|
Dear Families,
We are in the last week of the school year! It is amazing that another year of learning, playing, exploring and connecting is coming to an end. Our children sense this pending closure and express their feelings of giddiness, anxiety, happiness and sadness, within the safety net of the interconnecting relationships they have formed at Brooklyn Free Space. These relationships, forged with teachers, friends, the environment and the world around them, are foundational for their emotional well-being, as well as their continued growth and development. And learning to know themselves and manage themselves, outside of their deep familial connections, are the skills that will serve them more than anything else they have learned here.
Educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy describe this approach to learning and teaching as a "pedagogy of relationships", based in the conviction that we learn by interacting with other people and with our surrounding environment. I feel this rings especially true at the end of the school year, when we collectively feel that we know each other so well. As a non-profit cooperative school, the value we (parents, teachers, directors) put on our relationships, and the work we put into them, is fundamental. We are constantly modeling this for our children. They have experienced and seen themselves, their teachers and families working and celebrating together, building this community. They thrive in the power of these relationships. They have grown more confident negotiating with peers, exploring boundaries, expressing feelings and making sense of the huge world around them. This is the real work of early childhood education. Thank you for being part of it.
For those moving on, please stay in touch! We love to keep in touch with the children and families who have spent time with us. Just last week, Olivia, a BFS alumni ending her 4th grade year, came to visit and read a story to Rainbow. She did a great job reading 2 books, and then played a game with the children. She wants to come back and bring Una, one of her best friends since her days in Dragonfly! This ongoing connection makes all of the staff so happy, as it is not easy for us to let go of your children. We celebrate their growth, but we know at the same time that they will never be “ours” in the very same exact way. Our hope is that they always carry a little bit of “Free Space” within, like a treasured lovey, a favorite pair of pajamas, or old buddy, joining them on their future journeys.
Stacy
|
