We were so fortunate to have such a gorgeous day for our pumpkin-picking event in the Zen garden last week. The children rode in wagons pulled by middle school students. After the wagon ride, the children were thrilled to go out to the Zen garden, which had been transformed into a pumpkin patch. The children were delighted to explore, mesmerized by all the things they could pick up and touch. It’s hard to say if they were more interested in the pumpkins or the tiny stones that cover the floor of the Zen garden- but we made sure everyone left with a pumpkin!

On Halloween, we were invited to the field to attend the upper school’s costume parade. Our toddlers were a captive audience as the older students marched around the field several times, waving to them.

In addition to blueberry muffins and apple cider this week, we tasted pears, which the children loved. If you don’t have pears in the house, I’d definitely suggest adding them to your grocery list this week!

Many of us participated in a missing boot adventure on the playground one day. Our friend lost his yellow boot somewhere in the leaves. It was a fun hunt for the boot, which was very tricky to find as it was camouflaged in the yellow leaves! We worked as a team and noticed the variety of colored leaves that had fallen from the trees – and even found a few acorns.

I will include a song that we have been singing daily since the first week of school. Despite learning new songs and moving from apples into pumpkins, the children request this song every single day! We use numbered apples with Velcro on a tree and subtract an apple after each verse. The children enjoy watching the tree become ‘bare’ or empty. Enjoy!

We hope you all enjoy this first November weekend with your families,

Christine and Lizette

 

With autumn in the air, we have been taking advantage of pumpkin-related activities. This week, the children have been enjoying pumpkin scrubbing, and pumpkin hammering.

Pumpkin scrubbing is a multi-step practical life activity which the children love. They start by rolling up their sleeves, then putting an apron on over their head, securing the velcro, turning the water on, scrubbing the pumpkin, (as they delight in observing the bubbles form from the soap), turning the water off, drying the pumpkin, and finally removing the apron. They also have the opportunity to use a sponge to remove the dirty soap bubbles. This activity strengthens the muscles in the hands and fingers, in addition to building concentration and independence.

Pumpkin hammering requires a great deal of hand-eye coordination. We use a wooden mallet to hammer golf tees into a pumpkin. When the children are finished, they remove the tees with their fingers – which is quite a challenge – in order to make the activity ready for the next person.

One new song that we have been singing, which has become a fast favorite, is Five Perfect Pumpkins by Stephanie Leavell.

We’re looking forward to next week’s pumpkin picking activity in the Zen garden, which our Middle School friends will help us with. Thank you all for providing the decorations, wagons, pumpkins, and snack – we couldn’t do this without your participation.

Continue reading “Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week”

Sharing does not come naturally to children under the age of three. They are not developmentally ready to share. From a Montessori point of view, sharing should never be imposed upon a young child. We emphasize independence, self-directed learning, and respect for each child. As adults, it is our job to protect the concentration and focus of the children when they are deeply engrossed in an activity. It is also our responsibility to empower the children and model for them how to advocate for themselves and communicate effectively and respectfully with their peers.

Most of the activities in a Montessori classroom are set up for just one child at a time. All the materials are shared by all the children. However, each child is free to work as long as they’d like with any material. The children learn that if an activity is not present on the shelf, then it is unavailable. Once the activity is returned to the shelf, then it becomes available, and it can be another child’s “turn”.

Instead of forcing immediate sharing, Montessori teachers often encourage turn-taking. If a child is using a material or working on an activity, another child might be asked to wait or observe until it’s their turn. This approach helps children develop patience and understand the concept of taking turns.

Throughout the day, you will hear many murmurs of  “This is my work” and “I’m using this right now”, as well as “May I take a turn?” It is important for children to feel comfortable saying ‘no’ and also to respect when others do, too.

Forcing children to share may unintentionally send the message to the child that their needs and opinions don’t matter. Often, children also learn that crying or throwing a tantrum is a way to immediately get what they want.

The goal of Montessori education is to support the child’s development of social skills in a respectful and individualized manner. While sharing is an important aspect of social development, it is approached in a manner that aligns with the child’s natural development and readiness to understand and practice this skill. It is exciting to observe the children’s growth in both patience and confidence (and, down the road, empathy).

With all the rain over the past week, we had to find ways to have fun and move our bodies indoors. We played in the gym – used hula hoops, balls, stacked cones, climbed on foam blocks, and enjoyed running safely in the wide open space. In the classroom, we danced with scarves and used a salad spinner to paint!

We finished sampling red, green, and yellow apples. Do you know which type your child likes best? The yellow received the most requests for “more, please!”

The children enjoyed arranging flowers to add beauty to our classroom.

We’ve been singing a variety of songs – they love ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ and ‘Cluck Cluck Red Hen,’ especially the exaggerated head nod as they say ‘yes’ in both songs. The children who stay for lunch have been listening to Dave Brubeck’s greatest hits while they eat. We’ve been listening for different instruments, and I’ve noticed a few children moving their bodies subtly to the music as it plays. 

