Teacher Margaret's "View From My Window" - April 11th

See more eclipse photos HERE

Dear Friends, 

This morning I watched a squirrel jump from a branch and knock a bird feeder on its way to landing on the ground. The squirrel would eat some seed, climb the tree, and repeat this antic again and again. This small moment of joy from this squirrel whose neighborhood I share reminds me of the many moments of serendipitous joy that go into our students’ days at Westfield. 

In Preschool 3 students are learning about bugs. Their questions speak to their wonder: “Do stinkbugs smell their stink?” “How do spiders walk with 8 legs?” “Do bees make honey homes?” Today they learned that insects like ants and ladybugs have six legs and arachnids like spiders and scorpions have eight legs.

In the elementary grades, students are considering the wonder and beauty of words stretched and shaped into every kind of poem imaginable. They ask questions about words and experiment with creating poems by choosing words that convey meaning for things that are hard to understand and describe.  As Emily Dickinson writes in her poem “Tell all the truth but tell it slant”

Tell all the truth but tell it slant

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truth's superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind

There is truth to children being naturally resilient. And, their resilience must be intentionally nurtured over time. When we encourage children’s wonder and exploration we open them to finding joy in small unexpected places. When we help them understand themselves as connected to each other and all the creatures with whom they share their neighborhoods, they build compassion and a deep sense that they are not alone. When they know themselves to be loved by those who care and work with them,  they establish a rock-solid foundation of their inherent worth; paradoxically this encourages them to risk mistakes when learning. 

Everyone has swampy, messy, painful experiences in their lives. Helping to build in our children gratitude, connection, and compassion provides them with spiritual and emotional resources to face, go through, and learn from these difficult times. This is what resilience is.

My office is always open.

Warmly,

Margaret Haviland

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Announcements:

• April 16, April 30, and May 15 ~ 7:00-8:00 PM three-part series exploring what it is that makes Westfield Friends School a Quaker School. Sign up here
• Parent Conferences - April 19th. No classes.
• A Taste of Our Towns - April 20th, 6:30-9:30 PM at the school. Childcare is included for Westfield families. Plan on coming out for an evening of music, food, friendship, and fun. 
• Meeting for Worship at 8:30 AM - May 1st, parents are invited
• Grandparents/Grand Friends Day and the Pancake Breakfast - May 3rd. See schedule for the day and RSVP HERE.

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