SHOW AND TELL
Bring a picture of when you were little
Topic: Amazing Me
Appreciate the specialness of every one of us.
The value we’ll be studying is self-reliance. That means we are confident about our abilities and about our judgment. We can say NO! when something or somebody is getting hurt.
For safety, we’ll learn to protect ourselves from abuse.
Outside, we’ll play hopscotch.
The songs we’ll be singing are Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Circle of Life, Do Your Ears Hang Low, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, and Rock Around the Clock.
For creative dramatics, we’ll act out good feelings and bad feelings.
Our art activities will be family pictures, how I feel, family tree, and ink pad creatures.
For motor development we’ll work on coordination by crawling through a maze, skipping, and mirroring movements. For postural response, we’ll play belly ball, balloon pass, and wheelbarrow.
SUPPORTIVE PARENTING
In talking with parents during conferences, we have had a number express the concern of wanting to be aware when their child misbehaves at school. As a general rule, we deal with undesirable behaviors immediately and consider that it was a result of the situation at the time. It is not an issue of inadequate parenting. Generally, we work in a redirecting way, focusing on what is the desirable behavior. Growing children have a new day every day. They are bigger, stronger, more competent, and have new ideas every day. They experiment with their new competencies as well as what their new limits might be.
When an undesirable behavior needs some positive re-direction at home is when we would normally ask for your support. Sometimes we might ask you to reinforce appropriate table manners, love for math, interest in reading, or grace and courtesy toward our neighbors. We are not looking to you as a parent to control your child for the long periods that she is with us, but instead for you to be supportive in a value system we have come to call Montessori. As the parent, you are the strongest influence there is on your child. You are absolute in his eyes. We find that your positive role model is the most powerful teacher, far surpassing words or lessons.
Being a supportive parent seems very difficult at times. When we are unable to solve our children’s problems, we may feel inadequate. It is easy to overlook our value as good listeners and role models. When we listen and express that we hear the pain, anger, or frustration, we are providing a time and place for our children to be heard and to be safe. In addition to providing support by just hearing, we are allowing discussion of various alternative solutions, but we don’t need to always provide a solution. We really don’t even know what is the best solution for your child. Every person has coping patterns that are totally individual. What is right for one person can be a totally wrong fit for another person, even when that person is only three feet tall. We are supportive to the extent that we help the child to face the problem and work with her to understand her pain. We all grow by struggling with issues, not by being given solutions or by being punished. For us to express the confidence that our child is capable of doing the excellent thing is the greatest motivator in the world.
Sun Screen/Insect Repellant
We are hearing from more professionals who are concerned about applying these chemicals to our children on a regular basis. The school’s position is that we prefer to use them only on an as-needed basis. The best sunscreen is a gradual tanning and protective clothing. There are now many clothing products for little ones that are both comfortable and stylish. Our long-time favorite is available from www.sun-precautions.com. A therapeutic approach to individual insect bites is less invasive than wholesale spraying that is absorbed every day. For both sun screen and insect repellant, our preference is a cream rather than a spray. This protects other children in the environment.
In both cases, you will need to provide the product you prefer and complete a medicine authorization for each product. We will only apply the product after naps, so if you want a morning application, please apply before your child is brought to the school.
Classroom News
On Monday’s during afternoon circle time we have “talk time” this when each child is asked to share with classmates what they did over the weekend. Collen went to Gams pool, Charlie ordered some Legos and they will be arriving soon. Jonathan told his friends he had a vanilla shake and it was very good. Charles when to the beach house and he also saw horses. Kennedy watched television and played with toys. Piper played at home and prayed for her dog to come back home. Talk time helps our students recall an event and tell a story based on what they remember, it also helps get rid of the fear of talking in front of a peers.
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