Team Spotlight: Infant and Toddler teachers make our days bright!
As we all know, LEARNING BEGINS AT BIRTH.
Our Bubble Buddies, Little Penguins, and Playful Pandas Teachers are incredible about offering what all babies need: Undivided attention, opportunities for curiosity, full-body play, and daily outside time.
We all know that children function better in countless ways if they get to be outside for multiple hours each day. The little ones, especially the LITTLE little ones that are not ambulatory, sometimes make this tricky…
So what do your fabulous infant and toddler teachers do? They lay out blankets and let them stare up at the sky while getting leg stretches. They go on lovely nature walks where they narrate the new and interesting surroundings. The teachers talk about leaves and bird calls while the kids stare in wide-eyed wonder and peace. They let them play with age appropriate toys, practice their walking skills, or sometimes just read them a book in the bright sunshine! It is such a joy to see them go on their mini-adventures.
How do we do this all year, rain or shine, cold or hot weather? Take a peek at our EXTRA DAILY SUPPLIES for all seasons! We recommend you make sure your children are prepared for any weather at all times. We are outside as much as possible to protect against the Covid-19 pandemic, but also because kids just learn better after running around breathing fresh air.
THANK YOU, INFANT AND TODDLER TEACHERS!! You are all shining stars, and our babies are so lucky to have you.
Team Spotlight: Our 2s and 3s are ROCKING AUTUMN!
September is in full swing and our Dancing Monkeys and Rising Stars are really bringing Autumn into their classrooms! All of our lessons are rooted in full-body play and exploration, which means our littles get to really experience nature with their hands while they learn colors, numbers, and shapes!
In the Monkeys, our two year olds are playing with pine needles and leaves they collected themselves! In the Rising Stars, the three year olds are painting their own houses and learning how to be curious in circle time. Our teachers are amazing at letting kids become brave, independent learners who realize that the only thing FAIL means is “First Attempt In Learning.”
How can you bring Autumn into your daily life?
You can collect Acorns and Pinecones and discuss their role in the life cycle of trees.
You can do a leaf freeze dance!
You can have a sunset journal and talk about all the different things that happen in each season.
What else? Let us know in the comments! We will also post more lovely things our teachers are doing each newsletter!
Thanks again, Rising Stars and Dancing Monkeys! Our kiddos are lucky to have you.
— Your CG Family
Goodbye Mr. Josh!
After five years of laughter, hugs, skinned knees, and turning nursery rhymes into classic rock instant hits…
We are saying goodbye to our beloved Mr. Josh! He is focusing in on school and looking towards his future to decide what he’s going to do next, and we could not be more proud of him, more sad to see him go (but excited for the next part of his journey!), more thankful for everything he has done for us and the students who were lucky enough to grow under his care.
While he will no longer be working with us, he still loves his community here and would be happy to hear from any of you! Make sure to say “see you soon!” to him this afternoon!
We will also be posting pictures on our Facebook, and encourage you to share your favorite Mr. Josh pictures, stories, songs, memories!! It shows Mr. Josh what you meant to him and reminds us all that all of our most normal days are sometimes the most lovely.
A note from Mr. Josh:
“My five years at Common Ground have been some of the most transformative and fulfilling I have ever known.
I started teaching as a goofy 19 year old kid, and now? I'm a goofy 24 year old man, and I wouldn't have it any other way. From sharing my music and any creepy-crawly creature I could get my hands on to helping my students navigate the complex emotional landscape of early childhood; I've considered it privilege to grow alongside these wonderful little people.
To the children I've had the opportunity to work with: I love you all. I'm constantly amazed by how far you've come, and I'm so proud that I had the chance to call myself your teacher. This time has more to me than I could possibly express and I look forward to visiting Common Ground in the weeks, months and years to come.”
Thank you for everything, Josh, Common Ground loves you!
Teacher Appreciation Week
To work at Common Ground is to feel appreciated EVERY SINGLE DAY, but we love a celebration too! Multiple times per week, families offer to bring in goodies, treat us to lunch, or do something else to spoil our staff. To streamline the appreciation of our teachers, we have something special planned for every day. Rather than over stuff our teachers bellies, you can help by making sure to donate to our teacher bonus fund. This fund will be matched (and more) from Common Ground to give the teachers an end of the school year bonus at the end of May.
We are putting together a little video to celebrate how much we love our teachers! You can record a message and upload it here. Tips for recording a great message:
Keep it short
Daylight is best
let the kids say whatever they want - they’re the cutest!
we can edit out parts too, so don’t worry if it’s not perfect!
*Please keep in mind that this video will be shared publicly on YouTube and not to share any personally identifying information.
Thank you for your support!