Each day in Lower School begins with a Morning Meeting. There are greetings and messages and schedules and shares. It’s a wonderful time of connection, even at a social distance.

To me, the best part of Morning Meeting is Joys & Concerns, when students share the things that are making their hearts happy or worrying their minds. I love to see them look for the good, even as they acknowledge the bad.

Right now, there are so many concerns in our world, from the pandemic to the economy to challenges of extended time in our homes. But the joys are there too. We need those joys to sustain us as we meet the challenges head-on.

To buoy your spirits today, I bring you The Joys of Lower School:

  • the silly poems of Shel Silverstein & Jack Prelutsky
  • Morning Meetings with virtual show & shares, trivia, and games
  • STEM challenges to help Dr. Nelson’s dog Barley walk more easily and enjoy plenty of treats
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  • sending flowers to a friend to brighten her day
  • telling time on digital and analog clocks
  • working in the garden
  • virtual book clubs for fantasy books like The Hobbit, The Lightning Thief, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
  • online resources that make distance learning easier
  • extra long daily walks that the dogs love!
  • TK estimation jars and learning to make smart guesses
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  • new puppies
  • virtual field trips
  • baking cookies
  • extra afternoon time with family
  • seeing Caleb and Vidya do their first digital shares
  • sidewalk chalk messages from neighbors
  • fun with baby Camryn (She’s adorable!)
  • connecting with students every day
  • first-grade fiction stories
  • daily self-care
  • finishing a wonderful read-aloud of The Wild Robot
  • virtual choir rehearsals

What joys could you add to the list? They’re out there waiting for you.

Amie Tedeschi
Lower School Coordinator

A Sense of Community
Mornings with Kate: November 2010
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