Category Archives: Montessori monkey

Phew, Again…

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I dont usually wear a hat in class, but that tray of shapes? Use it all the time!

I don't usually wear a hat in class, but that tray of shapes? Use it all the time!

So three years ago I wrote Slowly Exhaling, where I summarized, without too much detail about the accreditation process/ evaluation my school goes through every three years. Three years, two kids and one minivan later, it was that time again this week.

Once again, I volunteered to go first, so my room was observed today and I had my consultation this afternoon. Our conversation was considerably shorter than last time–about 20 minutes total. Anyhoo, all is good. I got compliments up one side and down the other, and good advice/constructive suggestions that I can use. I must be getting soft hearted in my old age, because she told me I was too nice/ not strict enough, which made me laugh. I stop smiling tomorrow (an old teaching adage is not to let them see you smile til Christmas).

The nicest thing about today is that our evaluator gave a parent talk tonight. She sang our accolades to the parent body, which she didn’t have to do, but she did. She also recommended a website called Kids Talk News and I have to say, it is fabulous. Want to know more about the Montessori way of looking at the world? Go on and click through.

Next time our school goes through this process, I’ll be in the midst of my 16th yr of teaching and mom to a 2nd grader and a pre-K student.

Does time fly by this fast for you???

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A Montessori Kid’s Take on the Jewelry Store

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So I did get a lovely gifty in a small, professionally wrapped box this weekend for Mother’s Day. MAM helped Daddy pick it out on Saturday (before the fever of the century attacked). After I opened it, we had the following conversation:
“MAM, did you go to the jewelry store with Daddy to get my present?”
“No. Not the jewelry store. Mama, we went inside the pink tower!”
(it’s hard to tell from the photo, but the building is bright pink)
I see the resemblence….don’t you?!?!?

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School Days….

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for MAM (not me) have begun! Sweet girl has two weeks under her belt, and things are very, very good. She’s in love with her teacher, has no problem helping herself to her snack at the appropriate time, she’s sleeping during nap time, and she’s figured out the whole drop off/pick up thing. 

And with a true Montessori spirit, she started singing, “My toes are on the line, my toes are on the line…” (to the tune of the Farmer and the Dell), interchanging body parts.  She’s brought home her first metal inset paper. She talks about the pink tower.
And me? Well I get close to six hours with just Junior, which is heavenly. It’s heavenly when he sleeps, and it’s heavenly when he wakes up and I can just feed him. Feed him with two hands, not looking at anything but his incredibly blue eyes. 
I’ve got seven weeks left of hanging out with the little man, and I intend to enjoy it. And after that, I get to go to work every day, in the classroom next to where MAM is. And Junior will be with our beloved Ms. L, who is still “the” infant caregiver at the daycare where MAM spent her days before she joined the school. As much as I know it will be hard to be away from him all day, I am completely comfortable with our childcare arrangement, which huge. 
So far, the planets continue to align. How’s back-to (or starting-) school going at your house? 

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