A Free Bird

For my last session on Fridays I load up my basket and head down to Megan's room, where the two of us play with the children. We make puppets, tiny nature journals, and songs for their puppets to sing. It is such a great ending to our week. I love working with Megan as much as being with the kids, and they are liking this a whole lot too.

We are well on our way with the big lamp making project - do they look focused?! Others are coming to the art room asking to make their own. Yes! We'll be able to do that next year (here is where I give a shout to the generosity of our donors, who have made it possible to buy materials for this and many other projects). I'm pretty sure there's not another elementary school where children get to make electric lamps from scratch.

Kazue has been coming in to help - bless her kind and generous heart!

Next week we'll stitch their watercolors to the lamp shade frames, put felt on the bottoms of the lamps, and light up! Meanwhile the gourds are also coming along beautifully.

First/second graders are still drawing, painting and sculpting birds. Back in their class with Ms. Melody they are beginning to learn some birdy poetry.

    I look at our kids, they are so busy, rambunctious and vibrant . . . here is part of a poem for you to enjoy - it so describes what we all hope for all our children.

A free bird leaps

on the back of the wind   

and floats downstream   

till the current ends

and dips his wing

in the orange sun rays

and dares to claim the sky. 

Maya Angelou