Well, the last meeting of the term happened last Thursday and we made sugar cookies – a traditional American Christmas biscuit. For a number of reasons, I think this was our best time together yet. The kids were like wild animals when they arrived (that time of year, I guess?!?) so I told them very calmly that I would be monitoring their behaviour and unless they could prove they could cook in a well-behaved and calm way, I would have to tell them they couldn’t come back after Christmas. Well, they all did fab. Well done kids. And in the calmness, some really good cooking happened; they all concentrated really well and figured out ingredients and measurements (sort of!) on their own. I’m really proud of them.
I made sure they had cookie dough already made up so they began by rolling and cutting their shapes. While they cooked in the oven, they made their own dough from scratch to take home to make more biscuits with family. Washing up went very well. Everyone helped without needing to be asked. I even had a brainwave to ask the more restless boys to hoover which they were very excited about!
We then had a short reflection time looking at some frescos by the artist Giotto that tell the Christmas story (Godly Play resources from SCEC). Again, all the kids listened well and got really into the discussion. The wondering questions are still strange for them. I tell them there are no right and wrong answers and that we’ll just consider the answers to the questions inside ourselves but still they all put hands up and gesture excitedly. The last wondering question was ‘which image makes them most excited about Christmas’. Quite a few pointed immediately at the visitation of the magi and said it was because of the presents!! Ah well. Kids will be kids... Then, we only just had enough time to ice the biscuits before parents arrived. The all refused to use the green icing (made from natural colourings) because it looked like bogies! They do make me smile!
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