Mindfulness in the Classroom

"My hope and wish are that one day, formal education will pay attention to what I call education of the heart." -Dalai Lama

The children have been enjoying our lessons on culture and peace. Last week, we traveled to different places in North America. We explored artifacts from different countries and the children shared their own experiences.(So, don't forget to get our class an artifact on your next trip! =)) Room 101 continues to enjoy and learn from the old and new presentations they've been shown. 

Welcome to North America!

Another highlight from last week was our lesson on the Love Light. It has been so beautiful watching our Montessori silence evolve into a holistic silence and peace throughout the day. Previously, we would do silence as we ready ourselves for the work ahead of us. We have incorporated so much more to our silence. Everyday, we remind ourselves of our love light and reflect on how we can make it shine by improving ourselves and helping others. I think the term often used to describe this is, Mindfulness. It is a beautiful concept and I like to think that in our room, we are working towards our own mindfulness: personally and as a community. Here are ways for children to be mindful. I also have added some new books and materials to Room 101 Amazon Wish List. Please consider helping out our room with some items that will tremendously help support the students' learning and community building. Thank you in advance.

Our Love Light

I give the children calming oil during silence before they start their work time.

Silence Game

They are thinking of the first work they will do for the day.

It is bittersweet that we had to say good bye to Eliza. We will miss you so much, Eliza! Take care and come visit us soon. 

We wish you well, Eliza!

Lastly, I am sharing some pictures of our wonderful field trip to the Shedd Aquarium. It was awesome seeing so many happy parents and children all in one place. 

Enjoy your weekend!

See you at school,

Mrs. Guerrero

Charlie and Maya with the Banker's Game (Fetch Game)

Isabella and Garvit explored the North America Artifact Box

Daniel building words with the Magnetic Word Building work.

Sophia A and the Alphabet Matching chart

Frances reviewed the Parts of a Tree

Xitlali and the Shaving Cream work

Jena concentrated on her art work.

Zoe made her own Parts of a Horse

Winter matched pictures and initial sounds.

Roy made number sets with the Spindle box.

Graphing presentation using M&M's candies!

We are at the aquarium!

Dolphin show.

Daniel and Sasha 

Sophia R. reenacted the dolphin show with our Whale Scrubbing work.

Sophia R. wrote her journal entry about her reading.

Room 101 in action.

Natalie explored the geometric solids.

We are proud of our work!

Zoe created her Fractions Inset book.

Noah and Ibrahim wrote sentences using the Moveable alphabet.

Jena and the Flower Arranging work.

We made snow to explore animals in winter (hibernators-migrators-adaptors)

"We made a pattern."

Maya and Charlie building teen numbers with the Teen Dice Game.

Daniel composed sentences using the weekly sight words we are working on.

Thank you, Nayah for helping our class create bird feeders to take home.

I was gave the Sound Cylinders presentation.

Jena was excited to try it out right away!

Isabella chopped celery.

Leslie peeled and chopped garlic for our chili.

Stefan explored lines with the Shaving Cream work.

Addition to the 1000's

Zeia making a graph on colors.

Roy graded and built a tower using the Blue Knobless Cylinders.

Sebastian picking the perfect flower to use for Flower Arranging.

Daniel chopping celery.

The students' beautiful flower arranging work on display.

"Look, I was just published!" -Noah
 (sharing his Writer's Workshop story to a visitor from Room 103)

Sebastian concentrated on scrubbing the whale squeaky clean.

Garvit read an Elephant and Piggie book in the Library.

Roy is happy with his completed work.

Leslie added color to our room by choosing the Flower Arranging work.