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Children are often asked to adjust to our adult world. In the hope that every child has a place where they can "just be", our environment has been especially designed to include every aspect of life for your children. I invite you to read our classroom highlights to get a glimpse of your child’s world at school. Your children are often working independently to meet individual interests and needs, but this page will give you updates on our work as a community. I will share group discussions, class trends, community goals, and relevant Montessori concepts. Please know I feel honored to observe and support your child’s development this year. Thank you for sharing them with me! Megan FellowsMegan@traversechildrenshouse.org Room Parents Rachel Atkins Ni Thang |
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Classroom Highlights
December 16, 2024
Dear Families,
Earlier this month, we had a special visit from Ashley Fetters from Northern Pediatric Therapy. Ashley is a speech and food therapist that serves several children at our school. She joined our group gathering to talk about trying new foods before the holidays. We learned it can take up to 13 exposures to a new food before we begin to enjoy it! Ashley shared the attached handout with us that outlines the six ways to explore unfamiliar food in a positive way: touch, smell, kiss, lick, bite and enjoy. Your children tried these steps with a snack and continue to reference the strategies when new foods are introduced at lunch.
Last year, Chelsea introduced us to the phrase “it’s not to my taste” instead of making a negative comment about a food. We continue to use this phrase and always remind children they won’t know if something is to their taste until they try it. See what happens when you reference these ideas at home!
All of you will receive a holiday gift from your child this week. Your children took lots of pride in creating something special for you. They even donated their prized easel paintings for the wrapping paper! At our group gathering, your children practiced how to politely give and receive a gift. However, they all agreed it might be too difficult to keep this gift a surprise!
I look forward to seeing all of you on Friday, December 20th for our annual Seasonal Sing. The school-wide performance is in the gym and begins at 11am. Campus will close after the program. After you collect your child and check in with one of the Lily grownups, please walk to our coatroom to empty your child’s cubby. It is helpful to have clean, labeled snow gear for the new year!
I am excited to enjoy the festive week ahead with your children and hope you have a peaceful winter break. We’ll see you in 2025!
Warmly,
Megan
November 21, 2024
Dear Lily families,
Thank you for making time for parent teacher conferences last week. I am truly honored to work alongside such dedicated families. Each of you is thoughtful about preparing your child for the road of life!
I want to extend a warm welcome to a few new families in the Lily room. Emmett Smith and Rowan Johnson have recently joined our community from their YCC rooms. Your children have taken them under their wings and been incredible role models. The mixed age classroom allows even our youngest learners to take on leadership roles. Soon, we will welcome Aberdeen who joins our classroom after Thanksgiving and Gael who will join us after winter break.
We recently started our first artist study of the year. We are exploring Alma Thomas, an abstract painter and art teacher. The children have been captivated by her colorful and patterned paintings. We learned that Alma loved making art as a child and felt most inspired by nature. After admiring her work and reading about her life, your children have started to make abstract paintings of their own. Take a look at their Alma Thomas inspired creations in the attached photos!
We are looking forward to our Harvest Feast on Tuesday, November 26th! Your children have each chosen a dish they want to contribute to our meal. The class decided on the menu and made special place cards with Emmeline. You will find another copy of the menu attached to this email. The event is a fun way to say goodbye before Thanksgiving break and a chance to take ownership of an event. We are still looking for volunteers to support our set up and clean process. If you are interested and available, you can click here to choose a time slot. If you volunteer, you are also welcome to join us for the meal. We appreciate your help!
Your children spent time practicing how to express gratitude this week and I was moved by their responses. They shared gratitude for their cozy homes and the earth, but most of all, they shared their gratitude for you. I am grateful for your children who bring so much joy to our lives. I hope you all have a rejuvenating break with your families!
October 16, 2024
Hello Lily families,
Your children have welcomed fall with open arms! We started the season by talking about apples. We explored the parts of an apple, learned the names of many apple varieties, had an apple taste test and added an applesauce recipe to our baking table. We learned that apples begin as flowers, and you can see the apple blossom or calyx when you look at the bottom. We also took a close look at a cross section of an apple to find the seeds. Ask your child which apple has been their favorite so far: honey crisp, granny smith, pink lady or gala?
Next, we’ll explore the life cycle of a pumpkin to prepare for Pumpkin Fun Day on October 31st! Our room parents have graciously helped prepare special crafts and snacks. Your child also brought home a handout with a reminder about costumes. Please let me know if you did not receive it.
As a caregiver at The Children’s House, you have a unique opportunity to observe your child at school. It is not often that a caregiver can carefully and unobtrusively watch their child without having to supervise or intervene. We hope you will take advantage of our observation windows and a new sign-up process. Click here to sign up!
When you arrive at the observation window, you will find a guide on the wall. We hope you’ll be as objective as possible and choose a couple questions to think about. Remember, observation does not have to be limited to the classroom. Try it at home too!
Warmly,
Megan
Upcoming events in October:
- Socialize with other primary parents and explore the materials this Friday! (October 18th)
- Picture Day: October 21st (let me know if you did not receive a form)
- Parent Visiting Day: October 29th
Reminders:
- Please fill out the Family Information Survey
- As you send in warm gear for our time outside, please make sure to label every item with your child’s name. Thank you!
A note from Angela, Alison and Steve:
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.
Kindergarten art has it’s first lesson this Friday, can’t wait to spend some time with those students!
In group time we have been working on “Funga Alafia” with the arms and legs 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 5 instruments into our exploration of new sounds from African origins. Kindergarten music starts next Friday.
September 16, 2024
Dear Lily Families,
The Lily class is in full swing! It feels so good to be back with your joyful, curious children. I am amazed by their thoughtfulness as they care for our space and go out of their way to welcome Sadie, Sloan, Artie and Ollie. The adults are prioritizing grace and courtesy lessons to give children the language and tools they need to be successful in a large group. We have practiced walking in the room, rolling a rug, observing a friend and asking for help. These lessons are always given in neutral moments and are often informed by our observations (next up - how to use the drinking fountain!) We’ll continue these lessons throughout the year to maintain a safe and peaceful learning environment.
At Back to School Night, I mentioned my effort to affirm the unique identities of your children. One way we learn about our similarities and differences is through information from you! Please fill out a Family Information Survey to share all that is special about your family. We hope you will share songs, recipes and stories that we can incorporate into the classroom. If you are willing to donate your time, we would be thrilled to welcome you for a visit!
One of my favorite parts of our day is lunch time. I have always felt the school’s approach to meals captures our deep respect for children. We set up beautiful tables with real dishes, candles, linens and flower arrangements. We wait for everyone to be served, place our napkins on our laps and sing our community lunch song (you can find a recording of the lunch song attached to this email). Sometimes we even listen to smooth jazz as we enjoy our thoughtfully prepared lunches from the kitchen. As we become more comfortable finding our spots, passing the pitcher of water and cleaning our dishes, we will add complexity to the routine. Two children will be chosen to help serve the school lunch each day. This is an exciting responsibility that gives them additional ownership of our day. After lunch, the kindergarteners and any willing helpers clean up our space so we can return to work. The children unload the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, sweep and move furniture. Check out the attached photos…could you incorporate any of these elements in your family’s mealtime?
Warmly,
Megan
Two Reminders:
- I have been tagging photos of your children on Transparent Classroom. If you have not received any photos by the end of this week or have trouble logging in, please let me know.
- I have started my welcome calls. I will call each of you sometime in the next month to touch base (usually Tuesday afternoons). Please don’t be alarmed if you see a call from me. I will leave a voicemail. Looking forward to answering your questions!