play with engagement and delight).
At 10am we will return to our playground for another half hour or so, and then go inside for a puppet show in a ring of chairs (rather than at the table as in parent & child), free play with adult work, a shared snack of warm rice, dishwashing, clean-up, and a closing at noon.
To provide the best experience, we are limiting the sample class size to 8. Please rsvp to William or the school (341-5686).
This experience is open to younger children and their parents as well. Feel free to attend even if your child will be too young for our nursery class for the 2010 school year.
On March 25 and 26, I am offering two nursery mini-mornings from 9 until noon for current Rosebud and Dewdrop families as well as others with young children. We'll experience the joys of outdoor play and work in the woods.
Meet me and Crispin directly in our clearing by the teepee (this is where we will meet Mother Earth as part of the Spring Festival) at 9am. Signs will guide you if you don't know where this is. We'll be outside in the woods for an hour (where my current nursery children explore, work, and play with engagement and delight).
At 10am we will return to our playground for another half hour or so, and then go inside for a puppet show in a ring of chairs (rather than at the table as in parent & child), free play with adult work, a shared snack of warm rice, dishwashing, clean-up, and a closing at noon.
To provide the best experience, we are limiting the sample class size to 8. Please rsvp to William or the school (341-5686).
This experience is open to younger children and their parents as well. Feel free to attend even if your child will be too young for our nursery class for the 2010 school year.
Monday, March 8, 2010
William's Summer Program
Dear Families,
I have received several inquiries about my summer program, and it seems best to provide you information sooner rather than later. Visit this link to find more details about my 8 week, 3 day, mixed age summer program at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School.
In the interest of fairness, I will let you know that this is an independent program renting space from the school. Please consider it as you would any other summer program on Whidbey Island.
Thanks,
William Dolde
I have received several inquiries about my summer program, and it seems best to provide you information sooner rather than later. Visit this link to find more details about my 8 week, 3 day, mixed age summer program at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School.
In the interest of fairness, I will let you know that this is an independent program renting space from the school. Please consider it as you would any other summer program on Whidbey Island.
Thanks,
William Dolde
Friday, March 5, 2010
Spring Festival, Friday, March 19, 9 to 10:30am
Please consider attending our Butterfly, Rosebud, and Dewdrop Spring Festival. Please invite friends as well.
Location: Outside the Butterfly Classroom and in the woods nearby, Whidbey Island Waldorf School.
Invited Guests: In addition to current Butterfly, Rosebud, and Dewdrop children and parents, friends, and grandparents, we invite all families with young children to attend.
This is mainly an outdoor festival. Be prepared for the weather.
Brief Synopsis This festival provides an imaginative picture of how seasons change to reflect the way young children experience the changing seasons as a vivid drama. After a puppet show, we will walk to meet Mother Earth, Father Sun, Brother Wind, and Sister Rain; these friendly characters may even give us gifts. After the walk, we will return to the playground for snacks, play, and conversation. If weather permits, I will end our festival with fiddle tunes and dancing outside.
Why a Festival? There are a number of good books about festivals in the Kathrine Dickerson Memorial Library (in the lobby of our school). Here also is an article written by an experienced kindergarten teacher from Santa Cruz Steve Spitalny about festivals. Although Steve is writing for teachers in this article, he helps us as parents as well simplify and clarify our thinking about marking the seasons of the year to support our children. Festivals can be seeds of renewal, to help children adults frame the year.
Music While there may be more songs, here are lyrics to two songs we will sing often.
Please call 341-5686 or contact wdolde at gmail.com with any questions.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Location: Outside the Butterfly Classroom and in the woods nearby, Whidbey Island Waldorf School.
Invited Guests: In addition to current Butterfly, Rosebud, and Dewdrop children and parents, friends, and grandparents, we invite all families with young children to attend.
This is mainly an outdoor festival. Be prepared for the weather.
Brief Synopsis This festival provides an imaginative picture of how seasons change to reflect the way young children experience the changing seasons as a vivid drama. After a puppet show, we will walk to meet Mother Earth, Father Sun, Brother Wind, and Sister Rain; these friendly characters may even give us gifts. After the walk, we will return to the playground for snacks, play, and conversation. If weather permits, I will end our festival with fiddle tunes and dancing outside.
Why a Festival? There are a number of good books about festivals in the Kathrine Dickerson Memorial Library (in the lobby of our school). Here also is an article written by an experienced kindergarten teacher from Santa Cruz Steve Spitalny about festivals. Although Steve is writing for teachers in this article, he helps us as parents as well simplify and clarify our thinking about marking the seasons of the year to support our children. Festivals can be seeds of renewal, to help children adults frame the year.
