Montessori Classroom News October 25, 2017

Farms! In preparation for today’s trip, we have discussed that most our food comes from farms! We have many farm-related books and activities. Ask your child what farm animals they know and what they can tell you about how pumpkins grow.

The Kind Stranger

We learned that Jesus often told stories to teach people. When someone asked him who counts as a “neighbor” in the commandment “love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus answered with the story of the Good Samaritan (the Kind Stranger). In the story, a Jewish traveler was injured and in need of help. While a Jewish priest and a religious teacher hurried past on the other side of road, a Samaritan (a low-status foreigner) was the one who had compassion and helped the injured person, acting like a neighbor to them. We discussed how we can be a neighbor to anyone who needs our help. The children often request to sing “The Neighbor Song”:

Chorus: Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor now (2x)

Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor today, everybody sing,

Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor now (2x)

Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor today.

Verse 1: When you’re on the road-road-road

To Jericho-cho-cho

And you walk by-by-by

Someone who cry-cry-cries

Take their hand-hand-hand

And help them stand-stand stand!

Tell them “Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor today”

Verse 2: When you’re on your way-way-way

Some rainy day-day-day

And then you see-see-see

Someone in need-need-need

Don’t be shy-shy-shy

And pass them by-by-by

Tell them “Hey, hey, you’re my neighbor today.”  

Montessori Classroom News October 18, 2018

Bucket filling and Bucket dipping

We read the book “Have you filled a bucket today? A daily guide to happiness for kids” by Carol McCloud

A few key ideas from the book that we continue to talk about at school:

-       Everyone has an imaginary bucket to hold our good thoughts and feelings about ourselves

-       When its full, we feel happy; when it’s empty we feel sad and lonely

-       We can help fill others’ buckets by doing kind and helpful things – even just a smile. Filling someone else’s bucket also fills your own bucket!

-       Doing and saying things that are unkind dips from someone’s bucket – and dips from your own bucket too.

-       When we notice someone feeling sad or upset, we can think of a way to fill their bucket to help them feel better – and we will feel good too!

There are many video recordings of the book online if you’d like to read the full book at home.

                  Greetings

We are practicing how we greet one another. We make eye contact, smile, shake hands, and say “Good morning, ____!” to each other. The children each exchange a greeting with a teacher when they arrive to the classroom in the morning, and can also practice with each other. 

Montessori Classroom News October 11, 2017

Montessori Tidbits: Work or Play?

It may look like playing to us, but the things your child is doing at school are important tasks for her/his development. In Montessori education, we call it the child’s “work” to show respect for its importance.

Adults often see working as the opposite of playing and having fun. For children, the work in the classroom is what they choose to do, and they enjoy it! Whether matching colors, practicing their letter sounds, or scrubbing a table, children enjoy their “work” and come away with confidence and satisfaction in what they have done.

Poem of the Week 

A Funny Little Bunny

Here’s a little bunny

With ears so funny

And here is a hole in the ground.

When a noise she hears,

She pricks up her ears

And jumps in the hole in the ground. 

Language tip of the week

Reading Tip #1:  Make Reading time special

Set aside time for reading with your child every day. It will become a fun, special time for you to connect and enjoy books together. Let your child choose books s/he wants to read, and sit next to you or on your lap. Your child will connect these warm, positive feelings with reading

Montessori Classroom News October 4, 2017

What’s in the folder?

At the end of each month, we send home the papers your child has created that month. There might not be very many papers in your child’s folder because most of the work your child does in a Montessori classroom is with hands-on materials and doesn’t produce a paper to send home. For example, most of the math learning happens through special classroom materials, not worksheets. The papers in the folder will be mostly artwork, with some handwriting practice for the older children – they are just a small portion of what your child is working on and learning at school!

Delaware River Field Trip recap

We enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and got great exercise walking to the fishing pier and playing in Phoenix Park. We noticed which things we saw were living or non-living. We also talked about where the dirty water goes when we flush the toilet and saw the treatment plant that cleans the water. We had a picnic snack in the park before returning to school. Thank you to Ms. Shannon, Ms. Shauna, and Mr. Tim for accompanying us!

What’s this object my child brought home from school?!

Sometimes an item from the classroom may find its way into your child’s pocket or backpack. It might be accidental or an intentional desire to hang onto something they really like. Either is common in this age group and not something to be alarmed about. If your child comes home with something that doesn’t belong to your family, please just explain to your child that classroom materials need to stay in the classroom and return it. We will be happy to welcome it back!

Upcoming events:

Friday, Oct. 6 – half day (12pm dismissal)

Monday, Oct. 9 - NO SCHOOL

Friday, Oct. 20 – No School (teacher in-service)

Wed., Oct. 25

Farm Field Trip!

More details next week!