Holywood Steiner School - Class Two

Move along now!

2009-09-09T20:26:00.001-07:00

Class two's blog is now closed...we've moved to class three...follow us from there!

Summer celebrations

2009-06-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

I apologise for the dreadful quality of the pictures, but the day itself was pretty wonderful. The atmosphere was fantastic, the money taken was decent and the clean up afterwards went smoothly and with loads of help. Thank you to everyone who helped and the kids who played, laughed and made the day simply magic.

Decoration on the notice/seasonal board

The restaurant - its empty! - because everyone was outside eating...

The kitchen - constantly flowing with food, humour and goodwill - and washing up liquid...

Yvonne and Nigel - and tables gracefully groaning with food.

Here are pictures from the art exhibition... this one is based on the graveyards in Holywood - it says Nature takes back what it lost...

Notes on how the project evolved...

Line drawings and architectural study.

Silhouette as part of an installation preparation.

Parents hanging out in the garden.

Manga in the exhibition.

This pinecone is three times the size a human being. It was incredible being in its presence.

At the playground of Playschool

Children hang out at the basketball court

Three billy goats gruff - with potatoes...

Chicks and friends...the Easter festival

2009-04-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

What could we say about the Easter Festival this year? It was amazing, as usual. The sun shone and the crowds turned up - and we made more money this year than we did last. So thank you to all who contributed and turned up and spent your dosh. The school really does appreciate every single thing we do get through.

Sarah and family at the cafe...

Now there's a happy bunch...

Yum!

Easter buns, with bluebell fairy and lamb cake...which was raffled. We raised amost £50 at this stall alone.

The entire school is an art gallery of the children's work.

Part of the Easter branches decoration

The colours of the class and age - class 6 - depict the vibrance of the light as it fades in the evening light. Watercolour lends a dreamy feel to it, giving the actual texture of being of that age.

There are no textbooks. Everything is drawn by the student - and researched and written up. As they do this, they realise that everyone is an artist and they are able to incarnate their own individual consciousness through their bodies and therefore relate deeply and meaningfully to others around them in a creative and caring way.

Two selections from the crafts stall...chicks and forget me nots in a recycled tea cup. How the simple is naturally lovely.

No where on planet earth will you see adults get more excited about decorating eggs, i promise!

And kids get quite excited sometimes too!

Here's a depiction of the threats facing the natural world - in this case a panda bear ponders over it's reduced supper.

Our kids relax in the sunshine and snaffle a waffle or two...

Over a few weeks a hut appeared at the foot of the tree. It was at first a bird hide and then became something much more amazing. By the time Easter festival took place, it was untouchable and the kids got to keep the hut.

Our school is beautiful, there is no doubt about that. Not big and brassy or clipped to within an inch of life - but overflowing and organic and nuturing beautiful. And nowhere is it more apparent than in the kindergarten. Thank you to everyone who donated those daffodill bulbs.

Angels look after the bathroom in kindergarten.

Nature table with daffodill fairy and flowers...

Blossoms from Jacinta's garden

Window boxes glow with spring...

Easter chicks being sewn.

Concentration and admiration.

At the hut - and the favourite well loved tree.

The grounds looked spectacular!

Easter baskets with beeswax and grass seeds.

Eggs for the Easter baskets. To all of us who ate our way through dozens of eggs, well done!

Easter baskets being made.

The palm sunday branches with the Easter cock lends a real festive atmosphere to the school.

Another one...

And we can't get enough of them!

Beautiful decorated eggs at the egg dipping stall.

Here we make the Easter branches

Let your friends know about the website and that they can see the festival and its highlights on line. It was magic!

Lights, camera, birdballs!

2009-01-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

The class today helped me to launch the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch. They were so sweet...they also launched their WEX group today. You should see the stuff that Dona''s already been doing with them. Stunning, stunning drawings, and load of great activities!!! I was so touched when they told me what their favourite birds are. And Micah kept on saying, I'm a member of the RSPB so proudly!!! You sure are Micah!

