Hello and thank you all for such a success filled start to our term. We are all on a steep learning curve. We can’t thank all the families enough for their positivity and genuine sense of community around our flexible learning situation.
As prep teachers’ we wanted to capitalise on our successful start to the year in term 1.
How could we transfer the wonderful feelings of welcome that we had created in our Prep Neighbourhood environments onto this new virtual experience?
This question led us to think about some of this year’s preps reactions to and questions about the heart artworks and kindness ideas left around the neighbourhood by last year’s preps.
Could we use the responses from last year’s preps to ignite a feeling of welcome here?
We have been asking the children to consider and to question their understanding of ‘Kindness’ and how we could share kindness in these unique times.
Kindness is gentle. Elspeth
My theory of how the heart works. There are 3 pipes and they are love connections. So they like help us share love around the world. And you should never keep love locked up inside, you should share it around. Zara
When the heart beats that’s what makes your body stay alive. Elspeth
I see the heart. I think the heart is beating because they are in love. I wonder if the heart stops beating when they are not in love. Miski
When it hits someone kindness and love entres them. When it’s flying through the air love and kindness will fall onto people. Jack
Everyone needs kindness. You can’t buy hugs at the shop, so you have to get them from someone you love. Alice
A real heart is different from a heart symbol. This is my drawing of a real heart inside the ribs. Are real hearts better than fake hearts? I think both can show kindness. Henry L
These documented responses have allowed us to create further provocations and workshops based on the children’s curiosities and understandings. Letter writing for kindness sharing and interest in real hearts are just some of the learning pathways that are beginning to emerge in this new space. Stay tuned.