Tuesday, December 1, 2015

FOUND: Fall!

When you look for fall it is important to use all of your senses.

Deciduous trees have beautiful leaves

but they need raking!

You can find fall at McCrillis Garden

and in our classrooms.

Learning about trees,

apples,

and oranges is interesting work!

Using a ricer to make mash potatoes

after peeling them takes lots of hand-eye coordination.

In Hands On Science the Owls used cornflakes and water

to explore how the stomach works.

Tasting Fuji, Pink Lady, Cameo, and Granny Smith apples

and making a graph of our favorites took tasty decisions!




Applesauce takes lots of chopping and slicing, but it smells delicious when it is cooking!

The Lunchers made corn bread, adding eggs,

milk,


and lots of stirring.

Teamwork is dream work!

The Owls visited the new "far park"

and discovered twirling,

sliding and 

climbing make fall fun!

Sometimes fall is full of raindrops

but it is always a time for friends!

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Sweet Gifts

"That best portion of a good man's life, 
His little, nameless, unremembered acts
of kindness and of love."
           ---William Wordsworth

November is candy time in Montessori!

Each student brought some candy from Halloween trick-or-treating to add to our collection.

Then the candy was sorted. Is this chocolate? Is this chewy?

Decisions, decisions!!
We counted lots of chocolate bars.

When you are packing a bag for a gift, be sure to include a variety!

Think: What would you like to receive?

And, don't forget a lollipop!

We filled many gift bags for Gift of Peace and hope everyone enjoys a sweet treat!

One hundred bags of candy will be delivered to Gift of Peace by the Agnew family. Many thanks to Tom in grade 8 for helping us continue this tradition for nine years. I know the sisters appreciate the children's generosity. But even more importantly, they appreciate the love and care each child put into packing his gift bags.


"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
                                                    --Aesop

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

I can be a "can do" kid!

             The Montessori classrooms are designed to allow opportunities for independence.
                                             "Help me do it alone!"  --Maria Montessori

I can carry my own bag!

I can find my own coat! (My mom helps when she labels my belongings.  https://www.oliverslabels.com/)

I can zip 

and snap my own coat!


I can get ready to work!

I can sweep!

I can rake!

I can feed the gerbils

and take down the chairs!

I can ask for help!

I can do all the steps to wash a pumpkin!

I can concentrate to finish my work!

I can share and take turns!

I can make work choices!

I can listen and follow directions!

I can participate in group projects!

I can be a scientist!

I can count

and do addition!

I can measure

and use the grater to cook Mac and Cheese!

I can use the Moveable Alphabet to build words

and use sounds I've learned to read!

I can use tools to hammer,

write,

and paint!


I can be a friend!

I can be an observer and a problem solver!

I can learn about the world

and even  help others!


Did you know that research in psychology has shown that when children are allowed more independence, they tend to have more intrinsic motivation to learn and higher self-esteem.(Deci, et al.)?

"Overhelping causes harm. It can leave young adults without the strengths of skill, will and character that are needed to know themselves and to craft a life."  "Our job as a parent is to put ourselves out of a job." --Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success

"The setbacks, mistakes, miscalculations, and failures we have shoved out of our children's way are the very experiences that teach them how to be resourceful, persistent, innovative, and resilient citizens of the world." --Jessica Lahey author of The Gift of Failure

NB: WAPTO is hosting Jessica Lahey on Tuesday, October 27th at 6:00. Plan to attend!