“If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on their own way to independence.”

Maria Montessori – “The Discovery of the Child

For all of us September was a month of adjustments, of testing the waters and building confidence, of understanding and accepting each other. Some children jumped in quickly and some cautiously, but once at school, they all enjoyed exploring the materials and finding new friends. All our group activities and discussions were aimed to create a community feeling, to define us as a loving, caring and “interesting to be in” group. Songs and dances were the best allies in overcoming the shyness and distress. Stories about love and friendship also helped along. The most effective of all were the children themselves: comforting and advising each other, showing how to work or play on the playground.

We went over the basics of classroom etiquette, grace and courtesy, and practical aspects of sharing a space together such as: using soft voices, care in handling the materials, table manners, cleaning up, listening and taking turns in talking, walking feet, and sitting properly in chairs and on the rug.

From the insects’ world we looked closer (literally) at mosquitoes, grasshoppers, crickets, and butterflies. We read and looked at pictures about walking sticks, dragonflies, ladybugs, ants, termites and bees.

We paired the science books with stories about some of these insects and compared their ways of getting around, and helping each other with ours.

The science and observation table was also host to dahlias, hydrangeas, daisies, sedum, squashes, and gourds.

In October we will talk about trees and leaves, harvest, Johnny Appleseed, North America and United States of America.

On October 31 we will have a costume day: children are welcomed to come to school dressed up as one of their favorite characters, flower, fruit, vegetable, animal… or anything but scary, unfriendly creatures. They also can be just themselves.

We will admire each other for a while (Parents, if they wish, may stay a bit longer to take pictures), and then change to regular clothes (to be brought in a bag).

There will be no candies, but we will play charades, sing songs and read stories, talk about nocturnal animals, and why bats and owls are favorites among the Halloween decorations.

Reminders:

Please be mindful of the drop off and pick up times. Any delays on either end are a disturbance to the normal flow of the day for your child, the other children and the teachers.

Parents/teachers conferences will run before and after school hours for the last two weeks in October. A sign up table is going to be posted online.

Observations in the classroom are welcomed, one parent at a time, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; best time windows: 9-10, 10-11 and 1-2p.m.

Just drop a note prior to your visit with the day and time you intend to come.We will send back a confirmation along with some guidelines to help you get the most of your time in the classroom.

Kindergartners’ Notes

It took a while for the older children to readjust to the classroom routine. They are excited to be with their friends and to show what they know. We are glad to see them so confident and at ease, so friendly and smiley.

Watching them and their interest to one or another area in the classroom, reveals what Maria Montessori described as sensitive periods and how they are specific for each age group, but also vary with each child.

We see a wide range of interest and ability, and work with each child accordingly: from practicing writing and revisiting the sandpaper letters for proper movement to reading beginners’ books, phonograms and sight words. In math, the banking game and the cube chains provide a good stretch for concentration, patience, and even physical exercise.

I try to keep a right balance between what I wish to teach and what the children are interested and when. Often they follow each other, and seeing a friend doing something “hard” is the best incentive to start a working frenzy.

Homework:

Ask your children about what they do at school, play sound/word games and ask them if they want to share a favorite book with us. We will start discussing the stories we read, identifying the main characters, following the plot, and selecting the main idea and the moral/teaching of the story.

Observe with your child a deciduous tree next to your house, collect and press one leaf and send it to school in the third week of October.