Once upon a time, in the Isthmus nestled in the heart of the school, a group of grade three children and their teachers gathered to celebrate a Fairy Tale Reading Day to kick off their new writing unit. The event was magical. As the children arrived dressed in fairy tale costumes. I spotted a magical fairy, a brave knight, a wise old wizard, and a mischievous jester, among others. They entered the library (our magic kingdom) and they couldn't wait to start the celebration. I started the event by talking to them about the history of fairytales followed by r eading a modern take on the Cinderella tale. After the story, I asked the children questions about the adaptation and its similarity to the original tale. The atmosphere was electric, and everyone was excited about beginning to learn about the genre of fairytales and creating powerful adaptations. As the celebration drew to a close, the children and their teachers posed happily for the camera. The end...
The Design Vision When you climb the stairs, you are greeted by a tactile rope separation that lets you know that you are about to embark upon something special. In visualizing the library, I wanted a material and design that is both beautiful and inspiring. The metaphor of the rope is a powerful one: tiny strands of different materials bound together and intertwined. "A good rope has many strands, which must be woven together tightly in order for the rope to be strong. The strands and the technique of weaving the rope can be compared with the skills learners begin with—their own special talents, their pre-existing related knowledge—as well as new skills they are developing and strengthening. But the rope won’t weave itself. Many strands or few, good technique or poor; what is perhaps most essential is the time and effort of weaving it all together. And once complete, the rope is a useable thing, a tool." I am a firm believer that learning spaces must support student
Our First book club discussion was lively and invigorating. Participants analyzed character, setting, plot, point of view/perspective/ author's craft and intentions, and themes. We also looked at some Critical literary lenses to talk through the text. It was great to have book club veterans and those who made this their first! We will be choosing our next read soon. If you are interested in joining, please email me. .