REFRESH, RELAX AND RENEW: HAPPY WINTER BREAK

Winter break! We all look forward to time for family, to read a book, go for a walk, get in touch with friends, listen to music, sleep late, cook, watch a movie and all the other wonderful things we rarely have time to do.

Our work is joyful and rewarding, and it also takes time and energy as we all do our best to provide a safe, beautiful and enriching experience for our students.

This is the perfect time to try something new...have you always wanted to ice skate, play an instrument, knit, write a poem? Go for it!

In our classrooms we expect children to have a period of "unrest" around 10:30 (what we call false fatigue). Perhaps this is our annual time to let focus go and just recharge.

We can come back to our classrooms ready to give those wonderful lessons, to listen, to observe and to enjoy our students.

On January 2 we will explore The Montessori Way: Meeting Each Child Where They Are".
Elementary teachers will meet at 8:30 a.m. and Primary at 10 a.m. This basic cornerstone of Montessori philosophy will get us all off to a great new year.
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Screen Time: How TV, Video Games and Smart Phones Can Harm Our Children

FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE, BUT TELEVISION, VIDEOS AND GAMES ARE NOT FAR BEHIND. THESE MEDIA CAN INFORM, ENTERTAIN, AND TEACH US. HOWEVER, SOME OF WHAT THEY TEACH MAY NOT BE THE THINGS YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO LEARN. TV PROGRAMS, VIDEO GAMES AND COMMERCIALS OFTEN SHOW VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE, AND SEXUAL CONTENT THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR TEENS. HOW SCREEN TIME AFFECTS YOUR CHILD : THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT MEDIA AFFECT YOUR CHILD'S LIFE. WHEN YOUR CHILD SITS DOWN TO AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: Time Children in the United States watch over 6 hours of TV every day. Watching movies and playing video games only adds to time spent in front of a screen. It may be tempting to use television, movies, and video games to keep your child busy, but your child needs to spend as much time growing and learning as possible. Playing, reading, and spending time with friends and family are much healthier than sitting in fr...

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

This month brings the beauty, culture and history of Asian Pacific Americans into our classrooms. A wealth of art, music and literature spring from this rich heritage. Here is a link to start your journey into a diverse and fascinating culture: http://www.asianpacificheritage.gov/ We have many books in our libraries that will enrich your students, bringing a deeper understanding and appreciation of these people and their culture. Our Asian and Pacific Island families would be happy to bring pictures, food and other items to share. Break out those geography folders, maps, flags and enjoy!

Books, books, books

Too many books, too little time! Never the less, here are some recent discoveries for our professional side, our personal side and for parents and children: Books for our role with technology:' Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television This is an older book on the effects of advertising on children. Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age Last Child in The Woods Failure to Connect Books that bring us understanding of others: This is a very, very small sample of some good books that promote understanding of others. www.multiculturalchildren When I Was Young in the Mountains Cynthia Rylant's enduring favorite "When I Was Young in the Mountains" is the tale of her own childhood growing up in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. The gently repetitive text details ...

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