Another year in the self-directed learning world and our programming seems to be evolving and changing with every new person that enters the center. Each family helps our hearts to grow and expand, welcoming new learning styles and passions. Our days seem to flow from one activity to the next, each learner getting the opportunity to try or teach something new. It is becoming the place we promised - a space for crazy creativity, innovative ideas, and lots and lots of PLAY!
We are grateful to all the educators, families, and especially students (our greatest teachers) who continue to act as guides on this journey...
2022
JANUARY
new families, cardboard architecture, creative legos, tea parties
Looking back on this month, it is apparent that many of our continued daily practices began at this time. We started so many offerings that were asked for again and again each week. The tea parties were a highlight of the week. Every one looked forward to learning about and sampling the latest herbal tisane!
FEBRUARY
superheroes, science, + story time
(and the Settlers of Catan obsession begins...)
Our small homeschool learning pod continued to grow and our story time became a success! Learners explored new games and creative legos continued to inspire. Science and art really flourished throughout this month, especially when taught together.
MARCH
spring time fun - bees, rainbows, + our sapna stay-cation!
Meeting up with our Sapna families at some of our favorite places around Northeast Florida was such a great way to celebrate the start of spring! From a scavenger hunt in St. Augustine to a puzzle hunt at the Cummer Museum, we truly enjoyed sharing these places with our families and getting to know them a little better.
APRIL
garden harvest, chess, art, flag football, egg-cellent adventures
Making the salad from lettuce greens harvested in our garden with our students and then enjoying it together was one of my all time favorite memories from 2022! Oh, and we cannot forget the world's longest hopscotch...
MAY
spontaneous murals, mother's day tea, and so many memories
Our end of the year DREAMS production was another highlight. From concept to final show, it was more than we could ever imagine. The whole show and script was written for kids by kids and has inspired so many more projects.
JUNE
traveling for professional development + research in charleston, sc
JULY
sapna creativity summer camp
AUGUST
year two begins...
We welcomed our second year with more students and more facilitators. Mr. Nick joined the team, jumping in right away with exciting science experiments and story time. He even kicked off the year with one of his favorite novels in our book club, leading readers theater performances, lizard creations, + a dig in the pallet playground.
SEPTEMBER
greek week, second annual naked mole rat day + dinosaurs
So many things happened in the month of September. New long term projects developed as Sapna Shorts were born + our Odyssey of the Mind journey began. Creative thinking and problem solving really started shaping our daily offerings.
OCTOBER
fall equinox, fun at the farm, halloween, potions in the garden, diwali
The fall holiday festivities continued, as did our love of drawing and dreaming. Potion play in the garden was special as learners of all ages collected, stirred + brewed their concoctions, no one was afraid to get messy and have fun!
NOVEMBER
día de los muertos, spontaneous fun, van gogh, giving thanks
A new tradition that was enjoyed by all was the loose parts altar creation on Día de los Muertos. After decorating and learning about the significance of the holiday, learners brought in pictures of their loved ones to add to the ofrenda. It was such a fun way to celebrate our ancestors and share our family stories.
DECEMBER
holiday stories, cardboard gingerbread village, learning stations
The hard work and dedication put in by many of our learners on their recycled "gingerbread" houses was impressive. From individually laid shingles to a tiny clay pot tree to a magical wishing well - our village had it all and more! Watching cardboard boxes and ordinary objects transform into Christmas creations really inspired holiday cheer.
To end the year with the Sapna Storytellers debuting their holiday films during the link's Christmas party was just the cherry on top of a truly amazing year. Creating a space where kids can share their own stories and know that their voices are valued has always been the goal of our center.
Check out our new offerings at the center in the new year!