St Michael Song and Play

2009-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Found this while clearing out the camera. Just a bit of autumnal warmth in the middle of winter!

New beginnings

2008-12-07T14:28:00.001-08:00

Advent. Our most wonderful festival. And we turned out in full force to make it once again, the best Advent celebrations in the whole of Northern Ireland, if i do say so myself. The food was second to none, the craft workshops were amazing and top notch, the crafts on sale impeccable and the support for the parents and teachers were unmatched. Here are some of the highlights from the day. Enjoy! I apologise for not having the carols at the end of the evening - they were exquisite, but i had run out of memory! And Ghin was sleeping in my arms making any photo taking impossible.

Ringing the bells for advent AND climate change. Class 11 Bell Choir.

The packed stairway in Upper School at the start of the celebrations

Jacob lights the first advent candle with some assistance from Ed.

The Walnut Boats. I'm really pleased that i managed to get some shots of these. It's a magical world of water, fire and moss. Like some place in Middle Earth.

Lucy and Okowe show the best way to share a meal is with a friend.

The gingerbread house that we raffled. I'm not sure if i'll have it again next year. It nearly killed me to see all those disappointed faces who didn't win!

The restaurant where all our yummu food is served. The tables were decorated with gold stars and red ribbons. How such a small parent teacher body can produce such talent will always be part of the Steiner miracle for me.

This year we had so much of food that the clean up team were well supplied on the Sunday for lunch!

Paper stars adorned the whole school, creating an etheral stained glass glow in the rooms.

Craft activities in the school hall. Badge making was made with watercolour paintings done by the students over the year.

Students take part in the activities, showing how to combine geometry with beauty here.

Beeswax nativity sculptures

Johnny, Angela and Amelie check each other out in the cafe.

Yvonne and Megs make sure that Operation Traybakes goes without a hitch.

Politician and mince pie salesman, John Barry flogs his wares to an unsuspecting crowd.

Kathleen, the high keeper of the crafts group dispenses her fluffy confections to an adoring audience.

Ah, the piece de resistance for this year's woodwork class - the nativity scene. If you look back at the Open Day, you will see the shepherd being worked on. The scene is almost complete and so many people stopped to admire it. A woodturner was besotted with the results - as were we all.

Angela stocks up on her bedside reading.

At the Glencraig stall, Siggy indulges in some philosophical meditation as he ignores the camera.

Students sold a lot of their own stuff as well this year. Here is Class 10's stall.

I know you all want to see what else there was on the crafts stall. Prepare for an Awwwwwwww!!!! attack.

This is not the stall - apologies, the photos got switched.

That's better...the star children who are coming down to earth. See, i told you... awwwwww!!!!!

Many past pupils were also there. It was a reunion of sorts for many, many students. It was also heartening to see families who had recently been part of the school also turn up, keeping in touch with the larger family.

Just a couple of shots to remind us what a lovely day it was. Frosty and bright with lots and lots and lots of winter sunshine.

A BIIIIGGGG thank you to everyone who has been part of the school - you have all made this incredible place and space possible. And for those who are interested, the takings, which were still coming in today, were up from last year. At a time of the credit crunch and with so much going on now in Belfast and Holywood, it was a testimony to the school's reputation for putting on a great event.

Saints and scholars

2008-12-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks in the run up to Advent, the class concentrated on their Main Lesson in English through the lives of the saints. I was astonished to see the number of saints they had covered in their daily work - St Elizabeth of Hungary, St Giles, St Francis and of course, St Martin, to name but a few. Since i am not entirely au fait with all these saints, it was a real delight for me to view their work and see the amazing young people they are and are becoming. I was especially delighted with the little clay sculptures which they had made, vignettes of St Martin which were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and essence of the story. The confluence of ethics and exercise has been an amazing one for me to experience and because Oisin never brings homework back, it is sometimes easy to miss the sheer amount that they do go through while they are at school.

Oisin made this wee hut at home one morning and he took it to school. It has since been occupied by two wee gnomies.

