Only connect!

Dear Friends,

“Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.”

― E.M. Forster, Howards End

Here at the Center School we definitely merge the "prose and the passion." We strive to bring heart to our intellects and intellect to our hearts. We externalize and represent to one another what we're learning so that others can benefit; we look for connections between ourselves and others. This year it's definitely been easier (despite masks and distancing) to find that connection in our classrooms than it has been to connect across the school. This is challenging for a program that in years past, as a matter of tradition, has thrived on, was built on, whole school, multi-age relationships. So, I brought this "problem" to the teachers, who in turn, brought it to their students. "How do we want to connect with other kids and classes?" Students brainstormed and then teachers documented their ideas, which we have begun to post on the community board in the lobby of our school.

The question prompted Dancing Prime, Korra, to suggest a bike ride through the hallways to see what other kids were up to. On their tour, they discovered the Uppers in Lit class looking at a picture prompt on a screen that they were planning to use to write stories. The picture (below) is from The NY Times series, "What's Going on in This Picture?" Korra and co were so captivated by it that they got a copy from the Uppers and rode back to their classroom with it. Where upon they put it on the wall and decided to make their own cow stories to share with the Uppers!

Meanwhile, the Mups wrote to all the classes: "We'd like to share one of our favorite wintertime activities - snowflake making! Tomorrow, we will invite everyone in the school to make a snowflake to tape on the glass outside of the All School room. There is a small table outside of the all school room with paper marked with guided directions. Please grab enough paper for everyone in your class and use the paper to make your snowflakes. When you're done, tape your snowflakes to the glass with ours! We're hoping to have a blizzard of flakes by the end of the week! "

Watch this space for more plans to connect us all.

Before I sign off, I want to draw your attention to the Puzzle Primes' bulletin piece documenting their imaginative play on the subject of Covid and Covid testing. Not only is it endearing, hilarious, and heartbreaking, but the teacher voice is so strong and so loving. Val Driscoll, really taps into the inner workings of their class and captures it all for us.

The depth and breadth of the connections being made at the Center School are especially rich right now in these cold, slow days of deep winter. We're hunkering down and getting into the thick of learning, causing sparks that catch and warm us all.

Peace,

Charlie