This Week in the Oak Room

Gung Hay Fat Choy!  Chinese New Year has officially begun!  We talked about Chinese New Year in class last week and will celebrate this fun holiday on Monday.  We as a class agreed that the class should all try to wear red on Monday to acknowledge this festive time.  We cleaned our classroom on Friday to get ready, we will be making dragon puppets and lanterns, having a dragon parade and our older students will be performing a special production for our elementary friends.

Also this week, love is in the air.  It’s almost Valentine’s Day!  We will be celebrating this special day on Wednesday, so that all of our students can participate.  We will be decorating bags during class and each child can bring in Valentines for their friends if they choose to.  If your child brings some in, please make sure that there are 23 cards, signed only with your child’s name.  Please leave the “to” section blank, as this makes it easier when it’s time to pass them out.

Friday will be our first “messy science” day! We will be trying out several different experiments, and some may yield some gooey results.  Please dress your child in clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Everyone should have a change of clothes in their cubby, just in case things get really crazy!

“Respect” concerning the people and the environment around us will be our peace lesson this week.  How do we show respect to those around us?  How do we show respect to a nonliving thing?  How do we respect our planet?

We are so excited about the fun week ahead and look forward to another busy and productive week in the Oak Room!

Child quote of the week:

“Arhan is my friend.  I just love that guy.” – Ava Katona

 “… there is no science and no art of greater importance than that which teaches seeing, which builds sensitivity and respect for the natural world …” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

Hopefully you are hearing all about India at home.  This week we will continue our study of Asia with a focus on China.  The Chinese New Year is coming soon, which brings with it a lot of fun activities and an excellent opportunity to learn about this fascinating country.  As always, any artifacts from home are most welcome for sharing!

We are hoping to have our full class back in the next week.  Illness has been affecting many families.  As always, we have taken measures to sanitize the classroom daily and encourage frequent hand washing.  We suggest to the children that they should be washing their hands, with soap, for as long as it takes to sing the ABC song.

Since this is the year of the snake for Chinese New Year, we will be learning all about these fascinating creatures for our newest science lesson.  There are many questions to be answered about where they live, what they eat, why they are cold-blooded, etc.

Our peace lessons this next week will be centered on helpful and hurtful language.  We will be having discussions about name-calling, how words have power and perhaps most important, what happens when you can’t “take it back.”  In my most recent readings on this subject, I have learned that name-calling and hurtful language is often a result of a child feeling powerless themselves, or can just be testing new language options to see “what happens.”  I encourage parents and guardians to come up with a system for you and your child to let them know when they have used words that are hurtful.  I liked the suggestion in this month’s “Tomorrow’s Child,” to use a single word, such as “ouch,” for a reminder.

Child quote of the week:

“Do you know what movie I saw when I was just a little kid?” – Emery

 “All our handling of the child will bear fruit, not only at the moment, but in the adult they are destined to become.” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

This Week in the Oak Room

Such big work this week!  Several of our younger students started their golden bead work.  These layouts are so much fun and are such an integral part of the Montessori curriculum, it pleases us every time we see it!

Hopefully all of your children went home on Thursday bragging about their delicious smoothies.  After a discussion about what children in India like to eat, we chopped mangoes and bananas, added yogurt and honey and after a quick mix in the blender, we enjoyed a tasty treat before yoga.  I encourage all of our families to get their children involved in the kitchen.  It is so much fun for them, but also very meaningful work.  It builds their practical life skills as well as their confidence and coordination.  Just make sure they help with the cleaning too!

Bend, stretch, dance and wiggle.  When we are not able to go outside to run, we take time to incorporate physical activity into a lot of our  lessons.  We try to do jobs far away from where the materials are stored, so that we have to walk back and forth,  we dance and sing at circle.  Miss Darci even had a pretend sled right in our classroom!  So fun.  It is important that children receive regular “movement” breaks throughout their day, so when your cozying up to the fireplace this weekend, don’t forget to get those little guys up and moving!

Happy Birthday to Ava Katona!  She’s six!

Child quote of the week:

Ava Shirley:  “My dad has to dress all prettily for work. I don’t know why.”

