Early Learning Center

Explore.Learn.Create.

October 21, 2022

Dear ELC Families,

We have finished first quarter and Fall is here! Your children have all settled into the routine of school and are learning so much every day! In addition to what they are learning, they are all enjoying working together and being kind to each other. Today, I saw your children holding the door for each other, helping with shoes and jackets, sharing and comforting each other when someone falls or needs some support. Pat yourselves on the back parents, you are raising some pretty compassionate, bright and amazing children!

Thanks to all of you who were able to join us on our trip to the Amazing Grace Crop Maze. We all had a wonderful time and couldn't have done it without all of our parent support...thanks to everyone! Next up, our annual Fall Thanksgiving Feast on Nov. 17. Watch for flyers in your child's backpack to sign up to share your favorite dish!

A few reminders and request before we get too far into second quarter.

Tiny things: Our classroom shelves are filled with fun and interesting activities designed to engage your child. However, many of these activities include very small pieces. If your child comes home with something in his/her pockets or backpack that you don't recognize, please send it back to school...we are missing some important tiny pieces :) Thanks!

Arrival Time: Thanks to all of you for making sure your children arrive at school ready to learn. If you are dropping your child off everyday, please do your best to arrive either by 8:00 or 8:45 depending on your child's schedule. We know things happen that are out of your control, but if you can, we would really appreciate it!

The Preschool Dress Code - Fall edition: Please send in a change of clothes (labeled with your child's name) including LONG pants and a LONG sleeve shirt for your child. We will send the warm weather clothes back home. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE label your child's coat with his/her name or initials. It will help us SO much!

The Preschool Dress Code - Shoes: We play outside EVERYDAY. We have PE Monday-Thursday. The children are able to participate in PE ONLY if they have appropriate shoes for running and jumping. If your stylish preschooler wants to keep a pair of running shoes at school or in the backpack just for PE, we are happy to change their shoes before and after PE.

Snacks: We are OUT and need more! You all sent such wonderful snacks at the beginning of first quarter and now we need more! Please send in a bag, box or carton of snacks to share if you can - THANKS! (a list of appropriate snacks is included in this newsletter.)

Report cards and progress monitorning reports have been or will be sent home this week.

As always,

Thank you for sharing your children with us,

Gail

Mark Your Calendars

OCT. 21: White Cane Day Independence Walk - 9:30 a.m.

OCT. 27: Unity Day - wear ORANGE

AND

OCT: 27: Picture Day - 10:00 a.m. - if you don't want your child to wear orange in his/her school picture -put an orange shirt in your child's backpack and we will change after school pictures

OCT. 31: ELC Halloween Parade - 9:15 a.m from ELC to Moore Hall then to Kids Town more info to come from your child's teacher

OCT. 31 - NOV. 4 -SPIRIT WEEK FOR BLIND HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING (see flyer below)

NOV. 9: Field trip to Fire Station - more info to come

NOV. 17: ELC Fall Family PotLuck Feast to celebrate Thanksgiving

NOV. 21-25: Thanksgiving Break NO SCHOOL

PBIS FOCUS FOR OCTOBER - RESPECT

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Respect is an invaluable character trait that when learned and practiced at a young age, will stay with a child throughout preschool years and beyond.

In our ELC Montessori classrooms we have 3 fundamental guidelines - all based on respect.

Respect for Yourself - Respect for Others - Respect for the Environment

Maria Montessori believed that all children deserve respect. She knew that allowing children to discover their environment on their own without interference helps to foster this respect. When adults are careful to avoid interrupting children while they are concentrating, and they allow children to discover their own mistakes rather than pointing them out, they are modeling respectful behavior. Montessori teachers understand this and do their best to observe as the children work on their own or with their peers to solve problems.

When you give children age-appropriate choices in their daily lives - you are showing respect. Even letting a child choose what they are going to wear can build independence and self-respect. Children in the ELC are allowed to make their own choices about their activities/work in the classroom. Children who make their own choices tend to be more engaged and gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and become more independent and confident learners.

Below is an article about ways you can help to build respect in your child.

5 Ways to Show Respect for Your Child (And Gain Their Respect in Return) - Positive Parenting Solutions

I see it all the time - parents lamenting the fact that their children are "disrespectful" or "don't respect my rules" or "show no respect to their elders." I totally get how frustrating that is. All parents want their kids to be kind, polite and respectful to they interact with.

positiveparentingsolutions.com

Montessori Moments

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The Map of the United States

Zenia and Xiomeliz are working together and this US Map puzzle. It requires a LOT of time, fine motor control and concentration. First, they take the states from the puzzle and put them on the map with the outlines of the states. Then they transfer them back to the puzzle board with no outlines. This is VERY big work!

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Float and Sink

BJ is discovering which items float and which ones sink.

As he makes his discoveries, he has a chart where he can put the items that sink in one column and the items that float in the other column. He especially enjoyed following along in the book as he did his work. Added benefit of float and sink work? You can get a little bit wet!

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The Hundred Board

Finnley has placed the number tiles 1-30 onto the board. This work helps him with counting, number recognition AND begin to see patterns in numbers. Once he is able to concentrate long enough to put all 100 tiles on the board, he will begin to learn how to count by 10's and by 5's because it is such a visual work.

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Food Preparation

Ellie and Ashton are cutting apples. Learning to prepare food is an integral part of our Montssori Practical Life curriculum. The children develop independence as they learn to prepare food. They improve fine motor skills and practice grace and courtesy as they offer the food to share with their friends.

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Tong Transfer

Ashton is working on another Practical Life activity - dry transfer. He is using tongs to transfer all of the tiny pumpkins from one tray to another. You can see his delight at being able to manipulate the tongs to hold a tiny pumpkin - it's not as easy as it looks!

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Writing Area

Savannah is learning to use the braille writer. The brailler is an important part of our writing area. Just as a sighted child will scribble with crayons, Savannah is scribbling with the brailler. It is a skill that comes before learning to write letters. It is important for her to use the brailler everyday and she begins to learn the importance of why we write.