This Week in the Oak Room
- At October 25, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
We have been having a great time in the Oak room! We baked biscuits, worked on stories and art projects and ended the week before break with a picnic in the field and a special afternoon snack! Your children are so flexible and ready to try new things. It is a true testament to their confidence and independence!
Thanks to all of the parents and grandparents that were able to meet with us for conferences. We really enjoy getting to know all of our families and bragging a bit about the progress of your children. We understand the busy schedules of our working families, so we truly appreciate the effort!
Please Note:
Starting when school resumes after the break, our nap time procedure will be changing. Miss Dana and Miss Darci will be putting together “nap packs” for each of our sleeping 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 to see a sample.
A reminder:
Our school has a “no lunchables, please” policy. Based on recent dietary research, these lunch items have little nutritional value and are high in sodium and artificial ingredients. We have found that the children, while drawn to the “treat” and fun packaging, rarely eat them and often throw them away. Thank you for cooperation in this matter!
Have a great fall break and enjoy your time together!
Child quote of the week:
Andrew: “Two weeks is a looong week!”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At October 07, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”
Maria Montessori
While perusing my notes and student recordkeeping to prepare for conferences, I became thoughtful of how much your children have accomplished in just a couple of months. As I watch the children in the Oak room I am continually amazed at how quickly they gain skills to be independent, confident and engaged.
I have compiled the following list based on my observations of our class:
Every child in the Oak room can put on their own shoes and socks.
Every child in the Oak room can carry breakable dishes with great care.
Every child in the Oak room can pour their own water and serve themselves snack.
Every child in the Oak room can use the bathroom without a teacher’s help.
Every child in the Oak room can make a mistake and clean it up or fix it.
Every child in the Oak room can sit in complete silence for at least 3 min.
Every child in the Oak room can be truly amazing!
We had three children with birthdays this week!
Lincoln is 5!
Emery is 6!
Anaya is 4!
Child quote of the week:
Arhan: “I have to be trustworthy because I am so old.”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At September 29, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
What a busy, busy week we have had! We wrapped up our study of apples and are officially moving on to learning all we can about those wonderful trees! The older children took a walk and selected a beautiful Tulip tree for their tree study. We will record pictures and facts about this lovely tree as the seasons change.
Our children have been working hard to get our classroom clean and neat for any guests that stop by during the open house on Sunday. Please feel free to bring friends and family by for a visit between 2-4 pm.
We celebrated Teeno’s birthday this week. He turned 4!
We have been having a lot of discussion in our classroom about what it means to be a good friend and how everyone should be included in group play and work. Using kind words and being patient and understanding of others’ differences are something we practice on a daily basis. Reinforcement at home is always appreciated. You are the most important people in your child’s life, so gentle discussions and storybooks regarding this theme are an excellent learning opportunity for them.
Please Note:
Thank you to all of the parents who attended the Language in the Montessori classroom walk thru. It is always fulfilling for us teachers to share our knowledge of and experience with the success of this learning method. We are quite passionate about it and are always happy to enlighten others to the unlimited potential of the child.
Hopefully you have noticed the sign up sheets for conferences located at the front desk. We think it is very important to maintain communication between parents and teachers to insure the success of your child in the classroom and to get to know one another. Thanks to those that have already signed up!
Child quote of the week:
Emery: “Hey Arhan! Did your dad teach you that move?”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At September 22, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
What fun we have had in the Oak Room this week! The children really enjoyed making apple sauce for our snack and working on classroom projects like painting and world maps! We have noticed that some of the trees are beginning to change, so we will be beginning our discussions about trees and leaves and the roles they play in our everyday lives.
We celebrated Arhan’s birthday this week. He turned 6!
Within the next few weeks we will begin our study of North America. If any of our families have any artifacts they would like to share from this continent we would love to see them. Please remember that we study the entire continent, so don’t forget about countries such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, the Bahamas and Mexico!
Please Note:
Ever wonder what happens with your child’s language development in a Montessori classroom? When will they read, when will they write? We will be presenting a walk thru of the language areas of our classrooms and how your child will experience them during their time with us. The walk thru will be held beginning at 6:30 on Monday night and will include a primary and then elementary tour. We hope to see you there!
We will be having a family Open House on Sunday, September 29th from 2-4 pm. This is an excellent opportunity for your child to show you their “Children’s House” and their favorite “jobs.” Bring the whole family! Grandparents, friends, siblings, all are welcome!
Child quote of the week:
Ava: “You need to have some work if you want to work!”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At September 15, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
What a nice week! The children are all so busy in the classroom and are really enjoying the lovely weather. We are continuing with our apple theme and enjoying the “fruits” of our labors! We had an apple tasting and charted the results. Granny Smith was the class favorite. 11 children out of 24 chose this tart variety. This upcoming week we will be making applesauce and apple pies!
Your children may have mentioned that we have started yoga. These exercises are ideal for young children and they really seem to enjoy it. We asked several what their favorite part was, and most said they liked the quiet resting time at the end. Yoga will be offered to the children every Thursday morning for the remainder of the school year.
Please Note:
Picture day is Wednesday, Sept. 18th. The photographer will be taking posed and casual shots. We will not be playing outside before class on that day to make sure that our picture day outfits stay nice and clean!
Please be mindful of the changing weather. With cool mornings and warmer afternoons you may need to dress your children in “layers” for a while. Also, please make sure to update your child’s change of clothes to seasonally appropriate wear.
Child quote of the week:
Madison: “My Lucies at home are getting worn out.”
Holly: “Why, are they old?”
Madison: “No, they just say Madison, Madison all the time. It’s a lot of work.”
