Purim celebration!

We had a delightful Purim celebration over Spring Break! Many of the families in our community were able to come celebrate.

We threw bean bag "jam" into a giant hamantaschen!

We ate real hamantaschen and colored Purim pictures with our friends in costumes.

We made beautiful groggers with jewel beads and bells.

And then we shared a child-friendly version of the story of Esther, Mordechai, Haman, and Ahashverosh! We shook our groggers and boo-ed and yay-ed!

But the best part was the hamantaschen. Yum!

Starting Points

It is a common misconception that children are expected to repeat the lessons they are given perfectly, without adding or forgetting any steps along the way in a Montessori environment. While being able to follow a sequence of steps builds order and memory, a teacher's presentations are just a starting point, upon which children can build. Where they go with an activity is up to them, and it is up to the teacher to observe what they do, discover their interests and abilities, and teach from there.

After being presented with sets of corresponding triangles, a child can then experiment to make shapes in new ways, and often build elaborate pictures with them. There are five sets of triangles in all, which means this work is a drawn-out, relaxed exploration in geometry.

A first metal inset design is created with full concentration, tongue out and strong pencil strokes!

Graded knobless cylinders make interesting sculptures and inspire lots of exploration. 

Some exploration of the knobless cylinders is artistic and whimsical, and some is ordered, giving a visual and stereognostic sense of changes in dimension.

Preliminary activities, such as this sponge transfer, prepare our youngest children for longer sequences of activity and can induce deep concentration and careful attention to detail. 

Learning to write, building words with the movable alphabet, is a slow learning process that builds one day and one activity at a time. After lots of experience with sandpaper letters, the movable alphabet is offered and we support phonetic word building.

Outside we had so much fun enjoying the February sunshine! Today is a different story, but we had a few weeks of fabulous weather. 

Planting new herbs in our herb garden - chives and parsley!

A beautiful day draws us all outside, and children bring out their chosen work on tray tables, practice hammering, draw with chalk, and exhult in the beautiful weather!

Figuring out new ways to move their bodies outside.

Finding places to lie on the stumps.

A new metal tub filled with water inspires all kinds of stories and sensory play!

A pow-wow in the straw house.

Friends hang out on top of the climbing structure.

The soccer ball flies! Negotiating who gets to be goalie builds social skills. 

Inside we help our school by preparing carrots for snack.

At the end of the week we strip the nap mats and put the sheets in the washing machine! Learning to take care of our own things builds confidence and motor skills. 

Rainbow Project!

                                   Cardboard, a whole lot of paint, and another beautiful creation!

Abstract Art

They painted bamboo using tempera paints, sand, cardboard, and an afternoon of exploring their artistic & creative minds 

Learning From Others

One thing that sets Montessori classrooms apart is the multi-age groups of children. Even within a small age difference, children are at many different stages of development. Having children who are more experienced or proficient around helps children understand that they can learn these activities too, and observing or helping is a way to get involved in another's activity without interrupting them.

At school we observe quietly, with hands behind our backs, so as not to touch anyone else's work. 

Sometimes helpers can come along and give a point of interest to get the activity flowing!

Working together on an intimidating material makes it more fun. 

 Sharing knowledge about plants and gardening - we only pull off the brown leaves!

The sense of community means we know how and want to comfort friends when they are sad or hurt.

Coming up with new games outside and inviting everyone to play!

That said, we know that we need to give others space for their work. Sometimes work takes careful concentration, and other times it is pleasant to be left alone to enjoy a sensory experience.

Sorting wooden tablets by weight using only the hands. No peeking!

Focusing means repeating activities over and over - Soon the room will be full of flowers!

Repeatedly filling a bucket and dumping it into the wagon. Water is a great motivation for repetition and concentration. 

Finding new ways to move on our outdoor structure.

Learning a new skill takes focus.

Someone left this chair covered in finger-paint. What material can we use to wash it? It will look satisfyingly clean when she is done!

Finding the first flowers blooming in our play yard! Enjoying the beauty and then sharing it with friends. 

A week of learning about birds and their habitats & more!

Bird Week!

Learning about a variety of local birds and building a family nesting ground 

Taking inspiration from colorful flower arrangements and bright markers.

                            Being creative swirling some flubber! 

                           One of the next upcoming projects! 
                                 Bamboo and Tempera Paints

What we've been doing...

Wet January weather filled the rain barrel and lots of water activity is taking place! Scrubbing the fence is a full-body exercise.

It was so rainy that we found things to do on the covered patio - hopping spots!

Filling the wagon with water.

Geography is intensely interesting to young children who are learning about their place in the world.

Examining a colored globe, exploring the continents.

Learning to write numbers on a chalkboard.

Sensorial work occupies many children on some days.

Outisde our growing collection of "loose parts," such as logs, boards, and beams has finally caught the attention of the children. These natural items provoke lots of building and storytelling.

Here an obstacle course has been created.

Taking off his own boots, learning to care for himself and his school!

Happy Tu b'shevat from Tree of Life Montessori!

To celebrate we gathered forest materials from our local park last week & then built collages that represent trees and all their beauty.  

Honoring Tu b'shevat by building baskets full of chestnuts, almonds, pecans, and walnuts!