Aug
Week 1 Recap
Posted in Classroom | No Comments »Hello Parents!
Welcome to the first blog post summary of our week for this school year! We were busy this week getting to know the kids. We worked together as a community getting to know one another through social skills lessons, grace and courtesy lessons on: rugs, chairs, snack, dishes, sitting at circle, talking to one another, hallway walking, being seated at lunch, and opening/closing lockers. The kids are anxious to get started on lessons and our friends are very interested in the materials we have around the room. This Monday is the start of our weekly schedule. I gave out a black and white printable copy during the Sneak a Peak. We are not ready to begin the red, yellow, and blue reading groups, book club, or specials yet, but they are coming! This week I will do the 1st graders and any new student’s University of Utah reading assessment. This reading assessment tells me what grade level they are reading at. I will also distribute the Math U See assessment to see what skills your child is capable of. This will help me move any children I need to into the groups I have. I’m very excited to get back into lesson and begin our United States studying and curriculum content!
Mentor Class for 2018-2019- Last year we had the privilege of being teamed up with an Upper Elementary classroom. This year our classroom is teamed up to work with the Junior High! This week we will be working with Ms. Leigh and her Erdkinder class on Tuesday from 1:00-2:30. Tuesday afternoon is when we have our PE and Music specials, but they will begin soon. Leigh and I are going to take this opportunity to talk about the first Montessori Great Lesson- The Coming of the Universe (The Big Bang Theory). The students will get the Big Bang material presentation and then choose a work choice to work on with the older students. Our goal is to meet up with the Junior High once a month (hopefully more). We will be working with as many of the Junior classes as we can that pertain to what we are working on.
*Please note: Montessori Great Lessons were created by Maria Montessori herself, an Italian doctor. As a religious woman, she felt it was also necessary to present many viewpoints to children, so they may become aware of other worldly views, respect viewpoints, and also make decisions for what they want to believe. During this great lesson I present what a theory is go over how over time there are many different theories as to how the universe was created. The teachers at MMA, or any Montessori school, will/should never tell your children what is the right one to believe. We believe in educating the whole child and this lesson is an outlet to present differences.
First Field Trip Ready to Go!- An opportunity came up for a free field trip and many of the Lower Elementary, if not all, are wanting to attend. It is a play performed by a children’s theater. The play is called The Magic Lake. It is a tale from South America. Our South America study will be towards the later part of the year, but we wanted to take this opportunity. It will be September 21st (a Friday). Show begins at 12:30pm. We will have an earlier recess/lunch time that day. This trip has chaperone restrictions, meaning, they can only take 4. We are also communicating right now as teachers on how we are planning to get there. Buses are expensive to rent, so we are weighing our options right now. I will get back to you on transportation soon. Permission slips will be ready to go soon. If you are available to attend the play and would like to be one of our 4 chaperones, please email me at kparsons@mariamontessoriacademy.org as soon as you can. This is a first come first serve opportunity.
Work Expectations- As mentioned at the Sneak a Peak, your child works at their pace. I have different groups according to grade content, but I also differentiate as needed for students. Your child will be presented a lesson according to our weekly schedule. A follow up work will then be assigned. There might be one choice for the follow up work or they may be 2 choices to choose from. If there is one choice then students are expected to do that follow up work by its due date. If there are 2 (or more) choices then students choose 1 to complete by that due date. Cultural follow up works will be due on Fridays and Math & Language ones will be due by the next time we meet for that subject. Since next Monday is a holiday, I have that work due next Tuesday. Should your child not do their work or come to a lesson they need to come to. It will be noted and be taken home for homework. Misha and myself will address the concerns first as to why they are choosing to not complete it. This is where differentiation may come into play for students who need it. If that conversation doesn’t help the situation then that assignment is to be taken home as homework. You as the parents will be contacted if work is coming home. Please check backpacks regularly!
Art Class– Art Class with Ms. Trudy has been scheduled! These classes will be 6 weeks long and will happen twice a year. We begin our first 6 weeks beginning on September 7th. Art class is promptly at 8:40am and will go until 9:30am. Our next rotation will be in December.
Substitute– I will be out of town September 12th, 13th, and 14th. I have not ben able to find a sub from our subs we had last year. I am still working on it and Misha feels comfortable running the class if I cannot find a sub. Ms. Lana is looking to come in to present some of the lessons on the schedule so we can stay on track. If you would like to be an MMA substitute, please notify our front office. A background check is needed. If you would simply like to just volunteer to help out, please email me.
Thanks everyone! Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!
Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha