We have had a few missing items from our classroom and the cubbies. Please keep an eye out in your homes for
a black Nike jacket (child size) a blue GAP zip-up sweatshirt small rubber farm animal toys in red, blue, yellow, and green (solid colors) Please help us out by labeling jackets and sweaters, as sometimes they do not make it to their correct cubbies. Also, children share cubbies, so there’s even more potential for mix-ups. As the winter weather approaches, we strongly suggest that all boots, hats, scarves, mittens, snowpants, and coats are labeled clearly with your child’s name. On a related note, we understand that sometimes our young ones want to bring special toys from home to school. My own daughter (many years ago) had a plush monkey that she wanted to take everywhere. We discourage this, and we ask parents to discourage this, as it can be a distraction. However, if a toy does come in from home (like my daughter’s monkey often did), we insist that it stays in the bookbag, so that it does not become lost during the day. Thank you for your understanding!
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Our students are noticing the beautiful fall leaves everywhere! The colors, the feel, even the smells, remind us of the wonders of nature. We have been drawing leaves, collecting leaves, and making colorful leaf rubbings. Our Montessori friends recently learned that there are specific names to the parts of a leaf.
We have also been learning about simple machines. So far, we have worked with a screw model, a gear train, and a lever. These models are fully functional, and provide important hands-on practice of a major scientific topic, namely, the concept of work and how simple machines make work easier. One exciting development is the addition of our hammering work, in which the children can hammer real nails into a stump. This is another demonstration of simple machines in action. Halloween is just around the corner, and we are looking forward to celebrating! On Friday, October 30, Ms. Krista is going to help our students decorate cookies in the morning. There will be Halloween-themed coloring sheets available, we will sing fun and spooky songs, and we will brainstorm at circle to decide how I will carve a jack o'lantern. We will NOT be wearing costumes. Our day is so full that we simply do not have the time to devote to changing in and out of costumes, and we don't want to risk losing or damaging parts of a costume on the day before Halloween. We feel this will keep the day fun, without overstimulating the students, causing potential stress. Please remember, if you have any questions, you can use the Contact page on this site, leave a comment on one of these newsletters, or catch me at dismissal to set up a time to talk. Our Montessori students are now participating in Special classes. All children have Spanish class with Mrs. Izquierdo, and attend Music class with Mr. Polen. Because of class size, we have divided the children into two groups to attend at different times.
Full day students go to PE two afternoons a week with Mrs. LaRussa. They also go to Technology class with Mrs. Federowicz. The children are divided by age, and go to Technology at different times. Spanish ------ Tuesdays 8:25 (Group A), and Thursdays 8:25 (Group B) Music -------- Wednesdays 9:35 (Group B), and Thursdays 8:55 (Group A) PE ----------- Tuesdays 12:55 and Wednesdays 1:25 Technology -- Thursdays 12:55 (4 year-olds), and Fridays 1:25 (5 year-olds) Hello from the Montessori Children’s House! Our first month of school is coming to an end, and the children have learned so much about their roles in Montessori learning.
Students are gradually using the term “work” instead of “play” when describing their activities. It’s not that we correct them into using the terminology, but one of Maria Montessori’s basic tenets is that play is a child’s work. Exploring and handling materials is not just fun, it’s how a child makes sense of his or her world. Comparing sizes, shapes, and colors helps a student organize, and organization is a very important part of learning. How many questions in later grades begins with the phrase “Compare and contrast”? This is the foundation of those skills. We use the word “work” to remind ourselves, and the children, that what they are doing has value and purpose, since in today’s world, the word “play” often denotes the opposite. This past month’s theme was about apples. At circle, we cut an apple in half, to better see all of its parts. The children used describing words to tell about the fruit. We discovered that the apple’s skin was “dry” on the outside, but the inside was “wet,” or “juicy.” The skin was called “smooth” and “shiny.” We don’t eat the core, which houses the seeds. The apple hangs on a tree by its stem. We read in a book that apples grow in places called orchards. At another time, we tasted three different kinds of apples - a red delicious, a granny smith, and a macintosh. Everyone voted on their favorite apple, which we recorded with tally marks. Finally, every child participated in making a delicious homemade applesauce! Some students predicted what the apples would look, smell, and feel like once they were cooked in the crockpot. This October, we will be discussing more fall topics, especially the leaves from deciduous trees that are changing. |
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |