A Day of Listening and Sharing

Knowing we only have a few classes left with our friends, we wanted to organize a special day where we could all just walk, talk and share an experience. We had been planning on going to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary for a while so this seemed like the perfect opportunity given the lovely weather.

Prior to leaving we had a group time to discuss some ideas around the trip. How do we keep ourselves safe? How do we show respect to the birds and people around us? The children all offered insightful ideas about staying behind a teachers on the pathways, using quiet voices and not chasing the birds.

I think the children took this to heart because they were very mindful of their voices and movements around the birds. We had a great day! They loved walking on the trails and I commented to Bonnie and Yvette just how strong our children have become! They have tremendous stamina as we walked for a couple of hours without stopping.

The day was spent listening to birds and listening to each other. We shared stories, thoughts and questions. I loved walking behind the pairings of children and listening to their conversations. They have come to understand how to engage in a conversation and mostly grasp the idea of the turn taking that naturally occurs in a conversation. I am impressed by this ability and found myself simply in complete admiration of them!

Here are a few snapshots of our day:

When we take time to be together we develop strong meaningful relationships. Listening and sharing builds friendships. I am glad we had this day together.

Emily

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