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Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

This week has been delightful. From our window, we spotted two pileated woodpeckers in the woods. We’ve been patiently waiting and quietly watching for birds to visit our new window bird feeder. We’ve seen a few cardinals, sparrows, and other beautiful birds waiting in the nearby bush, observing us as we observe them. One day, the children were absolutely convinced they had heard an owl. Their sheer excitement and awe were contagious!

This week, the children tasted rhubarb, and most seemed to enjoy its tartness. They also had a lot of fun simply saying the word “rhubarb.” We danced around the room as we listened to Laurie Berkner’s catchy song about rhubarb pie. 

We also tasted seedless mandarins, which every child enjoyed. The children were then free to choose the mandarin peeling activity. In addition to mandarin peeling, we had a cucumber-cutting activity available to the children this week since they were all so keen on the cucumbers we tried a few weeks ago. In our Montessori toddler classroom, the excitement around food preparation activities is palpable. With eager anticipation, children embrace the opportunity to take charge of creating their own snacks. This newfound independence not only fills them with pride but also nurtures their self-confidence. Engaging in these multi-step activities they not only satisfy their hunger but also strengthen fine motor skills.

Each morning, many of the children’s first order of business is to check on our chrysalises. We are looking for any slight changes and eagerly awaiting the magical metamorphosis that will take place.

We are looking forward to sharing our symbolic “Bridge Crossing” event with all of you on Friday, June 7th from 10-10:30.

Here’s to a reflective Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy the extra day with your families.

Christine & Lizette

Mrs. Hood: Discovering Joy in Everyday Moments

Posted on by Andrea Hood

 

One of the joys of watching children grow is being constantly reminded to appreciate the little things in life. What we often take for granted as mundane or routine, children see as wondrous, new discoveries and engaging challenges. Everyday activities like preparing food, dressing themselves, watering plants,  cleaning and more are, for them, exciting tasks that help them feel empowered and connected to the world.

This week, we introduced a new practical life activity: window washing! Our windows had gotten quite dusty, so I enlisted the help of some of our older toddlers. Quickly, the rest of the class got excited for a turn!  They eagerly took on the task and approached it with great seriousness. Using a spray bottle felt like a special treat to them, and adding a squeegee to the mix made it even more exciting. It was heartwarming to see their sense of independence, responsibility, concentration, and pride as they contributed to our classroom environment.  Their growth and enthusiasm are truly remarkable.

Another hit this week was a Sensorial activity in our practical life area focused on pouring and spooning. We added a twist by using vinegar instead of water for pouring and baking soda instead of regular objects for spooning. The fizzing sound and bubbling reaction brought by mixing baking soda with vinegar brought priceless smiles and laughter to your children. This was definitely a favorite activity!

On another note, we had double the fun during Sharing Time this week (we ran out of time last week). The children delighted in sharing one day their favorite hats and another day their favorite instruments. We ended up having an impromptu fashion show and a great musical concert! It was a fabulous experience for the whole class.

Lastly, we couldn’t finish this beautiful week without a celebration! Another friend turned 3 years old, and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate her! What a privilege to see her grow!

A big thank you to all the parents who came to support the FWM children during the spring concert and joined us for the school picnic. Your presence and support mean so much to us!

As we honor the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives in service to our country, we wish you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Warm regards,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Mollie

Makerspace: Monthly Update

Posted on by Carl Frisk

The Kindergarteners have been working diligently on dioramas to accompany their animal research projects. After modeling their animals in clay in Art with Miss Sara, we have been working on creating the settings and backgrounds within their boxes using everything from paper and markers to dried moss. We will continue to work on these in our remaining classes and have wonderful environments for their animals.

Lower El spent a few weeks working on a Lego town, and a stroll down their main street can be seen below. We have a number of houses, a football stadium, playground, and a spaceport. Since its completion, we have begun a project using cardboard as the main material, focusing on visualizing the structure and construction needed to complete the projects. Guided by the children and as time allows, they have also been continuing their knitting projects on the circular looms. As the year comes to a close please return any circular looms and hooks when possible. If their project has been completed, please have them come visit me, and I will help them finish it off and remove it from the loom. 

