Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends
A golden, sun-shiny welcome back to school! The rest, relaxation and quality family time that we undoubtedly all had is showing off its benefits. Our children, with suntanned, smiling faces, longer limbs, new hairstyles and wardrobes, accompanied by ever-evolving attitudes, have made their exodus back to their beloved school and friends and teachers! The whole community is abuzz with great eagerness and anticipation for this years’ journey ahead.
As a mother of four children, all of whom attend our Primary School, I can certainly attest to the sentiments of excitement to learn and discover new things and synonymously a sort of apprehension felt for the future unknown. These mixed emotions sizzled through my ‘tribe’ as we shook off holiday mode and began to prepare for the return to our school routine and rhythm. My eldest son having just entered class 7, the final year of his Junior School journey and my youngest having exited her Kindergarten years and beginning her ‘Big School’ journey. I am now so consciously renewed in my awareness of life’s transitions.
Over the course of the holidays, I spent some time preparing myself and in the latter days, my classroom, for the new constellation of children and parents received this year. As a Playgroup teacher, I, along with the assistant teacher, Zoleka, am fortunate to stand guardian and witness the process of the young child transitioning – as we strive to create a bridge between family home and school home. We begin this process every year by inviting families to an orientation tea where parents and children have an opportunity to take in the feel of the class environment and observe the teachers.
A story is prepared which serves to fortify a sense of security and comfort at this vulnerable time. We strive to encompass all the children in our care with our respect, love and compassion as they cross over this significant threshold. This year I shared with the children and their parents a floor puppet play about a little fish who was searching for a new home. His adventures take him on a journey during which he meets other ocean creatures who regrettably cannot help him to find a place to live. Finally he finds help in the swishing, dancing waves which lift him gently into a safe little rock pool. Here the water is clear and the sun shines down and the happy little fish swims around and around.
Everyday in the Playgroup is a wonderful, slowly unraveling discovery as we endeavour to really see, meet and gently guide the young souls in our care.
‘If I see you
I will laugh out loud
Or fall silent
Or explode into a thousand pieces
And if I don’t
I’ll be caught in
The stone and cement of my own prison’ By Angelis Arien
Live in love and take care
Teacher Kelly Collier