Week #1

Well, I’ve done it! Semester 3 here I come! As I pull into the Mount the building still captivates me every time. I am familiar with this building as I completed my second semester placement here. The smells, details, and history are breath taking and the aura the presents itself leaves you warm and cozy. The main chapel is simply stunning with its high ceilings and the pushed back piers leaves a wide-open space that I can’t wait to share with the children.  I look up at the balcony that again is breath taking but I can’t help but wonder what we could do with it? Could we allow the children to take different loose parts that have different weights and drop them from the balcony? What predictions could they make? What would their reasonings be? The acoustics in the room are hard to ignore and although simple talking will take a little bit to put into tune, the music aspect could be simply amazing. Imagine, a room for a child, taking turns with the instruments in their hands listening to the way the sound travels against the walls and echoes into their ears; amazing isn’t it? I gather with my group and Mary Lou shows us the dark hallway and mentions the shadow art we can do with the kids and I must admit it’s hard to not jump out of my seat and shout with excitement.

The Children’s project excites me! A fresh start that’s in the hands of the students, allowing the opportunity to imagine and create, learn and grow, and gain the best hands on experience. The reputation that comes with the program leaves room for worry but also pushes me to think differently, bigger, and bolder, to uphold the same level of excellence as the years before. I find it hard to concentrate as my mind starts to wonder thinking about everything I would like to pursue with the children. We are told that the students will separate into two groups and I can’t wait to share and hear my other peers’ ideas. One of my favorite aspects of the project is that we now have outside play and the space to complete it. Doing my placement in a Waldorf learning centre has given me the opportunity to really view the benefits of being outside and how magical it can be to have the children explore their environment. One of the biggest outcomes I gathered is that children’s imaginations and curiosity can grow and flourish with simple materials they find while exploring their outdoors and how they don’t need commercial toys to fulfill their learning through play. I can’t wait to bring these knowledges into the project and share my experiences with my peers, the children, and their families.