It's been a good year, comparatively speaking, for apples so each time I take up scraps to the compost heap I try and collect the latest windfalls. These I mainly make into apple leather. I'm trying to make a batch every day as it does take about 24 hours to dry the puree. I'm back on my diet again having spent the summer going a bit wild food wise so the apple leather makes a tasty but healthy snack. I tried making some dried rings but most of the windfalls aren't sweet enough for that.
It's been lovely and hot today so the sofa cover is now completely dry and back on the 2 foam blocks that make up the sofa bed. I was going to hang up a Moroccan natural wool blanket to air when I decided it could do with a wash. I'll wait until the morning to make sure it's a good drying day before it goes in the machine. It was so warm today that I wore a skirt to school. The first time this year! As the new Reception children aren't in school yet I went to help in a Year 1 class and was asked to do some individual reading as well as some sketching with the children. It was suggested that I worked at a table in the covered outside area if I didn't mind. What a choice; a hot stuffy classroom with whiffy children (always after lunch), or a shaded table in the fresh air. I was quite happy to be outside. I was called upon later to clean up and change a child who had messed herself but I knew where the medical gloves and wet-wipes were so that wasn't too bad.
Back home in the sun after work I went up to look for something in the outbuildings and startled some swallow fledglings who for some reason were still sitting in the nest. Two of them swooped around finally crashing into the opaque plastic window. One stayed there flapping wildly but the other one dropped down straight into an open tea chest. I went out for a few minutes to give the birds time to calm down though the one at the window wasn't happy at my return. I looked into the tea-chest and all I could see was a white rump and a pair of feet where the swallow had wedged head first. Luckily when I got it out it was fine apart from being a bit shocked and it pooped on me before flying off.
4 comments:
Your butterfly is lovely. Ruta, someday when you have the time and inclination, please tell us what ages the children are in your school. Reception--I presume means what here is Kindergarten. What grades your school teaches. I am always interested in your school comments. Thank you.
Children start formal schooling at age 4! which is the Foundation stage. That's the Reception class. Many of the children will also have been to pre-school or playgroups. Key Stage 1 is Year 1 and Year 2, ages 5-7. In my days these were the Infant classes. Key Stage 2 is Years 3-6 ages 8-11 also known as the Junior classes. Usually Reception, Infants and Juniors are all in one school known as a Primary school. We are Reception and Infants only with the children moving to the Junior school next door. At age 11 they move on to 'Big School' aka secondary school or Key Stage 3. Some parts of the country have a slightly different arrangement with Middle school for 8-13.
Thank you, Ruta, now as I read about your teaching day, I'll know the ages of the children. In some ways the division of ages is similar to ours. I add, however, many of our public schools (non-private) are offering a Pre-Kindergarten class. Kindergarten, 5 yr. old mostly, has been extended in many school districts to a full day class. Children learn to read in Kindergarten. Our system has determined if a child is not reading by the end of 3rd grade....they will not be able to keep up with class work. We, too, have Middle schools that used to be called Jr. High Schools. In Michigan, the school divisions seem to be changed depending on the school population. An example: My son (now 40 yrs. old) was in Middle School-grades 7-9. Then High School grades 10-12. Now this school system has High School grades 9-12, Middle School grades 7 & 8. Elementary School grades Kindergarten to 6.
Thanks for explaining your grades as well. One thing that does seem to be different here is that a child is never kept back a year even when they have specific learning difficulties like Downs syndrome. Too bad if they are struggling with reading or anything else. By the end of year 2 (6/7 yrs) they should be free readers though a fair proportion are not.
Post a Comment