We are back!

Welcome to our class Arianna!

The children LOVE to work outside!

We are back, and the children are working harder than ever!  This is my favorite time of the school year!  Right now we are studying the five senses, the brain, Arctic animals, camouflage, Vincent VanGogh and Johann Sebastian Bach.

I wanted to also thank you all for my class holiday gift!  It is so special that you all thought to do something for me!

Show Me Night is coming soon!  This is a super fun evening where your child gets to give YOU some of their favorite lessons!  The night is January 25th and the times are designated by the first letter of your last name.  I will be handing out your child's progress report that night and you may opt out of a conference by attending.

Wish List Items:

Vinegar
Kleenex
Water Colors
Apple Cutter
Small Hotel Bar Soaps


Dates:

No School  1/16

Show Me Night 1/25 (see email flier or flier in the classroom window)   Parents-you may attend this even in lieu of a conference.

Conferences 2/2-2/3

So Fun!

Michelle is so careful with her Metal Insets. 

Alex is working on identifying articles, adjectives and nouns.

Jacob enjoys our new Pink Tower.

Blaze plays beautiful songs on the Musical Bells.

Fun Fact!

Here are some famous Montessori graduates you may know:

*Larry Page & Sergey Brin:  Founders of Google
*Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis:  Former First Lady
*Jeff Bezos:  Founder of Amazon.com
*Julia Childs: Chef and Author

Thank You!

Thanks are in order to Alexa Collante's family for the goodies from Montessori Services and Marqueen Gluck and Jacob Lacey's family for pine cones!  My special fieldtrip chaperones also deserve a big thank you: Blaze Chacon's mom and dad, Sophia Chavarria's mom, Mya Sosa's mom, Michelle Lopez's aunt and Obed Lozano's mom.  Next field trip we will go as an entire class and I can have as many chaperones as I need!

So funny, I had to share...

So I am walking to the symphony with my student Josefina.  We turn a corner to find a police officer standing supervising foot-traffic in a crosswalk.  She stops, points her finger at him and says (serious as can be), "I got your number."  He replies, "Excuse me?"  Then she says, "It's 911."  Turn and starts on her way again without a backward glance.  I am still chuckling about it!!!!!

Holiday Party!!!!!

Every year I host a holiday party just for the children on the last day of school before winter break.  This year it will be on Friday the 16th.  We have hot chocolate, cookies and games!  This time I will be providing the hot chocolate and am putting a call out to you all to bring in some cookies and a bag of cups.  If you would like to donate some cookies to the party, email me and I will write you down on my list.  :)

Dates:

12/16- Classroom Holiday Party
12/19-1/2- Winter Break
1/16- No School

Need anything?  Please don't hesitate to contact me!  megan.trezise@phxschools.org

Getting Chilly

Lauren is really watching her Sponging work.

Lola practices her beautiful cursive writing every day.

Marqueen loves the Moveable Alphabet.

Natalia is counting to 100.

Alexa carefully traces the Sandpaper Letter during her sound lesson.

News For You!

From One Hundred Child Development Tips; insights and suggestions from AMI Teachers

Tip Number 54:  When you are providing feedback about your child's work and skills, please comment on the process and details of the effort, not the end product.  For example, use phrases like "I like the way you use the color green in your drawing" rather than "What a beautiful picture."  This will help your child stay focused on his work and develop his skills instead of just thinking about the results.  Be cautious about using rewards for once learning is externally motivated, a child's process can lose creativity, focus and passion.  Please remember to not interrupt your child when he is focused.


I Have Heard....

I have been hearing this a lot lately, "My child doesn't tell me anything that he does at school."  It is OK!  For many students, this environment is the FIRST time that they have had a special place, just the right size, of their own.  The community that I foster in the classroom is a strong one and over the years I have found that children eventually share what they do during the work cycle when the novelty has worn off a little.  Just don't push it!  They will all share when they are ready.  (You can always come and observe-please consult with me to prearrange a day/time.)

Extra Clothing

The weather has FINALLY turned (a little) and your child's pair of extra clothes may be too cool.  Please pack a set of warmer clothes for school and we will send back the pair we have here.

Field Trip

On Thursday December 1st, the second year and the Kinder students will be attending the Phoenix Symphony for the morning.  Ms. Sara will stay behind with the first year students.  I was only allowed a few chaperones and I would have needed more if I were to take them.  I have one of the largest groups of first year students and felt it would not be safe to take them on the light rail and to Symphony Hall with the small number of adults I was allotted.  Don't be too sad though!  They will be joining us on the next field trip!



Classroom Needs!

*Green Yarn
*Crafting Pipe Cleaners
*Small Wooden Drying Rack
*All Natural Metal Polish

Classroom Wishes!

