This was a wonderful first week of school! All of the three and four-year-old children from last year have returned as our new kindergarten and VPK students. In addition to our returning friends, we have enjoyed the company of the 14 new children in our classroom. The three-year-old children joined us little by little throughout the week and stayed until the end of the morning. Next week will be their first week of staying until 1:45.
Many returning children were familiar with the routine of the morning work cycle and the materials. Helpful daily reminders of our ground rules ensured that our environment was ready at the end of each day.
The children began to reconnect and take ownership of their classroom through taking out materials carefully, (one at a time), preparing apples and bananas for themselves and for others, and cleaning up after every activity before choosing another. Our child-sized broom, brushes, dustpans, scrubbing materials, and mop help us care for the space in which we chose our work.
At home, we encourage the children to help prepare their meals, dress themselves independently, clean up after themselves, and prepare themselves for school each day. Each week we explore more of our school environment and how we are a part of a cosmic community.
On Monday, we looked at a work that showed the milky way galaxy, the solar system, the planet Earth, the continent of North America, the USA, the state of Florida, the city of Miami, Coral Reef Montessori Academy, child, and energy as a set of cubes that nest within each other. We continued talking about the planets and the stars throughout the week and sang along to "The Family of the Sun" to help us remember the planets. Here is a link to this song if you wish to sing it at home: http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmah/planets.htm
In September we will continue to read about the planets and better understand our own bodies. Our daily group time gives us the chance to sing, dance, and balance. Through these large and small movements we develop the coordination necessary to manage ourselves throughout the day. We will continue learning about organ systems in this month.
A special thanks to all families for supporting us this year! We hope you will come and observe in the classroom after the first 6 weeks have passed in order to better understand how our classroom is managed in the morning work cycle. Before then, we hope to have a parent education night in addition to our open house.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Joanna Boone