This Week in the Maple Room
- At January 21, 2014
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
We were all ready to be back in school after the Holidays and some long snowed-in days.
The children have enjoyed some new works in the classroom. We are learning about the continent Asia these days. The children are welcome to bring any souvenirs from Asia, to share with friends. We will be celebrating Chinese New year some time during the last week of January.
We are so happy to have Ryo Boisvert join in our room. He is three and loves to cut lots of paper!
It was great to see many of our families at the open house for the new Indiana Montessori Community School. We are very excited about this addition to our Montessori family . The school is located on Route 31 just south of Whiteland Road. The next open house will be held on March 1st.
Please mark your calendars for a walk through for practical life on January 27th.
This is the most popular area with children and is quite unique to Montessori rooms.
We will talk/discuss about:
- Why children love to mop, clean and dust over and over again.
- What is the connection between the mind and the movement of hands?
- How practical life is tied into preparing the brain for math and language in the later years.
Please join us for a discussion and exploration of ideas to implement at home as well.
Children’s Holiday celebration
- At December 07, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
December is usually a hectic time for many adults as they prepare for the holidays. Young children are very aware of the excitement in the air. As guides we would like to ignore the exuberance that surfaces in the classroom, but we found that it is more constructive to channel the children’s excitement into purposeful activities. One popular idea with children is to learn about different holiday customs around the world.
We celebrated Hanukkah this week. Cooking and tasting latkes was a lot of fun. We will also be celebrating St Nicholas day, St. Lucia Day and Los Posada and Christmas.
The children will also create gifts for their parents and wrap them all by themselves. They will collectively glue a piñata in preparation for the Los Posada and Christmas party. We place little treasures into the piñata and the children each take a turn to break it open.
The party will take place on the last day before winter break. On that day the children can bring a small present for their classroom. This custom has evolved at CGM. Rather than exchanging gifts with each other, (including teachers) the children give a small gift that can be used by the entire classroom community. The children enjoy opening their presents and eventually seeing them used in the classroom. It becomes their contribution to their classroom community. This year the piñata party will be on Dec.20th.
Dates to remember
Dec.9th St. Nicholas
Dec.13th St. Lucia
Dec.20th Christmas and piñata party. Open presents for the classroom.
Here is a wish list for our classroom.
Construction paper different colors
Card stock different colors
Soft color pencils
Stencils
Children’s atlas
Gift certificates for Montessori services
Happy Holidays.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At November 24, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
It has been fun and exciting, learning about Diwali and Thanksgiving. This Tuesday we will be having a feast. Children will make stone soup and corn bread for the feast. Each one of us is bringing one ingredient for the soup. We will start the soup on Monday. Please send in the vegetable/ingredient your child has picked to bring on Monday.
Jama, Pavitra and I are thankful for being blessed with the opportunity to be part of your child’s learning journey at Center Grove Montessori.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Reminder: As it turns colder, please update your childs change of clothes that are kept at school.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At November 11, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
We all seemed to have been ready to come back and work after the Fall Break!
Halloween was enjoyed by everyone and most of the children were busy even with the costumes on.
We are beginning to explore the continent, South America. We will be learning about some flags of different Latin American countries, animals, food and people in the coming weeks.
We will also celebrate Diwali and Thanksgiving this month.
Thank you to all the parents that are sending in nutritious snack for our room. We have just found out that one child is allergic to dairy. So NO CHEESE, PLEASE!!
Please know that the children really love the fresh fruits and vegetables that are sent for snack. These also minimize the risk of allergies and are fun. There is no need to wash and cut. The children enjoy to get snack ready for everyone at school. So just as a reminder, no nuts and no dairy for snack.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At October 25, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
Children in the Maple room have been very busy lately. Our classroom walls are getting filled with handmade items from our children. Many world maps have been completed. Many, many pink cube and brown stair mobiles are hanging from the ceiling and lots of painted things are adorning our walls!!!
We have been learning about the continent North America. We explored the map with countries, animals, famous places and souvenirs from North America. They have enjoyed making tortillas with masa.
Tasting a pomegranate and a star fruit together was quite interesting. Some of us did not like them, but were brave to taste them.
