Cosmic Connections

This week brought wonderful opportunities for hands-on learning and community building in our classroom.

The children have been captivated by our new solar system activities. They’re working together to complete the solar system floor puzzle, collaborating to place each planet in its proper orbit around the sun. These materials spark fascinating conversations about space, distance, and our place in the universe.

We’ve also welcomed a special addition to our classroom community! Middle School students have been joining us on Wednesdays as part of their community service. A group plays with our children at recess, and then one or two students join us during the afternoon work cycle. Our children eagerly anticipate their arrival and love showing off their work to their older friends. This week, Henry read a story to a captivated group of listeners in the afternoon. These cross-age interactions beautifully demonstrate how learning and mentorship happen naturally across our school community.

Our apple study was a delicious success! We conducted a taste test comparing red (Macintosh), yellow (Ginger Gold), and green (Granny Smith) apples. Macintosh won decisively with 10 votes, followed by Ginger Gold with six and Granny Smith with five. The children came up with wonderful adjectives to describe each variety: sweet, crunchy, juicy, tart, and sour.

Later in the week, we made applesauce from scratch. The children used a hand-crank apple peeler to remove the skin and were amazed to discover that the peel from just one apple was even longer (taller!) than most of the children in our class. They practiced their fine motor skills using peelers, corers, and knives to prepare the apples. We added cinnamon and water, and then enjoyed the delicious aroma that filled our classroom all day. When it was time to taste our creation, most children loved it!

Extending Apple Learning at Home

• Compare Apples: Visit an orchard or grocery store and let your child choose different varieties to taste and compare
• Practice Peeling: Let your child help peel apples or potatoes for family meals (with supervision)
• Measure with Apple Peels: Peel an apple in one long strip and see how many objects at home it’s longer than

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Monday, October 13: No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Friday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm
Saturday, October 18: Oktoberfest
Friday, October 24: No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 31: No School – Montessori Schools of CT Conference
Parent/Teacher Conference sign-ups are now posted! Times are available beginning October 20. Please arrange for childcare, as conferences are held without children present.
Important Reminder: Please send your child’s “Take Home” folder back to school every Monday. Without these folders, children are unsure where to place their completed work throughout the week.

Week of Sept 29–October 3

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, October 9: Class Photo Day
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.

This Week in Our Classroom

Exploring Our World: From Apples to Oceans

Our classroom has been alive with discovery as we explore the natural world around us! The children have been learning to classify objects as living or non-living, developing their scientific thinking and observation skills. This work has led to rich discussions about what living things need to survive and grow.

Our apple study continues to captivate the children. They’ve been exploring the parts of an apple and learning how apples grow from tiny blossoms on trees. This hands-on investigation connects beautifully to their growing understanding of life cycles and the natural world.

We’ve also introduced landforms this week, and the children are fascinated by the relationship between land and water. Using the Montessori Land and Water Forms, children learned to distinguish between an island and a lake — tracing the raised land with their fingers and observing the corresponding water-filled shapes, connecting abstract geographical concepts to concrete, sensory experience. We’ve begun our journey across the globe, introducing the seven continents and five oceans that make up our beautiful planet Earth.

A highlight of our practical life work has been using scissors to carefully trim flower stems and arrange fresh flowers to beautify our classroom. This delicate work builds hand strength, concentration, and coordination while teaching the children to care for their environment with grace.

Building Community

Every Friday morning, our kindergarten students visit their “book buddies” in the Upper Elementary classroom. This cross-age connection is pure joy! The older students model fluent reading and patience, while our kindergarteners practice listening skills and build confidence. These relationships are blossoming into genuine friendships.

We’ve been nurturing kindness and empathy through Carol McCloud’s bucket-filling books. The children are learning that their words and actions can either fill or dip from someone’s bucket. They’re becoming more aware of how they can spread happiness and show care for others—important skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

The thoughtfulness and curiosity your children bring to school each day fill our classroom bucket to overflowing!

As adults, we must remember that we want things done as quickly as possible so they are finished and out of the way. In contrast, the child is interested and content in the doing, not the done.” –Margaret Stephenson, The Art of Montessori in the Home.

Every Friday, we send home the folders that contain the work the children have completed over the past week. We often receive emails asking why there was so little work inside and what exactly the children are doing.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to accept the idea of focusing on the process, not the product. What exactly does that mean? Many works in the Montessori classroom do not end with a physical product that the children will bring home to share with everyone. There is often no way to visually assess what a child is learning. Overall, as a society, we are product-driven and often base our success on this factor. The experience a child has when working with the materials is truly what is most important. However, it can often be unsettling when you hear they did “nothing” day after day.

Research shows children ages three to six learn best through their hands. To truly understand a concept, they need to explore it through touch. This is why so many lessons in the Montessori environment are not based on memorization alone. Most concepts we teach involve tracing, manipulating, and exploring with their hands. Perhaps most importantly, focusing on the process protects the child’s intrinsic motivation to learn and understand. External factors such as recognition, praise, or reward do not influence it. We truly value and encourage the time and experience with the materials.

