The First 100 Days of the 100th Year
Happy Hundredth day of our 100th school year!
That’s right, along with warmth and budding flowers, March 11th marks the 100th day of our 20-21' school year. Happy birthday to our little school, it's the year we become a centenarian!
Despite the challenges of the global pandemic- our teachers, children, and community have consistently supported each other in the preservation of childhood. Even when every thing changed, our community found opportunity in the limitations, and delight in our perserverance. Everyday this year we've come together to learn from one another. We've learned all kinds of skills and have continued to grow from play, practice, and principle based education. Everyday is an day of dedicated learning through play. From color and shape days in the nursery, to the YG’s morning meetings, kindergarten trips, and other special events like The Enchanted Forest, for the past 100 days (and years) we've come together to learn all kinds of skills and to grow from play, practice, and principle based education. For the past 100 days our teachers and community members have been dedicated to upholding the integrity and magic of the democratic, child-led, learning at the heart of our mission.
This year started differently than any other in our history. Needless to say, nurturing childhood and education during a pandemic has been a first in our hundred years as a school. The pandemic has only amplified our commitment to our core principles. As our community adapted to learning together in new ways- both virtually and under unprecedented regulations, our dedication to mutual trust, choices and consequences, and collaboration was heightened. The children were very patience and supportive as they adapted to wearing masks, and played at a distance. They taught us all about empathy and teamwork. The dedication and creativity of our teachers and staff, as well as the children, and their families, seemed to make the unthinkable possible: The Antioch School, online? This year our community established fun and engaging, child-led learning environments online. As a low tech school, this hasn't been done before. This same dedication and creativity empowered all of us to be playful and curious in our new approaches to learning together as we rise above the circumstances.
In the fall, the children prepared to start school under state regulations requiring safety precautions including: face masks and social distancing measures. Nonetheless, the children were supported in their play and exploration. They continued inventing games, sharing stories, and learning in the natural world as is our tradition. They continued being children, learning about themselves and the world in vivid and joyful ways.
