Community!

a Family!
We are Brothers, Sisters too!

One thing that simply warms your heart when you go into a room of children is that they are really a family. As the children are there with different ages and different learning levels, they often help each other with activities or reading. Seeing these two cuties helping with coats in the chilly weather was an especially sweet treat!

de Colores!

A little snippet from the Enrichment program in December.
Click HERE to Enjoy!

Shapes

Metal insets were designed by Maria Montessori to teach handwriting. Fundamentally they are metal stencils of ten basic shapes: circle, ellipse, oval, curvilinear triangle, quatrefoil, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid, and pentagon. The thick, sturdy metal frame teaches the child control of her pencil as it acts as a guide. Again, the child is instructed to follow a prescribed path around the frame – counterclockwise, the same direction most round letters are formed. Later lessons include tracing the inset and drawing lines within the shapes, that mimic later strokes used in forming letters.

As children learn how to control their pencils while tracing around the various shapes, they also learn to name all of them. This is the most abstract way the child is guided in his work with the various shapes, other than trying to draw them free-hand.

Friendship Soup

Each year, in the time of harvest, the courageous and brave venture out of their rooms to search and find -
The Fruits of Their Labors!

Each of the primary students brings an ingredient for the soup. Ingredients include tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beans and onions. The students are responsible to wash and cut the vegetables themselves. Then, all of the vegetables are combined with broth, herbs and lots of love.

Parents and friends are invited to celebrate the friendship (and soup) with the children. It is a beautiful day with lots of proud parents and children. After all, how often do children prepare the food in your home?>
Give it a try, they can do it!

Add a book to this celebration - try:

Cleanest frog in town!

A basic premise behind the Montessori philosophy of early childhood education is that every child is eager for work, even when the work seems like chores to the adult. Through the activities of Practical Life, children not only perform a task; they are also forming foundations on which to organize skills and intelligence. Nowhere is this premise more evident than in Washing and Scrubbing exercises. This activity starts in the Toddler classes. Through these activities, children develop concentration, become aware of order and sequencing, gain control over their movements, become more independent, and learn to care for their surroundings.

AND, it is pretty fun to play with frogs, soap and water while you are at school! As with all things, it is easiest to learn when you just think you are having fun.

Mama Jama

the story telling Mama!


These children are always excited to see Mama Jama here at Montessori!

They hang on every word!

When you add the wonderful story teller AND the fact that it is pajama day...
sounds like you have a perfect day to me!

Traditional Montessori Toy

These little beauties are Knobbed Cylindrical Blocks.
They look simple enough, but...

The cylinders vary in diameter and height. Again, simple enough - but, there is a greater purpose than only the fun of playing with blocks. That would be plenty!

The Aim:

1. To help develop the child's visual discrimination of size, volume, thickness and height. To develop eye and hand coordination and enhance fine motor skill.

2. Indirectly, to prepare the child for writing through the handling of the cylinders by their knobs.

3. Indirectly, to prepare the child for later work in Mathematics, through observation of the regular difference in the cylinders.

SCHOOL PHOTOS!

Remember that this week Lindsey Lingenfelter of Linden Tree Photography will make individual school pictures next Tuesday and Wednesday, September 28th and 29th.

Lindsey will photograph the Blue Room, Yellow Room and Green Room (2 day) on Tuesday and the Red Room and Green Room (3 day) on Wednesday.

You will have the opportunity to order your photographs from the proofs.

Enrichment

Our Enrichment Program started on September 1st. This program is for students who are 4 1/2 years of age and up. The program meets Monday through Thursday from 12 until 1:30pm.

One new thing that the students will be learning this year is Spanish. Ms. Miriam is working with the students to make learning a new language fun!

In addition to Spanish, the children will learn about science with Ms. Audrey. If you have not considered Enrichment for your children, please do!

New Year - New Spirit!

We are off to a great new start at LaGrange Montessori! The children and teachers are getting settled into their new schedules.

One way to get to know other parents and students better is to attend Spirit Nights. In addition to all the fun, we raise some money for the school. We kicked off this year with one at Chick-fil-A. The children enjoyed playing together and getting Ms. Bobby to paint beautiful birds, tiaras and bugs. We will keep you updated for the next Spirit Night!