The Year of the Water Tiger is here!  In addition to books and discussions in class about the significance of this lunar celebration from China, last week we made lanterns and cut spirals to decorate our art room.  It looks so festive and will certainly help to usher in good fortune for this new year.  February brings a fresh energy and is one of our favorite months for crafts.  We love hearts!  We will be painting hearts, creating Valentines with doilies, and making heart shaped paper chains with strips of paper.  We are excited to see our art room fill up with hearts ♥♥

Montessori Connection

There has been quite a bit of research that has come to our attention recently regarding the negative impacts of teaching academics to preschool aged children.  Our Montessori environment is filled with opportunities for academic exploration, but one of the great things about Montessori is that it is child-led.  In other words, if they are interested then we will introduce them to academic concepts and take them along this journey, but we will not push them beyond where we feel their interest and joy for learning may become disconnected.  The Montessori materials, guide, and environment are meant to connect young children with a variety of subjects and help them develop their skill set.  Academics are embedded along the way, but learning here is meant to be fun!  We pledge to do our best to keep it this way 🙂

I think  you are wonderful!

I think you’re wonderful

When somebody says that to me

I feel wonderful

As wonderful can be

It makes me want to say

The same thing to somebody new

And by the way

I’ve been meaning to say

I think you’re wonderful too.

If we practice this phrase in the most honest way

And find something special in someone each day

We’ll lift up this world one heart at a time

It all starts by saying this one simple rhyme

By Red Grammer