The Tugboats were excited to see Sophia’s mom, Lena in the classroom as our parent teacher today.  Lena often brings special curriculum elements from Ukraine and Russia to share with the children, much of which is brand new information.  The last time Lena was with us, we read The Enormous Potato and she noted that the story strongly resembled a traditional Russian folk tale that involved a turnip.  Today, she brought her books to share with us!  In addition to the tale of the giant turnip, she also shared a folk tale about a singing ball of bread that was similar to The Gingerbread Man, complete with a silly song and a sly fox.  Lena translated the stories and told them aloud in English, pointing out the similarities and differences in the plots.  As we progress through our alphabet curriculum, the Tugboats were eager to investigate the Russian alphabet in which Lena’s books were printed.  Myles pointed out that Japanese also uses a different alphabet from the one we are studying at school.  Myles’ and Sophia’s experiences demonstrate the value the co-op program holds for all children.  Both Sophia and Myles were able to connect over the fact that they  speak languages in addition to English at home, both using a different alphabet.  Their classmates benefit from this exposure to language and cultures different from those they may experience at home.

We also hosted our first school-day Open House this morning!  From 9:30-11:30, prospective families were welcome to drop-in and see the school in action, as well as ask questions of parents of currently enrolled students.  Three families, two from East Boston and one from the North Shore, popped in to observe Circle Time, Snack, and project.  A couple of our new friends even joined us on our trip to the playground!  Prospective families had an opportunity to peruse the classroom a bit, which is especially helpful for children who may be a bit shy or take their time warming up to new situations.  It’s also beneficial for parents to see how their children will interact with new toys in a new environment.  For more information on our next Open House or to schedule a tour, please email carissa at harbor city kids dot org.