Upper El has been busy with all sorts of challenges and projects. With the airplane launcher, we tested a number of designs to see which elements helped make them fly further. Then we took on a Spaghetti Challenge presented by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory using x20 pieces of spaghetti and x1 yards of masking tape to build a tower that holds a jumbo marshmallow as high off the table as possible.​ Teams of 4 students had exactly 18 minutes to brainstorm, collaborate, and build the structures. We were able to do two rounds during class and it was great to see how they all used the knowledge gained from the first round to improve their structures. 

In Robotics, we studied gear ratios and how they can help make the Lego motors spin faster, culminating in a few tops spinners, one motorized and one which used a hand crank. Next, we designed and tested various tops to see which one could spin the longest, the record being an impressive 1 minute and 1 second. We’ve also used simple robots with some complicated coding to make art, similar to spirographs. By tweaking the code and movements of the robots the students were able to make a wide variety of shapes and designs. We let a few of them run until the markers ran out to see how complicated the patterns could get. Since then we’ve focused on proximity sensors, utilizing them to help prevent the robots from falling off the tables.

The Middle Schoolers have been hard at work finishing up the stuffed animals drawn by the Kindergarteners. The Kindergarteners have been constantly asking how things are going, and I’ve kept the progress a closely guarded secret. We are hoping to present them to the Kindergarten classes the last week of school. 

In STEAM, we studied momentum and pendulums, creating a number of pieces of art by swinging cups filled with paint from a long string. By changing the length of the string and the weight of the cups, we were able to alter the patterns created by the pendulums. For a final experiment, we used a weighted stand to hold three colors and let it swing for as long as it could. It ended up swinging through two classes, finally stopping after 1 hour and 22 minutes.  

Inspired by the pendulum art and a previous Robotics class spent trying to code a robot to write their names, the students used robots to create art of various shapes and designs. Next, we used the proximity sensors to prevent the robots from falling off the tables and avoid any obstacles on the floor. 


In the Trees with Lower El

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

The highlight of this week was an amazing field trip to The Adventure Park, filled with climbing, zip lines, bravery, and trust. Each of us challenged ourselves to try elements of the ropes course that were demanding and, at times, even a little scary. Every student should be proud of their efforts, not only in trying new things but also in helping and encouraging their classmates along the way. They worked together, with more experienced climbers assisting the less experienced ones. Words of motivation were offered when friends were nervous and cheers when their peers completed a course. These students exhibited outstanding teamwork. Bravo, Lower El!

Thank you so much to the wonderful parents who volunteered to chaperone; you were a tremendous help!

Mrs. Lopes: Fun at Flanders

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

On Wednesday, the Kindergarten children spent time at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. We began by taking a hike through the woods to the Botany Pond. The children then had the opportunity to catch and identify amphibians, reptiles, and insects. We found tadpoles, beetles, newts, giant water bugs, and salamanders. We observed turtles resting on a rock, fish swimming, and even found one of those elusive frogs. When we were done, we released any living thing we had collected and climbed aboard for a tractor ride. We were able to get up close to a beaver lodge and get a peek at a nest with three-day-old baby birds. It was informative and impressive to speak with a Flanders volunteer, who explained how and why the beavers dam up a culvert each night. Walking back, several children shared what a great day it was! Flanders is open to the public, and we encourage you to take advantage of this amazingly beautiful nature center. They also offer several summer programs. You can find more information on their website.

Wishing you all a week filled with much peace and love.

Amanda & Hema

Mrs. Doyle: Fun At Flanders

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

On Wednesday, the Kindergarten children spent time at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. We began by taking a hike through the woods to the Botany Pond. The children then had the opportunity to catch and identify amphibians, reptiles, and insects. We found tadpoles, beetles, newts, giant water bugs, and salamanders. We observed turtles resting on a rock, fish swimming, and even found one of those elusive frogs. When we were done, we released any living thing we had collected and climbed aboard for a tractor ride. We were able to get up close to a beaver lodge and get a peek at a nest with three-day-old baby birds. It was informative and impressive to speak with a Flanders volunteer, who explained how and why the beavers dam up a culvert each night. Walking back, several children shared what a great day it was! Flanders is open to the public, and we encourage you to take advantage of this amazingly beautiful nature center. They also offer several summer programs. You can find more information on their website.

Wishing you all a week filled with much peace and love.

