Maria Montessori was a strong believer in fostering independence in children, even at an early age. There are many benefits to cultivating independence in your child. The gift of independence allows children to feel empowered, to feel capable, and, ultimately, to feel they can trust themselves. We … [Read more...]
Teaching gratitude is more than learning to say ‘thank you’
November brings the coming of Thanksgiving projects, such as coloring the Mayflower and turkeys, pin-punching fall leaves, counting turkey stickers and making booklets with the parts of the turkey! Most importantly, however, November reminds us to “give thanks.” How do we teach children to give … [Read more...]
Grace and courtesy in the Primary classroom
Fall in the Primary classroom brings many opportunities for more advanced work by our older 5- and 6-year-olds, as well as diverse challenges for our younger 3- and 4-year-olds. We’ve experienced a successful transition to the classroom. After eight weeks of repeated lessons in grace and courtesy, … [Read more...]
Lots of fall activities for Primary students
This month, we are studying Canada and learning about the weather, seasons, leaves and pumpkins through hands-on materials, puzzles and matching activities. Some of the activities include: Practical Life: Pouring corn Tweezing corn off the cob Pumpkin scrubbing For Art: Leaf … [Read more...]
Primary class has wintry works
We had a few new faces join us after the winter break. We had three children move up from their toddler classrooms. As a reminder, since we have had some changes in our classroom, please do not send dairy, eggs, milk, soy or sesame for group snack. The children have been exploring winter themes … [Read more...]
Autumn in the classroom
The first several weeks were filled with lots of exciting opportunities for learning many new things, as well as sharing with friends and giving thanks for our time together. While the beginning of school was more focused on getting acquainted, the coming of autumn has become a time for challenging … [Read more...]
Children need and want to connect to nature
The young child has a great need to connect with nature. This is especially apparent by the obvious joy she expresses and the calm demeanor she displays whenever she is involved in outdoor activities that allow her to engage all her senses. A simple walk in the park, listening to the birds sing, … [Read more...]
Great care taken to prepare Primary classroom
The work of the young child is geared toward self-construction. Everything the child does is directed toward achieving independence. “Except when he has regressive tendencies, the child’s nature is to aim directly and energetically at functional independence,” Maria Montessori said. To aid the … [Read more...]
Art in the Primary Classroom
Parents with children in Room 2 may have noticed that their children have been bringing many varied forms of art home. The area of creativity, art, is part of all the child’s work in the Montessori classroom. The creative force of the child is an interior part of his or her development, and it has … [Read more...]
