Issue 5                                                                                                                                                        September 2007          The Wynndel Wondertree School Informer        Where a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world! A Dream Realized Approximately two years ago a small group of Wynndel families decided to start a journey toward natural learning. As they researched and made important decisions about the directions of their childrenÕs education, so did community interest from around the Creston Valley.Ê Families came and went. The families that stayed all worked hard to make this innovative school a reality. They spent many hours a week, for months, not just because they wanted this kind of support in learning for their own children, but believe this schooling option will benefit many more children as well. The realization of Wynndel Wondertree has been a labor of love as challenges presented themselves and were overcome. Wynndel Wondertree families are proud to be apart of such an important new resource. All families looking for another option for their childrenÕs educational future are invited to find out more about SelfDesign learning and Wynndel Wondertree School. Contact the school through this website, by phone at 866-6816 or write us at Wynndel Wondertree School, Box 166, Wynndel BC, V0B 2N0. Ê Welcome to Wynndel Wondertree School On September 4, 2007 Wynndel Wondertree School opened its doors for 10 learners, their families & the community. Our Learning Consultant, Darcy Kaltio, welcomed everyone at an outdoor opening ceremony. Everyone stood on the front lawn in a circle, listening to Darcy while she welcomed everyone, read several inspirational quotes from the SelfDesign book and thanked everyone for all the work & commitment it took, to get WondertreeÕs doors open. The children were all asked to bring a rock to represent their fears, bad feelings & doubts about school. Everyone walked down to the creek together, to throw these stones in the creek, to wash those feelings away. This meant a lot to some of the learners and their parents. Back in the circle on the lawn, Darcy presented a plant rooted from a plant at the Wondertree in Vancouver. Everyone took turns adding soil to the plant, in the new pot. While the plant was being potted, she said to think about hopes and dreams for Wynndel Wondertree School and for learning goals we all have. This is going to be one special plant at our school. Ê To finish, Darcy showed everyone a little book which she had written her commitments to the children & their learning goals inside. In turn, she asked all the children to sign in the book if they agreed to these commitments. One of the learners commented on being happy to have a ÒChoiceÓ already at school, not an ÒOrderÓ.Ê There was a feeling of something different and new getting ready to commence for everyone there.Ê Let the Wondertree adventure begin! Community Support Wynndel Wondertree School was open not even a week, before qualified Community volunteers offered to come and help out at the school. ÊThanks to Shannon for taking the time to come and support the kids in their projects, inside and outside the school. Thanks to Diane who comes once a week ready to read as many books as the kids want to listen to. It is community members like these that show the kids they are valued and important, and motivate them to want to contribute somehow in the community themselves. Interested in Becoming a Wondertree Family? Wynndel Wondertree School is still accepting full or part-time students, and in our blended program, which combines SelfDesign home learning with part-time classroom learning.Ê We are always looking for community mentors too. If you have a skill or time you would like to share with Wondertree, please feel free to contact us for an interview. If you would like to contact us, send an e-mail through the website or phone 866-6816. Ê Issue 4                                                                                                                                                          Summer 2007          The Wynndel Wondertree School Informer        ÒWhere a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world!Ó Darcy comes to meet her new Wynndel Wondertree Family Wynndel WondertreeÕs Learning Consultant, Darcy Kaltio came to meet everyone and see the space that will soon become WondertreeÕs home.  There was a welcome party outside on the grass at Wynndel Hall. Darcy was enthusiastically greeted by the learners and their parents. A potluck was served and lots of inspiring conversation enjoyed. There was a unanimous feeling of comfort and gratitude, as Darcy took time to talk with all the families.  The kids enjoyed taking her around showing her there new school. It was wonderful to see another step forward in the journey to Wynndel Wondertree School.   Thank-you Darcy, for believing in our families and becoming our guide on the Journey to SelfDesign learning. Wynndel Wondertree Hall Renovations As the summer slips by, so does the time for completing the classroom renovations at Wynndel Hall. A special Thank-you goes out to all the dedicated volunteers, who have given their time to install new windows, a door, paint, rip out, put in, clean-up, and lay the laminate flooring. These are all big jobs and without this support Wynndel Wondertree would not open up for our children this fall! "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."