"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

We have had a very productive couple of weeks in the primary classroom. At the beginning of the school year we focus on the establishment of the classroom ground rules and grace and courtesy. Lessons in grace and courtesy are presented at circle each day and are practiced throughout the day. The classroom ground rules are simple, easy to understand, and establish boundaries that free the children to accomplish their work successfully. Each ground rule is based on respect: for each other, for the materials, and for the classroom. For example, work must be done at a table or on a mat. The work must be returned to its place on the shelf. The older friends demonstrate how to care for and to walk around other friends work mats. The first formal grace and courtesy lesson is how to interrupt politely. A child must ask politely before joining another friends work or before watching a friends work. We have also talked about how we can all help each other to take care of our classroom. The children take great ownership of their Montessori classroom. At a morning circle the children gave their ideas on how we can be respectful of each other and of the materials. The children's ideas were written on a dry erase board. As the week went on we continued to discuss the list as a group until it became a concise list of three classroom ground rules: be safe, be gentle, and be kind. The older friends are great models for our new friends and we all work together to give kind reminders to those who forget the ground rules from time to time. 

We have begun our cultural studies in the classroom with a lesson on the interdependence of plants and animals on the earth. We talked about how the sun, air, and clouds are gases, the land is solid, and the waters of the earth are liquid. The children have enjoyed using a work with the placement of plants and animals on a beautiful cloth illustration of land, air, and water.

All of the children have been using the Practical Life materials of scooping, squeezing, pouring, sponging, lacing, and twisting. These materials are changed to reflect the theme of the classroom and the needed level of challenge. The materials help the children to develop independence, concentration, coordination, and a sense of order. The care of environment materials and care of self materials are helping the children to be independent and to care for their classroom.

concentrating on lacing work

flower arranging  (care of environment) 

       

practicing sweeping (care of environment)

buttoning frame (care of self)

The Sensorial materials help children to compare, classify, order, and pattern. 

 

Many of the children have also been interested in the math area.

numeration sets boxes association of a specific symbol with the
corresponding numeral set 

work with the golden beads (association of beads to numerals
and work with place value)

numerals and counters (odd and even introduction)

Thank you to the families who have brought snack for the class to share. The children are enjoying the variety of snacks and take great pride in preparing their own snack. The children have enjoyed spreading sun butter, cutting bananas and apples, slicing hard boiled eggs for egg sandwiches, and scooping yogurt and cottage cheese. Snack also gives the children an opportunity to enjoy the company of a friend and practice grace and courtesy. You can ask your child "Who did you have snack with today?" On Friday mornings we have started to cook a snack to share together. We have been talking about apples and John Chapman so we made warm apple cobbler and this past Friday we made brown rice pancakes and learned a pancake song. 

I have heard from some parents that their child(ren) have been singing the new songs that we are learning together in the classroom and at music class with Mr. Andrew. We have sung "Oh Susannah", "You are my Sunshine", and "Peace Like a River". Mr. Andrew has played his guitar, mandolin, and fiddle for us to sing along. We have talked about the parts of the instruments and have talked about how particular notes make us feel: happy or sad. We listened to high notes and low notes on the fiddle. We also practiced singing slow or really fast (and loud). We hope the neighbors enjoy our singing! 

Yoga is a chance for us to stretch, strengthen, and quiet our bodies. Each yoga class begins with the striking of a Tibetan singing bowl. We have talked about the importance of breathing while doing asanas (poses). The children really enjoy the bear and snake breathes. We have been practicing the mountain, star, cat, cow, down dog, and cobra poses. We played yogi says (like Simon Says) and have played creative movement games. Each yoga class ends with relaxation. We lay on our yoga mats and work on making each toe and finger relax, followed by our limbs, back and shoulders, and finally our heads and minds. When the singing bowl sings again we sit up, hold hands in a circle, and send a squeeze around the circle. Finally we offer honor the light within each other by saying "Namaste".