Parents,
Many of you put your information on a school directory list. We have finally compiled this list and want to make it available to you. If you see that your information is not on the list and you would like it added please email me. If you are having trouble accessing the list please let me know.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1faUYp5t2gG7ort2BmAzYLWrE4Yo5Q8Jq1gsCfg3j5ec/edit?usp=sharing
Ms. Jen
Parents,
A big thanks to all the parents who helped out with our field trip on Friday. It went so smoothly thanks to all our amazing parent volunteers. We appreciate you so much!
This week we will continue our study of maps, land forms and leaves. Our leaf party will be on Wednesday the 17th. We would love any donations of leaves you have raked from your yard.
We will continue our study of maps, leaves, day and night and invertebrates. In art we will begin talking about secondary colors.
Maria Montessori often used the term “normalized” when she spoke of children and classrooms. The essence of this term means that the children feel comfortable and confident enough to work as if the teacher were not present. The children are not strong armed into following the rules of the classroom/school. They follow the rules because they have gained that control over themselves. Typically the normalization process takes about 6 weeks, but sometimes it takes longer. Over the next little while we will be focusing on a few components of this normalization process in our classroom that we want improve. They are: cleaning up after you finish a work and choosing to work rather than goofing off. Our goal is for the children to be able to monitor them selves. We want the children to be aware of the choices they are making and be able to evaluate those choices. One way you can help with this at home is to hold them accountable for their responsibilities. If they are supposed to clean up their plate after dinner then have them clean up their plate after dinner. Often it is easier and faster for the adult to just do what ever it is that we want our children to do but this does them a great disservice. We want to teach them how to be successful in society and that almost never involves waiting for someone else to do your job for you. I know that there are those of you who are thinking that this will start a civil war at your house. No one wants to engage in constant battles with their child. Sometimes this can be diffused if you involve them in the decision of what responsibilities they want to have. Even if you start small it is a start.
Have a great week!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
Parents,
We have our first field trip coming this Friday. Please make arrangements to drop off and pick up at the park. The morning class will have their field trip from 9 to 11:30 and the afternoon class. The afternoon class will have their field trip from 12:00 to 2:30. If you need help with transportation please contact our room parents for help. The information can be found here 2019-2020 Parent Permission Slip Oaklawn Park We could still use a few more chaperones for both classes. Email me if you would like to help. Please dress your child for the weather. It is always very cold in the mornings at Oak Lawn Park. We could use some donations for snack for our field trip here is the link to sign up https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/503381
Throughout this year we will be studying Sean Covey’s Seven Habits for Happy Kids. The seven habits are:
Be Proactive
Begin With the End in Mind
Put First Things First
Think Win-Win
Seek First to Understand then to be Understood
Synergize
Sharpen the Saw
We will be talking about being proactive this month. We will talk about how certain things that happen to us that might push us into having a negative mind like when a friend hurts our feelings or we become angry over something, or we lose something we love. We will then talk about how we can choose how we react to these feelings. This is called being proactive as opposed to reactive. A reactive person may say “He made me mad!” A proactive person would say “I choose to forgive”. A reactive person would say “I am like this because of how I was raised.” A proactive person would say “I choose to do things differently than how I was raised.” Being proactive is about choice. We can not prevent or protect our children from all the hardships that they will face. However, we can teach them to be proactive and choose how they will react to hardship, thus turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
We will begin our study of maps this week by talking about the maps and what they are used for as well as the difference between a map and a globe. In botany this month we will be studying leaves. In physical science we will be looking at the differences between day and night and in zoology we will be talking about invertebrates. In practical life this month we will begin some of our food preparation jobs. These activities are some of our students favorites. As teachers we like them but for different reasons. These activities help teach students order, concentration, coordination as well as independence. This month we will be making toast and slicing apples. We could use donations of bread and whole apples.
Our annual Fall Festival is happening this Friday. This is such a fun family event. It is an opportunity to bring family and friends to the school and have a great time. This is the one opportunity for your child to wear their Halloween costume at the school since we do not allow costumes on Halloween. I would encourage you and your families to attend. The link to purchase wristbands and tickets is here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/I6V2IBMZG2U276NOXMYGFQNN
Wristbands will get you onto the custom event rides (not including the obstacle courses, rock wall, and some slides), the tickets can also be purchased at the same website separately or in packages with wristbands. Tickets are good for carnival games, rock wall, slides, etc. Some vendors will only be taking cash (Jr. Artisan Fair and food trucks).
