VOL: 010 JULY 2015
of new beginnings and first school memories. thefreethinkingschool.com
classroom highlights we hope that you had a relaxed, fun-filled summer. it seems like everyone grew at least an inch over the summer! we’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of our families as we begin an enriching and exciting new school year with your child .we are thrilled to see so many delightful faces, filling the classrooms with fun and contagious energy. rest assured that it’s normal to see your child more fearful with tears drops spilling over from their eyes. they are bound to evaporate as our preschooler’s confidence grows and as they find comfort in their new routines. the first few weeks of school flew by. the children have become acquainted with each other, the classroom, the teachers, and the routines of the room, such as the independent snack routine, work time, circle time, putting on their own shoes and all of the safety rules for our classroom and playground. we have been talking about how to carry materials, push our chairs in, roll our mats, how to walk around activities on the floor and put work back on the shelf. these isolated skills become an integral part of the applied lessons and activities of the practical life curriculum and in other curriculum areas. in the month of july we will be talking about: land, air and water & land and water forms in july we will be starting with “the sound of the week”. please note that it is the sound and not the letter of the week. kindly refer to the school diary, which contains a list of the "sound of the week" for every month. we want to bring to your attention that we will also commence with our sharing days, which are on thursdays & fridays of every week. the children may bring something from nature, a book (as long as it doesn’t depict any violence), or something they made outside of school. please do not send toys, games, articles or clothing, for these sharing days. the children can bring objects or things that start with the sound of the week any day of the week, which is shared during circle time. we will dwell further on the subject during our forthcoming ptm.
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just a reminder, please send a set of spare clothes that we can stash away at school with your child’s name on it, if you haven’t already done so. if your child brings a jacket, cap, lunch box or backpack, please label it on the inside or outside so we can ensure that it will get back home. if your child has a birthday coming up soon, you can send a treat, so as to celebrate together during circle time. parents and grandparents are most welcome to be a part of the birthday circle. as a part of the celebration we would like you to share pictures of your child’s miraculous transformation from birth till date, one picture for every year. the same would be shared with the class during the birthday circle. as we have already mentioned, sometimes children do not bring papers home as they engage in hands-on work at school, which is montessori based and does not require paper work. i consider it a great privilege and responsibility to be your child's teacher this year, and i look forward to meeting each of you. if you have any questions about how the class works or have questions about your child’s performance please feel free to email me at: montessori@thefreethinkingschool.com i look forward to a wonderful year together. meenal goyal hod - montessori
announcements parents requiring transport may please register at the office dance classes will resume in the month of july.
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parent resource the fine art of sharing a universal topic for all parents is sharing. have you ever experienced these toddler’s “rules for living?” if i want it … it’s mine. if i had it … it’s mine. if i thought about touching it … it’s mine. if i might want it any time in the future … it’s mine. you get the idea. oh, the challenge of sharing when you’ve just learned what belongs to you and what belongs to others! sharing is indeed difficult for toddlers. fortunately between the ages of three and four, sharing becomes easier. watch for these social developments in your child: • three-year-olds begin experimenting with various sharing techniques, such as taking turns and trading toys for short periods of time. • older three-year-olds begin to cooperate. they understand that giving doesn’t mean giving up, and are more willing to give and take with friends. • four-year-olds grasp the concept of sharing very well. they play cooperatively with their friends and are willing to share their possessions.
what can you do to help your child make this transition? • encourage sharing. don’t force it. a reluctant sharer may feel that his needs are less important than the other child’s needs. forcing a child to comply is not the same as teaching him to be generous. praise sharing when you see it. • acknowledge that sometimes it’s hard to share. use empathy rather than scolding to encourage sharing. • give your child opportunities to not share. allow her to put away a few special toys before a play date so that the children do not have to share those toys. • share with your child. be a role model for the behaviors you wish your child to exhibit. share food, books and other “treasures” to reinforce the benefits of sharing. • so, about those toddler’s “rules for living” – take heart! the more your child practices sharing, the easier it will get.
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