Turning Sun

Rising Suns

admin — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:23:13 +0000

“For the child. . . it is not half so important to know as to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused – a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love – then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response . . . It is more important to pave the way for a child to want to know than to put him on a diet of facts that he is not ready to assimilate.”

We have been blessed to have been apart of the children’s journeys, and on these journeys, there comes a point where they must leave Turning Sun. It is a bittersweet feeling- not of loss. This feeling is from a joy that we know that they are ready to fly, and we only wish we could be there every bit of the way. Congratulations, Rising Suns! You will always be loved! We are so proud and so inspired by you, everyday.

Cake made by a parent for the graduating class

Walking hand in hand to the graduation ceremony

Director’s speech to the graduating children and families

Excited graduates seeing themselves over the year

Oakhurst Class meets MARTA CEO, Keith Parker

admin — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:55:15 +0000

On Tuesday May 7, educators and the Oakhurst class and families visited the MARTA headquarters for a meeting with the “CPO” to share their ideas on how to increase ridership. You can read about it on MARTA’s website.

We encourage you to take the time to read our proposal of how the children plan to change the culture of Atlanta through their love of MARTA. Their ideas are powerful and inspiring.

Sharing ideas with Keith Parker about MARTA

Waiting for the train

Educators getting ready to present the children’s proposal

Welcome, MARTA HEROES!

Taking MARTA to meet the CEO

Turning Sun Opens a New Location in Eastlake

admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:46:55 +0000

Truly Living Well CSA

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:53:59 +0000

We started our CSA with Truly Living Well last week, and we love it! Tenisio brought beautiful mustard greens and collards, beets, three different types of radishes, garlic and onions, and arugula with their flowers still attached the first week. The children worked to separate and count the vegetables with Tenisio. Our second batch included purple kale, kohlbari, fat baby carrots, radishes, and onions. I am so happy with all the local and organic greens. The excitement lies around guessing what is coming in and cooking my goodies in new ways. Yum!

Pouring ice over the carrots to keep them cool

Looking over the greens brought over Truly Living Well

Counting the beets

Moving over the greens to Turning Sun bins

Farm to School Summit

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:42:19 +0000

Brooke and I had the honor of attending the 2013 Farm to School Summit, an extension of the Georgia Organics Conference. We held an educational session with Diane Harris of the Center for Disease Control titled “Farm to Preschool” to represent the ways that Turning Sun School supports and encourages this movement.

We offered a comparative taste test asking “Which do you think is grown locally in Atlanta?” Over 60 participants unanimously voted for unmarked Turning Sun’s broccoli over broccoli bought at the grocery store. We shared our experience of growing a school garden, conducting school-wide taste tests, and creating a buzz around our special harvests. We are proud to share our work and exchange big ideas with those associated with the movement.

Winter Play

admin — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:52:22 +0000

The fluctuating weather has challenged us as educators and parents to think about outdoor play in the winter months. The hallway is always bustling from the children and teachers putting on and taking off their jackets, hats, and mittens. We take the extra time to go through this process so that we are able to go outside even for a short while to say hello to the winter sun. Turning Sun School had its first garden harvest this January and celebrated by making harvest soup with the children. Turning Sun School celebrates the seasons and encourage children to be engaged in nature in what can sometimes be framed as “bad weather.” With the proper attire, children recognize being warm (in the cold) is a gift. Warmth is helpful in the realm of physical illness and in the sense of individual strength and contentment. We share warmth beyond layers of clothes- through hugs, our classrooms, and music and yoga.

Listening walk in the woods

Harvesting tat soi from the garden

Playing games on the playground

Painting together

Cooking the harvest soup

Friday Truck Friday

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:19:51 +0000

Children get excited for Fire Truck Friday

Waiting to visit the firemen

A fireman shows his fire suit

The children wave good-bye to the firemen

Children gathered to meet Fire Station #8′s firemen in all of their red sweaters and hats in spirit of Fire Truck Friday. They were excited to see the big fire truck and learn about what to do in a fire emergency. One of the firemen demonstrated how to put on a fire suit and answered questions like, “Why do you get hot?” The children enjoyed the brief demonstration and waved good-bye when the firemen got called in on a real emergency! It was a pleasant and chilly winter solstice at Turning Sun School.

winter celebration

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:14:30 +0000

Turning Sun School celebrated winter today. Children made lanterns to represent the light inside of them.

play

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:02:08 +0000

gardening

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:59:52 +0000