We are still looking for a lot of help with carnival games! Please sign up on track it forward here: https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/501254 If you are able to help out with that but can’t figure out how to sign up on track-it-forward, email MAPA at this address and they will be happy to find a place for you: mapa@mariamontessoriacademy.org Without enough volunteers not only will games not be able to stay open to raise money, but rides will also shut down.
Have a great week!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
Parents,
Your child should have brought home a permission slip for our first field trip. We will be going to oak lawn park on Friday October 4th. If these forms didn’t make it home you can access them here. ’18-’19 Fieldtrip Cover Letter Oaklawn Park (1) 2019-2020 Parent Permission Slip Oaklawn Park
For this and all other field trips please be aware that our students are dropped off and picked up from field trip location. We have adjusted the times so that families that have other students to drop off and pick up may do so without problem.
Last week we finished talking about our 5 senses. Our senses are one way our bodies send messages to our brain. We ended by talking about the sense of taste and decided what better way to end than by making pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. The kids did a great job making them and almost everyone liked them. Here is the recipe just in case you want it.
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place paper liners in muffin tin. Mix the sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and water. Sift dry ingredients in a separate bowl and them mix them in. Add chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Enjoy.
This week we will talk about our last land form, strait and isthmus. We will also finish our study of primary colors. We will also talk about the needs and parts of plants. Friday is an Early release day. The morning class will be held from 8:30 am to 10:30 am . The afternoon class will be held from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Ms. Jess and I need a parent volunteer who could come in either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to help us with our original works art projects. If you would be able to help with this please email me. Thank you.
Autumn is right around the corner, which means the season is changing! Please remember to send your students in weather appropriate clothing. Our students go outside rain or shine, unless there is extreme weather. Typically we only stay inside for 3 reasons: red air quality, thunder & lightning, and if the temperature is below 20 degrees.
One question parents ask me often is how to get their child to give them more information about what they did at school. Here are some questions you could try on the way home from school, during dinner, or while getting ready for bed:
Have a great week!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
Parents,
We will continue our study of the basic land forms by looking at what a cape and bay are. We will also continue our study of primary colors and weather.
This week we will talk about positive and negative choices and how our mindset affects these. We will also take a look at what different emotions can look like. We will talk about how we care for the animals in our classroom. This is not an assigned job but something the students can volunteer for. I try not to let the same child do it every day so that everyone can have a turn but I am not perfect.
Dr. Maria Montessori is often quoted as saying “Man builds himself through work”. In our classroom we refer to the different activities as “work”. Paula Polk Lillard, the author of the book Montessori A Modern Approach, described a child’s work in this way “Children use the environment to improve themselves; adults use themselves to improve the environment. Children work for the sake of process; adults work to achieve an end result. . . (adults) will look for both gain and for assistance. The child seeks no assistance in his work. He must accomplish it himself.” I would encourage you to allow your child to work and not do it for them, this is how they build themselves.
Have a great week!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
Parents,
I am looking for a parent/grandparent from the morning class and the afternoon class who would be willing to be a room parent for their child’s class. This would involve the following: coordinating rides to/from field trips for those who need assistance, assisting with school wide functions like the fall festival and the Gala, and helping with some of our classroom parties. If you are interested please send me an email. Thank you in advance for all of your help and support.
Ms. Jen
Parents,
This week as part of our peace lessons we will look at how our 5 senses give our brain information that we can use. We will talk about the artist Piet Mondrian in conjunction with our study of primary colors. In physical science we will continue our study of weather. In geography we will talk about the land forms gulf & peninsula and we will introduce how to care for the plants in our classroom.
Jean Piaget said “The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done”. In our classroom we often ask students to try new things or do something that has typically been done for them. Some children love the challenge while others are frustrated with the thought of doing something that is new to them. Our goal is not to frustrate but to challenge and show the children what they are capable of. Maria Montessori said “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed”. As teachers we would challenge you as parents to help your child by not doing things for them that they are capable of. Each child has different abilities, but they are all capable of more than we think. Just some food for thought.
Have a great week!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
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
Parents,
Peace lessons
Our focus this week in our peace lessons will be on conflict resolution by using a peace rose. It is used much like a talking stick. Students can take turns talking to each other in order to resolve an issue in the classroom. We find that this is a very valuable lesson, one that creates good life skills and empowers children to problem solve and resolve conflict without adult intervention. This leads me to the concept of saying sorry. When someone does something to hurt another they should apologize, this is the socially and morally acceptable thing to do. We often try to teach our children to apologize by forcing them to say sorry. Two things happen when we do this. The first is that the forced apology does, whether sincere or not, is loose it’s power to heal. Have you ever received an apology from someone who was forced to do it? You may feel better in that your feelings were validated, but it does not bring about good feelings towards the person who wronged you. It is the same with children, and some children will refuse to apologize putting you in a power struggle (Always avoid power struggles!). We must treat children with more respect. When two children enter the peace area each child will get a turn to hold the peace rose and tell their side of the story without any interruptions. If they need my help, I will validate how each child was feeling. Throughout the discussion, I will do my best not to make any judgment calls on who was right, and who was wrong. I will also ask questions to help the children better understand what happened or how their actions may have contributed to what happened. Then I will ask each child (if necessary) to ask the other what they can do to make it better. This is better than an apology in that an apology does not always make things better and allowing them to decide what they want as the solution puts the power into the hands of the students. Sometimes a student will ask for an apology, sometimes it is just saying they won’t do it again, sometimes it is a hug/handshake and sometimes it is nothing. I also allow the students to refuse to do what is requested and offer another solution instead, this does not happen often in that students are usually willing to fix a problem when they see that their side of the story matters too. In the end both children hold on to the peace rose look each other in the eye and say “We declare peace”.
Snack
Beginning this week we will introduce individual snack. Each day we have snack available in our room. Our snack is provided by donations from you, the parents. If you have not taken the time to sign up yet please visit our track it forward site to do so. Here is the link https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/events Snack is a very important part of our day. Last week we had group snack. We all sat together and used our best manners, saying words like please, and thank you, waiting for others, and cleaning up after ourselves. The main purpose of snack in our environment is to teach grace and courtesy (it also fills hungry bellies). We want the children to learn to take care of themselves, the environment, and others. Once we begin individual snack, the children will have the opportunity to feed themselves when they have a need. However, we do encourage the children to only have snack once to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to eat. It is the child’s responsibility to regulate their own bodies, a skill that will help them throughout their lives. If Ms. Jess or I notice a student that appears to be having a drop in blood sugar, by behaviors such as tired, frustrated, overly emotional, or mental blocks, we will ask some leading questions to help guide the child into having some snack. We will not however, be reminding everyone to eat. Some children don’t need snack or find it exhausting to follow all the procedures involved such as washing hands, getting snack, eating, and washing plates. So don’t be too surprised if they choose not to eat snack.
Here are the guidelines for snack. We have a student with a peanut allergy this year so please avoid snacks with peanuts. Typically we like to offer one fruit or veggie and one whole grain each day. Our snacks portions are small, (think 2 apple slices and a 1/4 cup of goldfish) but we have 25 students in each class. Check the ingredients on any processed food, if the first two ingredients contain sugar than they are not appropriate for school snack. If we are not able to serve snack items in our class we will send them home with your child. Please know we are not passing any judgment. There are plenty of snacks in my cupboard at home that would not qualify as school snacks.
Here is a list of some appropriate snacks: (you may have other ideas and that is great!)
Unprepared produce (we will prepare them in class)- Apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, grapes, celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, blueberries, jicama, cherries, olives, sweet peppers, cucumbers etc.
Grains: Goldfish crackers, Ritz crackers, wheat thins, corn chips, pretzels, sunflower seeds, popcorn, club crackers, graham crackers (check sugar), veggie chips, bagels, rice cakes
Other: Cheese, humus, guacamole, salsa, yogurts (check sugar), dried fruit, fruit snacks (check sugar), cream cheese, milk
We will begin our study of biology by talking about living and non-living things. We will introduce magnets in physical science and in art we will begin our study of the elements of art by looking at color first. This month we will focus on primary colors.
“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.”
― Maria Montessori
Have a great week.
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
We invite all families to a family luncheon this Thursday, August 22nd.
We have several new families in Early childhood each year and we want to give everyone a chance to meet the teachers and assistants as well as each other. We are inviting all families to a family luncheon this Thursday to get to know our staff and the other families in your child’s class.
Since early childhood is half day, we invite kindergarten and pre-k families to come the last 30 minutes of class (AM 11:00-11:30, PM 2:30-3:00) to have snack and recess with your child and their class.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
See you all there!
Ms. Jen & Ms. Jess
