A tiny babe in a manger lay

Tonight's entry is the continuation of our festival of the lights ceremonies that we are currently celebrating in our classroom for Christmas. We have traveled to Italy to discover the mysteries surrounding the creche scene and the birth of Christ. Saint Francis of Assisi  is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223.   

A few years ago, I added this tradition back into my classroom as a celebration of Christ's birth and the true meaning of Christmas. For the young child it is that joyful expectation of the birthday, that lies ahead. 

One of my favorite songs written for the Christmas Season is one that J. Donald Walters wrote that we sing each Christmas in our temple and community. It is called the Christmas Mystery. 

These are the cards that the children select their parts from our play. 

I wanted to share with you the words and the pictures that I took this week, as we acted out our sweet play to celebrate the birth of Christ.  At the end of the play, we switched all the children around several times so they could experience different parts. We ended the day, working on our creche scene ornaments that the children will take home and hang on their Christmas trees. 

Long ago there was a little shed,

There three mighty kings did bow their heads

To a gentle babe of low degree,

Whom men call the son of Mary.

Who tell to me this mystery?

How a tiny babe in a manager laid

Could so many hearts to love persuade

This holy son of Mary. 

Shepherd's came and knelt in wonder there,

Seeing him in light beyond compare,

And his eyes that told them all love was he

Whom men called the son of Mary.

Wonderful it was that Christmas Day,

How from far and near they came to pray,

How far they glimpsed his majesty

Whom men called the son of Mary.

Could it be that in that little one,

Spirits universal love did shine?

If it's true, he lives in you and me

Whom men call the son of Mary.

                               
  We ended this special day creating our ornaments and singing.

Silent Night from chandi holliman on Vimeo.


Joyful Blessings,
Chandi 

May this day be merry and bright

 At this time of the year children begin to ask all types of interesting questions. Isn't it fun?

 You can see their little minds are just churning away. 

How does Santa Claus really get from the North Pole on a sleigh? Does he really exist? I also love to watch the older children just go along with the fairy tales just to rekindle the familiar warmth of their childhood memories. I can't really remember when my children were told about Santa Claus?  Naturally I try to stay clear of anything commercial in my classroom and inspire the children's imaginations.

I believe that as a parent you just have to be ready each Christmas for that ultimate question and be able to think fast on your feet. Are you willing to tell the truth or play along with the child's imagination of believing in our myths and fables that we are accustomed to during the holidays?

While we were in class this past week, the children began to tell the story of Santa Claus that has been passed down from generation to generation. I was trying to tell them one of the fables that has been told about Saint Nicolas. 

Some of the children blurted out,"They are the same, Chandi." I said. "Santa Claus and Saint Nicolas are the same? Interesting? How do we know?' They all jumped in with their answers. 

I began to tell them that the story of Saint Nicolas is a folktale.  The folktale is a story, passed down verbally from generation to generation. Each storyteller tells the stories a little differently, making them more interesting and fascinating as the ages passed. Different folktales bear the characteristics of the culture, folklore and customs of the people from which they originate.

Intentionally in the Education for Life methodology we try to make teachings practical and real for children. I had to come up with something fast to make my point. This is called a direct experience using a practical method . So all at once I thought of the game,"Telephone". Maybe this will bring out the point of teaching about fables and folktales. 

I had all the children gather in a circle. I started the game, gently whispering a small part of the Saint Nicolas story immediately to my right. Then that child told the story to the partner on his right, thus continuing around the circle. When it got about half way through the circle, the whispers became completely different. Joyful smiles appeared along with silly glances towards me as they whispered. 

 In our anticipation a new part of the story had just began. As it went completely around the circle, there were many joyful laughs and surprises. The story was always very different from the one that was first whispered. The children love this game and they could quickly experience how a story could change over the course of many years and even centuries. 

Christmas is for the children. I love the familiar stories but also the sheer delight of the little daily experiences that make Christmas magical.  I am blessed to be in their company.

