Community and Comfort in the Wonder Primes

At the beginning of each school year, the Wonder Primes teachers meet a new cohort of students. Some of these toddlers are the siblings of older Center School students and are familiar with our school already, some know an older Center Schooler from their neighborhood or community classes, and still others are brand new to our school community altogether. No matter their familiarity with the concept of school and/or our physical environment, coming together as a class every day is a new experience for all of the Wonder Primes. The work of the Wonder Primes teachers during these first weeks of school is to foster a culture of community and comfort in order for the Wonder Primes students to build confidence and competence during their school days. During the “first six weeks,” the focus of the work of the Wonder Primes is on building our community as a class. This is more insular work that revolves around classroom activities, silly play, bonding over shared interests, and providing comfort for each other when needed.  Gradually, the Wonder Primes teachers help expand the students’ awareness to beyond the classroom and Wonder Primes specific outdoor play spaces.  We begin greeting the other preschool classes as they go about their days and take walks inside our school to learn about our school building.  We also explore our outdoor environment, initially finding comfort in our play pen and taking walks along our “leaf path” around the school. 

Now that the Wonder Primes are heading into the 8th week of the school year and have settled into the daily routines of school, they are able to take on new challenges and adventures during their days. The confidence gained inside our classroom and the formation of strong interpersonal relationships with both teachers and each other allow the Wonder Primes to begin the deeper work of understanding what it means to be a part of the larger Center School community.  The focus of our indoor walks shifts from increasing confidence in the physical space to learning that there are other children and adults in our school beyond the Preschool. We stop by each class, practice saying their names, peek through the windows to notice what the older children do with their days, and introduce ourselves to everyone we see. Our outdoor adventures continue to grow as well, including exploring the swale, trekking to the soccer fields, spending time in our Woods spot, and even walking all the way to the Woods Primes’ outdoor classroom. We see older children during their outdoor time and are able to talk about which class they belong to and begin to identify children that we know.  We greet teachers during our outdoor walks and the Wonder Primes have begun to invite them into their play, offering a found treasure or demonstrating a newly learned skill.  The Wonder Primes are beginning to anticipate who they might see during our adventures, asking for teachers and students by name, and requesting to visit specific places of our campus in order to see who is there.  This confidence shows us that the Wonder Primes are integrating all of their hard work of the first six weeks of school, are deepening their understanding about the importance of their community, are learning that they are an important part of this community, and are enjoying themselves as the youngest Center School community members!