Leading Through Reading 2013
On Saturday 15 June, we hosted our very first Leading Through Reading event. This meant that children studying English as a second language had been motivated to read throughout the year, the impetus being the chance to read a part of our Tales of Lusitânia story for/to our horses. They were to do this from outside the round pen, their chosen horses being inside it.
To introduce the horses and open the event, I read the first page of the Namaste Story, created as a gift by the amazing equine artist, Kim McElroy:
"Fly my dear Children and taste the Music
The Water of holiness... etc."
The horses were feeling good and danced and pranced around the ring, transmitting the inspiring words to the children, who then followed by reading their parts from the Tales of Lusitânia back to the horses – full of gusto and enthusiasm – not something that is easy to do, given this is your first meeting with these powerful and enormous beings, but they had been practicing:-) And the horses listened...
"Fly my dear Children and taste the Music
The Water of holiness... etc."
The horses were feeling good and danced and pranced around the ring, transmitting the inspiring words to the children, who then followed by reading their parts from the Tales of Lusitânia back to the horses – full of gusto and enthusiasm – not something that is easy to do, given this is your first meeting with these powerful and enormous beings, but they had been practicing:-) And the horses listened...
I then addressed the parents and onlookers and told them that the test of real reading is when the reader needs to read a completely unknown text.
And so it was that I handed over to the children the last recently created page of Namaste:
Above is the Dove and Father sky,
Below is the Horse and Mother Earth
We are Messengers and Teachers of spirit…
….............................................................................................................
…...................................................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................. we can change each other with our internal states!
And they read it wonderfully such that we were all filled with great joy and admiration!
I hope some day you'll join us ... for the latest Tales of Lusitânia together with our delightful horses, Leading Through Reading!
And so it was that I handed over to the children the last recently created page of Namaste:
Above is the Dove and Father sky,
Below is the Horse and Mother Earth
We are Messengers and Teachers of spirit…
….............................................................................................................
…...................................................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................. we can change each other with our internal states!
And they read it wonderfully such that we were all filled with great joy and admiration!
I hope some day you'll join us ... for the latest Tales of Lusitânia together with our delightful horses, Leading Through Reading!