Last week, our kehillah learned about the life and work of Louis Braille, who created Braille – a tactile writing system used by people who are blind or have low vision. After examining some books written in Braille, we were able to practice writing our names in Hebrew and English Braille (using beads and seeds). We then used our names to create a huge hannukiyah in our classroom!
When our kehillah (community) plays and works together, we deepen our friendships and hone our social and emotional skills. Last month, we became experts at hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests) thanks to our ohel (tent) inspired by the Torah’s story of Avraham and Sarah and their desert abode . . . complete with a well . . .
. . . and a sheep!
In addition, business in our Dramatic Play “office” is booming (there is a daily cacophony of sounds in the office, including the ringing of phones, the “tap, tap” of the typewriter, and the scribbling of pens on many scraps of paper!). We have also peeled and carefully cut apples for applesauce (yes, with a very sharp knife!), drawn our “peaceful places” (helping us with our meditative practice), and played with our 3rd grade buddies!
We have learned that the holiday of Sukkot is a harvest festival – and what better way to celebrate than to take a field trip to a local, organic, family-run farm? So last week, we all loaded on “Pete Bus” and made our way to Casey Farm in Sauderstown, RI.
When we arrived at the farm, we met Farmer Adam and Beth, an educator at the farm and long-time friend. While we toured the farm and learned a bit about the 
different vegetables grown there, Beth encouraged us to harvest herbs, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, beans and carrots (a great way to celebrate the harvest festival of Sukkot).
We also met the farm’s pigs, petted a gosling, gobbled at some turkeys, brushed a rabbit (named Licorice) and ground corn to feed to the chickens. We will be returning to Casey Farm in the spring, affording us an opportunity to observe the changes of the seasons (and visit our animal friends again!).
Our community has discovered the joy of preparing for Sukkot – “the festival of booths”! Laden with screws, hard-hats, and a power drill, we’ve constructed a (very!) temporary dwelling in our classroom in honor of the holiday and decorated it with paper chains, leaves, and lights. We have already snuggled together under its roof, pretending to count the many stars or seek shelter from the (much needed) rain. During Sukkot our kehillah (community) has the opportunity to enter into another realm – one that compels us to refocus beyond the material (and usually temporary) “structures” of our lives and concentrate on our values: that of honoring our community, respecting nature, practicing hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), and expressing gratitude. The holiday is also called zeman simchateiun – the time of our rejoicing – and we wish everyone a happy and meaningful Sukkot!
“The problem is I thought yesterday was the best day ever . . . but now today is!” exclaimed one member of our kehillah (community) when reflecting upon his day at school during our closing Circle Time.
And indeed, our time together these first weeks of school has been wonderful. We really feel like we are creating a sense of belonging and community in our classroom – and we are experiencing so much joy!
Most of our mornings begin with free play; during this time, we’ve observed children thoughtfully drawing in their Feelings Journals, giggling at our sand table, making “cupcakes” with home-made blue (sparkly!) play-dough, observing their daily findings at our Discovery Tray, and working collaboratively to create complex structures in our block area. And in just a short time, we’ve learned each other’s names during Circle Time (by singing “Thumbkin”), created some meaningful classroom rules, and practiced bringing peace and kindness to our classroom through the use of prayer, yoga, and meditation.
This sense of discovery and wonder continues throughout the day and we are grateful to be accompanying our students as they begin their learning journey here at JCDSRI.
In peace,
Andrea and Ilana
Yes, it is one of the hottest days of the year. Yes, air conditioning is our best friend. But the students are begging to do gardening. Today was our first day in the garden. Due to the weather, we only were able to go out for 10 minutes at the most. Those ten minutes were amazing, though! The students in second and fourth grades went right to work in the early morning, weeding and watering. We identified edible plants, found baby peppers growing, noticed some spiders, and ate some new vegetables. The wax beans were a hit! The fourth graders were eager and excited to try the new vegetable. Everyone who tried it enjoyed it and wanted to eat more. The fourth graders brainstormed ideas for the garden this year, like utilizing every space in the garden for more plants. It has inspired me to research hanging gardens for the fence. Lastly, first grade learned about gardens from a picture book featuring the famous Winnie the Pooh and his friend Rabbit. They learned that gardening takes patience and hard work. Gardening is obviously a special activity that the students love, and I am proud and excited to lead them in their gardening adventures this year.