(Note: Madison’s dolls are named “Lucy”)
This Week in the Oak Room
- At September 09, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
The Oak Room is ready for fall! It may still be steamy outside, but we have started our autumn study of apples. We will be learning about the life cycle and parts of apples as well as making apple crafts and apple recipes. Apple orchards will be harvesting during the month of September. These locations offer wonderful options for weekend family outings!
We celebrated Diana’s birthday this week. She turned 5!
Our geography studies are now focusing on the world and the continents. We will be offering the children opportunities to learn about our place on our planet in respect to other countries and continents. We will also be studying what is going on inside the earth. This upcoming week we will be bringing out the clay to make volcanoes!
In our science area, we are studying apples and dinosaurs. It is proving to be an interesting combination. Some of the children have proven to us that they are quite knowledgeable in both.
Please Note:
The Family open house is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 29th. All family members and friends are welcome.This is an excellent opportunity for your child to show you around their classroom. We will have work displayed as well as a craft you can make with your child.
Child quote of the week:
Arhan: “Just wait until I am finished reading and we’ll do a puzzle together Teeno. Don’t worry, there’s nothing romantic about it.”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At September 01, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
What a busy week! The children have been very active in the classroom and also very willing to try new things. Making our own snack every morning has given all of us the opportunity to prepare and try many different items. Least favorite of our class so far: grape tomatoes (kudos to the kiddos that tried them!). The big hit this week was watermelon. We used a melon-baller to prepare the fruit, which a lot of the kids enjoyed.
We celebrated Celia’s birthday this week. She turned 6!
And we also had a celebration for Maria Montessori. She was born 143 years ago. We made muffins and talked about what she accomplished in her life and how her work still helps children today.
We have wrapped up our study of the solar system and will move on to learning all about the world and the continents that reside there.
September is right around the corner, which means we will be focusing on trees and leaves and their components and what they mean to our environment. Soon we will see all of them change, which is an excellent time to bring the change of seasons to your child’s atttention.
Thanks to the parents that took time out of their evening to come to the parent volunteer meeting. We are looking forward to working with all of you this year.
Please Note:
Don’t forget to return those Thursday folders! We have several children in after care, so it is difficult for us to see parents on a regular basis. The Thursday folder is our best opportunity to communicate classroom news, snack cards and other information to all of our families. Why Thursday? For those children that do not attend Monday and Friday.
Child quote of the week:
Diana: “Miss Holly, I won’t be staying for nap today. I’ll just go home right now.”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At August 25, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
It seems we are all settled into our classroom. The children have adjusted so well to our school and classroom procedures. They become more independent and comfortable each day and are taking such good care of their “Children’s House.”
When Maria Montessori first started implementing her method, she referred to her classrooms as “Children’s Houses” because they are designed and cared for as a space that belongs to the children and fills only their needs, not those of adults. It was demonstrated over and over that taking ownership of this special space and its care is very important for the young child, fostering independence and an appreciation for the beauty of individual items and their overall environment.
In celebration of Maria Montessori’s birthday this week, we will be sharing her life story with our students and discussing what her work has meant to children around the world and in our own school.
This week, we learned about our “love light.” This is a favorite peace lesson with the children. We talk about the love light that is inside every human being and what we can do to make our love light shine. Sometimes we are sad or angry and our love light becomes dim. Please ask your child if their love light is shining and look into their eyes to see if you can see it “sparkling.”
Our science and geography lessons focused on air, land and water as well as a study of different land forms. You can point out the different land forms while watching televeision or movies, or looking at maps with your children to reinforce these concepts and vocabulary!
Please Note:
There is a parent volunteer meeting at 6:30 Thursday evening. If you are interested in donating your time to our school, please plan to attend. There are many in-class and at home opportunities available!
Thanks to the families that assisted with the mulch and sand distribution last weekend. Our playground looks great!
Child quote of the week:
Grant: “Miss Darci, I need a tissue cause my nose is leaking.”
This Week in the Oak Room
- At August 18, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In Oak Room
- 0
What a wonderful week we had! The transition to full days went very smoothly. Our older students and those returning from last year were a great help to our new friends.
We covered several lessons on being helpful and kind in the classroom and how we can create a peaceful classroom full of love and care.
Working together and taking turns were popular themes this week as we practiced our roles together in the Oak room community.
In our Science and Geography areas we studied the solar system, the differences between Air, Land and Water and even learned the names of some land forms!
Our peace education this week focused on respect for ourselves, people around us and our classroom environment. We also had “silence” several times throughout the week. This is always a favorite activity.
Please Note:
Hopefully all of our families received their child’s “Thursday Folder.” If you have any questions about these or any of our other classroom procedures, please let us know.
Don’t forget to join our CGMS Facebook Group. This is an excellent way to reconnect and get to know the other Center Grove Montessori families. We also like to post classroom pictures of the children working and playing, usually several times a week.
Lastly, for your child’s comfort, please bring pillows and blankets for nap that can be left at school without attachment issues. Thanks for your cooperation with this!
Happy Birthday to Dean Katona! He’s five!
Again, thanks for a great first week! We are looking forward to many more.
Child quote of the week:
Madison: “Miss Holly, all these letters are giving me a headache!”
Cubby Clean Out!
- At May 21, 2013
- By CGMontessori
- In CGM Parent News, Maple Room, Oak Room, Tulip Room
- 0
Wednesday, tomorrow, will be our last day in the building. Please be sure to gather all belongings. Papers, art and extra clothes need to be taken home.
We hope to see everyone at Westside Park Thursday!