May this day be merry and bright.

Until tomorrow. 

 

O Moon, Full Moon

O moon, full moon
You are very white,
Everything looks beautiful
Under your light.... 

 I wish I could say, the moon was visable this evening but it was overcast in Seattle.  This doesn't damper our spirits though at the Living Wisdom School. We love celebrating the full moon each month in our classroom. Today was no exception.

We began the day, with a story about the "Milky Way . This is such a wonderful story and stirs their little imaginations. 

We followed up the story with our morning activities. We had our activity stations set up and the children rotated through the each one.

 Today we had a new galaxy play dough, which was shared by my friend and colleague, Sally Haughey@.http://fairydustteaching.blogspot.com/ What a hit this was. A galaxy of stars and moons.

The next activity was counting moons in the galaxy. Our pre-kindergarten class is practicing how to cut, paste and they love to explore all types of art materials. These were silver moons that each child cut. They were self- sticking metalic paper. They used white pencils for writing the amounts of stars and moons they counted today.

The final activity were making our traditional moon biscuits. They love cooking in our classroom.

To finish out the day, our "full moon", guided our parade down the hallway.  

Another joyfilled day in our classroom by exploring the galaxy and the space that expands into the heavens. 

Happy full moon day.

Come Gather Round/ Books for the Holidays/ Free Giveaway

Christmas is just around the corner and parents are beginning to ask me, "Do you have any suggestions for good spiritual stories for my child?" I have loved children's literature over the years and now many of my favorites I read in my classroom, or at home to my grandchildren. My favorite stories have a theme or a spiritual quality that I'm trying to convey to the children.

There are many things I look for in children's literature. But here are some guidelines that I use when selecting books.  These are some of the questions that go through my mind, when I am quietly selecting a new story. 

         1. Are the illustrations beautiful? Do they uplift the spirit? Do I gain a greater insight from the story 

              through the artwork? Is the technique that the artist's used something we might be able to expand on?  Might the story be used for dramatic play, games, or by exploring additional art techniques? Can it create a week/ month-long theme for learning at home or in the classroom?

         2. Does the story uplift the child's spirit? I have seen some wonderful books that are beautifully 

              illustrated but the story leaves you a tad bit puzzled?

        3.  Do children love it so much they ask for it again and again to read it?. That is the real clincher.

I also do not select books with cartoon, movie or television characters. I am a firm believer in uplifting each child with beauty, color, imagination and uplifting joy. 

We are approaching a mile stone in my blogging history this month. The "Inside Out" blog has almost reached 10,000 page-views. I am so humbled and would personally like to thank each and everyone that has occasionally stopped to read this blog. 

As my thank you, for the person, who I can tell is the 10,000 visitor to read my blog this month I will send one of my favorite books from the list below. Please leave your name with a comment below. Did I leave your favorite book out?

This books I have used several times and have created Education for Life themes around the qualities expressed in the books.

Below are a few of my favorites.                                    Qualities, Themes 

