Well, Liam's first day was a success! We dropped him off around 8 a.m., which is their free choice center time. Liam was a bit timid, of course, but I brought him over to the bins of manipulatives that he liked at the open house and he pulled out the lacing cards that you see above and instantly got busy. He gave us a kiss and said goodbye with no tears or anything.
At his old school, pickup time was always mass chaos. It was loud and the kids were wound up beyond belief. Liam was always off on his own looking at the crazies and playing quietly. When we picked him up from Goddard, the 5 children that were there were quietly coloring with their teacher. It was sooooo nice. I asked him if he liked his new school and he said, "I like it."
One of the best parts is that they actually tell you about his day. At schools we've been to before, they just write down any diaper details, what he ate for lunch, and maybe one thing he played with. Here is what we got from Goddard:
Theme: Water Animals
Lunch, Nap, and Toilet details (which you surely don't need/want to know)
Language Arts (participated): Today we read Dear Mr. Blueberry. After reading the book, we started back at the beginning of the book again and the children named familiar objects they saw in the pictures.
Cognitive Development (did not participate): The children completed the frog puzzle they began in creative arts by gluing it and putting it together on a separate piece of paper.
Creative Art (participated): By freely choosing what process they wanted to use, the children colored their frog puzzles.
Music/Movement (participated): During circle time, the children sang the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" while at the same time touching the appropriate body part.
Motor Skills (did not participate): We played leapfrog in the gym today. Instead of leaping over each other, they lept from hoola hoop to hoola hoops that were laying on the floor.
Social Science (participated): In the activity "Vet's Scrub" the children practiced washing their hands.
Science/Nature Study (did not participate): Today we squirted shaving cream on top of the water. The children see that even if you push the cream down or break it up, it still floats.
Social Enrichment (participated): Today we practiced the sign for fish.
Special Message: Liam had a good day. He enjoyed coloring his frog. He is a sweetheart.
We get a new daily report like this each day! They're actually teaching him, having fun, and not doing any of it forcefully. Finally, a school I can agree with!!!
