After the excitement of our new classroom supplies, as well as our holiday party on Friday, I think we all needed a nice mellow Monday to kick off this week.  Luckily, that is just what we got!  We were excited to welcome Sophia’s mom, Lena, into the classroom as our parent teacher today.  Sophia’s family speaks Russian at home, so we asked Lena to teach us a few phrases that we could use to help Sophia feel more comfortable here at school.  What a treat!  We learned to say “good morning,” “hello,” and “good bye.”  It was wonderful to see the Tugboats practicing words in a new language, but it was even more wonderful to see the excitement and delight on Sophia’s face as she heard her friends speaking her primary language.  Our experience today further underscores the value and importance of the co-op component of Harbor City School.  When children see themselves reflected in their education, it validates their experiences and reinforces their self esteem.  It also broadens the experiences of their classmates!

After some very chilly time outside on the playground, we came in to make an art project.  Peter talked with the children about the many people who have helped us here at HCS and how important it is to say, “Thank you!” when we are the recipients of that help.  To offer our gratitude for one of our neighbors and friendly organizations, Zumix, we worked together to make a holiday wreath!  Each child used a pencil to trace his or her hand onto green paper, then practiced their fine motor skills by cutting out their hands.  As you can imagine, both of these tasks were a bit difficult for our 3- and 4-year-olds, but we never shy away from a challenge!  All of the children enjoyed practicing tracing and cutting, but we also did a teacher-traced hand for each child so that we could fill out our wreath.  We can’t wait to let Zumix know how much we appreciate their support!