SJES NEWS
September 2017
September at St. James It is so nice to watch to children settle into the school year! The Montessori materials are holding their interests, the classroom environments fill them with a sense of calm and purpose, all while the teachers lovingly guide them through their daily choices. It’s a beautiful thing to watch!
It was absolutely wonderful to see how many of you showed up for our Back to School Meeting earlier this month. I believe we will have the highest rate of volunteerism in SJES history this year. Children love watching their parent volunteer at their school.
If you haven’t signed up to volunteer yet, please consider beginning small, like helping with one classroom party. You’ll get to meet other parents and have an opportunity to observe your child interacting with their peers.
I hope you all enjoyed Brenda Bird’s Love and Logic Presentation during our meeting. I had just taken the training a couple of weeks before but still needed to hear the message again. Love and Logic was life changing for me when I heard it over 15 years ago…its simple, common sense approach takes so much “work” out of helping children determine better choices for themselves. I often refer to the mantra “empathy not anger” when working with a child who has made a sad choice. We just sent out a brief survey to gauge interest in bringing Brenda back for a longer class. We use Love and Logic in the classrooms, so it certainly is advantageous if we use the same verbiage and techniques at home!
I hope you’re feeling right at home here at St. James Episcopal School. It’s going to be a great year! Mrs. Loree
DEAR MDO FAMILIES: Our new students have been working hard adapting themselves into the new routine. Some jumped into the environment right away while others needed more time to adjust. Each has found their place in our school family now. These first few weeks we have been focusing on methods of observation. The teacher determines when the child is ready to be introduced to new learning materials and lessons in the classroom. One of the most basic lessons a child learns in a Montessori classroom is to choose a work, do the work properly and quietly, and when finished with a work, put it away and choose another one. Some habits of our routine are: sitting quietly, working quietly, using an indoor voice in the classroom, and staying in line when going outside. We record this information in Montessori Compass. Children in the classroom are encouraged to observe the teacher giving lessons and other classmates working as a way to learn from their peers. One of the main goals of the MDO program is to encourage the children to become independent and to allow them to explore the environment and manipulate the objects in the environment freely. All the activities encourage the child to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually. We sing songs at circle time to build vocabulary and we also use nomenclature cards. We do yoga activities, cooking projects, art, playing instruments, gardening, and other activities that help develop the child’s knowledge.
TRANSITION We have worked very hard these weeks to ensure a smooth transition. As every parent knows, it takes only the smallest change to throw a Toddler’s day out of whack. A missed nap, a smaller than usual breakfast, or move out of the crib into a bed is enough to disrupt a child’s natural sense of order. Please let us know if anything different is happening in your child’s life. This information can help us to better respond to your child’s individual needs. No piece of information is too small! Anything you would like to tell us, we would like to hear. This month’s topic is INDEPENDENCE. One of the main goals in our classroom is encourage the children to become independent and all the activities are positioned in the shelves around the classroom for them to choose and manipulate the works independently. It is a gift to watch children grow! Thank you for allowing us to be in your child’s very joyful early life. You support is well appreciated! Ms. Eva, Ms. Mary, and Ms. Pamela
MDO
Toddler 1 September has been a whirlwind of a month so far. Our toddlers have been working on remembering new rules of their classroom and how to maneuver the room like they're on a mission for success. This month we have been practicing our independence by taking care of our belongings in our cubbies, taking our outside shoes off when coming into the classroom, putting on crocs, then changing back to our outside shoes to go to the playground.
We are having great success in some of the children starting to potty learn. Others are excited about diaper changing standing up! Brushing their teeth and brushing their hair on their own has also kept the children busy in the bathroom. The children have been spending most of our mornings taking care of their own needs. And when I mean taking care of their own needs, that is also including the sensitive period of toddlers working and experimenting with water in the sink. “A lot of hand washing and water play.� Our classroom has everything at the toddler's eye level so most everything is a new experience of self care and their environment. Until next month, happy water works, Mrs. Anna and Mrs. Andrea
Thank you to all the parents who came out to our Montessori Journey last Saturday. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a time for you to step into your child’s shoes for a small moment and hopefully catch a glimpse of what their day looks like. The parents got to spend about 30 minutes in our class and explore. Some chose to work on practical life and have a snack, and some painted. Ms. Loree gave lessons out in the garden, and parents had a chance to go see a Primary classroom. We then shared what a circle time looks like and answered any questions. We hope many more will join us next year for this fantastic opportunity to step into your child’s journey at St. James.
