Socialization: Opening Night

Beware, the mean Mother Gothel is taking the stage!  An impressive first performance: the wig stayed put the whole time, and Mother Gothel recovered nicely from her evil cape getting a bit tangled on Rapunzel's tower.  Well done!

Choose your first work

...If you recognize that phrase, you or someone you love has probably been in a Montessori school.  I, personally, am a fan, but find it hard to integrate with other aspects of learning, especially at the elementary level where I find it hard to do "a little bit."  However, I've been doing lots of thinking about Lucy next year and am leaning towards a more Montessori approach with her for several reasons.  (She does well when she controls her own choices, she is academically ready for Kindergarten but isn't yet 4 and I don't want to rush her through reading and math curriculums just because she can, and she needs a new type of challenge - pre-K stuff isn't cutting it!)

Here are her temporary shelves.  Everything on them is OK for her to choose, use, and then put away.  A few things are new, but most of it is familiar.  We also have some "do with Mom" work that we filled in.  She loved school today.  Time will tell if this method is going to work or it was just because it was something different and new.  I think I like the approach, though.

Dropping, pouring, funneling, and wiping spills was the big hit today

This was a "play with Mom" tray.  We love these Inchimals.  We used to just place them in order like stairs, but now we are using the book to find different sets of animals that are equal.  She is so good at this, and I love how it is teaching an algebraic approach to addition.

Meanwhile, the Kindergarten student is making great progress in independent reading (last box of Bob books!)

...and Geography.  Check out that world map!  She is tracing a Montessori map - simple, consistent colors of the continents and I added in the 3 "big circles:" Equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn.

Weekly Wrap Up

This weekend peace, love, lemonAID crossed the $800 mark.  Way to go, Zoe!  I think we are going to count our cash (no small feat) and call it a season.  It has been a wonderful experience and I have seen Zoe grow and change for the better.  If you have contributed your time, cookies, money, or encouragement, thank you so very much.

In working on some plans for next year, I am leaning towards doing more Montessori work with Lucy.  Here, I introduced 3 part cards to her.  (You line up the cards with words, then match the pictures, then match the words).

 Then came the best dance class of the whole year - costumes arrived!  

Both academy students were very pleased, but I only got a picture of one - it was a crazy hour bouncing between both classes trying on, watching dances, and listening to recital instructions.

Then we went to art class at Avery's house.  

Apparently the dress code was Preschool Mutant Ninja Princesses

Zoe was the Star of the Week this week and made her own poster.  She wrote: I love my family. I love my friends.  I like to dance.  I like to do shows.  I like to help my friends.  Left off was "I like to wear headbands the size of my head."  Every time she wears this one, the director steals it from her and wears it around the school.