In these photos, my little one and I collect wild flowers for our mud kitchen. She decided up making fairy soup. We walked over the the forest with our wagon, brought along our nature bag with a clipboard, crayons, bowl, magnifying glass and basket. She decided she would use the materials to make a list and collect items from the forest for her soup. Upon our walk, she discovered a large branch, she ran to me and explained " look a big dinosaur fossil". We spent some time using twigs to piece together the " fossils" of our unknown dinosaur.  Within the process, she and ..read more

The importance that educators play in the mental health of our students has always been a topic priority. Upon return to schools, how might this impact our learners? How might educators rethink their approach to the daily rhythms and flow of our days? How will we create a classroom learning environment which continues to foster a calm, safe, educational space for children to explore? In the coming weeks, I invite you to join me on social media using #justletmeplaytrentuaq @justletmeplayedu to explore resources, ask questions, and begin to work together to create a plan for mindfulness in o ..read more

Entering a new classroom allows the educators to reflect upon the shared space and how the materials and furniture are reflective of the needs and interests of the learners. Classrooms are truly a blank canvas which are co-created with the learners. The entire environment is a 2 year long project for kindergarten teams and students.  This year, I entered a classroom which was ready for a transformation. The room was large, with beautiful windows and open space. This time, I turned to thinking about what I needed to remove and eliminate in order to reduce the clutter and create a more in ..read more

Washing fruits and vegetables. Meal preparation with child safety utensils) always under supervision)  ​Baking and sharing treats ( my favorite is our peach pie and spelt Waldorf muffins) Sorting activities and tidy up tasks (working alongside the adult ..read more

Redesigning learning spaces and re-thinking materials are some of the things I have continued to research and reflect upon during my search for a preschool/early years centre and on-going professional development as a proud educator in the public school system, with in my opinion an amazing early years program.  As a kindergarten teacher, I looked for a play-based learning model, which is driven by emergent learning (capturing the interests of the students). I am inspired by the Waldorf philosophy because of its beauty and work with a child's imagination. I am inspired by the schools of ..read more

The Imagination of the child  The Tradition of the Waldorf Birthday Ring Cake Opera Co. Teacup Fairy Garden ..read more

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A collaboration between the fun and fancy! Carmelina Di Grigoli @justletmeplay and the fancy infamous Alexandria Pellegrino @cakeoperaco created the most dreamy first birthday celebration a la Waldorf and Reggio Emilia inspired. This birthday smash took a turn for the fancy when the intention was to co create a piece of art with the atelierista (cake designer) and decorate Vava's own birthday cake with artful details. This invitation for learning style photography session was inspired by my love for playful art, fine details, and the masterpieces of Cake Opera Co. I wanted this experience to ..read more

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This term, I am back into my graduate work and trying to navigate my way around balancing my educational Reggio Emilia and Waldorf teaching practices into my professional practice and research. This term, one of my M.Ed courses explores digital tools for constructing knowledge using PBL as a teaching approach (slightly different than a project based approach which is heavily part of the Reggio Emilia practice).  I hope to explore more about PBL and inquiry based learning models, specifically, using or limiting (screen time) however, purposefully using digital tools to foster deeper learn ..read more