Pages

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Elementary Montessori Training and Volunteering

Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Training begins again this weekend after a nice break! When I started the training, the 2 year cycle had already began but they still allowed new people to begin. So, I am now starting what I should have taken at the beginning "The Primary Overview". The primary overview is 6 weeks of courses on the philosophy, theory and curriculum. I am very excited to be starting this course. After this, I will have left the Math and the first part of language. Because the baby is arriving in April, I will not be able to take the Math and what I am missing of language. But that is Ok because once I finish the classes, I have to do a 9 month internship. I do not want to do the internship until the baby is 2 or 3 years old.

Volunteering


Picture above obtained from Martin and Anna's Website.

I need to remember to take pictures of the kids garden.

I have also been volunteering at the children's school helping with making materials and helping the environmental teacher in the garden with his classes. Making materials is a great way to get an insight on what the children are doing in the classroom. We also get to make extra copies for ourselves if we wish.
In the garden the children are growing vegetables and herbs. By helping out I get to see what they are growing and learn about gardening. This is something I have been wanting to do at home with the children but just scared to start since I do not know anything about it! But from what I see, it look fairly easy!!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Outside Environment

Bella was very excited to tell us all about her outside work environment. She told us what works she could take outside, how many students could be outside at one time, and all of the steps in between! Open house was in the evening. Please forgive my dark pictures.


Looking at the porch of the room next to Bella's.

Notice the rain boots. All the children have rain boots so that if the grounds are wet and muddy they can still go outside and play. They have really used these lately. It has been raining every week around here. Crazy rain!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Sweet Boys Classroom

Sweet Boy - that is my son and this is what we actually call him most of the time because he is sooo sweet. His teachers adore him because he is so kind, helpful and concerned for others. He walks his sister inside her classroom EVERY morning. Here we are at Open house. He showed us around his room and showed us some works.

My husband taking a picture of him!
I see some music and math works in the background.


The kitchen in his classroom. Notice that it is not as busy and "cute" as Bella's classroom. His room is not as cluttered. I'm not saying there is anything bad about her classroom, I actually like all the "cute" stuff!

Practical Life area.

Not sure what all of the works are back there. But another shot of the classroom.


Tracing.

On my next post I will show pictures of the porches. All rooms in the school have a porch area with tables to do works, washing work are done here, and art easels are outside for painting work.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Open house at the kids school

The kids school had an Open House this past week. I took tons of pictures so I'll be posting about it a few more times! At the open house the children have the opportunity to show their family what they do at school. We just follow the children and ask them to show us works they have had lessons on. They show you around and you follow their lead. They may do a work or not. Our kids were so excited!

Here is a few pictures of Bella showing us how to do a water work.

This is the entrance to the classroom. She is getting the rubber apron.


Putting on the apron.

Getting water and sweet boy looking on~

The kids are in different classrooms. I will post pictures of sweet boy and his classroom next.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Spanish this week

My son has not been wanting to do any Spanish work lately and for that matter English either. He brings home from school little books to read in English and refuses to do read them. After me working at it, he sits with me and actually does pretty well but it is hard to get him to actually do it.

Any how, I'll talk about our Spanish. He has been very negative about it and I do not push it. I just try to find ways that he likes to learn Spanish. In my last post I told you about the blog Homeschool Creations. So, I tried the crafts as a way for us to speak Spanish and at the same time work on the letters for Bella. He really loved the letter crafts.

I also got some Spanish materials from my Mom who works in Foreign Languages in our school district. They had a lot of materials they were going to get rid of so she brought them to me. In there, there were transparencies which are not used any more because of SMART boards and computers. The transparencies had things like At the toy store, At the supermarket, etc... Sweet Boy loved us talking about those in Spanish and answering questions about them. You know that made me happy! He wanted to go through ALL of the transparencies!!

Bella on the other hand asks me to work on Spanish! She seems to really like learning the language. It also might be that she is three years old. Sweet boy does not feel the need for it.

Here is a picture of our crafts. I say ours because I cut everything out!!

C - Cangrejo - Crab
D - Dinosaurio - Dinosaur
O- Oruga (Bella's Oruga, not finished)

Thursday, October 8, 2009

New template and Pumpkins

I'm working on setting up my new template. Please let me know if something is not working or if I left something out!

I am starting to feel so much better. I am starting to want to school again! I've been reading lots of blogs as I lay on the couch or the bed and have been inspired! Here is a new blog I found. I just love all of her letter crafts and organization posts. You will see us doing some of the things she does! The blog is Homeschool Creations.

I purchased this apron last year after Halloween. I believe it came from Target. I just love it! I have Christmas aprons a friend of mine made for the kids a few years back, Valentines and this one. I love to change them out.