Hello again! This short week, I'd like to tell you about our report cards, which are being filled out as we speak, and will go home next week. The Montessori report card is a detailed list of skills and concepts we expect a child to learn in a three-year learning cycle (as a 3-year-old, 4-year-old, and 5-year-old). Each successive year a student is with us, they are exposed to the same concepts, but apply and work with them in different ways. And, of course, the vast amount of choice given during the school day means that children can repeat the works that interest and engage them. Instead of grades, our system shows whether a topic has been introduced, if the student is still working on and learning a concept, or if a student has mastered the skill. Please don't be alarmed if your 3-year-old hasn't mastered much; they have just begun the Montessori 3 year cycle. However, be assured that they are being introduced to a wide range of topics, and are being observed to see which ones they are ready to absorb and learn.
Today, our class wrapped up our squash unit by making pumpkin pie. Last week, we tasted the roasted acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and hubbard squashes. Today, the roasted pumpkins were scooped out, our class read the recipe together, and the kind ladies in the cafeteria let us use the oven. It smelled delicious! Tomorrow morning, we will taste!
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Next Friday, November 22, at 7 pm, the Montessori class will perform in the Fall Play. We will present "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" under the direction of our music teacher, Mr. Sean Polen. The children's costumes will be white t-shirts with their letters painted on. Please keep in mind, while we want our children to be neat and presentable for the play, a white t-shirt must fit comfortably over their clothes. Mr. Polen also wants our parents to know that you are free to take your children home after their portion of the play, or stay and enjoy the rest of the performances.
On Tuesday, November 26, all full-day students will eat Thanksgiving luncheon in the gym with the whole school. It starts at our regular lunchtime, 11:30 am. A form was sent home with payment information. Please return them as soon as possible. It is a special time to give thanks, and to interact with other students from other classes. Additionally, the sign-up genius is available at the school's website to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Each session is 15 minutes, held on December 6, 2019. There will be no school in order to accommodate these appointments. Report cards will go home by December 5. We look forward to seeing you! We had a wonderful Halloween! We enjoyed costumes, special holiday stations, and sweet treats! We also concluded our learning unit on leaves by classifying all collected leaves, comparing and contrasting them in different ways. When all the leaves dried out, our students used a mortar and pestle to crush them into a mulch to pour over our gardens.
We will also continue exploring other Fall topics, such as hibernation and migration of animals. On November 22, at 7pm, we will participate in a Fall play. Our class will be presenting "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." If you haven't returned a signed permission slip for your child to perform, please do so as soon as possible.
As the weather is changing now, we ask that you please dress your child according to the weather every day. We will go outside on any day that is dry and the "real feel" temperature is above 25 degrees. Some families choose to leave snowpants and other winter gear at school. We encourage that, so we will always be ready. A winter without any outside time is a loooooong winter! |
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |