This September, WiseBodies offers CircleBee, a brand-new, whole-being sexuality class for families with children in the 6th/7th - 8th/9th grades.
In response to the motion toward a non-gender binary world, WiseBodies no longer hosts classes for "girls" and "boys", but rather classes for all.
To learn about, and register for CircleBee, a year-long class for families with children in the 6th/7th - 8th/9th grades, please join us for an Orientation evening on Tuesday, August 23rd, from 6:30 - 8:00pm, here at WiseBodies in Chatham.
We'll enjoy tea and desserts, learning about this year's curriculum, and exploring WiseBodies-style educational games. We'll all go home having learned something new!
CircleBee will meet Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 - 5:30 pm, beginning September 20th.
RSVP required! Please contact Isa at wisebodieshudson@gmail.com. We hope to see you here Tuesday, August 23rd, at 6:30pm!
be boys, a joyful bunch
be boys practiced generosity by making a get-well card for a missing mate, then taking this and a bag of our popcorn up the street to hand-deliver to their friend's bedside.
the be's are preparing for a major game of Jeopardy, so are busily playing games to learn facts about the creatures they've been studying. If asked, be boys can tell you answers to the following: *which creature is lead by one female, who births all male progeny, progeny which can transform to female when a new leader is needed? *which creatures add spermataphores to each other's backs? *which creatures lay their eggs only on the full moon?
They've memorized this, and plenty more!
In addition, be boys worked with maintaining focus on their learning while also filling their classroom with good humor - their natural emotional stance. They did a beautiful job; teachers and students had a joyful time together, and learned plenty.
Great class, be boys!
be boys pre-thanksgiving
be boys are beginning their travels into the human body, even as they finish their studies of the New Mexican Whiptail Lizard, the Clownfish, Centipedes, Ducks, and The Great Blue Whale.
be boys are completing their unit on creatures by preparing for a big, supportive, group-test to show they've Mastered Interesting Facts about the reproductive and sexual systems of these creatures.
We hope all parents will join us for our epic game of Jepardy! Invitations coming soon!
In addition to finishing artwork for the large posters about the creatures they've been studying, be boys and teachers focussed on Gratitude.
We pondered gratitude, answered questions about gratitude, shared gratitude with one-another, and prepared for the coming holiday which honors this necesary and nourishing quality.
be boys know their creatures
Ask a be boy about ducks, or blue whales, or female kangaroos, or many other beings, and they'll tell you some very interesting facts.
We've been studying creatures, far and wide, to gain comfort and good humor in the wide-range of reproductive and sexual systems.
be boys also easily can talk about how boys get trained to be "boys", and what can happen when we let down those guidelines.
We've begun studying one of the many book in our library, randomly choosing page numbers to begin conversation. It's a good test of the skill our teaching crew has with handling spontaneous topics! So far, so fine.
Parents joined us at the end of class for a bit of conversation about our wonderful shared class last week, when the be boys joined the In This Circle girls. Shared class suddenly is beloved! We're looking forward to the first week in December, when we'll have our second, shared class!
Excellent, thorough and fun work, be class.
BE boys and The Forest
Last Tuesday was the kind of day all beings needed to be outdoors. And so BE boys, teaching assisitants, and I took apple crisp, popcorn, water, cups, dishes, a tablecloth and made our way to the forest.
We left a sign on the door, to let parents know where we were.
We left a popcorn trail for parents who might also be hoping for time in the forest.
The kids led, hiking up the steep hill. Their task was to find our "spot" for the year. Up we went, settling into the perfect forest alcove, where we created a comfortable outdoor classroom.
Mae and Aidan led us through our opening exercises and games. We do these every week. The excercises and games help us connect, once again becoming our strong circle.
We ate, fully enjoying eating outdoors.
The kids were given three minutes to run as far from we teachers as possible. Within seconds they were completely disappeared into trees, leaves, the deep ravine, the steep hills.
We called Time!, and back they came, impossibly quickly.
We settled into deep conversation about Ground Rules, what we're learning this year - and why - and how we're doing growing into our circle. We talked about our first joint class with In This Circle, coming up in three weeks. The teachers let the kids know they'll be responsible for leading the first joint be/In This Circle class; this caused great excitement.
We agreed that we're all very, very happy - lucky! - to be together this year.
Recognizing Comfort and Anxiety
Be kids worked hard last week.
Imagine being 12, 13, and 14, and being given the opportunity to focus in, moment by moment, on one's level of comfort and discomfort.
We spent a good part of last week's class doing just that, supporting one-another to take the time to really check in to figure how we feel.
We've begun also to practice skills that can help increase comfort when we're feeling anxious.
We did some simple, full-body stretches.
We realized that, even though we use it every day, most of us don't know what kind of toothpaste we use. You might wonder what that has to do with thoughtful sex education...ask a teen from be!
We continued our study of insects, birds, fish, and mammals, with card and word games. We're learning some very unusual and interesting facts. Our understanding of the wide variety of sexual and reproductive habits and processes is expanding.
We began focussing on our Ground Rules, which will continue as an important and on-going conversation.
Parents joined us, which felt warm and comfortable. Be students got to share what we've been up to. We finished with the fun hand-game that is the mark of the end of be class.
Great work, be.
be !
WiseBodies brand-new class for 12 - 14 year old boys is off to a wonderful start!
Today was our second class, and already we are happy and whole together.
Throughout the Fall, we'll study birds, insects, and mammals. We've begun by learning about the Great Blue Whale.
Since this is WiseBodies, we are focussing on the mating behavior and reproductive anatomy of the beings with whom we share our Earth.
BE students welcome family and friends into our classroom, to join us for the last part of each class. Students get the chance to share what we are learning. Family and friends get to ask questions, participate in our closing circle, and take our conversation home.
BE! Our new class! Open House!
be! Open Class for be!**
Join us Monday, July 27th, 4:00pm - 5:30pm, to learn about and experience our new after-school class, be, for 12 - 14 year old girls and boys.
be is a year-long, coming-of-age class for girls and boys, meeting Tuesday afternoons 3:30 - 5:00 pm, September 2015 - May 2016, in Chatham, NY.
be girls and boys will have the chance to explore who and how they are in their inner worlds, in their families, at school, and in the world; to practice grounded communication; to play games supporting together and alone time; to learn about the whole and healthy body; to prepare food with and for each other; to reveal the best of who they are; to learn skills for bringing parents into personal communication, and to experience their own self-created coming-of-age ceremony.
For questions and to RSVP, please call Isa at 518-821-9676 or send her a message.
“Isa Coffey knows how to get teenagers to listen, speak honestly, and show respect for others. Her unique WISEBODIES is an approach to sex education that is less about sex and more about the understanding of differences among us that usually (and hopefully) comes with maturity. All parents should feel comfortable trusting Isa to offer their children a safe environment to discuss their deep personal questions about their sexual and personal identities and learn evidence based information about their changing bodies, both physically and emotionally.”
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