Vignettes from St Martin's life. They all depict St Martin's encounter with the beggar. It was noticeable that many of the Saints which they were studying were those who cared for the poor and hungry.

St Martin divides his cloak in half.

This one has St Martin riding through the wind and snow. They sing this beautiful song at this time of the year about St Martin.

Saint Martin
Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Saint Martin rode through wind and snow
On his strong horse, his heart aglow
He rode so boldly through the storm
His large cloak kept him well and warm

By the roadside, by the roadside, by the roadside a poor man arose
Out of the snow in tattered clothes
"I beg you help me in my plight, or else I'll die of cold tonight."

Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Saint Martin stopped his horse
And drew his sword and cut his cloak in two
One half to the beggar man he gave and by this deed his life did save.

The beggar and the horse.

This was such a sweet little thing on Donna's desk. With the study of colour, it was just so delicious on a silent, empty Friday November afternoon in the classroom.

St Francis talks to the wolf.

Their writing book.

Elizabeth of Hungary

St Francise again

Here he is with the birds.

Here's the fable of the dog whole swallowed a shellfish.

Form drawings

Preparing the stars for advent

This one's of Paddy Woods who was selling waffles in St George's Market! All those festivals have now gone into something fairly entrepreneual. Go Paddy!

The preperations for Advent continue apace as well. One of the things which has become more and more important for me as a parent and a person in the school are the Festivals. Sure, they are a critical fundraising exercises, but more than that, they are a vital way in which the children experience community. They are the crest of the waves, the peaks in the rhythm of the year. As i have watched them over the years prepare for the festivals, i know that they are doing more than simply receiving an education. They are learning to work as a society, an organic and harmonic whole. As they prepare the grounds, clean the classrooms, indulge in serious spring cleaning and making decorations, they are receiving silent lessons about themselves as human beings. They are also building an excitement within them, a real anticipation about the school and their friends and families coming together to celebrate the year. For these reasons, and more, the festivals are not just PR, marketing and money making exercises. However, there must always be balance, and it is also vital that we do keep an eye on the bottom line when we do organise it. And it is this balancing act which i have watched over the years, which i have come to appreciate, anticipate and enjoy as a member of the school community. To the dedicated and talented, caring and tireless teachers, i must say thank you.

Open Morning

2008-11-16T03:58:00.000-08:00

The Open Morning went really well with a good number of families coming to view the school. There was a talk at 10 followed by a showing around. While teachers stayed in the classes, the older children showed families round the school. Surely the best testimony to the faith that we have in the school and the kids that come here.

Here are some of the highlights of the school on the day. A biiiig thank you to all who turned up and who made the day so special.

Art Room

Plato meets Kodak. The door of the darkroom.

Danny La Roux.

Screen painting

Yes, we do use chairs!

Wool room
If you've not been to the wool room, you're in for a treat. Here Linda puts together the most amazing pieces from scratch. Wool is washed, carded, spun, felted, - whatever you can do to wool is done here.

Different varities from different kinds of sheep.

Wool that's been washed. Ready to be treated, etc.

Spinning song.

The loom

No wool, no problem. Rag rugs recycle old cloth.

Drum carder

Felting

Making a waistcoat.

Felt slippers

Woodwork
You may or may not know that children start doing woodwork from Class 5 onwards.

This is class 5's first project - a christmas mobile. The children have designed and sawn the pieces themselves. It will then be sanded down and then decorated and painted with glitter varnish.

Something a bit more complicated for Class 10. A christmas nativity set. The wood was donated by Lara McCann and comes from her orchard - ash, perfect for working with.

Luke de Villanuve the woodwork teacher and sculptor, gives a hand to the finishing touches with a stool.

Doing the shepherd.

Music Room

A warm, cosy music room is well used by all Classes from One upwards. Doubtless it has seen countless reditions of Speed Bonny Boat..

Julie and Sophie showcase the work done in Class 9, the age of revolution.

In Class 7, energy is being studied.

