Longhouse School

We’ve been in a lot of back-and-forth discussions about whether or not to keep the two classes (12 first graders, 12 second graders) together as one mixed-graded group of 24. Well, today we think we stumbled on a novel solution. While the weather is still nice, we will take the kids to the pool but we will divide them into the experienced swimmers and novel swimmers regardless of their grade. When Group A swims, the other one will do our daily nature walk. Then switch. It worked very well today.

Here’s a very interesting snippet of the conversation during the nature walk with Group A. We were sitting by some bushes and watching the leaves sway in the sunlight.

Dei: It’s so beautiful how the wind is making all of the leaves dance!

Lori: No, you are wrong, it’s the leaves swaying that makes the wind!

*Back and forth with more kids ringing in. Eventually they asked me who was right. I knew right away what Sukhomlynsky would advise. At this age this conversation has little to do about what is the scientifically correct answer. It’s really about the power of ideas and images. I told the kids to draw a picture of what was happening and perhaps and the artwork will lead us to the answers. They were very happy to do so.

Then I told them Aesop’s fable about the Sun and Wind arguing over who was stronger. They decided to test their strength by seeing who could make the man down the road remove his coat. The Wind blew harder and harder but the man just clutched his coat tighter and tighter. Then the Sun shone and shone and the man took off his coat.

They wanted to make up their own stories. But it was time to switch places with the swimmers. “How about if we tell our stories during rest time after you swim?” “Can we listen again to Peer Gynt?” Sure. But soon the debate about the wind and the shimmering leaves started again.

Charlie: How can you say that the shimmering leaves make the wind blow?

Mikey: Right! The wind blows the hardest in the winter, after all of the leaves have fallen down.

Lori: The leaves are the children of the trees and bushes! They have run away, never to be found. The mothers are crying out for their lost children. “Come home, children! Come home!” And their crying is what makes the wind so strong in the winter.

After Lori’s statement, we were all quiet and in thought. Other children began telling their own stories about leaves and trees. How beautiful they were!