Please Note:
Starting when school resumes after the break, our rest time procedure will be a bit different. Miss Dana and Miss Darci will be putting together “nap packs” for each of our resting children. Each child will have a fleece pillow and blanket that will fit into a small bag that will remain at school. This is all part of our efforts to foster independence and responsibility by giving the children the opportunity to practice practical life skills such as laundry, folding and making up a “bed.” Children may bring a special item from home but it should be no larger than 10″ x 12″ and must fit into their “nap pack.” Please see picture below for a sample.
Halloween at CGM
If your child wishes, s/he may wear a costume to school on Thursday Oct 31st.When choosing a costume, please consider that some costumes may be frightening to other children. Masks and weapons are not welcome! Please make sure children have a change of clothes, as they may want to get out of the costume quickly. We will parade in the costumes and make a music band! If you would like to spend some time with a group of enthusiastic music lovers, please let Brenda know of your volunteering intentions. We can use some extra help for that day.
We are so fortunate to have a supportive group of parents. Thank you for taking the time to come and talk to us about your children at the parent teacher conferences. And to volunteer and contribute to make CGM the very special place for our children!
This Week in the Maple Room
- At September 22, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
There was lots of the excitement in the Maple room this week. We had three birthday celebrations. Sasha turned 5 years old, Vincent turned 3 years old and Lilly Coombs turned 4 years.
We also had a very successful picture day and more information about that will be available soon.
We have begun our fun with apples – stamping, tonging and tasting. We learned they come in different colors, have different names and taste very different!!
A lot of our young friends have been interested in our geometric solids. This gave us the idea to take a walk around our school to see how many things were shaped like cylinders! We surprised ourselves with all that we found.
Our children have been busy collecting and bring in things they have gathered during walks or outside play. We do not have a show and tell day but welcome these to be part of our nature basket.
Our children have been quick to learn all our songs. I often hear them humming as they work. Here are the lyrics to the new song we learned this week. It is about a hen and her chicks.
Los Pollitos
Los pollitos dicen
(Los po-yee-tos dee-sen)
Pio, pio, pio
(Pio, pio, pio)
Cuando tienen hambre
(Kwando tee-n-en ambrey)
Cuando tienen frio
(Kwando tee-n-en free-o)
La gallina busca
(La ga-yen-a boos-ka)
El maiz y el trigo
(El maze e el tree-go)
Les da la comida
(Les da la ko-me-da)
Y les presta abrigo
(E les presta a–breeg-o)
Some dates to remember:
23rd Sept 2013, Monday at 6:30pm: Come see how we learn language the Montessori way!!
29th Sept 2013, Sunday is our family weekend. Bring your kids and come see what they do.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At September 16, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
We were happy to celebrate two birthdays this week. Happy birthday to Tanvi and Levi!
We were also happy to have cooler days this week and even one day of rain. We took the opportunity to have lunch inside complete with our placemats and plates. The children enjoyed eating together. They showed great responsibility by setting the tables and cleaning up after themselves. They take their plates and stack them inside a bin, and then wipe their placemats clean.
We had fun looking at a walnut at all its stages. Sasha brought in the walnut complete in its covering and then we got to crack open a couple of walnuts to see the meat inside.
Yoga started this week. The kids like learning songs and movements to help them stretch and relax.
Picture day is this Wednesday, September 18th. Those who do not regularly attend on Wednesdays are encouraged to come at 9 am. We will have our group picture for the Maple room taken at that time. Afterward you may stay and have your individual pictures taken.
Some dates to remember. September 23 at 6:30 we will have a lesson walk through. We will talk more in depth about the language jobs in our classroom.
September 29 2 to 4 p.m. – Family Open House. Please feel free to invite your family to come tour the school. Your children will love to show their family their environment.
Have a great week!
“So, what age do you think you become a grownup?”- Ms. Jama
“Oh, probably 39”. – Lily Dunlop
This Week in the Maple Room
- At September 09, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
This week in the Maple room we have been busy learning, practicing and feeling comfortable in our room. It was a short week, but we have done some big work.
Our week started by celebrating Dr. Maria Montessori’s birthday. Dr. Montessori called her school the children’s house and our room has begun to feel like it. They are enjoying various activities from cutting and serving of fruits and veggies to building pink tower mobiles and easel painting. Our children are enthusiastic to feed our fish and update our daily calendar.
They are familiar and comfortable with our processes and you can hear them happily hum the circle time songs. The continents song has become very popular. We will soon be introducing North America. If you have any post cards or unique items from your travels do send them in with your child.
Happy Birthday to Pratyush!