• All the rainbow fish books   Marcus Pfister                 Friendships, forgiveness, sharing, love
• Holey Moley              Marcus Pfister                       JOY, love, cooperation,
• Milo and the Magic Stones “   “”                             Choices, joy, service to others
• The Little yellow leaf   Carin Berger                         Seasons, friendship, expansion
• Badgers Bad Mood  Hiawyn Oram/ Susan Varley    Friendship, creating good habits
• Angels, Angels, Everywhere   De Paola                    Love, joy, expansion, wonder 
• Art Lesson                              De Paola                   JOY, love of art, friendships 
• Diamonds in the Snow          Marcus Pfister               Light, nature, winter, seasons
• Gift of Nothing           Patrick McDonnell                  Your presence of love is the gift
• Just like Heaven            “”           “”                           Love all around us, even on earth
• Grandfather Twilight        Berger                                Light, wonder, nature
• Oma's Quilt                     Bourgeois                          Love, change, excepting life
• Big All Series and Shrimpy  Clements                       True friendships, courage, love
• Brave Charlotte Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson    Courage, faith, Do it now, joy 
• Moles' Music David McPhail                                    Inspiration, music, expansion
• The Kissing Hand        Audry Penn                            First day / school Mothers love!   
• You are Special         Max Lucia                                Self esteem,                                                  
• Each Breath I Smile    Thich Nhat Hahn                     Meditations, nature, peace
• Great Kapok Tree      Lynne Cherry                          Endangered species, love for all
• Everybody needs a Rock  Byrd Baylor                     Nature, earth, deep understanding
• Mother Earth     Sibylle von Olfers                            Earth, contentment, acceptance
• Story of the Root Children Sibylle von Olfers            The story of the Season
• Fox makes Friends   Adam Reif                             Friendship book for the beginning of school year
• Little Yoga (Toddler Book)                                       Yoga Book
• Gossie and Gertie Oliver Dunrea                                Toddler friendships
• Photographer Mole Dennis Haseley                           Happiness, joy, families
• Chubbos Pool        Betsy Lewin                                 Happiness, joy, friendship
• My love for you all year long                                     Nice collage book on loving.
• “Little Cloud “          Eric Carles                                Art calmess, peace, stillness
• Om Baby    Schamet Horsfield                                 Community, Peace, Harmony                    
• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves  Rawlinson               Fall, love, nature, acceptance
•   Stone Soup   Jon Muth                                          Building Community, Harmony                  

                                                                 

   For Older Children

• Monkeys and the Mango Tree                              Indian Stories and Parables
• Tenzin’s Deer    Barbara Soros                              Harmony, love, wisdom
• Zen Shorts  Jon Muth
• Little Secret of Friendship  J. Donald Walters        Focus one a day.                                                
• The Little Troll     Thomas Berger                          Friendship, service, expansion
• The Gardener          S.Stewart                              Love, faith, serving,joy under all circumstances      Caldecott Award Winner
• The Three Questions  Jon Muth                             Expansion,service, harmony, peace          

                     
I hope this can give you a starting point for some new literature to share with your family this holiday season. 

Please leave a comment if I have left your favorite storybook off my list. 
I will continue to write book reviews for these and others on my favorite lists in the coming weeks. 
 

                                                                        

Children and nature dancing together

This past month Nitai Deranja was visiting our school. Nitai is the founder of the Living Wisdom Schools and is currently on the faculty at the Ananda College of Living Wisdom in Gaston, Oregon.

 I had asked Nitai to join us, during our afternoon circle time. The children had been practicing a new chant and I wanted to share it with Nitai. 

It was late in our morning and we found the day zooming by.  All the children had not ventured outside yet when I realized we would be concluding our closing circle time outside in the playground  instead.

As a teacher, you try to plan spiritual activities daily for young children to uplift their consciousness and spread joy. Today was one of those times, when  Divine Mother planned her activity for us. We were just a witness to her beauty.

 See the description below written by: Nitai

 We walked out into a beautiful nature area for the close of the preschool session for the day. As we stepped onto the grass, the sun peeked around the clouds to give enough warmth for the children to begin shedding there jackets and sweaters. A slight gust of wind caused one of the trees towering over our heads to shed many of its bright yellow leaves. They came swirling down upon us in great arching circles. The children lifted their hands and began running and laughing in their attempts to catch the leaves. Their faces were lit with a sense of excitement and wonder. When the wind paused, everyone started picking up handfuls of leaves from the ground and tossing them up again over our heads. After about 10 minutes the teacher called everyone over for the closing circle. The children lead a song called “O God Beautiful”, complete with hand motions that emphasized the words, “In the forest, Thou art green. In the mountains Thou art high...” It was the perfect way to acknowledge and celebrate the children’s moment of communion with nature.

We all spotted a Northwest monkey.

 This day will be cherished and etched in my mind for many years to come. The pure joy of children and nature dancing together.