The children have started to settle into their daily routine and we are working on the “cycle of activity.” The cycle of activity is one of the first lessons the children learn. Choosing a space by placing a rug or mat down, independently choosing a work, working on the task to their satisfaction, and then placing it back where they got it from. This is modeled for the children in the beginning, and little by little they embrace the order of the new environment. The cycle of activity must be mastered before they can progress to more challenging work. It is so exciting to see children working with purpose and self-discipline. They take pride in the community and thrive on order.
Around the classroom, we have been working on learning the color red and the circle. Some of the art work they can choose from is apple stickers, gluing apples, painting with corks, or painting on the easel. Practical life area is always a favorite among the children - banana slicing, apple slicing, spreading, clementine peeling. Next month is orange/ black, triangles, and pumpkins! We are blessed to be able to work with your children, Toddler 2 Mrs. April, Mrs. Lilly, and Ms. Annabel
Toddler 2
We are off to another fantastic start of the year! The children in Toddler 3 have been learning the routine and structure of the classroom as well as learning the work cycle and cycle of activity. For those of you unaware, the cycle of activity is for the child to: • choose a work mat (or rug) • choose a work • bring the work to their work mat (or rug) • carry out the intended purpose of the work • put the work back together • push in their chair • return the work to the appropriate spot on the shelf • roll up the mat (or rug) and put it away As you can see, this sequence requires quite a few steps. It is a skill they yearn to master daily.
The children are entranced right now with the skill of rug rolling. They are using their sense of order to clean and re-clean the environment at their will. Practical life activities seem to be the aim of the classroom. The children take a lot of pride in caring for the environment. It is a beautiful sight to see them work together and help each other in times of transition. We can’t wait to see what big tasks they will accomplish this year.
Ms. Coral, Amy, Brenda
Toddler 3
Dear Toddler 4 Parents, Happy September! Can you believe it’s already Fall? Although the weather seems to remain quite warm, soon we will all be transitioning into warmer clothing as the weather starts to cool down. Warmer clothing means more layers. Please be sure to label everything so there’s no confusion! We have prepared exciting works that teach the children how to care for themselves and the environment, develop social grace, and refine their senses. Many of the materials encourage the child to practice their classification skills. All of these lead the child to developing a love of reading, and a mathematical mind.
Palmer is focusing on caring for a plant in the classroom.
For the month of September, we have been focusing on circles and the color red, as well as big and little concepts during circle time. One of the children’s favorite songs to sing is a friendship song that correlates with circles. “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold. A circle is round, it has no end. That’s how long I want to be your friend.” Not only have we been learning about circles during circle time, we have incorporated circle themed work around the classroom. In the Montessori classroom, the children learn about the cycle of work. From choosing their own work, rolling out a rug or underlay, placing their work on the rug, concentrating and completing the work, returning work to the shelf in it’s original state, and rolling their rug to place it back in the basket.
Toddler 4
Davis is working on color matching circles with the large knob puzzle.
Every month we will have a food tasting, where the children will be able to taste different foods. This month is all about apples! This is a wonderful way for the children to try new foods. In the classroom, we will have a weekly cooking project. The children really enjoy the cooking process from gathering the correct ingredients, measuring John Tucker is focusing on stamping circles with red paint. each ingredient, whisking or stirring all of the ingredients together, to watching the final product being made. So far we have made fried honey bananas, English cucumber sandwiches, and coconut pancakes! Yum!
Graham practices rolling his work rug.
As we move forward in the school year, we are focusing on the rules of the classroom and also the playground. We are delighted that your children are here, and thank you for entrusting us with them. May the new school year bring good health, new friends, and many wonderful joys and discoveries!
Love,
Ms. Ashley and Ms. Anna
Annual Fund Classroom Challenge It’s Lego time again!! Each family that contributes to the St. James Annual Fund will receive a bag of Legos to deposit in the “Legometer” located at the front entrance of the school. The Challenge is that the Primary and Toddler classrooms with the most participation will be awarded a classroom Lego Party hosted by Ms. Loree. The children LOVE the Lego Party!! For those that have not donated or pledged, please consider making a donation and helping your child’s classroom win the coveted party. Pledges and donations must be received by November 20th to be included in the challenge. Thank you to all the families and grandparents that donated during North Texas Giving Day to help us reach $18,000 of our $25,000 goal!! Donate Now to the Annual Fund
LEGOMETER
Dear Primary 1 Families, We are off to a great start this year. We are all learning about our classroom’s guidelines for peace and successful days of joyful learning. The first years spend the majority of their time in practical life and sensorial areas. Practical life works help the child coordinate his/her movements, gain independence, and develop concentration skills. Sensorial works enable the child to focus on his/her senses and make classifications in their environment.
