Klahanie School
October 2015 Newsletter
September 2015 Reflection
Your family did it! You successfully made it through the
first crazy busy first month of school! And we certainly began this school year with a
fantastic amount of joy. Welcome
new and returning families to Klahanie School! The children are beginning to remember names of classmates
and we continue to play finger-plays, rhyming games, songs and movement during
circle time as well as wonderful library books centered on self-care and emotions. We have been laughing a lot at group
and throughout class, what a gift!
Thank you parents who were able
to attend our school Curriculum night, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of sharing
our Compassionate Listening, empathy development and emotional intelligence
class foundations as well as weaving Montessori practice information. Many children have begun forming very
sweet friendships and you may begin talking more about play-dates with friends
from school or pass with hellos out in the world. You all have very friendly and warm children. And thank you Renee for helping
maintain a very kind and gentle space for our school community.
During Klahanie class
session we practice Inclusion during play and use the following response if
asked by a friend to play:
“Can I play?”
“No thank you, maybe
later. I am working/playing alone
right now.”
Or if approaching an
existing group working on project or imaginative play:
“Sure, we’ll figure it
out.”
To assist the children being
creative in the group activity including more if ask to join, is requested in
class to assist the individual forming good foundation experiences when seeking
connection. This is a confidence
builder for all involved because everyone is able to answer authentically while
also being kind. Teachers assist
if a younger two-half year old classmate who might want to play with the same
material yet play/concentrate alone.
This is the gift of observation in class where we can help decode what
is being sought after and seeking to communicate. I also ask the children to practice listening as much as
“use your words” and sometimes help brainstorm. The majority of the times the children are showing great
care and imagination attached to this empathy developing response in-group
work.
October Curriculum Topics
·
Spiders
(arachnids) and Bats (mammals):
looking at their life cycle, parts of the bodies, habitats and how they help
the earth.
·
Pumpkins, Gourd
family & Apples: life cycle,
parts of the plant and sensory games, songs and food preparation and
tastings.
·
Garden
preparation for winter: Winter crops
and soil care for winter preparation.
·
Bird
Migration: here in the Pacific
Northwest as well as beginning yearlong island sibling focus on Scotland’s
Inner Hebrides and Islay’s bird migration.
·
Friends &
Neighbors: What makes a friend. Peace practices (invitation to play,
concentrate together) on how to be neighborly and available for help when
asked. Inclusion practice and name
games.
“Knowing
that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for
growing into the healthiest of people.”
Mr. Fred Rogers
Reminders/Thank Yous
·
Lice! Please get your hair combing lice kits and start
preventatives: Lavender, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils diluted with water and
rubbed daily at the base of neck hairline as well as around ears are some great
preventative bases combined with less shampooing and frequent nit checks. Children will need to stay home until
all nits are gone and treatment completed.
·
Autumn Conferences: October 19th,
20th, 21st get questions ready and sign up for your
optional Autumn conference to hear about what your child(ren) is doing in class
cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically. Conference sign-up is emailed out and on the school board on
top of cubbies.
·
Please Sign Hike permission slip: I would like to begin taking the
children on a neighborhood walk and will email out permissions (this will
primarily be for children attending Noon-1: 30pm).
·
Thank you Play Dough Makers! And substitute/hike helper volunteers
·
Specialists Jordan Beck and Elizabeth Mendana
Shaw begin this Month! Jordan
will share her textile arts skills and Elizabeth will share her movement
expertise both once a month. Lucky
us!
