September 2022
Honeybee
Hello Honeybee Families!
Welcome to September! As the weather steadily drops and the leaves start to follow, we’re so eager to see the new changes in not only the coming season, but each of our babies as well!
While each student settles into their own routine, we find down time to spend as a class together! With the occasional rain storms we’ve seen, we’re able to appreciate longer stretches of time being outdoors. Splashing in rain puddles and exploring the damp grass fields are some favorites! Being exposed to nature at a young age is a great way to aid in the children’s sensory development.
“A child, more than anyone else, is a spontaneous observer of nature.” - Maria Montessori
In the coming weeks, we’ll see a few upcoming events. Ms. Erika’s last day of school before her maternity leave will be September 29, 2022. We’re excited to see her spend lots of time with her new baby before she joins our Honeybee family in the next semester. Additionally, October 3-7 will be Fall Break, in which school-day children will have school off. Shortly after, progress reports will be available.
Finally, we’re hoping that each of our Honeybee families are doing well! Our team is filled with so much love seeing our babies grow day to day!
With all our love,
the Honeybee team
Butterfly
Hello Wonderful Toddler Parents,
Thank you for all those who joined us this last parent meeting and shared their thoughts and ideas on the topic. This month’s topic was about Toilet Learning. IF you have were unable to come but would like more information concerning the subject, please reach out if you are interested in making the switch to underwear for your child or see readiness, I’d love to hear your feedback! This topic has many sections and we will go through them more thoroughly throughout the year. I am attaching the meeting notes as a PDF link in case you lost your notes.
I promise Toilet learning might sound a bit more challenging than it is but we are here to help! We are hoping to get more kiddos in underwear by the end of the semester so watch for that email 😉
September just flew on by, it was truly a great month with everyone settling into our daily routine and ready to learn how to use the materials in the classroom and our second-year students never hesitate to help out our newest peers. We have welcomed the Fall season with open arms this year, the children are so happy being outside once again in outdoor environment and on the playground. We are still seeing a lot of mosquitos so spray on some repellent before sending you child to school or send some repellent with them. I have sent the link for topical medications on Transparent Classroom. All prescribed medications need to be checked into the office, though if you would like us to give it to them throughout the school day!
Hummingbird
Hello Hummingbird Families!
We are so happy to have a full class and see the beauty of a Montessori toddler class in full swing. It is magical to be able to sit back and watch all these little toddlers exploring and learning. They are capable of so much on their own! We are very excited that you will also have the opportunity next month to come visit our class and watch the children at work.
We had a great Peace Day celebration this month and the children loved holding their candles and watching the older children sing. The toddlers we able to become familiar with the Peace Day program songs and were all smiling as the school all sang together.
Montessori is all about “Following the Child” here is a little insight as to how we help aid the child in class. This is a natural way of teaching and learning. We hope you can implement this at home as well!
“Follow the child, they will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves and what area they need to be challenged in. The aim of the children who persevere in their work with an object is certainly not to “learn”; they are drawn to it by the needs of their inner life, which must be recognized and developed by its means.” – Maria Montessori
The basic principles of the Montessori method center on “following the child”. The child’s curiosity directs them in different ways. They have an inner impulse asking for new experiences, discoveries, and knowledge. Maria Montessori learned that children have an interest in manipulating materials with their hands. She came to realize that if you give the child the proper set up and time they will be able to explore and discover and eventually teach themselves. Dr. Montessori observed what she called “sensitive periods”. This is when the child is sensitive or thrives to develop a certain skill like learning to walk, talk, read and write. She developed a range of materials for each area of her curriculum; practical life, sensorial, math, language, and culture.
In the classroom the adults focus on just that. Teaching the child what they are interested in! Each child works individually at tables or on a rug. They are free to choose which ever materials and are intrinsically motivated to work on. Please join our next community meeting to learn more about this, or feel free to reach out with any questions.
Following the child gives them the freedom of choice and the ability to be independent!
Squirrel
Hello Squirrel families!
Happy Fall, the time the weather starts to cool down and the end of the year is approaching so soon. This month has been filled with lots of peace songs and banana muffins.
As you might have heard at home the children practiced all month long “Peace like a river” in English and Spanish, as well as “Light a candle for Peace”. I will attach the link below to sing along with your child. They all had so much fun singing for Peace Day with the school.
Many of our toddlers have started the Toileting journey! We are so excited to start this process and help you and your child along the way. This new independence requires lots of patience and a positive view. We must start this journey with no expectations, every child is different therefore take every day as a new experience. One point to keep in mind is the children learn by experience. Offer plenty of liquids to have more opportunities to learn from the experience of going in the toilet.
In our environment the children start this process by being offered the chance to sit on the toilet after every diaper change. This allows them to be confident around the toilet and sounds, once they are showing more signs of readiness they will be used to sitting on the toilet. Some of the signs you might see are:
● Physical readiness
○ Child may point to his genitals to let you know he/she has a sensation.
○ When the child sits on the toilet and has a bowel movement or urinates.
○ When the child looks at you when he is going
○ Stays dry for long periods of time
○ Is interested in sitting on the toilet
● Psychological readiness
○ The child is able to follow simple instructions
○ The child is able to communicate in any way babbling or pointing, or by using words.
○ The child is interested in going with a person to the restroom or the child follows to see when another child is being changed.
○ They want to know the function of the toilet.