Primary 1
The older students are doing a lot of letter tracing, simple addition with beads, as well as moveable alphabet. We have been enjoying combining our new Waseca language drawers with the moveable alphabet. The older children have also enjoyed being leaders and helping out the younger children. Please remember, as the weather (hopefully!) begins to cool, label everything your child brings to school. We are excited to see the children growing in confidence and making friends as they go about their work day! Ms. Martha and I are looking forward to enjoying this school year with all of your children! Ms. Amaris and Ms. Martha
We are busily working in the classroom; 25 children all working on a different work. Many of the works in the classroom have “small objects,” and children are attracted to “small objects.” Keeping that in mind, if your child comes home with a small object in his/her pocket that you do no recognize as coming from your home, suggest to your child that the object might possibly belong in their classroom and have them return it to a teacher. No questions asked.
We are settling into a routine we will keep throughout the school year. The use of materials in a Montessori classroom involves many motions-----walking, carrying, pouring, speaking and the constant use of the hands. One of the most basic lessons a child learns in a Montessori classroom is to choose a work, do the work properly and quietly, when finished with a work put it away and choose another work. We have been working on this most basic lesson since school started and will continue to do so the entire year. In addition, our focus has been on establishing some habits of our daily routine: sitting quietly around the rug, working quietly, using an indoor voice in the classroom, and staying in line as we travel as a class around school.
Davis working on addition with cubes.
Primary 2
Tegan painting beautifully with water colors.
Madie tracing and labeling the body parts of a cat.
Please allow your child to independently put lunch boxes, sweaters, etc., in their cubbies and also independently retrieve those items at the end of the day. One of the goals of the Montessori classroom is to lead the child to independence. PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILDS CLOTHING: sweaters, sweatshirts, ties (boys), etc. PLEASE ALSO LABEL ALL WATER BOTTLES.
Luke working with the Waseca language program and moveable alphabet.
All the best! Mrs. Barrineau and Ms. Sheila
Primary 3 parents, Thank you all for an amazing start to the school year! The children have normalized and are going through the work cycle peacefully. The past month we have introduced many new works. The 3’s have been busy in the practical life section of the class while they improve their fine motor skills. The second years have been working hard on their pre-reading skills and are starting the process of word building. Our kindergarten students have been working on creative writing. We studied Australia and explored each continent on our globe.
Primary 3
As the school year progresses we will see more friendships form. In October, we will be focusing on how to be a peacemaker in the classroom. We will talk and model with the children on how to be a good friend and how to take care of the world we live in. We are thrilled about how smoothly this school year has started and we are excited for what is to come! Thank you all for the love and support as we guide your sweet children!
- Mrs. Eloise & Mrs. Anna
Dear Primary 4 families, The first weeks of school have been filled with work, work, and more work. The children have been busy little bees as they adjust to the classroom and the environment. Our three-year-olds have taken everything in stride, from learning the rules and procedures of a primary classroom, to following the daily routines that are quite different from the toddler classroom. They are so eager to learn how to do everything in the classroom.
A job chart was introduced the first day of school to help them know their responsibilities, whether it be calendar helper, snack helper, or any of the other responsibilities the classroom requires to run smoothly. If you were to walk into Primary 4 on any given day you would see at least two children sweeping and mopping, one wiping down a table, and three having snack together. The rest of the class would be working on whatever they have chosen for themselves.
The four-year-olds have been eager for new lessons, especially math, language, and the maps. Our days have been filled with lessons and learning, working and socializing. It always amazes me to see the transition that happens in the first few weeks of school and how quickly the children catch on to new concepts. The tiered age groups help this transition immensely. I can trust any of my four or five-year-olds to help a three-year-old who is struggling or forgets a procedure. The older children take pride in this leadership and their roles. Our Kindergarteners have embraced their new responsibilities and privileges as well. I love seeing their faces light up when they go to Technology with Mrs. Hanna or when Mrs. Loree calls on them for practice or work. They are eager to help with lessons they have already mastered and to make sure the balance of the classroom is upheld. All of this lays the foundation for a successful school year for the children.
Ms. Bianca and Ms. Brenda
Primary 4
Art and technology classes have gotten off to a great start this fall! In art, the kindergarten students are discovering the art of papier-mache! They are using balloons, newspaper, and paste to create a papier-mache hot air balloon. So far, they have completed the first layer of newspaper and paste. They will apply another layer, let it dry, and then begin to paint it. I cannot wait to see how they turn out! The second level students are creating Kandinsky inspired paintings. They are painting concentric circles inside squares like Kandinsky’s Color Study. The children are doing a beautiful job! The paintings are going to look wonderful when they are done. In technology, the Kindergarten students have been introduced to the computer! In our first class, we took apart a computer tower and looked inside. We learned the names of the parts inside the computer and what they do to make it work. The children were amazed! In our next class, the kindergartners got to work on the computer. They are beginning with learning how to control the mouse. They worked on navigating around a webpage, and how to click and drag. These skills will be worked on and honed repeatedly as they are crucial to computer work. I am so excited for this school year and look forward to learning and creating with your children! Ms. Hanna
Art and Technology
September in the Children’s
Garden
We are back in the garden! We began by learning that everything living in our garden began as some kind of seed. We then planted tiny carrot seeds in our new viewing box. A carrot seed does not need a very deep hole, so we barely pushed the dibber (tool to make different depths holes in the ground) into the soil.
spinach and snapdragons to name a few.
I’ve continued teaching the children the names of some of the plants…rosemary, lamb’s ear, pineapple sage, mint, blueberry bush, scarlet runner, green beans, Malabar
I’ve also taught our new gardeners some of the beginning of year lessons like rock scrubbing and eggshell crushing. Eggshell crushing is a popular work where the child crushes an eggshell using a mortar and pestle. They then pour the fragments into a smaller wooden bowl so they can sprinkle them around a plant in the garden. The shells supposedly protect the plant from crawling insects…there are some who disagree…but the shells definitely provide nutrients for the plant! Please bring any clean, dry eggshells so we can keep this work going! Happy Gardening, Mrs. Loree
We have settled into a nice routine in our ASC program. Each day the ASC Staff will have snack ready for the children when they arrive at 3:30. The next hour is spent eating snack, changing diapers/potty time, playing, singing songs and reading stories until 4:30 when the toddlers go out to play until 5:30. The primary are busy as usual, they also arrive in the lunch room at 3:30 and are served snack, have a quick bathroom break and go out to play. We all are enjoying getting to know your children. The primary children are enjoying lots of coloring and building with blocks, while the toddlers love singing songs. Stretch –n- Grow is still a favorite for ASC children. We are so excited for our ASC children to participate in this program, they have a blast!!! The program is on Tuesday and Wednesday. Any regular scheduled ASC child, primary and toddler, will attend on both days. The best way to describe S & G is to say that it is a P.E., meets yoga, meets an obstacle course. Thank you for waiting for your child by the iPad while we bring him/her to you. This enables the staff to keep their focus on the children and not be districted with extra adults in the room. We appreciate you helping us to keep everyone safe. We also ask that all parents pick up their child by coming to the backdoor/ back parking lot. Please remember that pick up time is 6:00 p.m. If you are late, please call the school with an estimated time of arrival. Just a reminder, after 6:00 p.m. there is a charge of $1 per minute for late pick up. Lisa Wilson & The ASC Staff
ASC
Dear St. James Families, Chapel has started, and I’m so excited to see our new Kindergarten students performing their various chapel jobs! We started this year, as we did last year, with the hand prayer. This teaches parts of prayer in a way that is easier for a young child understand.
Praise: I love you God Confession: I’m sorry God Thanksgiving: Thank you God Intercession: Help others God Petition: Help me God Meditation: I’m listening God In the next few weeks we will go over the lessons of creation, the naming of the animals by Adam, and the expulsion from the Garden of Eden. In this lesson, I focus on the fact that we all make mistakes and even though Adam and Eve had to leave the garden, God never left them or us. I look forward to our pet blessing on October 3rd and our first Eucharist, October 4th with Mother Rebecca.
Blessings to you all, Ms. Amaris
Chapel
Thank you to Lake Highlands Flowers for being our Toddler Community sponsor this year.