Ed Galloway chats with grandparents and parents of Class 2.

Class 2's work on creation - Okowe's Tree of Life.

They are looking at houses in Class 2 now - our habitation and how we relate to our environment.

Our Nancy as she greets all comers to the Morning.

Our resident office troll.

Class Two, looking good.

Times tables which were done over the past year reflect the colour and excitement of fall and fireworks.

Relating geometry to maths.

The wee nature table.

St Martin 'action figures'

Class Five - botany and civilsations

Prepare to be blown away by fungi!

Saoirse with her work

Playgroup

Kindergarten

Martinmas

2008-11-16T03:29:00.001-08:00

Is there a more delightful way to welcome the winter than the Martinmas festivities and walk? The children gather in the Assembly hall to watch the St Martin play put on by Class Two. After the play, children and parents from kindergarten to Class Four form an orderly queue and sing the lantern song and head off towards the woods. The photos don't really do the magical evening justice. We were also accompanied by an almost full moon and shone down on the little gathering as it meandered through the forests, guided by tealights in glass jars, and a thread of sweet singing.

Children sit down for biscuits and juice after the walk.

The parade heads down the hill.

Martin stands up to his general.

He is visited by the beggar whom he gave half his cloak to in the form of Jesus.

The lanterns are lit and ready.

Class Two take their positions

I go with my little lantern, my lantern is going with me
In heaven the stars are shining, on earth shine my lanterns for me
The cock doth crow, the cat meows,
Lantern shining,
A bimble a bimble a boo.

Class Two take their English lesson on St Martin.

The story of St Martin from the Book of Days
Martinmas St. Martin, the son of a Roman military tribune, was born at Sabaria, in Hungary, about 316. From his earliest infancy, he was remarkable for mildness of disposition; yet he was obliged to become a soldier, a profession most uncongenial to his natural character. After several years' service, he retired into solitude, from whence he was withdrawn, by being elected bishop of Tours, in the year 374. The zeal and piety he displayed in this office were most exemplary. He converted the whole of his diocese to Christianity, overthrowing the ancient pagan temples, and erecting churches in their stead.

From the great success of his pious endeavours, Martin has been styled the Apostle of the Gauls; and, being the first confessor to whom the Latin Church offered public prayers, he is distinguished as the father of that church. In remembrance of his original profession, he is also frequently denominated the Soldier Saint.

The principal legend, connected with St. Martin, forms the subject of our illustration, which represents the saint, when a soldier, dividing his cloak with a poor naked beggar, whom he found perishing with cold at the gate of Amiens. This cloak, being most miraculously preserved, long formed one of the holiest and most valued relics of France; when war was declared, it was carried before the French monarchs, as a sacred banner, and never failed to assure a certain victory. The oratory in which this cloak or cape—in French, chape—was preserved, acquired, in consequence, the name of chapelle, the person intrusted with its care being termed chapelain: and thus, according to Collin de Plancy, our English words chapel and chaplain are derived. The canons of St. Martin of Tours and St. Gratian had a lawsuit, for sixty years, about a sleeve of this cloak, each claiming it as their property. The Count Larochefoucalt, at last, put an end to the proceedings, by sacrilegiously committing the contested relic to the flames.

Another legend of St. Martin is connected with one of those literary curiosities termed a palindrome. Martin, having occasion to visit Rome, set out to perform the journey thither on foot. Satan, meeting him on the way, taunted the holy man for not using a conveyance more suitable to a bishop. In an instant the saint changed the Old Serpent into a mule, and jumping on its back, trotted comfortably along. Whenever the transformed demon slackened pace, Martin, by making the sign of the cross, urged it to full speed. At last, Satan utterly defeated, exclaimed:

Signa, te Signa,: temere me tangis et angis:
Roma tibi subito motibus ibit amor.'

In English—

'Cross, cross thyself: thou plaguest and vexest me without necessity;
for, owing to my exertions, thou wilt soon reach Rome, the object of thy wishes.'

The singularity of this distich, consists in its being palindromical—that is, the same, whether read backwards or forwards. Angis, the last word of the first line, when read backwards, forming signet, and the other words admitting of being reversed, in a similar manner.

The festival of St. Martin, happening at that season when the new wines of the year are drawn from the lees and tasted, when cattle are killed for winter food, and fat geese are in their prime, is held as a feast-day over most parts of Christendom. On the ancient clog almanacs, the day is marked by the figure of a goose; our bird of Michaelmas being, on the continent, sacrificed at Martinmas.

In Scotland and the north of England, a fat ox is called a mart, clearly from Martinmas, the usual time when beeves are killed for winter use. In 'Tusser's Husbandry, we read: When Easter comes, who knows not then, That veal and bacon is the man? And Martilmass beef doth bear good tack, When country folic do dainties lack.' Barnaby Googe's translation of Neogeorgus, shews us how Martinmas was kept in Germany, towards the latter part of the fifteenth century

'To belly chear, yet once again,
Doth Martin more incline,
Whom all the people worshippeth
With roasted geese and wine.
Both all the day long, and the night,
Now each man open makes
His vessels all, and of the must,
Oft times, the last he takes,
Which holy Martin afterwards
Alloweth to be wine,
Therefore they him, unto the skies,
Extol with praise divine.'

A genial saint, like Martin, might naturally be expected to become popular in England; and there are no less than seven churches in London and Westminster, alone, dedicated to him. There is certainly more than a resemblance between the Vinalia of the Romans, and the Martinalia of the medieval period. Indeed, an old ecclesiastical calendar, quoted by Brand, expressly states under 11th November: 'The Vinalia, a feast of the ancients, removed to this day. Bacchus in the figure of Martin.' And thus, probably, it happened, that the beggars were taken from St. Martin, and placed under the protection of St. Giles; while the former became the patron saint of publicans, tavern-keepers, and other 'dispensers of good eating and drinking. In the hall of the Vintners' Company of London, paintings and statues of St. Martin and Bacchus reign amicably together side by side.

On the inauguration, as lord mayor, of Sir Samuel Dashwood, an honoured vintner, in 1702, the company had a grand processional pageant, the most conspicuous figure in which was their patron saint, Martin, arrayed, cap-à-pie, in a magnificent suit of polished armour; wearing a costly scarlet cloak, and mounted on a richly plumed and caparisoned white charger: two esquires, in rich liveries, walking at each side. Twenty satyrs danced before him, beating tambours, and preceded by ten halberdiers, with rural music. Ten Roman lictors, wearing silver helmets, and carrying axes and fasces, gave an air of classical dignity to the procession, and, with the satyrs, sustained the bacchanalian idea of the affair. A multitude of beggars, 'howling most lamentably,' followed the warlike saint, till the procession stopped in St. Paul's Churchyard. Then Martin, or his representative at least, drawing his sword., cut his rich scarlet cloak in many pieces, which he distributed among the beggars. This ceremony being duly and gravely performed, the lamentable howlings ceased, and the procession resumed its course to Guildhall, where Queen Anne graciously condescended to dine with the new lord mayor.

The King of Ireland's son is read as part of story time and main lesson now.

Lanterns are made ready through the week.

Here's a link on Form drawing and why it is done. Examples of form drawing follow from the class' work through the year.

Woolly jumpers

2008-11-16T03:29:00.000-08:00

As part of their knitting lesson, the kids took off to the Folk and Transport Museum to see how wool was made.

Here are the highlights of the trip.

Group shots of the class.

Horsing around

Sweetest things

Murmuring about

Nathan and Micah get ready for Halloween

Once and future farmers of Ireland

Drop spinning

Carding wool

In the footsteps of Michael

2008-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Over the last Michael term, we immersed ourselves the challenges and the theme of Michael went on with saints that had been inspired by Michael as well. Many of these, like St Joan, St Colum and St Margaret heard Michael's call and set forth to discover their higher selves while contributing to society. During this time, they did their time tables and went all the way up to eight.