Michelle & Maria

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

As a Montessori school, we are proud of our mixed-age classrooms that foster community, cooperation, and empathy among students. The opportunity for self-directed learning and freedom of choice not only boosts self-esteem and confidence but also nurtures a sense of agency, all of which are vital to positive mental health.

Honoring individual differences and avoiding comparisons creates a supportive environment where children feel valued and accepted.  Practical life skills promote independence, self-care, and a sense of competence, which enhance children’s self-confidence and emotional resilience. 

We incorporate lessons and activities that promote social-emotional skills, such as conflict resolution, communication, and empathy. Children learn to recognize and regulate their emotions, understand others’ perspectives, and navigate social interactions successfully.

When children experiencing emotional distress receive support from caring adults, they are better able to build a strong foundation for emotional well-being. 

As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to share ways to support your child’s emotional well-being. 

Did you know that hugs lasting 6 seconds or more are best for soothing our minds and calming our bodies?

In Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project, it is explained that as hugging time elapses, levels of the oxytocin hormone increase.

Oxytocin (the “feel-good hormone”) calms the nervous system and boosts positive emotions. The flow of oxytocin after a six-second hug has some positive effects.

According to Rubin:

  • It lowers blood pressure and helps with anxiety
  • It lowers cortisol (the stress hormone)
  • It increases your social connections and sense of belonging.

Did you also know that laughter really is the best medicine?

According to Maria Heveran, a physician assistant at Geisinger’s Lewisburg clinic, your body releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins when you laugh. “Releasing endorphins can help increase the body’s natural painkilling response,” says Heveran. “This helps with chronic pain and can improve your mood.”

As we approach summer, let’s remember the power of hugs and laughter. These simple acts can bring immense joy and contribute to our children’s emotional well-being. So, take a moment to hug your children a little longer and find the joy in laughter! 

Parents and teachers are essential in helping children explore their feelings and build a strong emotional well-being foundation by promoting nurturing relationships.

Books for adults:

Reader’s Digest Laughter is the Best Medicine: All Time Favorites: The funniest jokes, stories, and cartoons from 100 years of Reader’s Digest.

The Happiness Project

Books for children:

My Joyful Robot

Be Mindful of Monsters: A Book for Helping Children Accept Their Emotions

The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions

Guy Stuff Feelings: Everything you need to know about your emotions

If you’re feeling worried about your child’s mental health, it’s more than okay to ask for support!

Resources:

Compiled by The American Psychological Association (www.apa.org/topics/children).

Mrs. Hood: Awe, Wonder and Big Smiles!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

Another vibrant week has flown by, and I can’t believe how fast time is moving! Here’s a peek into all the wonderful things we’ve been up to:

Apart from exploring new works in the environment, our little learners keep delving into the fascinating world of butterflies. With match-work cards and model objects, the children  learned about the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle. Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis and Butterfly are vocabulary words that we have used over and over in our environment.  We observed  our own caterpillars munching on the food and were super thrilled to watch as the caterpillars formed “J” shapes, signaling the start of their metamorphosis, then we got to watch them as they  transformed  into chrysalises! To say that our environment  has been filled with awe and wonder, is an understatement.

Through lively discussions, we explored the importance of butterflies in the insect family and learned about their body parts—head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, antennae, and wings. Children have also explored and learned about  grasshoppers, ladybugs, ants, dragonflies, flies and bees through object models and live insects as we find during our outdoor explorations.

On another note, This week  we welcomed a delightful new addition to our classroom—a dollhouse! It quickly became a favorite spot for language work as the children learned about different parts of a house and the names of family members. With so much  enthusiasm, they explored each room, identified familiar objects, and interacted with the tiny family members. The dollhouse sparked creativity and imagination, becoming a beloved centerpiece of our classroom.

Of course, our week wouldn’t be complete without some sensory exploration and celebration. We savored the sweet delights of cherries during our food tasting lesson, and what better way to celebrate than with a special birthday? We joyously marked the milestone of our youngest student turning two years old, a reminder of how swiftly time flies when surrounded by love and learning.

Please, find below the butterfly dance the children have been learning this week. They really enjoy the song and ask for it often. I encourage you to put the volume up as ask your children to show you the dance steps, I bet they would love that!

Enjoy the weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Mrs. Mollie