A Few Items from Montessori Services
 http://www.montessoriservices.com/
Item # B200 Square counting chain label box set $9.00
Item # B300 Cubing chain label box $14.00
Item # G51 Tiny Ladle $3.75
Item # G199 Mini Tong $3.50
Item # W88 Non-slip Scrub Brush $3.95
Item # Q12 Small Crumb Set $9.95

Dates:

11/21-25 No School Thanksgiving Break
12/19-30 No School Winter break
12/1 Field Trip to the Phoenix Symphony
Soon...Classroom Holiday Party!!!!

November Already?

Zain is carefully spooning.

Cooper enjoys the Button Frame.

Isabella giving the Brown Stairs a try.

Zoe is building words with the moveable alphabet.

I am sure that encouraging independence in your child is becoming an easier and easier task for you.  I wanted to offer up a resource for you!  Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home from Birth to Age Three  by Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen.  This book has it all.  It is actually the book that I used myself in preparing my own home for the arrival of my daughter.  Full of information on age appropriate activities to encourage independence, how to make your home more accessible to a child in their quest to do for themselves, language acquisition, developing the will and so much more! If you are expecting, have an infant or a small child-this book is more than worth the cost.

The holidays are on the way!  Great educational Montessori gift ideas:  http://www.michaelolaf.net/  & http://www.forsmallhands.com/

This Month!

Thanksgiving, Native American studies, leaves, North America, animals of North America, turkeys, poetry by Robert Frost, and fall.

Dates:

11/11-No School Veteran's Day

11/21-25-No School Thanksgiving Holiday

And Remember-

Try to count to ten to yourself BEFORE jumping-in to help your child.  Giving them the chance to work through their obstacles is one of the most effective ways to assist their learning and independence.  The unspoken rule between the adults in my classroom is to step away until the child asks for our assistance. 

Celebration!!!

It was GREAT!!!!  Thank you to all who dressed their child in costume and/or brought a dish to share!  With the exception of a pretty poorly planned fire drill...all went so well!

United Nations/ Children's Day Celebration

Blaze is hard at work counting with the Number Rods.

Jayvyn is labeling the parts of the pumpkin.

Kameron is carefully working with the Color Tablets.

Will you be here Wed. the 26th for the parade?  Everyone is invited.  Please start talking about your child's heritage with them, bring an "easy to eat" dish for the children's potluck. (if there is extra-the adults can join in the feast!) and dress your child in traditional costume.  Be on the look-out for communication from our super-fantastic room mom, Celena, to sign up for your dish to share.  Space is tight, so I have arranged for us to use the cafeteria for over-flow.

Here is the flier:

                              United Nations Day Celebration

On Wednesday, October 26th we will be celebrating United Nations Day.  This is a day designed to celebrate our diverse cultural community. Discuss with your child his/her ethnic heritage.  Choose one that is either prevalent in your family or one that you and your child would like to learn about.  With your child, put together a traditional costume or parts of one that they may wear that day for our “Small World Parade.” Then, prepare a food that is also symbolic of the heritage the child represents to bring and share in “A Small World Potluck.”  Festivities begin with a parade at 10:20.  The potlucks will be enjoyed by the children in their respective classrooms.

Celebración Del Día De Las Naciones Unidas

El miércoles 26 de Octobre en Faith North Montesorri estaremos celebrando el Día de las Naciones Unidas.  Este es un día para celebrar la diversidad cultural de nuestra comunidad.  Hable con su hijo/a de su herencia étnica.  Escoja una que sea prevalente o que solo sea divertido para aprender.  Junto con su hijo/a, arregle un traje tradicional o partes de uno que ellos puedan usar ese día para nuestro desfile cultural.  Después, prepare una comida que es también algo simbólica de la cultura que ellos representan para traerlo a la clase y compartirlo en “ Una comida de un mundo pequeño”.  Las festividades comenzaran con un desfile a las 10:20.

Thank you

The Faith North Staff

Dates:

10/26-United Nations/Children's Day Celebration

10/28-Picture Day

10/28-Fall Carnival

11/11 No School

11/23-25-No School for Thanksgiving Holiday

October is Here!

NO School Next Week!  Fall Beak


Outdoor Environment-
We are so lucky to have an outdoor environment for our students to visit!  The teacher is named Miss Kym and is a gardening genius!!!!!  When the children work outside they are gardening, working with tools, painting, preparing food for the animals, feeding the animals and much more.  The outdoor environment is open for some of the morning most days of the week.  Each class is only allowed two students at a time to work outside.  You can imagine that it takes a while to get all of the children a turn out there, plus, some children just aren't comfortable leaving the classroom.  Everyone will get a turn when they are ready, I promise!

Observations-
If you would like to come and observe my beautiful class in action, you may!  Please email me to set up a day/time.  Observations last for 30 minutes.  I do ask that you not talk to the children during your observation time-having an extra adult in the class is a great enough distraction for them! 

Book Orders-
Every on-line order gets the class a free book!  There are some cute titles that would make great stocking stuffers or gifts.  (I am one of those "plan ahead for the holidays" types).  Please place your order by 10/17.

Dates:
10/10-14  No School
10/26  Children's Day -more to come!
10/28  Fall Carnival