Hello Amazing Families!
Last week, our students participated in a fire drill. They evacuated the classroom and gathered in the parking lot, which at that time had snow and ice. Since the time of the fire drill was not made known to teachers, the students were in their quiet shoes. It was quickly apparent that some students have quiet shoes that are not appropriate for school. The purpose of quiet shoes is for students to have clean, comfortable shoes that are only worn in the classroom. The shoes should still have soles and be appropriate to wear outside in the case of an emergency. Simple canvas shoes and crocs are great examples of appropriate quiet shoes. Students wear out their quiet shoes (I’ve already worn a hole in mine!). We will bring them out during conferences for parents to see and determine if they still fit and are appropriate.
Speaking of Conferences, they are just a couple of days away! Conferences are this week from Feb. 13-15th. Sign-ups are available at https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/events. These are student led conferences! The students will share some of their recent work as we discuss their progress.
Please refer to this week’s MMA Montessori Moments. I would particularly encourage you to refer to the sections regarding our school dress code.
This week, we will forgo spelling tests as we continue to prepare for the Spelling Bee. Please practice at home and support your child in preparing for this fun experience!
Peace Education continues to be an area of emphasis in our classroom. We have revisited the Peace Area and how students resolve conflicts. There is a rose that students pass back and forth as they converse. The student who invites another child begins by saying, “When (this happened), I felt ______.” The other student is then handed the rose and given the opportunity to reply, explain, or apologize. When the issue is resolved, the children then shake hands. As teachers, we strongly encourage children to use the peace area to resolve conflict as the first step. If a child is invited, he/she must go, but can request a teacher to come along. The entire process usually takes about 5 minutes and is an incredibly beautiful experience for all involved. This same process can be used at recess, during specials, and even in your home. It is one of my favorite aspects of this incredible Montessori educational experience.
We have also discussed the importance of handling an issue immediately. As we know, problems are easier to handle when they are small, before misunderstandings or other students get involved. Please support your child in using the peace area and developing the skills they will need to be successful adults. If any issues arise that are of concern to you, please follow the same advice and address the issue with me quickly so that misunderstandings and frustration can be avoided.
Thank you for the opportunity to work with your children. Thank you for your patience and support as I have transitioned from Special Education to being a Lead teacher. Thank you for taking this journey with me as we form the next generation. The work that we do affects generations, and indeed, the entire world. I am so grateful for this journey!
Karen