Week 8 Update - Ms. Drea’s Explorers
Hello Explorer Families!
Fall said Hello this week, with all the wind and the absent students sick at home or on vacation and the… pumpkins :)
It’s fascinating how shifting presence can completely change the dynamic of a group. New connections were made (so many hugging goodbyes), missed connections were felt “but Ms. Drea when is he going to get here?” and, with some of our star Explorers missing, others stood tall and reached out to catch some light.
This week, on paper, was all about salad greens. On paper, I say. Oh sure, our kids were happy to harvest the radishes, even when they weren’t quite ready! The Salad Greens tasting possibility was overshadowed though by Orange. Surprised?
Every Explorer sat patiently, with their hands open and eyes closed to receive a bit of Earth’s magic (polished stones). We talked about where pretty rocks and gemstones come from and how they go from being unassuming geodes to true treasures. Some of our Explorers even commented on the special power each one holds ;)
Then we took a break from Blind Samurai this week to play a game called Blind Labyrinth. It’s a challenging one, even for adults. All Explorers were blindfolded and led to a thin rope that wrapped up and down and around our Elm grove to a shaded blanketed area under its canopy.
Some Explorers caught on right away, following the rope and moving their body in the ways they sensed they needed to (bending, climbing, stepping over…) Others struggled to feel safe in their bodies with only a rope and their sense of hearing to guide the way. Some were even too scared to try— “Ms. Drea I’ll just meet y’all at the blanket”. During my years at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, playing blindfold games was a part of our regular training. I can’t encourage you enough to try some at home. Not only do they help build bodily senses and proprioception— they are excellent trust building activities, not only trust in others but especially in ourselves. \
Cozy at the blanket, we told seasonal stories of Night Animals and animals that prefer the darkness of swampy waters. Friday, we needed to shake things up a bit before diving into our pumpkin painting and carving activities— so we walked with the younger Explorers to the pumpkin patch and fed the cows. There were a few pumpkins fermenting in the sun. And everyone wanted a piece when I cracked them open… Until they realized how slimy they were. One person’s mush is another (cow) person’s delish. There was a lot of fun and squealing as the cow’s had their snack.
Saturday was the same, and there were even some brave ones that reached out for a cow lick. Saturday though, our walk ran later because Saturday Explorers could not get enough pumpkin painting! It was surreal and reminded me of that questionable B.F.A… THE question was always “How does one teach art?” The answer was always wry. Sure, techniques can be taught, and they are important. Every one of our Saturday Explorers gave Pollock a run for his money and if we didn’t sit down again for a third (fourth?) time to paint those pumpkins… Well, I lost count. I almost insisted on free play until I realized they were already doing it, seated and intently with paint all over. Maybe next semester we’ll need to cover earth paints.
Sometimes the sweetest times of the day are when our Explorers explore on their own. Friday brought the strangest root and the most beautiful caterpillar. Saturday brought tool making from our oldest Explorer who seems to have figured out how crop circles come to be.
I have to say I was surprised when the only ones in costume were me and Oisin?! That is until we arrived at Fall Festival Saturday, where we enjoyed seeing some of our Explorers and their families decked out in their favorite make believe. Those of you who came, thank you so much. Those of you who didn’t, you were missed! We’re looking forward to seeing you this week when we’ll be hitting the creek again and planting bulbs. Make sure your little one is layered and has pants!
Can you believe it? We only have two weeks left! We’re having a Winter Camp before next semester starts in January. For those of you who are new— Farm Camp is a different animal than Farm School. It’s activity driven and very fast paced. Click here to learn more and sign up!
Until then take care, take heart and enjoy your week!