We’ve been counting everything! We count the children when we line up, we count the animals on the pages of books, the beads we are stringing, the apples we are sorting, the number of times we push the salad spinner, and the list goes on!

This week, we tried red bell peppers. The children had been so used to having apples for the past three weeks that the pepper was quite a surprise! Throughout the week, we tried both cooked and raw. Raw was the clear favorite! 

We’ve had the same group of middle school students visiting on Wednesdays. The children eagerly greet them upon their arrival. Chloe and J.C. come first. When they leave, William joins us. Then Mia meets us on the playground. This program clearly benefits everyone involved. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to witness the interest and care between the toddlers and middle schoolers.

Enjoy the weekend with your families. We are looking forward to beginning a new week with your children on Tuesday!

Mrs. Sargeant & Ms. Lizette

 

 

“Help me to do it myself” is the core of the Montessori classroom. Maria Montessori said that these words reveal the inner needs of the child.

Maria Montessori once recounted an incident where she had given a nose-blowing lesson in front of a group of children at the Casa de Bambini. She observed that the children were fascinated by the lesson and expressed gratitude by clapping and thanking her afterward. This experience led her to realize the significance of teaching self-care to children. Dr. Montessori recognized that children have a natural inclination to learn and practice self-care tasks. She understood these skills are essential for preserving a child’s dignity and building self-esteem.

We encourage children to do things for themselves each day: hanging their backpacks, removing their shoes, washing their hands, dressing themselves, and even wiping or blowing their noses. Of course, jumping in and doing these tasks for the children is easier and quicker. However, the time spent teaching the children to do something independently will not only build their self-confidence and concentration but will eventually save time and increase your family’s happiness!

Since entering the season of colds and runny noses, we have been focused on showing the children how to use a tissue independently. If you’d like to encourage this at home, it is helpful to have an accessible tissue box and mirror. We have shown the children to pick one tissue from the box, look in the mirror, deliberately pinch their nostrils, and then pull it away. Next, they throw the tissue in the trash and wash their hands. It is truly heartwarming to see the pride in their smiles as they look back into the mirror and see a clean nose! These little people are remarkably capable.

Fostering independence in young children is a gradual process that evolves as they grow. It is essential to find a balance between providing support and allowing them to take on more responsibility as they become more capable. This approach helps them to develop the skills and confidence they need to become self-sufficient individuals.

 

It was truly a wonderful week! The children seem to really enjoy each other. Their faces light up each morning when they are reunited, and they notice when their peers are absent. Observing the children help one another with various tasks has been heartwarming.

We welcomed a few Middle School students into the class as part of their “Social Impact” experience. The toddlers warmed up quickly and were fascinated by these role models. They seemed to especially enjoy looking at books and building with blocks beside their new friends. This is such a wonderful way to build community at our school. We’re looking forward to another visit next week!

We had a peaceful circle time to celebrate International Day of Peace. We sang ‘Light a Candle for Peace’ as we each “lit” a candle and took turns to hug our Earth pillow. Later, we joined the whole school on the field to sing the song together.

We celebrated a friend’s second birthday this week. Happy Birthday, Jaxxon! Thank you for buying a copy of your favorite Bluey book for our classroom library.

This week, the trampoline has been a big hit. The children are learning to take turns while waiting patiently for their friend to finish jumping. Outdoors, they’re taking turns on the slide. Most of the children now love our outside time on the playground. Some children enjoy discovering and collecting twigs and acorns. Others spend much of their time in the sandbox. This week, a few keen observers discovered an interesting caterpillar and a colorful beetle, and another group found a toad!

We’re excited to see what adventures next week will bring!

Mrs. Sargeant and Ms. Lizette

What a week! The children have already become more comfortable in their new surroundings. They are becoming familiar with the daily routines and with each other. In just a short time, we have seen growth in the children’s interactions with each other. They are learning to communicate effectively and respectfully with their peers, and it has been very exciting to hear!

This week’s food tasting featured red apples. We discussed and examined the different parts of the apple: stem, skin, pulp, and seeds, and emphasized all the ways to describe the apple: red, crunchy, juicy, sweet, delicious, and crisp.

We’ve been enjoying singing together and taking turns to pop bubbles. ‘Five Little Monkeys’ appears to be the group favorite at the moment.

The children are slowly adapting to the playground routine. They are learning to walk in a line, using our rope, as we walk as a group through the halls all the way to the playground. This week, we joined the other toddler classes on the playground. By the end of the week, some children were eager and excited to see their new playmates.

We are thrilled to be on this enchanting journey with your children! This year will be filled with discovery, growth, and budding friendships.

Thank you for adhering to your child’s scheduled, staggered arrival and dismissal times. Unless your child has a sibling at the primary, elementary, or middle school levels, or you have registered for early drop-off, arrival for toddlers is from 8:30 to 8:45, and dismissal is at 2:45.

Wishing you all a happy weekend,

Mrs. Sargeant and Ms. Lizette