Amalgamated Nursery School: Nursery Rhymes Newsletter

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Nursery Rhymes Newsletter - Halloween Party

Boo Yeah! Halloween Party is frighteningly Fun
By Jarrett Murphy

On July 23rd, 2006, in Orlando, Florida, with television cameras rolling, Stephen Clarke put on an apron, grabbed a very large knife and did something no one on earth had ever done. He carved a 24 lb. pumpkin (slashing holes for eyes, ears, nose and mouth) in 24.03 seconds. That's the current world record. Really. Someone keeps track of these things.
For obvious reasons, the Amalgamated Nursery School's annual Halloween Party did not incorporate "speed carving" into the lineup of events inside Vladeck Hall on Sunday, October 26th. But the Party did offer more than 150 children and their parents a chance to decorate a pumpkin, dress up a cupcake, design a trick-or-treat bag, make a mask, get a tattoo and mix a batch of Sparkly Spider Potion.
It also featured a "creepy crawling maze" that, if screams of horror and delight are any measure, might have been the most popular event of the day. Chris Harwood's design of the maze and the use of gooey miniature skeletons to decorate it deserve much credit for the activity's popularity, but so does the unidentified youngster whose ghost mask and massive blade had kids fleeing from the maze in terrified joy.
While princesses seemed the most popular costume overall, as they were in 2007, witches made a strong showing. Spiderman's popularity last year clearly lost some ground to Batman in 2008; there were several Caped Crusaders, one of whom came with a much taller Robin in tow. Superman also made an appearance, as did the Green Lantern. There were several Transformers, a few pirates, at least two Buzz Lightyears, two Tinkerbells, one Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz," a Mickey Mouse, a doctor, a robot, a flower, insects, a dragon, a dog, a martial artist and several mice, among others.
The party was a financial success thanks in large part to the efforts of fundraising chairpersons Cecilia Astacio and Candace LAST NAME? and treasurer Wendy LAST NAME?, whose management was a clear improvement over the incompetent and corrupt leadership of Jarrett Murphy in 2007. More importantly, the event served its perennial purpose of bringing the school's families together in cooperative action. For the second year in a row, Sandra Nachtman led a hard-working kitchen crew that supplemented hot dogs and cupcakes with steamed vegetables and other healthy treats. It isn't often that people rave about tuna fish sandwiches, but they did in Vladeck Hall. The other parent volunteers who washed pumpkins, moved tables or manned the tables made the event what it was. They included: (LIST?)
Sadly, their names won’t make the Guinness Book of World Records. Space there is reserved for the likes of Stephen Clarke … or Joe Jutras, the Rhode Island man who on September 29, 2007 set a world record for largest pumpkin at the Topsfield Fair in Topsfield, Massachusetts. His entry weighed 1,689 pounds.

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About Amalgamated Nursery School

The Amalgamated Nursery School is a nonsectarian, parent cooperative nursery school which was established in 1933 to serve the immediate community and the surrounding area. Our school holds a charter from the New York State Department of Education Board of Regents and a license from the New York City Department of Health. We also are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Every classroom is headed by a certified Early Childhood teacher. Assistants are also experienced in working on an Early Childhood level. Specialists in music and movement are used to enrich the program as well.

As a cooperative nursery school, we are governed by elected members of our parent body.

Philosophy

The Amalgamated Nursery School is a child's laboratory for developmentally appropriate learning. It is a place where children can "learn to learn" - where they are encouraged to develop their curiosity, explore their interests and realize their creativity. Our curriculum is based on early childhood educators' knowledge of how children learn:

> Through activity.
> Through first-hand sensory perception of feeling, listening, smelling, tasting and observing Through experimentation, manipulation and exploration as a result of encounters with a variety of media, problems, ideas and people.
> As active members of a congenial social group.
> Through the process of identification with adults in their lives.
> Most efficiently when the activity is related to their own purposes and interests.

Curriculum

At The Amalgamated Nursery School, your child will be exposed to a varied curriculum which is designed to meet the needs of each individual child. The approach to learning is through "activity centers" that are spaced in different areas of the classroom. The children learn from each other as well as from adults. They are free to move about the room and select the learning experiences that interest them the most. Teachers assist and guide the children in their pursuits. Group experiences of age appropriate duration are used for story telling, music, creative dramatics, and as an opportunity for children to share their ideas with the class group.

Daily activities include:

Social Studies: The children learn about family life, the neighborhood, respect for the environment, community helpers, holidays and the world around them. The curriculum fosters an appreciation for individual, cultural and racial diversity. The children take trips to such places as the library, neighborhood gardens and the firehouse. In turn, the children are visited by community helpers.

Science: Children learn by doing, not by being told. The curriculum encourages learning through discovery, handling materials, exploring environments both inside and outside the classroom. The children gain firsthand experience with nature through the care and observation of plants and pets.

Mathematics: Opportunities for mathematical learning exist throughout the curriculum. We provide functional experiences for counting, sorting, measuring, patterning, and graphing. Children also learn about shape and size relationships. As they keep track of birthdays and holidays, children begin to learn about temporal concepts.

Language Development and Literacy: The goal here is to develop reading and writing readiness by helping children learn to express themselves verbally and to develop listening skills. Toward this end they participate in such activities as dramatic play, puppetry and felt board stories. Books and poetry provide an introduction to children's literature. Children are provided with many opportunities to see how reading and writing are useful: dictating stories, seeing classroom charts and making their own class books.

Musical Experiences: Singing, movement and the use of rhythm instruments make up the music program. Opportunities to hear new sounds, create with voice or instruments, and to experience rhythmically with the body are provided for the children.

Art: Through the use of collage, paint, clay and other art materials, children are given opportunities for the expression of individuality and creativity.

Cooking and Woodworking: Real tools, such as hammers and cooking utensils, are used in the nursery to produce real products. The children frequently prepare their own snacks. Cooking activities are provided at least once a week and often relate to a season, holiday or theme.

Active Physical Play: Outdoor activity is planned daily so children can develop large muscle skills, learn about outdoor environments, and express themselves freely and loudly. Children have daily opportunities to use large muscles, including running, jumping and balancing. During inclement weather the children utilize our "big room" for these activities.

Blockbuilding: This is an activity that develops spatial awareness and eye hand coordination while encompassing social studies, number relationships and language arts. Children engaged in building a highway out of blocks are learning geography as they figure out how the highway might bypass other roads or bodies of water; they are learning language arts skills as they communicate to each other and explain to others about their building; they are learning social studies as they take turns sharing the materials; and they are learning about number and size relationships as they stack blocks and put blocks away in appropriately marked spaces allotted for each block shape.

The Amalgamated Nursery School is often the first step away from family and home. Through the nursery experience your child will gain independence, establish new relationships with other children and learn to work and play in a group situation. The goal of The Amalgamated Nursery School is to help your child develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. We help to enhance children's self-esteem and confidence so that they will successfully meet future challenges in school and in life.

Sponsored by The Joint Community Activities of the Amalgamated and Park Reservoir Cooperatives.

Amalgamated Nursery School

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Nursery Rhymes Newsletter - Halloween Party

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