Images of the saints. Here's Saint Joan. In this exercise the children draw an image and write their own sentence. It is not corrected. The exercise is to give the children a sense of what sentence making is like and to instill confidence in them as they set forth on their own exciting quest.

It is the season for challenges, so they spent much of the week with games - and conkering their fears. Class group shot of the conker competition. With some knitting thrown in for good measure!

Michaelmas, the day of challenges

2008-09-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Michaelmas on Friday last and here are the highlights. Needless to say that the performace went beautifully and no one got stagefright. In fact each one was a star and all cues were remembered. Pretty impressive considering that they performed in front of the whole school!!!

We had to come to school EXTRA EARLY to dress up. The entire class was a buzz and everyone was proverbially 'off their heads'.

Nathan was St Michael and Jago the dragon.

Somewhere in the Steiner archive i have a shot exactly like this one, except it was taken three years ago. I can't believe we've been at the school for four years now...

That's Jacob who gave a great performance as the irate villager who told the king where to shove it when he refused to give up his daughter to the dragon.

Donna is currently being mentored by Crystal and soon the classes on anthroposophic education will begin soon - second week of October. She'll also be doing art classes at the end of October and be sent to a school in England to observe class two there. But she's doing grand work, as you can already tell. Here's another autumn verse which the kinds have been learning.

If we go down to the woods today...

The crowd gathers.

The children recite the colours of autumn.

Observe, the knight in shining armour.

The challenges ahead

2008-09-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Last week's drawing of St Michael in his colours and aspect.

The last two weeks have been filled with the activity of autumn. The work in the classrooms have been mirrored in the work in the wider world. The mood of class two is perfectly captured in the song of St Michael which they'll be singing with class three on Friday at Assembly.

In autumn St Michael, with sword and with sheild
Passes over meadows, the orchards and fields
He's on his way to battle 'gainst darkness and strife,
He is the heavenly warrior, Protector of Life.

The harvest let us gather with St Michael's aid.
The light he sheddeth fails not, nor does it fade.
and when the corn is cut and the meadows are bare
We'll don St Michael's armour, and onwards we'll fare.

We are St Michael's warriors, with strong heart and mind
We forge our way through darkness, St Michael to find
And there he stands in glory, St Michael we pray
So send us into battle, and show us the way.

At this point i must pause to say that it is this which i find so important in the ethos of the school. This celebration of the seasons which eddies and crests, like a wave. As the light fades at the equinox, St Michael who embodies challenge and strength, is their guide into winter. They celebrate the end of autumn with a harvest feast and games and they prepare to light the candles in the darkness as the darkness draws in. The next celebration will be the lighting of the lamps at Halloween or Martinmas, followed by Advent and then Christmas. In this was, in this overly commercialised and secular world, the children are given this wonderful gift of awe, mystery, wonder and reverence for the natural world and the world about them. The narrative follows one which is rooted in the natural rhythms of the seasons. They make connections between themselves and their ecology. And they do it in a magical, non-pedantic way.

One of the verses on St Michael written as part of the English main lesson.

Here the children made up their own sentences and drew St Michael and the dragon.

Much work has gone into the poems and verses, as well as the costumes, where the children continue to practice their motor skills and come together as a class to create what seems to sound like a little masterpiece. I can't wait to see it!

Out in the grounds, Liz has been putting them through their gardening paces with basic tool care. Last week and this week they gathered what there was of the vegetables which had grown over the very WET and SOGGY summer. By the sounds of it the slugs got the lion's share of the takings. However, blackberries and elderberries were also gathered and this week, Liz made jam with them. She told me how they also managed to collect some sour apples and the last i spoke to her she was waiting to see if the bottles had set overnight.

Along with the skipping and the beanbags, the music - they're learning to play Speed Bonny Boat on the recorder - and the eurhythmy, the gym and the tearing about in the woods, life goes on pretty much as normal. It seems pretty wonderful when Oisin begins to start reading now. What does that say mom? he'll ask. And i'll say, well what do you think it says? And he'll attempt the word. It's difficult not to compare at this stage and feel that reading is an organic, gentle activity, a world a way from when i was growing up and it was drilled into us.

