October is coming quickly to an end. We have been learning about leaves and the deciduous trees that are losing them at the moment. We continue to be lucky with the nice weather, and enjoy the crisp autumn air daily. And so many of our friends are looking forward to Halloween! On Halloween Day, the Montessori class invites all students to come to school in costume. We do have some guidelines to keep in mind: * nothing gruesome or violent * must be comfortable in which to spend the normally scheduled school day (including lunch and a short rest) * no makeup please * no masks * no props (they are too easily lost in the excitement) Our school morning will consist of Halloween art and snack activities to celebrate in our classroom. In the afternoon, there will be a costume parade throughout the school. But that is all for October 31. For this coming week (October 23-27), please bring in one beautiful, interesting fallen leaf to share with friends. We will see how many different shapes and colors we can collect.. Please bring it in by Tuesday.
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Sometimes, progress at school can seem slow, or even non-existent. Maybe your child doesn't articulate what she does at school all day. Or you wonder how he can spend all month just learning about apples. While those academic skills are important, students in a Montessori classroom also practice many social and emotional skills. They practice socialization through getting to choose with whom to socialize and how. They have ample opportunity to navigate conflicts with their peers, with direction from teachers as necessary. They practice decision-making through choosing their own work. They practice time-management through taking the time they need to finish a project. They practice the skill of practice through repeating work as they want and need throughout the whole school year. They practice communication through the expectation that they express their wants and needs to teachers and peers. (We want them to talk!) They practice personal responsibility through the expectation that they will clean up after themselves. They practice community responsibility through classroom jobs, in which everyone contributes to keeping the classroom clean and prepared. In a Montessori classroom, we strive to know every child as a unique person, so that their individualized curriculum can be designed toward their needs. It takes time, but the more we know a student, the more meaningful lessons become, and we find that learning comes more easily. This is also why the three-year learning cycle is popular (and important) in a Montessori classroom. When a student stays with us for more than one year, the teachers already know them and they already know the teachers and our expectations. We can "hit the ground running!" The second, and third, year also gives a student even more opportunity to practice being a role model, who can guide the younger children, through modeling appropriate behaviors, and even giving lessons! As you might imagine, this is such a confidence boost! Well, we've wrapped up our apple unit by preparing a delicious applesauce last week. Every child had a hand in making it. Most sliced, peeled, and cored apples using our special machine. Others added the rest of the ingredients (sugar and spice). We looked at and smelled the cinnamon. We observed the apples get softer and juicier, and smelled the aroma of cooking apples. And finally, we all tasted a bit! Doing this work, we learned about more than just apples. We learned about proper hygiene when handling food, about waiting to take turns, working with others toward a common goal, and trying foods even when we're unsure. This month, we will be focusing on the theme of Autumn, and what is a better indication of Autumn than the deciduous trees losing their leaves? We will the parts of trees, and the parts of leaves. Look for a note coming home asking for your child to find and bring in one, beautiful fallen leaf! I have also begun to take photos of our Montessori students at work. I will periodically add these to this website, under the page heading, "A Peek Inside the Classroom." So much of our work is experiential, not paper-based, so I know that it can be a mystery what your children do all day. This will give you a "fly on the wall" perspective of all the activity that happens in our busy environment. The cafeteria manager, Patti Siskar, has asked me to pass along a message to parents who use the lunch program.
You may send in a sum of money (cash or check) to add to a lunch account, or you may pay for one lunch at a time. However you send the money, please put it in an envelope with your child's full name. The Montessori teachers have been putting loose money into envelopes, but it does take time out of their morning to do so. Please help them streamline the process, and prevent confusion in the cafeteria, by labeling an envelope for money coming in to school. with the first and last name. Additionally, please be aware that Montessori students do not have the option of ordering slushies, or cookies or other snacks. These children are young, with limited appetite, and we feel it's better spent on the main lunch. Also, since we eat in the classroom, things like slushies are potential messes. As we say goodbye to September, our class is beginning to settle into a routine. The children ask for lessons when they see new work. The 4- and 5-year-olds know that their first job every morning is to draw and write in their journals. We have begun to assign classroom jobs, such as straightening shelves, sharpening pencils, adding the next date to the calendar, putting up chairs, setting out name sticks for the next day, and rolling up work rugs neatly.
On Friday, we had our first Lockdown Drill. We prepared the children for the drill by explaining that sometimes there may be an emergency outside, so in that case, we are safer staying inside, quiet, in a designated corner of the classroom. Our students got through the drill marvelously! We are also wrapping up our unit on apples. We have learned the names of four different kinds of apples - Macintosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Gala. We tasted the Macintosh and Red Delicious, and voted on our favorite. The class enjoyed the Red Delicious best. Next week, we will taste test the Golden Delicious and Gala apples, and likewise vote on our favorite of those two. Later in the week, we will use an apple peeler-corer-slicer machine to prepare the apples, and cook them into applesauce in a slow cooker. This will give the students a chance to predict what changes will take place as apples cook. Our next unit will be about deciduous trees and leaves, which are natural topics for Fall. We will continue to go outside, weather permitting, so please dress your children for the temperature and conditions. |
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |