January 28th - February 1st, 2019

10 Benefits from a Montessori Program

1. Focuses on key developmental milestones

2. Encourages cooperative play

3. The learning is child-centered

4. Children naturally learn self-discipline

5. Classroom environment teaches order

6. Teachers facilitate the learning experience

7.  Learning method inspires creativity

8. May be more effective in developing certain skills

9. The curriculum is highly individualized to each student

10. Hands on learning

Montessori Work Time

We get by with a little help from our friends!

Lucas is working on identifying North America in the Geography area of our classroom.  His PreK Friends, Nora and Jordyn, helped him to trace and than punch out the continent with a large push pin.  In a mixed aged Montessori work period, the children learn form their friends as much as from their teachers.  As you can see, Lucas is so proud of his work and the girls are so proud that they were able to "teach" him.

A visit from first grade!

Two friends from first grade paid us a visit to share some fun animal facts: Gabby and Imaya.  Gabby taught us about ducklings and Imaya about polar bears.  Each girl told us where their animal lived, what they looked like, and even what they ate!  

Remember your winter weather gear!!!

We will try to get outside for a little each day. (of course this is ONLY if temps are above freezing!)  Please remember to send appropriate weather attire.  We encourage the children to put their coats, hats, scarves, and gloves on independently.  Many of us have mastered this.  Please encourage your child to do so at home as well! :-) 

My favorite accomplishment of the week!

I am completely proud at the problem solving that took place in this moment.  I asked Braden to turn on the lights in our classroom.  He tried and realized that even on the tippiest of toes, he still couldn't reach.  He took our calendar pointer from the pin and sure enough was able to turn the light on with that!

Great job Braden!

- Friday, February 8: Parent Visitation Day and Science Fair

Registration begins at 8 am

 - Saturday, February 23rd: HCA Auction (Mardi Gras Theme)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stay warm!

Mrs. Devenney

January 14th-18th, 2019

Hello!  A few parents have asked for a reminder of which special is on which cycle day. The cycle day is posted on the HCA calendar through the end of the year.  It is helpful that the children wear sneakers on PE days.

Day 1 : Art 

Day 2: PE and Library

Day 3: PE and STEAM (1/2 of the class)

Day 4: Music

Day 5: PE

Day 6: Music and STEAM (1/2 of the class)

One of our favorite activities is Yoga Pretzels!  We love to pull a card from the box to see what pose is next!  Yoga Pretzels let us be fun and creative, twist and turn, balance and strength, and working together.

Mountain Pose

Airplane Pose

The airplane pose helps use to practice balance.

We tried really hard not to fall!

Dragon Pose

Powerful Dragons

Lucas, Panos, Peyton and Braden in dragon pose.

Aanya, Harper and Amelia in dragon pose.

Cat Pose

Cat pose helps us to practice balance.

River Pose

River pose helps to stretch.

Tree Pose

The tree pose helps us to be flexible.

Community Circle: we ended our yoga session in community circle.  We hold hands and one person gently squeezes the hand of the friend next to them.  We pass the "squeeze" around the circle until it gets back to the first person.

Please join us on Friday, February 8 for the Parent Visitation Day and Science Fair

The schedule is as follows:

-We have many runny noses.  If you are able, please send in boogie wipes.

-The Auction is right around the corner!  Don't forget to purchase your tickets for this fun filled evening that benefits the children!  It is also a great night for parents to socialize with their children's friends parents. 

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Devenney

January 14th - January 18th

What's the Weather?

Each morning we sing about the weather.  As you can hear in the video, we talk about all the possibilities of weather that we may have noticed coming to school. 

Snack Table!

The snack table has been a wonderful addition to our work time.  Everyone is serving, pouring and tidying up for themselves.  It is helping us to be responsible and independent; it even has allowed us to work a little bit longer.

We continue to work hard and learn new lessons.   

On Thursday we attended a prayer service to celebrate the lives of Cornelia and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The theme of the prayer service was that Cornelia and MLK led lives that should be inspiration for us to "go make a difference". 

This is the link for the closing hymn Go Make a Difference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDjQEoItGzQ

REMINDERS:

• Please make sure your child bathrooms/is changed before arriving to school.  
• There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 21st in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr Day.
• Family Fun Night is Friday, January 25th from 6 to 9 p.m. in the MPR.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Stay warm & cozy!
Mrs. Devenney

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!   We all seem to have had a wonderful holiday season!  The kids were excited to share their favorite gifts and activities with their friends.

So happy to see our friends:-)

In honor of the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, three seventh graders -dressed as the Magi- visited our classroom.  They recited a blessing, sprinkled our door with Holy water, and presented us with a blessing to be hung above our door. 

Montessori Work Time

We came back ready to work and learn!  A new year with some new challenging lessons.  Look what hard workers we are!

Caroline working on 'BFOG'

Mason making a pattern with the brown stairs and pink tower.

Charlie working on numbers.

Lucas working on his numbers.

Anthony working with the pink tower and brown stairs.

Aanya is working on her numbers using the large bead frame.

Braden working with the teen boards.

We have begun the snack table during Montessori work period.  

How it works: each morning the children are told what is on the menu.  For example, 2 grahams & 4 apple slices or a banana. When the children are hungry during work, they may go get snack if a seat is open.  No more than 3 at a time may be at the table.  The child then gets a napkin, their snack and pours their water.  Yes!  I just said pour:-)

What it promotes: independence, respect  and self awareness.

Strengthening our fine motor skills!

Play dough is a great way to strengthen muscle tone in little hands.  The squishing, flattening, rolling, and squashing all aide in developing children's muscles and encourages prewriting, cutting, using scissors, holding a pencil etc.

In Science this week we talked about liquids and solids.  We learned that water is a liquid and when it freezes and becomes ice it is a solid.  To end our class we became ice excavators and dug animals out of ice.  

REMINDERS:

• Please make sure your child bathrooms/is changed before arriving to school.  
• There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 21st in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr Day.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Devenney