-Michelangelo Buonarroti 1474-1564, Italian Renaissance Painter and Sculptor Enjoying Summer with SelfDesign Summer is always a busy time for families. Enjoying time outside, traveling or getting projects finished around our homes, is what seems to be happening with all our Wondertree families. We all know that summer can be over before we know it. Everyone is always trying to do all they can before the kids go back to school and everyday routines set back in. A neat thing has happened to our family this year. Instead of just watching the time slip by as we work, play and wait for school to begin again, we have discovered SelfDesign learning, and everyday is filled with new possibilities for learning. Our yard has always been a fun place to play in a little pool, swing on the swing and playing in the playhouse. It is a great place to spend the hot summer days. What has changed is, now we are really looking at the world around us and finding out about it. We are not just leaving learning times for the classroom, or specific classes or times. We are taking time to find out more about the weeds that are growing in our yard, trying to figure out what birds are around our house and even counting bugs that pass. These may seem like unimportant things, but all add up to knowledge that is being retained in our 5 year olds mind, and opening up new possibilities for her to ask questions and motivate her own search for knowledge. This is an amazing discovery for kids, when they realize a weed isnÕt just there, itÕs a plant, it grows, it has a specific name and there is other stuff around it that can be discovered too. Can you believe it?! Our yard and the rest of the world will never be the same. Not only are we excited about Wynndel Wondertree opening its doors this September, but we have everyday to learn and discover together. See you this fall. -Christa Moore   First Day of Wondertree Wondertree is open for learning starting September 4, 2007! Are you ready for your Adventure in learning to begin? Issue 3                                                                                                                                                         June 2007          The Wynndel Wondertree School Informer        ÒWhere a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world!Ó Yard Sale a Major Success On June 15-16th Wynndel Wondertree School had its first official fund raiser. Liam, Nathaniel, Graeme & Sameen DÕall spent almost two weeks setting up, pricing, running & cleaning up after this event. Thousands of items were gathered and donated by all our Wynndel Wondertree families. The advertisement of all items priced under $10 brought an amazing turn out & people in the community were also interested in asking questions & finding out mor e about Wondertree, while they shopped. It was wonderful how many people rounding up their prices to show their support of our school. After two days of sales the yard sale gave us $700 to be used for our school & kids. Thanks to all the students & parents who helped out for and at the yard sale. A big thanks to Irean & Harry Corky who shared their yard sale experience & a week of their time, to show their support of the Wynndel Wondertree School. A standing ovation to the DÕall family who made this fundraiser come together. It is families like this one that make Wynndel Wondertree School such an amazing group, for our children to share in and learn with. Lemonade Anyone? Six year old Liam DÕall& Billie Morgan did a fantastic job running the lemonade sale at the yard sale. Liam used this experience to enhance his learning plan with SelfDesign learning. It gave him a chance to use his developing math & interpersonal skills. Way to go! "To believe you can is everything!" Gary Higgins Classroom Renovation Update Exciting things are going on at the Wynndel Memoriam Hall, as we get ready for our school year to start in September. The floor in our space, is on its way to big changes, as the old carpet is being ripped up to get ready for the new, ÒgreenÓ fir floors that are going to be laid. It is very important to the Wynndel Wondertree Community that we make environmentally sound choices for our learning environment. Two 4x8 ft. windows have been ordered and are to be installed shortly. These windows will open to give fresh air and provide lots of natural light & a great view of the trees. Wondertree parents are working hard to make sure our kids have a great place to go & learn. We a re making little steps toward big changes. Welcome Darcy!!! Wynndel Wondertree School is thrilled to welcome the newest member of our learning community, experienced Learning Consultant ÊDarcy Kaltio B. Ed. Darcy comes to us from the Wondertree School in Vancouver B.C. All Wynndel Wondertree parents are looking forward to meeting her and to start working on developing the learning plans for our children. Darcy is coming to the Creston Valley the first week of July to meet everyone. She will be making individual visits to al l her new studentsÕ homes, to get to know them better. We are all excited to have Wynndel WondertreeÕs firs t teacher and to see our school comfortably settling in for September. Check us out! See our school as the feature story in the July/August edition of Look magazine. Find it available in the Creston Valley to the East Shore and down to Bonners Ferry, ID. Issue 2                                                                                                                                                                              May 2007          The Wynndel Wondertree School Informer        ÒWhere a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world!Ó Meeting for New Parents On May 7, 2007 the Wynndel Wondertree parent group held a web conference with Brent Cameron PhD. at the Wynndel Memorial Hall. This meeting was in response to the Home & Garden Show on April 13-14 at the Creston and District Community Complex. Parents that expressed an interest in the Wynndel Wondertree School were invited to ask questions and express concerns about the Wondertree program. We are excited about the growth of our school and our success in bringing SelfDesign learning to the Creston Valley, as this is a wonderful opportunity for both child ren and parents. One new parent has expressed how she could see her 4 year old son, flourish in the program, as he was already showing interest in multiplication through play. She also noted that the natural learning proc ess would create a constructive path for her son that would not only be fun, but also develop a valuable set of skills for his future. If anyone has any questions or concerns about Wynndel Wondertree School & how SelfDesign learning works, please feel free to contact us at [ mailto:wynndel@wondertree.org ]wynndel@wondertree.orgÊÊor visit our website at SelfDesign.or g . We canÕt wait for the 2007 year to start September 4th, so we can welcome all your little geniuses to an exciting world of learning! "I have no special gift. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein Renovations With September creeping up on us, the Wynndel Wondertree School parent group is getting ready to start our classroom renovations at Wynndel Memorial Hall. We will be purchasing and installing new windows & hardwood flooring, as well as painting and furnishings for WondertreeÕs new home.Ê If you would like to volunteer your time on this project or offer a tax deductible donation, please contact us at [ "ailto:wynndel@wondertree.org ]wynndel@wondertree.org. AuroraÕs Recycling Report Wondertree student Aurora is pleased to have raised $10.25 this past month on bottle returns. This 5 year old comments that ÒThe bottleÕs & cans are sometimes sticky & smell grossÓ but ÒI like putting the money in the piggy bank afterÓ. All money from the recycling is given to the Wynndel Wondertree School treasurer and deposited in the school account. If you would like your bottles and cans picked up for recycling call 428-0078 or you can donate your return money at the bottle depot, to the Wynndel Wondertree School. Garage Sale Season Just a reminder that SelfDesign learner Liam & his family are putting on a garage sale to try & raise money for a computer, for our new Wynndel Wondertree School. The garage sale date has been set for June 16th. Contact Sameen at 402-6885 to arrange a pick-up or drop off of donations. Thank-you Very Much We would like to thank the people who offered us their support through their generous donations of both time and money for the Home & Garden Show. Without this support our booth would have not been possible. One supporter paid for all the beautiful posters & banners we hung at the booth. This signage really made our booth stand out. We look forward to continued use of these in fall at our school. Other donors contributed by purchasing props and materials that made our display an inviting attraction. A special thanks also goes out to CMR Consulting I nc. for donating her time to help advise us on our both direction & set-up. This project for the Wondertree parents was a great example of the use of Synergy by bringing together community, sustainability and design & amp; putting it into motion. This was yet another example of SelfDesign learning in motion, even for us parents. Ê Math? My Experience I loathed math in school! I couldnÕt stand to sit down with a book of numbers and a pencil, and have to mathematically figure out the answer. As a young person spending hours trying to figure out equations on paper felt like a waste of my time. I didnÕt care what the answer was, because it seemed to have no practical relevance in my life at the time. I used the public school system to my advantage. I quietly sneaked through each level of math. I sweet talked others for their answers for homework assignments & learned the bare minimum for tests. On multiple choice questions, I approximated and averaged equations to quickly find answers or chose answer C (C is the most common answer in multiple choice questions). ÊThis strategy gave me a C to B average believe it or not. I am an intelligent person. I could have put the time into this subject and probably done well, but I didnÕt enjoy how I had to learn it, and decided not to. In my twenties I started to see the relevance of some of the math skills that I had skipped over. Upon this discovery I used the things that interested me to learn the skills I needed in a short time frame. I actually wanted to learn them now! In a matter of weeks I was doing fractions in my head to double recipes I was trying. Percentages came easy when there was a 35% off sale; now it was relevant! I needed equations to figure out areas of our home for renovating, along with many other examples. I quickly learned to use the skills I needed to be successfu l in my projects. Do I regret not paying more attention in school? Not really. Was there a way I could have learned more? Of course! We are all born with abilities to learn naturally.ÊÊ If I had been shown the p ractical ways math concepts could be applied, I would have wanted to sharpen these skills earlier. Conventionally some schools are limited by their set curriculum and time restrictions. Large class sizes and limited teacher student contact contribute to allow students like myself, to slip by in that system. With the discovery of SelfDesign learning and Wondertree, it makes me wish I was a kid again and to be able to experience this limitless way of learning with my children now. What an adventure to learn fueled by ones own interests. Actually learning each skill because the main person you are accountable to is yourself. I feel I taught myself most of the valuable life skills I use everyday. I am thankful however, for the couple of teachers I did have that loved their job, cared about the kids and put in the time to bring out my potential. Do I really hate Math? Well no, I love to do so many things where these skills are dominant. I just wish there had been a different way I could have learned them in school. As a result I am excited about the new learning possibilities my girls have. Wynndel Wondertree School is bringing new potential for all our kids to the community. I look forward to the opportunity of seeing all that my daughters are capable of, and how far they can go driven by their inherent skills. A chance to love math while they are learning it in school! -Christa Moore Issue 1                                                                                                                                                          April 2007          The Wynndel Wondertree School Informer        ÒWhere a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world!Ó Greeting our Community On April 13-14 Wynndel Wondertree School parents shared our plans for the future, with the Creston Valley, at the Home & Garden Show. We greeted the community with enthusiasm as we described our schools new home at the Wynndel Memorial Hall and the plans we have for the progressive educational future of our children. We were overwhelmed with th e positive responses we received. We had a parent share with us her struggles of trying to bring natural learning to the community 25 years ago. Elderly people stopped to read information & expressed how this philosop hy made sense to them & how they could see it be of great benefit to our communities children. Parents shared with us their struggles and appreciated having another option becoming available for their childrenÕs educational future. We offered encouragement to struggling families and were reminded of all the dedicated parents that are all around us. Parents of home schooled children liked how each child is a priority and individual attention is a priority in our program. Brent Cameron, PhD, and founder of the SelfDesign philosophy, came Saturday night to talk with the public. He once again inspired us and other parents, to trust in our children, and their natural desires as learners. I came home inspired myself, to actively reinstate life long learning possibilities in my own life. Wh e n did learning become fun? I just needed to look at it differently. We canÕt wait for our own daughter to start exploring the many learning opportunities Wynndel Wondertree has to offer. -Christa Moore Wondertree Public Meeting The board of Wynndel Wondertree School parents is working to organize another informational meeting for the public. The warm response we received at the Home & Garden Show has interested parents & supporters, waiting to find out more about this new schooling option in Wynndel. We will be contacting everyone who signed up at our both for information and putting an advertisement in the Creston Valley Advance, as soon as a date is set. Be the change that you want to see in the world.-Mohandas Gandhi Quality Time: Scavenger Walk I think I can speak for everyone by saying ÒHooray for spring!Ó Now that we are all itching to get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, here is a learning activity you can add to your afternoon walk. We have used this activity with very young children and children as old as 11. Try making a list of list of things you think you may see on your walk. We usually do 10-12 items depending on the length of our walk. Here is an example of a list our family has used. Look for a purple rock, flying bird, bulrush, mailbox, litter in ditch, something red, a green car, the letter ÒAÓ on something, a flower, and a triangle. We write our items down on a piece of paper to take with us and c heck off the items as we find them with a pencil. For little kids that havenÕt started reading, try drawing sm all pictures of what they are looking for, so they can be in charge of their own list. This learning activity has made a walk go from ÒI want to go homeÓ to ÒCan we walk a bit more; I havenÕt seen a flying bird yet?Ó! Give it a try. It can be a lot of fun. -Christa Moore ÒWhere a childÕs enthusiasm can change the world!Ó Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Wynndel Wondertree School now has an account at the Creston Bottle Recycling Depot. If you are taking your bottles in for return, our school has an account you can donate your refund money to. Wynndel Wondertree School supports Ecology by acknowledging interconnectedness with all global systems, and practicing harmony in communication and relationships. In working with our children now, we can all start early habits of recycling. Five year old Aurora, would be happy to come to your home and return for deposit, your bottles and cans. She wants to be apart of raising money for her school to buy supplies we will need. Contact us at 428 0078 for pick-ups. A Learning Plan with a Mission As we welcome spring, Liam one of our SelfDesign learners in the valley, has added a garage sale fundraiser for the Wynndel Wondertree School, to his learning plan. At 6 years old he is excited to contribute & discover new ways math can become relevant to him. He and his family will work together to make this event possible. If you are interested in contributing items to the sale contact Sameen at 402-6885 to arrange a pick-up or drop off.