Watch What I Can Do!

Hello Room 101,

Our students have been getting so many presentations and they are so eager to try them out! I am so impressed with our group this year. They are working so hard in practicing new concepts and skills. Our friends have also been enjoying new songs during gathering time. Ask your child to sing some to you! =) I will post links on Remind so you can sing the songs at home as well. We are also currently discussing our Peace Table and how our students  can problem solve. They have amazing ideas on how to be a good contributor in our classroom community. Starting this week, I will be sending home links from Second Step, our Socio-Emotional curriculum at Suder. Please help us reinforce the work we do at school by engaging your child in a conversation on the lessons we are having in the classroom.

Thank you so much. See you at school!

P.S. Check out the links shared along with the comments on the pictures. Also, I am using the names of the works on the comments so you can ask your child about them. =)

Sharon and Oliver sways while singing to our gathering songs.

We are friends!

We care for each other.

Stefan and Nijel are so excited to be able to work in the hallway! (The 9 Layout) 

Ethan plays the fetch game with another child using the sound boxes.

Avery gave Toby a presentation on the Object Boxes.

Olivia and the rhyming work.

RJ matched beginning sounds & pictures.

Isabella and Stefan shared their "Wow! pages" during Reader's Workshop.

Welcome to Room 101, Sofia! Jumping right in with the Teen Board on her first day!

Isabella making worlds using Inventive Spelling.

Avery finished the 50 Board.

Delilah made a design with our colorful pebbles.

Alexander used the Peace Table/ Corner to relax.

Carlos worked on copying the pattern using our new Pattern work.

Julieta read CVC words with the Vowel Tree.

Andy made shapes with the Geo Board.

Oliver worked on a puzzle.

Delilah and her art work.

Sharon worked on her fine motor skills using a stringing work.

Estela practiced care while carrying the Red/Blue Rods to her rug.

Toby punched out a rectangle using a push pin. (Punching work) So much focus, concentration and patience!!!

Oona admired her butterfly art.

Sofia at Guided Reading.

Chloe and Carlos worked on balancing our wooden tree work.

Kindergarteners got a presentation on sentence building using the Moveable Alphabet during K time.

Julieta tried it our right away! She is very confident in doing so because last year, her kindergarten friends gave her a lesson. This is one of the benefits of a Montessori classroom: Multi-age grouping.

Read about Inventive Spelling here. 
"The boy is feeding the bunny."

Isabella and Avery completed the 9 Layout.

Arianna completed the Bead Stair.

Friday Science! We learned about force, rolling and moving. We played soda can bowling!

Last week, we started going to the Library. 

Thank you to our lovely parent volunteers!

Ms. Angela taught the class some Spanish words.

See you at school! Don't forget to return your library books! 

Welcome to SY 2019-2020!

Hello Room 101 families, 

Welcome to the new school year! We already know that it is going to be a great year! The children have been so busy making friends and trying out new works. Our class is making sure we practice our procedures and expectations. Last week, the whole school went on an Expectation Walk. We reviewed the expectations in all of the common areas at Suder. In the classroom, we have created our rules together. We discussed 3 questions: "Why are we here?",  "What do we need to do together?" and "How can we make that happen?" In the Montessori philosophy (and at Suder), the practice of care is very important. We care for: ourselves, others and the environment. Room 101 has been discussing this idea daily through books, Morning Meeting, role playing, etc.

It was so nice meeting new families! I know some are still adjusting from separation anxiety, learning Montessori or adjusting to a new school. We are all in this together! Ms. Bouye and I are working diligently in making sure we assist our families and students. We welcome your questions and we will try our best to come up with answers together.

Most of the questions I had received last week was about the Montessori philosophy. I am so excited to here that families are really trying to learn about our beautiful learning method. Coming up soon are the Parent Ed Nights. They are thoughtfully planned by some of the Suder teachers and I. I am hoping to see you at any (or all!!) of the Parent Ed Nights. I am also sharing some of my favorite Montessori books below:

• Together With Montessori by Cam Gordon (very easy read, Montessori in a nutshell)
• The Discovery of the Child by Maria Montessori (my favorite read going through training. So many aha! moments)
• Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard (if you want to read about research)
• The Secret of Childhood By Maria Montessori (another favorite of mine)

I also had some parents ask about nap. Children in the 3 and 4-year old cycle are required to go to the nap room. Nap time is approximately 1 1/2 hours including transitions. If your child does not nap, he/she can relax and quiet their bodies while reading a book. There is a saying in Montessori to "follow the child." In my opinion, nap is an essential part of our preschoolers day. As the year progress, we shall follow the child and see where he/she is developmentally. Click here to read an article about the importance of nap time in preschool.

Lastly, here are some photos from last week. Enjoy!

See you at school!

                                                                                     Always,

                                                                                    Ms. Guerrero

Falcon gives her picture full concentration.

Lea sorted some rhyming words.

Delilah carefully carries her tray.

Oliver and a tonging work.

Olivia and Ariana plays I Spy. 

Community building

The Kindergarteners started their Guided Reading groups.

Andy put the Pink Cubes in order to make a tower.

Ariana and Olivia in the Library/Peace Corner.

Making new friends

The Kindergarteners "read" the whole school during Reader's Workshop.

Estela feeling the Pink Tower.

Making sets with our collection of pebbles.

RJ and Nicholas completed the Teen Board.

Haylie, RJ and Lea building words using inventive spelling.

Kindergarteners practiced "private" reading (independent reading).

...and partner reading, too!

Hudson carefully toning objects to another container (hand-eye coordination)

This is Room 101!

We are working!

Afternoon work time.

Oona and our new balancing work.

Alexander matched objects and pictures.

Friday Science! We discussed force using a basket swing.

Our classroom 3 Cares book.

We sorted the pictures between care for ourselves, others and environment. We will also add new pictures of this year's class.

We all agree to our rules!

Carlos gave a lesson on carrying a tray and walking around the rugs.

Some of our friends presenting how to roll a rug.

Montessori In India

Hello, Room 101 families!

I hope your summer is awesome! The new school year is upon us. As I reflect on the coming year, I am reminded of my love and passion in Montessori. This summer, I chose to travel to the Philippines and Bangkok to spend time with friends and family. It was very exciting and rejuvenating! However, I was also reminded of last summer when I volunteered to train teachers in India for a month. It was the best experience personally and professionally.

Did you think I would fly all the way to India and not try to find Montessori schools to observe? Ha! Not a chance! =) After walking all over Bangalore during a day off from the fellowship, I was able to find two schools that allowed me and a colleague to observe active classrooms.

It was very refreshing to see the familiarity of the Montessori approach applied in the schools we observed. It gave me comfort that Montessori is universal. The grace and courtesy, respect and community transcends throughout the school and the people that comprise them.

I can't wait to continue my collaboration with the Montessorians I met in India. One of the most amazing people I met is Sumathi Ma'am. Shumati is the chairman of The Indian Montessori Center. She is also the owner of Discover Montessori in Bangalore. She was so welcoming and her educational purpose is incredibly inspiring! I have maintained communication and friendships with the fellows and Indian teachers I've met. They continue to reach out to me for advise and recommendations. I know I am helping them but they are doing the same for me. I am a better educator because of the wonderful teachers that I meet along the way!

I am energized to start the school year with all of you! See you at school!

Please enjoy the few pictures that I was allowed to take: