yes! children are the co-authors! I love this idea.

I would like to think more about how we can get some of the work from children at Inspire out in the community more...maybe partner with some business to display their work? or even try to incorporate it on our website?

I wonder if we could advocate of this at Inspire as part of our innovation school designation?

Being a scientist, I love this idea of the room being a laboratory-- in the sense that art and learning are about experimentation. It is a connection between science and art that I always felt!

this sentence is really sticking with me...i think i need to print it out and remind myself of it during the current time we are in where typical social interactions are not available. I haven't quite sorted it out yet, but i think this can be an empowering reminder rather than one that generates stress and worry for us.

again- feels very timely to me. we are in a place of uncertainty, and children may help us on our search for making sense of the uncertainty.

this is so timely with everything that is going on now- the pandemic, police violent...it feels like a great time to remember to listen to children.

I love this word! and you are right, Caroline- children's' rights!

I think we (at Inspire) need to work on these two more...I think they could offer a great place to grow in our new community, and help the families play a more active role.

yes- this idea of inside and outside of the classroom is really important...i think we all need to reflect on the importance of this more. or at least I do!

I like this idea of a set designer! that is often what the job feels like- it is really fun!

I think we need to think about how to do this across Inspire classrooms. I think both the older and younger students will really enjoy and learn from this interaction. AND we could learn from the insights we gain from this invitation to play and observe other age groups.

YES! Children and adults can learn from this...I also think it is important to demonstrate this so children can learn through our actions the importance of respect, listening, and reflection! If we don't do this for children, how can we expect them to do this for us?

AND peers at different level provide opportunities for patience, kindness, and reflection on their own abilities...not to mention teaching and learning opportunities.

I love this example. I think there is some much we could do around here...like even allowing children to eat outside!

My younger daughter- since she could walk on her own- has ALWAYS wanted to stop and smell every flower. She's almost 5 now and still does this...it reminds me to check myself and slow down. There is very little that cannot wait so you can stop to smell a flower! ha.

This is really interesting. I think I could do a better job thinking about how to allow more time for transition times. I think I have often focused on allowing as much time for play as possible, but then "rush" transition times as a result. These are also learning and growing opportunities for children. As well as ways for them to have some agency in the way in which they happen.

This reminds me of a recent event in my home, where my children want to get a drink of water by themselves, but the cups are stored up high. How simple to just MOVE the cups to a lower cabinet!

this is something children must experience and struggle with daily, that we as adults rarely reflect upon or even notice!

This one is a very simple, but important way to give children a sense of agency. Asking ourselves, does it really matter? when children are asking for a simple choice in learning. This could be the difference between a child being open or closed to a learning experience.

This is really interesting to me- it is as if the children are telling us (adults, educators, each other) that they want the right to try and fail...as a means to succeed. It is again the process, not the outcome that they seek.

What a wonderful strategy to get some space to process, as well as to calm ones body. So insightful!

wow- this is timely- I wish we were together as a school so we could really work on current issues of racial inequality and white privilege together as a community.

I wonder if one way to do this is outside the classroom interaction with parents?

I noticed this need for relationships with animals too

I feel like this as an adult too! Really helpful to me to flip this narrative!

I wonder how we can facilitate this with siblings at Inspire?

This is really interesting- it speaks to the importance of relationships between educators and finding a good team fit!

Children led learning is really interesting to me but honestly probably the most foreign in the sense that it is very different to the way we teach and learn in the conventional sense.

I agree that we are CO-responsible

I love this idea of children as citizens! It’s so obvious, yet not acknowledged most times. Their voices are so important in our community.

I know from the parent perspective the idea of constructing and maintaining connections across and within the community were important to— teaching my children to value such connections