364: on holiday

The year is nearly at an end, and I am very much in holiday mode at present- as are my little toys- resting at home after a busy time in the reading corner at school, at the beck and call of five year olds. They all look very relaxed too, so life is at it should be just prior to New Year...

342: peace in the courtyard

At the end of the school day, when the sun is shining, the courtyard outside some of our classrooms is a lovely peaceful spot to walk through...

340: Art Expo

There's a wonderful event at school this week: the Art Expo. All our parents, grandparents, locals and anyone at all who is interested can come along to see it in the Hall. Floor to ceiling art. Magnificent. Here's a peak at our little New Entrant corner.

332: for paper chains

Even when you have been teaching as long as I have, you still get ideas from all over the place. Another teacher's four year old daughter at day care brought home a poem with 25 paper chains attached, made out of Christmas gift wrap paper, to count down the December days until Christmas. Soooo, today we have been learning all kinds of things about 25, to help us count the 25 paper chains we will make tomorrow. And here is the Christmas gift wrap paper we will make them with...

329: celebration

There was a celebration this evening- for some young teachers and some retiring teachers. 

311: early roses

The roses have started to bloom at school. It always feels like summer has arrived when that happens- even though it was cloudy and overcast here most of the day...

306: chooks

Two of the trio of school chooks, free-ranging in the garden. It wasn't one of these two that had an egg go kersplatt yesterday!

277: kowhai

The kowhai tree outside the classroom is coming into bloom...

257: magnolia

I know I said I was going to try and take photos with some different themes in the remaining part of the year, but when you walk into school in the morning, and the morning sunlight is on the magnolia like this.... there isn't really any option but to take a photo!

245: afternoon shadows

 There are some interesting shadows late in the afternoons at present...

241: first kowhai buds

First kowhai buds of the season spotted at school today...

234: bike shed shadows

 

This pattern of shadows in the bike shed at school caught my eye late afternoon.

166: Cosy Animals

 

After the children had all gone, I realised that somebody had made sure that the animals in the book corner were all cosy together for the night. 

74: Cathedral

Christchurch Cathedral being drawn by Russell St School children

All across New Zealand, in communities small and large,

people have been raising funds to help the people of Christchurch

who suffered such devastation in the recent earthquake. 

Today I popped into Russell St School

where they have been having 7 Days of fundraising for Christchurch. 

The children were very busy drawing a large chalk version of the Cathedral on the courts,

and there was a lovely atmosphere of collaborative purpose amongst them.

Our hearts also go to the people of Japan.