Music While there may be more songs, here are lyrics to two songs we will sing often.
While the children often find the festival more magical and nourishing if they can have the experience without explanation beforehand, this more detailed description for adults will prepare to help if needed (please do not share with children).
9 to 9:30am Children and parents come to the playground outside the Butterfly classroom. Bread and butter, water, and herbal tea will be available in the shelter. Children play and/or eat.
9:40am I will lead you into the Butterfly Classroom and will present a puppet show (children can keep shoes and coats on; we are going right back outside).
9:50am William will lead us into the woods to the teepee (the walk is 200 yards at the most). There, Mother Earth will silently greet us. She will present William with a fiber pot and plant cosmos seeds into the pot. Ideally, Mother Earth will present a pot and seeds to each child. If there are many children, and the waiting seems too stressful, William (and other parents) will help. It is nice, however, if things do not feel rushed. Some children, of course, may be intimated by Mother Earth, so a parent could receive the gift for the child. Be prepared to help your child carry the pot. We will have extra potting soil and seeds at the end of the walk if, as is possible, your child's pot spills. We thank Mother Earth.
9:55am (or so) We walk a few more yards to another clearing in the wood. There Sister Rain will greet us and water each pot. We thank Sister Rain.
10am (or so) We walk farther. Father Sun greets us. He ties a spring crown around William's head. Next it is ideal if Father Sun ties a spring crown on each child's head. If there are a lot of children, William and parents can help Father Sun. Again, it is nice if we avoid a sense of hurry. Some children, of course, will not feel comfortable with a stranger putting on a crown; parents are welcome to help their own child with their crown. We thank Father Sun.
10:05am (or so) Back at the playground, Brother Wind greets us and presents us with a large spring cloth for dancing. We thank Brother Wind. Unless it is bitterly cold, William will play the fiddle as parents and children dance with the large cloth from Brother Wind.
10:15am Children play some more, children and parents eat more snack. Each child is welcome to take home a pot. There will be extra in case one is misplaced or spilled. This particular cosmos (which you can plant outside after 6 weeks or so) is supposed to help attract butterflies. to remind you of your time in the Butterfly Room. Each child is welcome to take a crown home. If you enroll in the spring session of parent and child classes (beginning ), please bring the crown to class. We will decorate the crowns with wool roving and embroidery for May Day.
10:30am Children and parents depart. Beginning at 10:45am or sooner, elementary children come outside for recess, and it will be good to leave them space.
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Reenrolling, Several Event Save the Dates
Please Enroll for the New Parent & Child Session Begins on April 15 and 16
Because our Friday Rosebud class was full this session, and because classes tend to become more full in the spring session, I encourage you to enroll in the 7 week spring session of our Dewdrop (Thursday) or Rosebud (Friday) classes as soon as possible to reserve a spot for you and your child. Applications are available on-line, and I will have paper copies available in the Butterfly classroom and in the lobby of our school.
To allow more families to experience our program, we will be flexible with the ages for the Dewdrop class for the spring session and will welcome 2 year olds into the Thursday class as well (please disregard the age restrictions on the brochure). A 3 year old has come to many of our Thursday classes this session and has seemed to harmonize nicely with the younger children.
What follows are previews of events coming up in the break between our winter and spring parent & child sessions.
Grandparents and Special Friends Day, Friday, March 12
We are inviting grandparents of current children in our Rosebud or Dewdrop classes to join grandparents of our nursery and kindergarten children for a mixed age early childhood grandparent & child class. This free grandparent & child class will take place from 9 to 10:15am. This will be similar to but differ from the regular classes I teach. It will be shorter, so snack preparation will be simplified. Children will vary in age from 1 to 6. And we may open up the Sunflower or Golden Forest rooms for additional play and/or activities.
This is not a regular class. Nursery and Kindergarten children will not be in school--unless their grandparents are with them. This is an offering for grandparents (or other wise friends), and--to make it more delightful--their grandchildren come along.
Please RSVP to the school (341-5686) or me (wdolde at gmail.com).
Grandparents of our Rosebud and Dewdrop children are invited to join other grandparents for a grades school assembly at the Whidbey Institute--we are providing bus service--followed by a catered lunch (why an RSVP is important) and question and answer session. Parents will need to pick up their children by 10:15; the events after that are more of interest to adults rather than to toddlers. Everyone, of course, is welcome at the assembly at Thomas Berry Hall at the Whidbey Institute at 11am, but it tends to require more sitting and watching than is pleasant for 1 and 2 year olds.