Please note we will have an open house September 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. It is a wonderful opportunity for your child to show his room to his relatives.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At September 01, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
Children have settled into the routine and have developed skills to navigate through the day very well. They have enjoyed our outdoor space for easel painting, mopping, shell washing, and chair washing. Rice and magnet has been very popular along with all the works that have water!
We have been learning about our planet earth, land and water forms and plants/trees. We will continue to learn more about these and begin exploring parts of plants, animals and study about North America, the continent we live in.
Children are welcome to bring in anything they find interesting about trees/plants/leaves to share with their classmates. We do not have an assigned day for show and tell. Any day is good to bring in items that are interesting to your child, although toys and jewelry are not appropriate items for show and tell.
Handmade item, cultural item, book, souvenir from travels, nature walk items found by them (rock, leaf, twig, insect, etc.) are all great things for show and tell.
Thank you to all the parents who have been sending great nutritious snacks. Children are loving to cut carrots, cucumbers, cheese sticks. On your snack day, please feel free to send in a few of these fruits and vegetables that children can cut and serve to their friends.
Thank you to all those who attended the volunteer meeting. We are looking forward to great times with you soon.
Overheard this week: “I know how you can tell if a “cicader” (cicada) is a boy or girl. You have to look real close and if she has long eyelashes and pink lips, it’s a girl” Sasha.
This Week in the Maple Room
- At August 19, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Maple Room
- 0
The first few days of school went really well!
Jama, Pavitra and I have been delighted to greet such a lovely and lively group of children this year!
Our class includes some children who are new to a school setting. The returning and more experienced children are doing a wonderful and admirable job as role models for our new students. We see them consoling the ones who are still going through separation sadness, helping some who seem to be lost and just spreading the message of love, compassion and caring.
The beginning of the year is often busy as children learn new routines procedures and tasks.
As teachers, we have a goal in mind of how we would like the classroom to function so that each child’s needs are met in the classroom. But achieving this goal takes time and patience as children learn how to become industrious members of a thoughtful and caring community.
In the classroom we are learning grace and courtesy, practicing ground rules, snack and bathroom routines and learning everybody’s names! We will be introducing the globes soon and have lots of fun learning about land air and water.
We can use any glass baby food jars if you have some. We use them to make our own land, air and water jars. Also, we would like to have a couple stumps for hammering and nailing. Thank you in advance!
What did you do at school today?
Many parents because they are interested in education feel frustrated when they get little feedback from their child on what occurs at school. Or the query “What did you do at school?” is answered with a description of the snack or the friend they played with on the playground. This is frustrating for us (teachers) too, because we want students to share events and activities at school with the parents. However after talking to other teachers and doing some research, we discovered that lack of feedback is common among young children. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.
Morton Hunt in The universe within, states that although young children are pretty good at recognition, they are poor at recall. He elaborates that recalling events when asked is a skill learned during grade school years.
Preschool and kindergarten children will usually answer, “nothing,” when asked what they did at school; whereas later unbidden “the child will trot out various memories of the day, one by one.”
I have found this to be true — that memories can be triggered. For example, if a child sees a fire engine rushing down the street, s/he may go into great detail about a field trip to the fire station that occurred months earlier. However, the evening after the actual field trip the child may say nothing about it. It is the stimulus of seeing the fire truck that triggers the verbal account. Many times parents report to me that their child really enjoyed a particular event, but did not hear about it until months later.
I also suspect that while some children enjoy their ventures at school, they prefer to share details of it at their own pace. Montessori classrooms have much new nomenclature that children are internalizing. S/he may still be learning the vocabulary to describe materials s/he is mastering and not be able to produce it verbally upon demand.
-Article from Judy Weingartner
So lack of feedback from your child does not mean that you will be uninformed. A parent conference in October and February/March will keep you aware of your child’s progress. Informal conferences can also be scheduled at your discretion.
Website login information
To login at the parent’s page, the password is maple2013 for this year. The snack calendar for the primary class, blogs, photos, parent’s handbook, class roster and other events calendar is available for your convenience on this page.
Please join our CGMS Facebook Group. Here we can post classroom pictures of the children working and playing as frequently as possible.
We request that the pillow and blanket for your child’s rest time be small in size that would be easy for your child to fold and store on their cot. It would be great to have these left at school for rest time, as transporting these each day may cause discomfort to your child.