'Tis the season of gratitude!
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving,
turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
- William Arthur Ward
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November 7: Parent Child Night &
Turkey Dinner
(5:00–7:00pm - parents + students)
November 17:
Thanksgiving Potluck
(12:00–1:00pm - parents + students)
November 20-21:
Parent/Teacher Conferences
(no school, childcare by reservation only)
November 22-24:
Thanksgiving Holiday Break
(no school, no childcare)
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BIRTHDAYS!
November 1: Peter
November 1: Kara H.
November 5: Isaak
November 12: Aaron C.
November 18: Katalina
November 29: Aaron A.
LOOKING AHEAD...
December 12:
MIR Holiday Sing
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Parent-Child Night
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, November 7 from 5:00–7:00pm to see what your child has been up to in the classroom. This is a very special evening for your children. It is a time for them to give you lessons that they have been working hard at. We ask that you do not bring siblings for this event so as to give your child your full and complete attention. Below are some pointers to keep in mind for this evening. We hope to see you all there!
- Your child may not have perfected the lesson they are showing you. Allow them to show you in whatever way they can even if it doesn't seem “correct”. If they seem to be struggling, a teacher can aid them as needed.
- Watch without commenting or asking questions.
- Be careful of praise such as “I'm so proud of you!” and “Good Job!” Instead share a simple “You did it!” or “Thank you for showing me!” as it will encourage self motivation.
- Enjoy your time with your child, and jot down questions that you may have for the teachers so they can be discussed on another evening or at Parent-Teacher Conferences.
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Veterans Day
On Wednesday, November 8 at 9:30am we will join Maria's class for a presentation from multiple branches in the armed forces!
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GIS Presentation Day
On Wednesday, November 15 at 9:15am Sara and Phil Sanchez (Rebecca's parents) will present on GIS Day.
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Holiday Potluck
We would love for all of you to join us on November 17 from 12:00-1:00pm for a potluck to celebrate the Harvest Season. Please look for the sign up sheet that will be posted on the clipboard to sign up for a dish to bring. This is an event for the whole family. If you cannot attend please feel free to send a grandparent or family friend in your place.
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SPORTBALL
The children have been loving Sportball! They are getting a taste of many different sports and learning basic skills needed to play them. We would like to remind parents that children MUST be wearing appropriate shoes in order to participate. Closed-toe sport shoes are the best, but as long as they strap/tie closed and have the front of the toes covered we will accept that. We want to keep our kids safe! Please see the posted list in the kitchen if you do not know what day your child has PE. Thank you for your cooperation!
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Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 14, 20 & 21
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Please follow the link that will be sent from the office to sign up for a conference time. If you are unable to attend on our assigned conference days because you are out of town, please let us know ASAP so we can figure out a time that will work. Remember that if you need child care for your child/ren during the conference days, you MUST sign up online to ensure we are properly staffed. We are looking forward to discussing your child’s progress and great accomplishments with you!
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SNACK REMINDER! PLEASE be sure to check and double-check the snack calendar. We rely on the snack that is brought to feed all the children. If you forget, please be sure to bring it in as soon as possible afterwards. You may also consider subscribing/downloading-and-printing the following calendars as easy reminders of your upcoming snack-day!
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The Process
by Jenny Ewalt
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Take a trip down memory lane with me would you... think back to when you were in grade school… Remember what your refrigerator looked like? Mine was covered in artwork, spelling tests, and every scrap of paper I brought home from school. I would dump the bag out and my mom would tac it all onto the fridge with a magnet. In my traditional public school education, emphasis was put on the “product” of a day's work. When I brought home spelling words written repeatedly, mathematical operations worked though, and art that I had created, it was a sign that I had worked hard and learned a lot. We have to ask ourselves though, is paperwork truly a sign that our children are working hard?
Montessori stated that it’s the process not the product that truly matters. Through the work being done, the child will acquire the newly desired skill and build mental faculties even if he never completes it. The product is therefore not the piece of paper he has written on, but rather the knowledge gathered. A simple example is that of a child’s painting. “What did you make?” is often the question we ask. Sometimes the subject is a bird or a train or the child’s family. Looking at this finished product, we can't possibly see that this child used the brush to perfect his pincer grip preparing for writing skills, he mixed red and blue creating purple, he counted the arms and legs to make sure he had the correct amount on each person, or that he spent a solid 15 minutes focused and concentrated on using the space given to tell his story. All of that and he may even leave it hanging outside to dry and forget about it. You see, for the child, the work put into it was his masterpiece, not the painting itself.
In the Montessori environment, you don't often see hoards of paperwork coming home for this reason. A lot of the materials are designed to be experienced without the pressures of a paper and pencil. It isn't until the child reaches the final step of committing a certain skill to memory that he will create a tangible product. For example, when a primary student first learns addition, it is in a very sensorial way at 3 years old with the number rods. He will then move to golden bead addition, and it is not until he has reached the stamp game that he will use paper to do the operations. Yet he has been learning about addition for well over a year at that point. He has had a chance to truly understand the concept, practice the skill in a very tactile way, and make mistakes before committing the answer to paper.
This is not a difficult concept for children; they learn from adults to find value in their product. More often than not I find art work left on a countertops and finished cursive writing that was tossed aside. Children crave experience, and you as parents can provide that for them! Try using water to paint on a sidewalk or let them trace letters into shaving cream. The best part is that we no longer have to feel guilty about tucking away our child's many masterpieces, for we know the importance lies in how it made them feel while creating it.
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Looking Ahead
HOLIDAY SING 2017
Everyone should have received the email with the link for the song. We will learn the words at school and a few fun moves as well. We are working on what they will wear so stay tuned! Click here to listen to the modified song (and access a downloadable MP3 file).
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As a reminder, MIR is currently starting it's accreditation review for WASC. Should you like to get involved, or learn more about it, please visit: https://www.mir.org/wasc-review-2017
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CONTRIBUTE & SUPPORT OUR CLASSROOM & SCHOOL!
Here are some ways to get involved:
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BOX TOPS:
Our classroom has a designated Box Tops collection box near the sign-in sheet, and MiR receives $.10 for each Box Top provided! When bringing in Box Tops, please double check that they haven't expired.
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AMAZON SMILE:
If you already do some of your shopping on Amazon, consider using Amazon Smile (http://smile.amazon.com). It is an identical shopping experience to using Amazon.com, however if you select Montessori in Redlands from the list of charities, the school will receive a percentage of your purchase.
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