“That we leave our homes, that we step through our doors to the world, that we travel our whole lives not because we want to collect exotic T-shirts, not because we want to consume foreign adventure the same Western way we consume plastic and Styrofoam and LCD TVs and iPads, but because it has the power to renew us—not the guarantee, not the promise, just the possibility. Because there are places our imaginations can never construct for us, and there are people who we will never meet but we could and we might. It reminds us that there is always reason to begin again.” - Stephen Markley, Tales of Iceland or "Running with the Huldufólk in the Permanent Daylight"
Day three brings the adventure to SPRING SCHOOL!!!
For three days this week the children coming here next year from 4 local Kindergartens are visiting all morning. Cinch sacks in hand, name tags on coloured shirts and nervous smiles prevail as these soon to be “big kids” find their way in the grade one space. Reminders about gentle hands and hanging up your belongings need no translation as we have very similar visuals in our hallways at Marlborough. “Word soup”, or a word search to us Canucks, helped me learn some key vocabulary. Ljón for lion, gottéri for cookies, and the ever popular (read - darn near impossible to say) fiðrildi for butterfly and I’m all set for an animal safari with treats! Go me!! It is very clear that tranistions between schools are important here. This is so tinely as we were JUST talking about that very thing two days before I left Canada. How do we best support the students coming in to and leaving our care... Next it was on to grade 5 to help prepare for next week’s annual fest (festival). Ladies and gentlemen the theme is CIRCUS! Imagine my delight when I was asked if I could play Chess and Battleship with a group of students while other groups practiced. Oh yeah I can, let me at those chess sets!! I felt immediately at home as I got to know a few of these kids as we battled across the checkerboard. Stories of immigration from Poland, step siblings and even a degu (like a small looking chinchilla) were main topics of conversation. In the end, kids are kids. They laugh when you make a goofy face, want to see pictures of your own children and ask how you pronounce that weird name of yours. Weird name repetition I get.... :O) I laughed to myself on my first day when I found the 5 point scale we use on the walls in each classroom. This scale refers more to sound levels, not stages of self-regulation, but the function is much the same. "Where are you at, and is that where you should be right now" With promises that I will come back and see their circus performance, and a new set of friends here at Brekkubæjarskóli, I feel more like a guest than an interloper! Thank you again for making me feel so welcome everyone!
5 Comments
Alson
3/27/2019 15:00:42
Hope your adventure to Iceland is even more amazing than you ever imagined! Looks like your fitting right in Fletch!!
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Alison
3/27/2019 15:02:48
Can you tell it's spring break...forgot how to spell my name! Miss you buddy!
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Aubrey
3/27/2019 15:29:38
Thanks buddy, miss you too! Things are amazing here, learning a lot and having so much fun with Dadda!! Weather is craaaaazzzy!
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Charlotte
3/28/2019 11:01:51
I think I’m going to find me a English version of the sound scale. I think that might help my volume level!
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Aubrey
4/2/2019 05:17:28
Its much like the one on our keys!
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AuthorAubrey: "Leader of the Elves"....that's me. Mom of two amazing guys, wife to one bigger (yet no less amazing) guy and teacher of little ones. Blogging about the adventures (usually with my rubber chicken in tow) is one of my favourite things. Archives
April 2019
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