We continue our unit learning about apples. Last week, we learned about the parts of an apple; this coming week, we will explore different kinds of apples. This will involve two new activities for our class. We will have food tasting, and the children will vote for their favorite kind. When we do food tasting, our rule is that everyone must try one polite bite. If a student doesn't like a food after one polite bite, then they don't need to have any more. We use this rule to encourage reluctant children to try new things.
We continue to go outside daily, often twice a day. The weather is still warm and clear, and we know in this area that will not last much longer. Children, especially young children, need movement. When we ask them to sit still past their endurance, their attention becomes scattered, and learning is inhibited. Because of this, we use the playground to help them use their natural energy, and keep circle time short at the beginning of the year. Of course, in a Montessori classroom, movement is built into so many lessons, which helps! However, the movement in the classroom is expected to be controlled and slower; on the playground, they can really exercise all muscles to their potential. Read for Fun, Read to Learn On another note, the Montessori Kindergartners have begun receiving books to bring home weekly. Parents, please read these books with your child every night. Encourage your Kindergartner to find certain words in the text, or to memorize the whole book. The more children are exposed to text, the more likely they will have reading success. We also assign reading with a teacher or to a friend through the students' weekly work lists. But please don't forget to also read books for bedtime, for quiet time, or just to enjoy a good story! In our classroom, we read often at circle, and this year, we are listing all of the books we read together, so there is a visual representation of how many stories we've enjoyed.
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |