Second Grade and the 8-Year-Old

By Diane Power

A change has come upon our student… With all the wonder and magic of first grade celebrated and absorbed, our little caterpillar has emerged from her cocoon transformed into a beautiful butterfly, ready to take on new challenges and adventures! My, how the world has grown!

Our second grader, toolkit on their back, has a “can-do” attitude. This new confidence in their abilities calls upon us as their teachers to meet them differently, bringing stories and introducing new skills that deepen their understanding of their world.

As their feeling life expands, they experience the peaks and valleys of emotion. Their newly awakened feelings of sympathy and antipathy can be met and guided by the stories told to them at this time. Animal fables, examples from the Jataka tales that speak of the many animal incarnations of the Lord Buddha, or others from Native American, African,

Celtic, or Japanese traditions, teach of the consequences of our quirks and shortcomings. What wonderful stories to discuss to find their real meaning! And what a delight to act them out!!!

On the other hand, the second grade child still delights in the mystery of the spiritual world where he still dwells at heart. He sits in rapt attention to legends of those spiritual beings who have the forces of nature in their service. – Manette Teitelbaum

Retaining his unity with his environment, the second grader does not question the possibility of interconnectedness that these special human beings have with their animal friends, but rather enters openheartedly into the story to be St. Francis, Jumping Mouse, or St. Jerome’s lion with the thorn in his paw.

Let us create a sense of reverence for that part of humanity that aspires to the Divine in all things, encouraging our student to join us as we celebrate the wondrous, the comedic, the inspirational, the mischievous, the magical life that we are a glorious part of!

Are you looking for a curriculum to support your second grader through this exciting year? You can purchase a full Earthschooling curriculum to support your second grader here.