Dewdrop, Rosebud, and Butterfly Spring Festival, Friday March 19, 9 - 10:30am
Like our other festivals for young children, this is open to friends and the community as well. I will provide details soon. RSVPs are helpful but not mandatory; it is largely an outdoor festival and can accommodate many families.
Sample Butterfly Nursery Mornings, 9 until noon
Thursday, March 25 or
Friday, March 26
This is open to current parent & child families and others in the South Whidbey Community and beyond. As with our parent & child classes, there is a limit of 8 families per morning. We are offering two days to allow more families to attend. Please RSVP to reserve a spot; 341-5686 or wdolde at gmail.com.
I intend these mornings to help with the transition for current parent & child children joining the nursery next year, as an offering of what the nursery is like for current or new or prospective families what it may be like, or as a chance to look toward the future for families with younger children. I will provide more details soon. Briefly, parent and child will meet me in the woods, where we will work and play for 45 minutes or so. Then we will return for 45 minutes of water and sand play on our playground. After going inside, we will sit for a slightly longer puppet show, some familiar songs and rhymes. Children will play inside and get to see what rice day in the Butterfly Nursery tastes like.
With Warmth and Light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
Because our Friday Rosebud class was full this session, and because classes tend to become more full in the spring session, I encourage you to enroll in the 7 week spring session of our Dewdrop (Thursday) or Rosebud (Friday) classes as soon as possible to reserve a spot for you and your child. Applications are available on-line, and I will have paper copies available in the Butterfly classroom and in the lobby of our school.
To allow more families to experience our program, we will be flexible with the ages for the Dewdrop class for the spring session and will welcome 2 year olds into the Thursday class as well (please disregard the age restrictions on the brochure). A 3 year old has come to many of our Thursday classes this session and has seemed to harmonize nicely with the younger children.
What follows are previews of events coming up in the break between our winter and spring parent & child sessions.
Grandparents and Special Friends Day, Friday, March 12
We are inviting grandparents of current children in our Rosebud or Dewdrop classes to join grandparents of our nursery and kindergarten children for a mixed age early childhood grandparent & child class. This free grandparent & child class will take place from 9 to 10:15am. This will be similar to but differ from the regular classes I teach. It will be shorter, so snack preparation will be simplified. Children will vary in age from 1 to 6. And we may open up the Sunflower or Golden Forest rooms for additional play and/or activities.
This is not a regular class. Nursery and Kindergarten children will not be in school--unless their grandparents are with them. This is an offering for grandparents (or other wise friends), and--to make it more delightful--their grandchildren come along.
Please RSVP to the school (341-5686) or me (wdolde at gmail.com).
Grandparents of our Rosebud and Dewdrop children are invited to join other grandparents for a grades school assembly at the Whidbey Institute--we are providing bus service--followed by a catered lunch (why an RSVP is important) and question and answer session. Parents will need to pick up their children by 10:15; the events after that are more of interest to adults rather than to toddlers. Everyone, of course, is welcome at the assembly at Thomas Berry Hall at the Whidbey Institute at 11am, but it tends to require more sitting and watching than is pleasant for 1 and 2 year olds.
Dewdrop, Rosebud, and Butterfly Spring Festival, Friday March 19, 9 - 10:30am
Like our other festivals for young children, this is open to friends and the community as well. I will provide details soon. RSVPs are helpful but not mandatory; it is largely an outdoor festival and can accommodate many families.
Sample Butterfly Nursery Mornings, 9 until noon
Thursday, March 25 or
Friday, March 26
This is open to current parent & child families and others in the South Whidbey Community and beyond. As with our parent & child classes, there is a limit of 8 families per morning. We are offering two days to allow more families to attend. Please RSVP to reserve a spot; 341-5686 or wdolde at gmail.com.
I intend these mornings to help with the transition for current parent & child children joining the nursery next year, as an offering of what the nursery is like for current or new or prospective families what it may be like, or as a chance to look toward the future for families with younger children. I will provide more details soon. Briefly, parent and child will meet me in the woods, where we will work and play for 45 minutes or so. Then we will return for 45 minutes of water and sand play on our playground. After going inside, we will sit for a slightly longer puppet show, some familiar songs and rhymes. Children will play inside and get to see what rice day in the Butterfly Nursery tastes like.
With Warmth and Light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
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