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A Montessori environment is unique in many ways. From the child-size furniture to the art hanging just at their level, it is a truly special place. With such gratitude, I look forward to the year ahead getting to know each of your children and families, and watching them learn and grow. My goal for each child is to feel at home, empowered, and inspired to follow his or her own unique interests. Your partnership is so important in this journey and in building our classroom community! I look forward to a wonderful school year! Best, Kristi@traversechildrenshouse.org "That humanity which is revealed in all its intellectual splendor during the tender age of childhood should be respected with a kind of religious veneration. It is like the sun which appears at dawn or a flower just beginning to bloom. Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child open himself up to life." - Maria Montessori Room Parents |
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Classroom Highlights
October 18, 2024
Hello Iris Families!
The many observable natural changes make autumn a lovely time with children. For example, the children notice the leaves on the trees changing colors and falling and the birds migrating. In addition to the changing season, we have discussed the water cycle, water filtration, and water conservation. Did you know the water we have today is the same water that was around when the dinosaurs were alive?
Over the past few weeks, we have welcomed two new families into our community and will add two more over the next two weeks. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to grow and learn together!
We are growing our world of baking. This year, we have teamed up with the Birch Community (Lower Elementary). Every Tuesday, two elementary children come down and bake something special with a few of our children. Those same Elementary children later return to enjoy the snack with us. We are two weeks in, and it has been the sweetest experience.
Recently, " Little Bird " has been a favorite classroom song. Each round, we invite the children to choose a new bird to replace the “little bird.” Here are the lyrics for you to sing along:
Little Bird
Little bird, little bird
Fly through my window
Little bird, little bird
Fly through my window
Little bird, little bird
Fly through my window
Find molasses candy
Through my window
My sugar lump
Fly through my window
My sugar lump
Find molasses candy
Last week, we had a lovely parent education evening on the summer reading “How to Raise an Adult: Break free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare your Kid for Success” by Julie Lythcott-Haims. Here is a link to the TED Talk we all watched together before breaking into breakout groups:
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How to raise successful kids -- without over-parenting By loading kids with high expectations and micromanaging their lives at every turn, parents aren't actually helping. At least, that's how Julie Lythcott-Haims sees it. With passion and wry humor, the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford makes the case for parents to stop defining their children's success via grades and test scores. Instead, she says, they should focus on providing the oldest idea of all: unconditional love. |
I welcome your thoughts!
Tonight, we have another opportunity for Parent Education with our Primary Up Close: A Deep Dive into Primary. I adore talking about the work we do inside the classroom. This evening is like speed dating but in a Montessori style. The evening is led by our wonderful Alison Breithaupt. Parents will later break into four groups, rotating through each primary classroom to get a glimpse of our work. Here is a fun little hint: I am doing math!
Quite a bit is coming up, so please check Waypoints for the most up-to-date Calendar!
I have attached a sign-up for classroom observation. Observation is the best way to learn what children need, their interests, obstacles, and how we can best support their growth and development. We want to share these opportunities with you. I want to encourage each of you to try to come by during our morning work cycle to see what our day looks like. Children are more capable than we know!
A note from our incredible specialists:
Steve Mass: The kindergarten group has been practicing lots of throwing and catching both independently and with a partner. The 3- and 4-year-olds have spent their time in the gym on balance bikes and tricycles as well as balloon play.
Alison Hoffman: Kindergarten art has its first lesson this Friday, I can’t wait to spend some time with those students!
Angela Lickiss-Aleo: In group time, we have been working on “Funga Alafia” with arm and leg motions. Eventually, this becomes a circle dance. It is a song of welcome and community. We have also started working on keeping a steady beat while singing “Senwa Dedenda.” We are also five instruments into our exploration of new sounds from African origins. Kindergarten music starts next Friday.
I am grateful to all of you for your trust, generosity, and support. I hope to see you tonight!
Warmly,
Kristi
September 16, 2024
Good morning, Iris Families!
What an incredible kick-off to the 2024-25 school year! We had a lovely time at our back-to-school night, labeling clothing (and raffling off four gift certificates for Jacob’s Farm) and sharing funny stories with a few logistics sprinkled throughout. Then, we came together again for our classroom picnic at Jacob’s Farm. It was such an honor to see our little community mingling. A huge thank you to our classroom parents, Amy, Kaitlin, and Raini, who have worked so hard behind the scenes to ensure our year runs as smoothly as possible.
A few reminders:
- Please read through our back-to-school letter to familiarize yourself with the routines/procedures and supply list. If you have any additional questions, I am here to help!
- I recently sent an email about Transparent Classroom to ensure everyone is signed in and has access to the information we are thrilled to share. I have heard from many of you; thank you! Those of you who have yet to respond, no worries! Lean on us if you need help! Through Transparent Classroom, we hope to share lessons, photos, individual needs (socks, new inside shoes, etc.), incident reports, and more.
- Throughout the remainder of this month and into October, I will be reaching out to each family to touch base about the start of the school year and address any questions or concerns you may have.
For the past two weeks, the children have been busy working, receiving new lessons, practicing kindness, connecting with their peers, and settling into the new year. We welcomed a few new children with open arms, worked outside in our outdoor environment, started learning about the flags on our labels, and learned quite a few new songs. A favorite of the children's songs is “Frisky Squirrel.”
Frisky Squirrel
Oh, the frisky squirrel
He gathers nuts and seeds
To save them for a winter day
So he’ll have all he needs.
Oh, up, up he goes
And down, down, down he comes
He goes straight up and comes back down
His work is never done.
Oh, up, up he goes
And down, down, down he comes
He goes straight up and comes back down
His work is never done.
I also want to include a blog post written by a friend from back east about the start of school. In there, you will find helpful drop-offs tips that I hope will make for an easier transition for you and your child.
https://www.berkshiremontessori.org/msb-blog/back-to-school-in-five-steps
As always, I welcome conversation. You all are incredible, and we look forward to another week filled with discoveries!
Warmly,
Kristi