On the Practical Life Shelves...

 

Stringing big beads

 

Apple slicing

 

Open and Shut Them
Well, it's all coming together and it feels just right. Today I will take some photos of the classroom arrangement to share with you.
Short post!
Gotta run, so much to do...
PEACE
Jennifer

More Toddler Curriculum

 

Yoga ~ Movement
body control

 

Classroom Ground Rules
"Be Safe
Be Kind
Be Gentle"

 

Introduction to PEACE Curriculum
community building
silence
waiting
pausing

More to follow.....
In PEACE
Jennifer

Air, Land and Water Mat

 

This is my Air, Land and Water Mat
it's not completely finished yet but it's coming along. I just really wanted to share with you all. I made it by layering felt pieces to create a scene that has all three elements. The idea is to provide the play mat and a basket of animals that live either in the air, on land, or in the water. The children sort the animals on the mat and of course, PLAY! Having an open ended work such as this out in the classroom is especially helpful at the start of the school year. It's a nice tool for nurturing friendships.
What are some of your favorite early in the year activities? Do tell!
PEACE,
Jennifer

Affirmation Cards

To one of the many lovely Montessori teachers I met today at the Maine Montessori Association Workshop:
Email me your mailing address at spirals@gwi.net and I will send you your set of affirmation cards. Thank you for the interest, for inquiring and for reading my blog!

Everyone else reading this:
If YOU are interested in ordering your own set of classroom affirmation cards, you can find them for sale at my Etsy shop.
Probably tomorrow because I have been having a little trouble up-loading images on Etsy tonight.
Thank you!
PEACE
Jennifer

Crayon Exploration

Little One is 3 and 1/2 years old and READY for preschool. This weekend he discovered some loose crayons (I KNOW, why didn't I have those put up and away?) anyway he decided to (and I quote) "decorate our windows".

They are quite lovely decorations, beautiful actually BUT; crayons are really for paper NOT windows. I know I've mentioned this before one or two times since becoming a Mom 16 years ago.
Some things are easier to enforce than others.
And being an artist myself, saying to another artist (even a very young artist) that what they created is well, not acceptable, is heartbreaking. I know I'm a wimp. But honestly, he was so into the process of "decorating the windows"......

So, what did I do?
I left them the way he had decorated them. He was so proud. I was honoring his creative side. But I did collect the crayons, before he moved on to the walls ;)
And one day soon we will practice the 'art of washing the windows' and removing the decorations will become part of that new process.

PEACE to you and your little artists!
Jennifer

Whistling While I Work....

Have I mentioned that over the summer I have been working on writing a toddler curriculum? Well it's coming along, I'm loving every moment. (When I have time to work on it.) Especially arranging the photos I have taken over the years and creating pages to introduce each area of the class room.

For my birthday my husband set up Picasa, a photography program, on our home computer. I LOVE it, it is so much fun!
This curriculum is for my use, all my stuff organized in a usable way. I figured it might help my new assistant get acquainted as well. But I hope to one day propose it to Northeast Montessori Institute. And see if they would want me to share it with their teachers and assistants in training. One day...but right now it's mostly for the toddlers in the Nest.

I am very excited about school starting up again. Can you tell? How is it going for all of you Mamas, Papas and fellow Montessorians following this blog? Where are you at in your preparations?

I've also been lucky to discover some wonderful resources on the web and thought I might share some with you all.
Montessori Materials for Everyone
Montessori Mom.com
Home Schooling site

Happy nesting...
PEACE
Jennifer

My short hair...10 inches to Locks for Love

photo requested, photo provided.
Courtesy of my new camera!
Hugs all around
PEACE

Stopping and Looking

"Wonder is an exceedingly important stimulus for the human spirit. It can arise only from an attentive observation of reality. Education to wonder is correlative with an education that helps us to go always more deeply into reality. If we skim over things we will never be surprised by them. Wonder is not an emotion of superficial people; it strikes root only in the person who is capable of stopping and looking."

~Sofia Calvalletti

My friend Jessie and I spent the morning together with our two three year olds. While we sat on the grass and gabbed away, thoroughly enjoying ourselves, our children did too. It was so great to look up from conversation and see the two of them completely absorbed in their fantasy play.

This photo reminds me of The Secret Garden, have you read that book? A classic.
So yesterday was my birthday and my family gave me....wait for it....
A NEW CAMERA!!!!!
I can't even begin to express my joy! And just before the school year starts! I'm a bit giddy. Prepare yourselves for far too many unnecessary photos in the very near future.

Sweeney Todd ~ Opening Night!

Yes, that's my grumpy boy, Taller Than Me, about to be shaved by Perrelli....it's later when Sweeney, the deadly barber, gives him a very close shave. Either way...I don't know if I'm gonna like this one.
I've gone to every play he's been in, but I've never seen him be murdered on stage!
Wish me luck.

Soon we will return to our regularly scheduled programming with this blog. I have been sooo very busy this summer, posting has been few and far between.
Next week is my birthday and a little bird told me I may get a new camera!
That will make things a whole lot easier.

Right now I am focusing my energy on book writing/illustrating and meeting those very important deadlines. I have also been writing a Montessori toddler curriculum that I'm VERY excited about. I can't wait to share it with you all!

School starts soon!
Hugs to you all,
PEACE
Jennifer
Photo credit: Scott Smith