 “When dealing with children there is greater need for observing than of probing” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

Wow! What a busy week in the Oak Room.  Our children were working so hard and exploring so many new things!

We are learning a lot about what we hear around us.  Sounds are everywhere.  The children were introduced to different kinds of sound this week;  Living, Natural, and Artificial.  Maybe over the long weekend you and your child can listen for these different types of sound sources at home and while you’re out.

For our peace lesson this week, we have been talking to the children about being kind and have had two more ribbons added on to the kindness wreath.  The kids really enjoy this activity and have been thinking of ways to make Miss Darci and I notice they have performed an “act of kindness.”

Welcome to our newest student Gurpartap!

It’s cold, but please remember that we do go outside if it is above 32 degrees, so send those hats and mittens!

Flu season is most definitely here.  We sanitize the classrooms regularly, but we are spending more time together indoors.  If your child is running a fever or exhibiting any flu-like symptoms, please keep them at home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours. Thanks you.

Next week we will continue our study of Asia with a focus on the country of India.  The children will be making flags, preparing food and learning about what life is like for children who live in that particular part of our world.

Child quote of the week:

Celia: “Miss Holly, Santa Claus stinks.  I asked for a Barbie and he brought me a ukulele.”

Note: Celia speaks very fondly of her ukulele, but has made this statement to me every day since returning from break.  I’m not at all sure what she needs me to do with this information.  Maybe I’ll have to write Santa!

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

This Week in the Oak Room

The new year is off to a great start in the Oak Room!  We have had a lot of fun in the snow, both real and pretend!  You may have noticed our beautiful snowflakes and snowmen we made to celebrate this lovely time of year.  Miss Darci even got some icicles for us to examine!  Very interesting…

Madison and Emery enjoying our “pretend” snow…

Next week we will be learning even more about snowflakes and icicles as we continue our study of the weather.  We’re also taking turns as the daily meteorologist and making predictions about the outside temperature.  We had an exact hit on Thursday with Maisie’s guess of 36 degrees!

We’re taking a trip east and beginning our study of Asia.  There is so much to learn about the world’s largest continent!  If any of our families have anything to share from a trip to this area of our planet, we would love to see it.

Give peace a chance. (Yes, I had to go there!)  Maria Montessori devoted much of her life to world and inner peace, therefore it is a very important part of our curriculum.  We have expanded our “peace” area of the classroom with even more jobs to help the children learn to respect themselves, others and their world, to be kind and respectful and complete activities designed to sooth and calm the spirit.  We introduced our “kindness wreath” on Friday.  Please ask your child about it; this is an excellent opportunity to discuss what kindness means to your family and see what it means to them.

We are so happy to start the second half of our year and watch your children flourish and grow.  Have a great week!

Pretend Snow Recipe:  2 boxes of cornstarch mixed with one can of shaving cream. FYI: this is messy, but so much fun!

Child quote of the week:

Miss Holly: “Would you like to do the sound cylinders with me Collin?”

Collin:  “No, thank you. We have enough noise right now.”

“Education today, in this particular social period, is assuming truly unlimited importance. And the increased emphasis on its practical value can be summed up in one sentence: education is the best weapon for peace.” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

On Friday morning, while I sat with our class at our morning circle, the lives of 20 children and 6 adults dedicated to their care were stolen by the violent act of one man’s madness in Newtown Connecticut.

The theft of such innocence and vitality tests my faith in my fellow man and leaves me frightened of what darkness may be lurking just beyond our front doors.

I am filled with sadness for the community and families that have lost love ones in this tragedy.  My mind will never comprehend acts of violence against children, but in my heart I send wishes of peace and prayers of hope to those that are grieving.

I look to the faces of my own children and those that I care for at school to sooth my broken heart.  I have chosen a few of my favorite pictures from this week as a gentle reminder to myself and our families to cherish every moment we have with these delicate humans in our care…

Wow! Our little acorns have been very busy!  We are so proud of our students and how much they accomplish every day!

Mittens, gloves and hats, oh my!  We are so grateful that the Center Grove Montessori family has such a giving spirit.  The children are seeing first-hand what happens when everyone just gives a little; you end up with quite a lot!

