Parents,
Remember that Monday September 2nd is Labor Day and there is no school.
We will continue our peace lessons this week, focusing on the making sure we have calm bodies and recognizing when we need to “reset”.
This week we will begin our studies in geography by looking at land and water forms. We will begin with lake and island. We will also talk about the difference between plants and animals and continue our study primary colors. In physical science we will be learning about weather.
Thursday evening is a Parent Education Night. It will be held at the school from 5:30 to 7 pm at the school. This will include a Silent Journey through the different levels (Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Junior High). There will be time at the end for questions. This is a great opportunity to see what makes our school unique from others you may have considered.
One of the items on the supply list that may sound unusual is a non-locking carabiner clip for your child’s backpack. As teachers, we noticed that by the end of the year many of our students backpacks were almost unusable because they had been thrown on the ground through all kinds of weather. In an effort to help your child’s backpack last a little longer we are having each student clip their backpack on the fence. If you are having trouble finding a carabiner let me know.
We would also love it if you checked your child backpack and/or pockets periodically for items that may have come from our classroom such as small beads, miniature objects and bouncy balls. They may seem random to you but we cannot do many of our works without them. If you find them please send them back to school. We would really appreciate it.
As the children become more comfortable in their classroom and with their peers we will begin asking them to do more challenging work. Many of the manipulatives that we began the year with will be replaced with materials that are related to the curriculum we are studying. We refer to what the child does in the classroom as work and not play (even though many times it may look like play to adults). Maria Montessori explained why the work of a child is so important. “A child’s desire to work represents a vital instinct since he cannot organize his personality without working: a man builds himself through working. There can be no substitute for work. . . a man builds himself by carrying out manual labor in which he uses his hands as the instruments of his personality and as expressions of his intellect and will, helping him to dominate his environment . . . work becomes fascinating and irresistible and raises a man above his diverted self . . . enabling him to express his own individuality” The secret of childhood p. 186. As teachers we look forward to seeing the amazing individuals that these children become through the work they have done.
Have a great week.
Ms. Jen and Ms. Jess