100(+) Acts of Kindness

This year, our class has been working towards the completion of 100 Act of Kindness in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.   We began this project on MLK Day with hopes of reaching our goal by the 100th Day of School. With Valentine's Day occurring around the same time, what better time of year to complete this challenge?  We invited our entire school community - parents, grandparents, neighbors, to participate with us.  The children eagerly brought their notes of kindness to school where we collected them in a special place.  Each week, we read the notes, admiring and appreciating the kindnesses that were shown.  We documented each act of kindness with a heart on a 100 Board Chart.  It shouldn't come as any surprise, but we surpassed our goal, and came in with 114 acts of kindness!
Once the notes were read, documented, and counted, we were sure to include them for our classroom's Kindness Wreath.  All morning, the children helped to tie on ribbons.  In doing so, some  bits of the grapevine wreath broke off, and a hidden message appeared in their pieces:

May it serve as a reminder to us all!

Steadily Moving Forward

Our class seems to be moving right along, enjoying new activities while practicing lessons already received.  It has been wonderful to observe how the children are responding to our Grace and Courtesy lessons, being sure to push in their chairs, neatly roll up their work mats, and taking care to observe others' work, and not touching other people's materials.  As with any Montessori classroom, this requires plenty of practice with much support and guidance from the adults.  We have definitely  had a successful first month of school, steadily moving forward!

Practicing writing numbers with our 'Number Windows.'

Writing practice with Metal Insets.

Working with the Parts of a Bird puzzle and learning the names of each part.

Experiencing how various triangles combine to make new shapes with the Constructive Triangles.

Sensorially learning the names of polygons while tracing their edges.

Letter writing practice with Sandpaper Letters.

Understanding quantity and number symbol (numbers 11-19) with the Teen Beads and Boards.

Writing preparation with the Touch Boards.

Using the smallest Red Rod to confirm placement of rods in order.

Pouring dry ingredients.

Washing (and hanging to dry) the classroom's polish cloths.

Reading practice with phonetic words/objects.

Cutting on the lines.

Painting with one color - we changed the color which was a new variation and point of interest for the children.

Many children are still enjoying the apple sequencing activity.

Using the Spindle Box lesson to understand the concept of zero.

A wonderful activity put together by one of our classroom assistants:  This child is carefully walking the line, holding a tray with a magnetic level  whose bubble has to remain in the middle while walking.  What a challenge!  

Using a dropper to fill up the pumpkins in the ice cube tray.

Using a the pincer grasp to place each pumpkin seed in its spot.

Some inspiring exploration of the Sensorial materials by one of our returning students.

Starburst!

Small Steps to a Big Future

While we have yet to be in school a for a full week, we certainly have made steady progress with our majority, new-to-the-classroom group.  As one can imagine, there have been numerous Grace and Courtesy lessons as we learn and review procedures, and begin forming a distinct classroom culture.  As with all with all 'good' things, this will take time as the children begin adjusting to their environment, while building trust with each other and adults.

During this early stage of the school year, it always amazes me how clearly the returning students rise to the occasion of being the oldest members of the group.  Their memories of lessons and of general routines are so helpful as we begin anew.  Not only does this help to build their own confidence, but it also brings such valuable learning experiences for our newest class members.

Some photos from our first days together:

Apple stamping, using an apple-shaped sponge.

Enjoying an apple themed art activity.

Pre-writing lesson:  the ever popular, Rock Painting.

Counting the Short Bead Stair, associating quantity to color.

Careful pouring practice with green and red gems.

Exploring dimensions with a Knobbed Cylinder Block, while promoting the pincer grasp.

Associating quantity with number symbol using the Short Bead Hanger.

Attention to detail while rolling a mat.

Combining beginning sounds to letter symbols.

Transferring with a spoon while sorting by color.

Writing practice with the Metal Insets.

Pre-reading activity with an apple theme - finding the one that does not belong.

Building concentration, coordination, independence and order with the Opening and Closing bottles lessons.

Transferring with tweezers - encouraging fine motor development.

Number writing practice with Sandpaper Numbers.

Completing the Cards and Counters lesson to learn about odd and even numbers.

Developing the pincer grasp - transferring toothpicks into the shaker.

It's only the beginning of the journey, and I am looking forward to where these first steps will lead us.

Mindful of Grace

Polli Soholt (2015) elegantly describes the word grace and its significance in the classroom:

"The dictionary definition of grace is…elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.  It is clear that grace requires refinement of movement and, with repetition; the children acquire grace by eliminating all superfluous movements.  The presentation [of a lesson] offers an introduction for the children, and practice allows the children to become proficient with the particular movements required of the skill.

Grace in integrated into all of our presentations for the children.  We demonstrate in the way we carry materials, demonstrate materials, and move in the environment.  Many of the preliminary exercises assist in the development of grace.  Standing, rolling a rug, carrying a chair, all require the development of grace.  Maria Montessori observed the important role that movement plays in the children's development.  In addition, she writes about the connection between the movements of the body and the activity of the mind.  In the Absorbent Mind she states,

'To give them their right place, man's movements must be co-ordinated with the centre - with the brain.  Not only are thought and action two parts of the same occurrence, but it is through movement that the higher life expresses itself'" (p. 56).

Soholt, Polli.  (2015).  The NAMTA journal: The art of Montessori grace and courtesy.  Living grace and courtesy in primary, 40(1), 51-61.

First Steps

We have had a week filled with many 'firsts' as most of our students are brand new to our classroom.  To give my readers some perspective, 76% of all recored lessons in our classroom this week were under categories of 'Basic Classroom Skills,' 'Control of Movement,' or 'Grace and Courtesy' in the Practical Life curriculum!  We are taking our 'first steps' together and I am looking forward watching the children learn and grow in their independence while realizing their full potential.
 

Working with kinetic sand - this has proven to be a very popular activity!

Sorting stones/gems by color.

Rolling a mat.

Using a Cylinder Block - this material was very popular with this particular group!

A language activity with opposites puzzles.

Transferring water with a baster.

A basic transferring activity with a spoon and small red bells.

Opening and closing boxes.

Bears in a Line - this activity helps to show how to properly form a line.

September calendar work.

Scissor practice.

Learning to snap with the Snap Frame.

Early language work - matching pictures.

Writing practice with the Sandpaper Letters.

Pouring colored water.

Transferring pom poms.

Enjoying the nature mandala art.

A fine motor activity using just the fingers - placing gems into the spaces to form the number 'one'.

Pre-reading language work - matching pictures.

Building concentration with another fine motor activity - placing rubber bands over the box and then removing them.