The dinosaur jobs are a big hit!  As many of you already know, the Children’s museum downtown has a wonderful interactive dinosaur section.  Think about a visit over the holiday break!

As we get further into the holiday season, we encourage families to take the time to consider what an impact hectic schedules and additional activities can have on your young child.  Children from 3-6 years old have an internal need for order and consistency.  We find that in the classroom, when holidays are upon us, keeping our daily schedule, i.e. circle time, lunch and outdoor time consistent helps to alleviate meltdowns and nervousness. And as always, please take time to enjoy the season through the eyes of your children!

Thanks to our special visitor, Luke’s foreign exchange student,Clara, for her presentation on St. Nicholas Day in Belgium.  She showed us pictures of the saint (who looks strikingly familiar to another jolly fellow we know), gave us a tasty Belgium waffle to try, and sang us a special song; in French!  St. Nicholas puts treats in children’s shoes or stockings, but be careful, or you may get potatoes if you have been naughty!  It was the general consensus among the children that St. Nicholas Day was very much like our Christmas!

Child quote of the week:

Mister Adam: “What do we do when we go to sleep at night?”

Grant:  “Wake up!”

“Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.“   – Maria Montessori

Oak Room Wish List

Colored Pencils

Water Color Paint

Play Dough (Ms. Brenda has a GREAT homemade play dough recipe 😉

Writing Pencils

Construction paper

Easel Paper

Glue Sticks

Markers

Scrapbooking paper

Large poster paintbrushes

Paste

CD’s (Kids music, yoga, etc.)

This Week in the Oak Room

The Holiday season has officially begun at Center Grove Montessori.  We will be having visitors to our classroom that will tell us all about different holidays around the world.  We will learn about how children in other countries celebrate their special days and then compare the differences and similarities to our own.

During the next few weeks we will be making a lot of Christmas crafts.  Some will go home, but several we will use to decorate our classroom.  Please take a peak when you pick up your child to see our beautiful space!

We’re going prehistoric in our science area of the classroom! Due to an increased interest in all things Jurassic, we will begin our study of dinosaurs this month.  Hopefully Arhan can help Miss Holly with some of those longer names!

In keeping with our “giving” lessons, we will be donating gloves and mittens to needy children.  We have been discussing how giving makes us feel and how we like to help those in need. We have been informed that Target has gloves for $1-$2 per pair.  We mentioned to the children that they may be able to get some money from their “piggy banks,” or do a chore and buy some themselves!

A special thank you to all the parents that have been volunteering in the classroom! It’s very helpful to occasionally have an extra pair of hands!

Child quote of the week:

Miss Holly: “Laasya, what are you thankful for?”

Laasya:  “I’m thankful my mom is going to open my Strawberry Shortcake Kitchen.”

“Respect all the reasonable forms of activity in which the child engages and try to understand them.“        – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

Giving and donations. This has been a theme for discussion during circle this week. We talked about why we were donating food at school, where it was going and why it is needed.  Children at these young ages are very aware and sensitive to the concept of helping others, so this Thanksgiving season is an excellent opportunity to discuss with your child the benefits of being a giving member of our community.

“Down by the Bay” has become a song we sing daily in our classroom. The children love it.  We make up our own rhyming endings!  Ask your child to sing it to you; they all know it.  This song is an excellent way to pass the time when you have to wait in a line at the store or for the food to get to the table at a restaurant.

If you have not seen Brenda’s post on our Facebook group, we donated 270 food items to the local food bank.  The elementary students made the delivery, toured the facility and helped to stock shelves.  If your family would like to be involved with this particular charity, Brenda has information on how to get contact them.

Happy Diwali!  On Friday, we celebrated the Indian holiday Diwali.  Thanks to the moms who brought in instruments, outfits and snacks for us to enjoy.  Please see our group on Facebook for pictures!

A Note:  We are beginning to see a lot of runny noses in the classroom.  Yes, it’s that time of year.  But even this can be a learning experience.  We often tell children to blow their nose, but has anyone actually shown them how?  Think about it and practice, practice, practice!

Child quote of the week:

“I have a dream-catcher in my room but it must be broken.  I still have bad dreams.”

“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.“ – Maria Montessori