So, if your child’s folder comes home with little to no work, know that their accomplishments can’t always ‘fit’ in that folder. Maybe after weeks and weeks of trying, they learned how to zip their coat, or perhaps they can finally carry a work without it dropping. Maybe after observing a lesson day after day, your child tried it independently for the first time. The list of skills each child can accomplish will never be fully represented in the Weekly Folder. So please enjoy the work in there, but know it will never be an accurate portrayal of all the children are learning and accomplishing.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Christine, Hailey, & Julie

We know it takes time for the new rhythm of school days to become familiar. So, while taking one step at a time, we are slowly building the foundations for a smooth, exciting school year.

In just a few short days, we as a class are learning:

• how to navigate our way around the environment
• how to wait for a lesson
• the routines of our school day
• how to prepare for snack and lunch independently
• about being part of a large group meeting by listening and sharing
• care of self and care of the environment

Our returning friends have been role models for our new friends. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to be a leader. It wasn’t so long ago that they were new to the classroom themselves, and they accepted this new responsibility with excitement and confidence.

A question we frequently hear from parents is, “What can I do at home to help my child be successful at school?” One way to do so is to guide your child to become as independent as possible. Your child’s age and ability guide this independence. So there are no hard and fast rules to follow. A few important areas to focus on are setting up and cleaning up their lunch, putting on and taking off coats and boots, toileting themselves, packing and unpacking their backpacks, and carefully putting their toys away when they are done. This process is also one step at a time.

Here’s to new beginnings and a peaceful, fun school year for everyone!

Wishing you all a week filled with peace and love!

Christine, Hailey, & Julie

Welcome to a new school year!  We know that the phase-in schedule can be challenging to manage, but it does allow us to set the tone for the year. We are grateful for your patience and understanding. While it was a busy week, it was a very successful one!

In just a few short days, the children are beginning to learn how to navigate the environment and the routines of our day. This is a work in progress and constantly evolving over the year. We had a very smooth start, and we are so excited to be part of this journey with all of the children and all of you!

The adage “a picture speaks a thousand words” comes to mind when you see all the smiles on each child’s face.

Thursday, September 25th, from 5:30-7:00, is Curriculum Night. This is a great time to spend some time in our classroom and get a sneak peek into how our days are spent. We will discuss each area of the classroom, the structure of our days, and have some time to answer all of your questions.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

As a gentle reminder, to streamline our dismissal process, please stay in your car while a teacher brings your child over. The teacher will assist the child in the car. Please pull forward to the gravel area before exiting the car and buckling your child in. Thank you for your help!

Have a wonderful week!

Christine, Hailey, & Julie

As we come to the end of a fabulous school year, our hearts are full of gratitude and wonder. It has been a year of incredible growth, curiosity, and joyful discovery. Much like the caterpillars we nurtured and watched transform into butterflies, each child in our classroom has undergone their own quiet metamorphosis. With patience and care, we’ve seen tiny hands grow steady, quiet voices gain confidence, and young hearts grow kind and strong.

One of the most touching traditions continued this year, as our thoughtful middle school students brought the Kindergarteners’ drawings to life, sewing each one into a unique stuffed animal to mark the end of their time in Primary. These handmade treasures were received with wide eyes and proud smiles – a tangible celebration of creativity, connection, and the magic of being a part of a Montessori community.

Thank you all for your partnership and trust. We wish you all a summer filled with the perfect balance of relaxation and play.

Christine & Hailey

We asked the children about their summer plans and what they are most looking forward to.  We hope you enjoy their responses as much as we did!

Aira- I’m going to make my own paper fan shop!

Anaya- I’m going to have an island party!

Arsalan- I’m going to play with Matteo and Ethan.

Ava- I’m opening the pool!

Cameron- I’m going to Pennsylvania to see my grandparents.

Divya- I can’t wait to go to the pool with Mommy. I love to dive!

Eliot- I’m going on another really cool vacation in an RV.

Eliana- I’m going to swim in my swimming pool!

Emma- I’m going to have a water balloon fight with my sister.

Ethan- I’m going in an RV to a big mud pile in Pennsylvania.

Hayes- I’m going to build with Legos.

Ivy- I’m excited for swinging on the swings and sliding on the slide!

Katie- I want to have playdates with my friends.

Lucia- I like to go in the pool and jump with Enzo.

Luke- I’m going to Kansas City to see my family.

Matteo- I’m going to play with Arsalan all day long!

Olive- I’m going to a beach house; it might be in Florida- with my aunt, uncle, and sister.

Olson- I’m going on vacation for one week to a hotel.

Oscar- I’m going to play and build Legos and have a baby!

Otto- I’m looking forward to playing with my Mommy in the huge pool and the hot tub.

Rayna- I want to play with my toys.

William- I’m going to stay home and play with my Paw Patrol ball with Jonathan.

Wishing you all a wonderful week,

Christine & Hailey

“There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature,”- Maria Montessori 

Every day, your children spend time learning, working together, and exploring our natural playground. Daily outdoor learning helps to develop healthy, active lifestyles and routines for the children, while providing them with hands-on experiences in our natural world. Our beautiful natural playground provides unique experiences to stimulate the children’s creativity and contribute to their appreciation of nature.

Helping children develop an appreciation for the outdoors is one of the significant benefits of regular outdoor play. The outside world is full of beautiful sounds, sights, textures, and life. Exposing children early on to the beauty of the world around them can be the perfect way to boost the aesthetic development of a child, allowing them to be more aware of all the beauty around them.

Here’s to rising temperatures, longer days, and the opportunity to spend extra time exploring the outdoors!

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Christine & Hailey