German rhymes

Hör, ach, auf zu weinen, Listen, stop to cry,
die Sonn’ wird wieder scheinen, the sun will shine again,
die Glocken werden klingen, the bells will chime again
die Vöglein werden singen, the birds will sing again,
der Kuckuck wird schrei’n, the cuckoo will call
' s wird wieder schön sein.- and all will be well again
Sanft über die schmerzende Stelle streichen

Denkt euch nur, der Frosch ist krank! Think about the frog is ill
Liegt nur auf der Gartenbank, he only lies on the garden bench
quakt nicht mehr, wer weiß wie lang, he doen't croak any more, who knows how long
ach, wie fehlt mir sein Gesang! how I miss his song
Denkt euch nur, der Frosch ist krank! think about it the frog is ill-
Use your hand as the poorly frog

Denkt euch nur, der Frosch war krank! think about the frog was ill
Lag nur auf der Gartenbank, he was lying on the garden bench
quakte nicht, wer weiß wie lang, didn't croak who knows how longa
ch, wie fehlte sein Gesang! oh I missed his song
Gesund ist er nun, Gott-sei-dank! now he is healthy, thank goodness
Qaaak! Quaaak! croak, croak, -
Bei "gesund..."
die Hand langsam wegnehmen und zum Schluss quakend "davonhüpfen" lassen. Take the hand slowly away when the frog returns to good health and make it jump like a croaking frog away

RE: Fairy Tales

A thread came up today on fairy tales and their symbology. I studied fairy tales a good few years ago and one of the things I find interesting with the Steiner education system is their use of fairy tales for children. Many Steiner teachers in schools are convinced (indoctrinated in training?) that these stories were designed for children and developmentally appropriate for children. I know that Alan Whitehead feels the opposite and says that Steiner didn't say fairy tales but did think that local folk tales were of value.

The thing is when you start doing research into the origins of fairy tales you realise that they are quite sordid and dangerous for young children. There is a great deal of sexual content and so on. So it's one of those issues that I've not really broached with Steiner-based teachers as many of them seem to live in a gentle bubble... and I'd hate to burst that.

That said, I like the modern retellings of fairy tales such as when I was a child and I tell these to Springy too. But when people think that fairy tales are developmentally appropriate in Steiner circles part of me wants to say, "Well as long as you choose the ones that have been censored and altered from their original versions".

It's the same for the other parts of the Steiner school curriculum. The Olympics in their original form were homoerotic (no ladies) and involved lots of nakedness, the Norse myths are very bloodthirsty and there seems to be a lot of 'noble savage' stuff that influenced Steiner which stems from the time period he lived in. Archaeology and present historic research have moved on quite a bit and we know that our ancestors were not quite as noble.

That said, I understand that for children it would be nicer to make the world seem like a beautiful place.

Our favourite stories for September

I'm telling two regular stories to Springy for September:

The first is from the Little Acorn Learning's September curriculum and is the story about 'The Little House with No Door, No Windows and a Star Inside'. It features apples and Springy likes enacting the little apple poem at the end of it too. We've done this before from other resources but it always seems to engage little ones.

The second is The Garden of Seasons from the Oak Meadow Kindergarten. It's a lovely story and lends itself to be enacted out with playcloths for snow (white), sunshine (yellow) and green and pink or lavender for a flower. It's ideal because we're into autumn but are still getting quite hot sun and this story covers the seasonal changes and those inbetween. Springy is now joining in with moving the playcloths to the story.

"Thirty days hath September, April, June and November
All the rest have thirty-one
Except February which has twenty eight days clear
But twenty nine in each Leap Year!"

We have a magnetic calendar board (I think it's a brand called Melisa and Doug?) which Springy loves to keep an eye on and change throughout the year. She got it for Christmas last year from my parents and it's an ideal way of playing to learn about months and seasons.

Horses and haystacks

Today was lovely. Springy got to hang out with horses and play with haybales (not stacks as they were too small).

Yesterday we went apple picking and raspberry picking too. We got some runner beans (must get more and make a bean and sausage soup). Springy spotted a big orb spider on her web - I love this time when the cobwebs glisten in the gold of the autumn sun.

A fantastic day

Today was another early autumn day with a very warm sun. I did my work in the morning and then we went shopping and for a walk together. We went to the butcher and the greengrocer. The butchers is an a traditional style and they are very friendly. My mum has a similar one near her and they all recognise you and ask how you are. I like the 'human' connection with local shopping. Afterwards we went for a walk around the area with the swans and ducks. The houses around the pond are gorgeous and it's so convenient for day-to-day shopping.

Springy had a new toy yesterday - it was one of the Beanie dolls that was for sale in a charity shop. I also found a knitting toys book which looks good (not that I'm likely to be able to follow the patterns!).

I'm busy tonight writing a review and I'm very aware that I have to do some more editing soon. The fields are full of seagulls which is funny to see. They're walking along the furrow looking for grubs which have been dug up.

French off

The French lesson is off for now as the tutor phoned to apologise but she has family visiting. No problem - will get going again in 2 weeks and I can always do a bit of French with Springy using the resources we already have. I also use it around the house by asking, "Ca va?" or "Quelle age a tu?" (excuse spelling and symbology) and she responds. We also discuss the cochon d'Inde as well.

I've found another French group - group rather than one-to-one and it looks to be quite affordable but it will tie us up every week which isn't always convenient. I wish I could alternate week them...

We've also located a ballet/tap dance teacher who seems quite nice but then went on about discipline and uniforms to wear etc and ... well for goodness sake, they are not professional ballerinas. I know that Springy would love a dance class, well to dance with more than just me, but I am loathe to put her into the hands of someone who could stress her limbs/body or stop her being 5 years old. I think I will wait a bit longer when she is old enough to make more of a decision herself. She already has lots of physical exercise in terms of her day-to-day running/walking about and she also has weekly swimming lessons. I can play music for her to dance (and I do) and professional dance/ballerina schools wait until the girls are at least 8 or so anyway.

Hedgerow Crumble

Today was Hedgerow Crumble today. Yesterday morning we went for a walk along the hedgerows, picking out blackberries, elderberries (Sambucus Nigra), and wild damsons. With a cooking apple and some flour, plain butter and honey (and a little bit of unrefined sugar) Springy and I made a crumble (destone the damsons, pull the elder berries of the twiggy bits, chop apple rough and throw in the blackberries; crumble mix is 5oz plain flour and about 3.5oz butter - rub together to make a crumble and add sugar and honey to fruit to suit your own taste). We had it with double cream and it was delicious. Elderberries are great at this time of year and I intend to make some elderberry syrup for the winter months (but I need to get going as they are almost at the end of their best before on the umbrels).

Yesterday, apart from hedgerow foraging, involved going off in a rowing boat with a picnic for our lunch. It was beautiful weather and we fed ducks and swans (and a few fish) along the way.

Sharon fruit story

We've been reading the sharon fruit story in The World of Fruit: The Storyteller's Guide to Healthy Food series. It's aimed at slightly older, in terms of the activities, than Springy but she enjoys the stories. The series is written by two Russian authors and they have a whole pedagogy/educational philosophy called Moral Education. I love their stories - they're holistic in nature and use fairy and folk tales to convey the information. I've never had a problem getting Springy to eat fruit or vegetables but even so I think it's a nice way of learning about food.

Springy and I ate an artichoke today (as in globe variety, not 'Jerusalem' sunflower root type variety). To prepare cut off the stalk near the base, snip any very raggedy outer tips off and boil for about 30-40 minutes. I popped it in a to share bowl and Springy enjoyed peeling off the 'petals' and eating the fleshy bit.

I just tried to use the artichoke water to dye some wool. It was the most beautiful turquoise colour but as soon as I added vinegar as a mordant it went clear. Doh! I need to read up on what to use as the colour is gorgeous.

Languages

We've got another French language tutor and are meeting her for the first time next week. She sounds nice and 'play-based'.

Tooth Fairies

So what did the Tooth Fairy do? Well, I asked Springy whether she wanted to keep her tooth or if the fairies could take it. She said out loud, "Dear Tooth Fairy, I want to keep my tooth." As her first tooth it was a bit of a trauma for her. The day she lost it she put it under her pillow and in the morning she found 20p plus a letter on the windowledge in the tiniest handwriting and it had little footprints on it too.

The weather wasn't great which is why the Tooth Fairy didn't bring anything else (somehow Springy was convinced that she would bring an extra gift and I got convinced too!). Anyway, about a week later the weather was great (as can been seen from our beach trip) and Springy found a teeny tiny cowrie shell under her pillow. She's got the tooth, her coin and the shell in a little box now.