Dear Ice Creams,
This week, we started our countdown to our last day in the Purple Room. It’s made us (your teachers) think back to how we started our year together, all the way back in September.
When you first visited the Purple Room, our classroom looked a little bit different. Our walls were empty, waiting to be filled with your beautiful artwork and insightful words. We only had a few materials on our shelves, as we waited to learn what you would be interested in and what ideas you wanted to pursue. Our classroom was a blank slate, and you have filled it to the brim with your thoughts, questions, ideas, and personality!
Together, we have learned and practiced many things this year. At snack, you learned how to pour your own water. You practiced taking just a few pieces of fruit from the family plate, leaving enough for your friends. You learned how to count the rocks to take attendance, and how to read the schedule.
Do you remember when you didn’t know how to put on your own shoes and socks? Or when it was tricky to walk up the stairs to the gym? Look how far you have come!
You have learned how to be a good friend and how to take care of others. You practiced telling each other what you needed. You listened when your friends spoke. You helped one another by sharing, by making space, and by saying “Yes!” when a friend asked to play. With your hugs, kind words, and smiles, you’ve helped make our classroom a safe and welcoming place.
This year, we learned that the Ice Creams are builders and engineers. You worked together to build very tall structures out of Duplos, Magnatiles, and blocks. You built haunted houses, homes for stuffies, Barrow Street, and playgrounds. When your buildings fell down, you laughed and asked each other, “Want to make it again?”
The Ice Creams are also artists. You made art with watercolors, pencils, crayons, tape, chalk, and scissors. You learned how to build your letters out of lines and curves, and practiced writing your name. You even worked together to create your very own airplane window!
Finally, the Ice Creams are readers. There’s nothing you loved more this year than to read a story with friends. Some of your favorite books were: The Gruffalo, The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher, Strega Nona, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, Where’s Halmoni?, and Ghosts in the House.
This year has been full of so much laughter, joy, and curiosity. As we get ready to say “see you later,” we are feeling many different emotions at once. We feel happy when we remember the highlights from our year. We feel proud when we see how much you have grown. We feel sad when we think about our time together ending. We feel hopeful knowing that the Purple Room is always a place that you can come back to and visit.
Like our butterflies, it’s almost time to fly free and head off on new adventures. As you continue to grow, know that your Purple Room teachers will always be cheering you on from afar. We will miss you very much, Ice Creams, but can’t wait to see all that you will do!
With love,
The Purple Room Teachers
