In the classic children’s book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, a young child is guided by her teacher to begin a journey of self discovery to “make her mark.” This book resonates with so many educators that a grassroots movement known as “International Dot Day” has been embraced by millions of students and teachers around the world.

First grade teacher Laya Levine, who first celebrated Dot Day with her students last year, introduced Yavneh Academy to International Dot Day. This year, all students in kindergarten and first grade participated in the excitement of this global crusade. As Mrs. Levine said, “It was the most magical experience of my teaching career. The children felt the magic.”

The entire day at Yavneh Academy was dedicated to dots and their message of creativity and courage. It started when the book The Dot was read to the children. Then, each child created his or her own unique dot on iPads. These dots were uploaded to a website (http://thedotproject.org/) allowing the children to participate in the global experience, sharing with other children from all over this giant dot on which we all live. Mrs. Levine’s class then “Skyped” with children in a school in Texas. The universality of the “dot” message became incredibly real to the children as they shared their dots with children who lived so far away, and yet seemed so much “like us.”

The children also created dots to hang in their classrooms and hallways, both individual dots and large collaborative dots. The children incorporated movement into the celebration by forming dots with their bodies. Special dot snacks (grapes, kiwi slices, plums) were enjoyed. Finally, augmented reality was used to make dots come alive, bringing Dot Day to another dimension.

We all learned that if you love something, be courageous, persevere, and see where it will take you.