So the next posting will have the pictures from the play. And i'm sorry that there are no photos of the kids again, but it will be unavoidable in the next posting.

PS: The herbs which we generously donated by Camphill are now doing excellently! The sorrel, chives and sage are thriving in the planters and beds. They look absolutely fantastic!! Thank you Tony!!!

Preparations for St Michael

2008-09-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

St Michael is an important figure at this time of the year. He embodies will, courage, acheivement, motivation and activation. He also is the bringer of the gift of patience. And he is also locally in this bit of the world, seen as St George. I know St George is English, but he is also from this bit of the world. So this week the children, in addition (hee hee) to learning their 2 timestables, also worked at bringing St Michael to life.

In autumn St Michael with sword and with sheild
He passes over meadows and orchards and fields
He's on his way to battle against darkness and strife
He is a heavenly warrior, Protector of Light.

Here are the drawings of beans for the 2 times tables.

Back to school!!!!

2008-09-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Class two began with the introduction of new class teacher, Donna-Marie. We came back last Friday and already a week has flown. I was out weeding the school grounds, when i saw the kids coming out, first thing to do their skipping. Then later on during the week, they went black berrying. Because Donna was new, i didn't want to impose - so it was only at the end of the first week, that we decided that it would be fine to take pictures and get them up on the net. So here are the first shots from the year. I apologise that we didn't get too many of the kids, but i think we'll get that done in the coming week.

What would the school be without flowers? Here the children drew flowers they collected from the garden. As always that link between the external and personal is made from the very start. And of course that peachy colour is the colour of class two, the emergence from the pinky rosy colours of kindergarten and class one.

Our nature table with the blackberry fairy looking after the blackberries they collected.

A clearer shot of the table. Draped in the colours of autumn.

Ruth and Lara spent a few goodly hours getting the class room ready. In her pregnant state and with child by her side, Lara and Ruth, respectively, painted the whole class and scrubbed and polished the floor. We had a little picnic to celebrate on Thursday and the final touch was the picture of St Francis and the birds, which is the main picture for class two. It captures the lessons which the saint and animals have to teach us - from the saints and the animals we learn about ethics and morality, but in a non-dogmatic manner. It also reinforces the connection the child has with te spiritual and the world around them, which is a continuation with the fairies and gnomes and nature spirits of last year.

Here she is, Donna - her efforts have been greatly appreciated by the children, teachers and parents alike. On the left side is the drawing of St Michael, for Michalmas. And on the right a poem about the wind and autumn. We look forward to the challenges of this year!

Already this week, they read and discussed the fox and the sour grapes from Aesop's fables. Donna gave them a background on who Aesop was and there were several hours devoted to the discussion of the story, the traits of foxes and what the children thought themselves about its behaviour. I forgot to say that the main lesson was English this week.

As part of the main lesson they worked on a poem called blackberry time. Here's Oisin's work on that.

That's Iseult's

Here's the poem they copied from the board about autumn and St Michael.

To see how far they had come with their sums since she wasn't there last year, Donna set them a little exercise. Images and aesthetics ae extremely important, especially when it comes to maths!!! Donna said that there was great enthusiasm when she showed them the board with the beanstalk picture on it. And in fact there has been so much enthusiasm for homework - which they asked for themselves - that she is giving them six words a week to learn. Isn't that sweet?

Finally, the school being what it is, has required some fine tuning over the week in weeding and pruning. I've been working along side Liz the new gardening teacher, kindly paid for by the Children in Need. She has wrought wonders with the place. From the veg patch which had to be abandoned due to the art portacabin falling in, she has salvaged not only these vegetables, but with the assistance of the older kids and Luke, the Grounds and Woodwork teacher and Nathan's dad, the entire garden and some.

Here she is with the flowers she found there...