Let’s Talk About Peace!

We can’t believe we’re already three weeks into the school year. Wow, how time flies! Your children have truly been doing such an amazing job with all of the transitions and are becoming more comfortable in the classroom.

We’re learning that sometimes we feel an emotion but we aren’t able to put it into words. We’ve been talking about many different feelings and what can make us feel those feelings. Sometimes we’re disappointed, astonished, angry, sleepy or excited. Talking about our feelings helps us to cope better when our emotions get super big. We’ve been learning about feeling cansado (tired), muy fantastico (very fantastic), and molesto (mad).

Ms. Sadie taught a lesson on conflict resolution and how to use the Peace Rose. We talked about how sometimes our feelings can get hurt or we can feel mad at another friend. When that happens, the child can go get the peace rose and bring it to that friend to talk about the problem. Whoever is holding the peace rose gets to speak. The children take turns holding the rose and saying how they feel. At the end, when the problem is resolved, both friends hold the rose at the same time and say “friends.” We encourage our friends to solve their own problems as much as possible. Of course, we are happy to guide them through the process, especially when problems are too big for a peace rose talk.

We’ve also been busy exploring the four seasons and what delights each season brings. Whether it’s the drizzly days of spring, the beach days of summer, pumpkins in the fall or snowmen in the winter we’re learning that each one can be fun. We encourage children to think about what their favorite season might be and why.

You may hear your child mention “mentor day.” On Fridays, we give our older friends the opportunity to teach and work with younger or newer friends. By teaching a lesson, the child is learning the material at a deeper level. Many friends are more receptive to lessons when they’re given by an older friend. This also gives everyone a chance to work with someone new!

We do keep the room temperature on the cooler side and many friends comment on being chilly. It’s a good idea to send in a labeled sweatshirt that your child can leave in their cubby for when they’re cold.

You can view pictures from the last two weeks at this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eZ9SIDU_fYY1WgwTTf0YFiYZk4qw5kzu?usp=sharing

Upcoming Dates to Remember:
September 6 – Labor Day – NO SCHOOL
September 7 – Teacher in Service – NO SCHOOL

Love,
The P2 team


“Peace is what every human being is craving for and it can be brought about by humanity through the child” ~ Maria Montessori

Welcome to P2!

We are so excited to be back at school and see everyone again! We hope that you all had a rejuvenating, and fun summer spent with your family and friends. We truly missed each and every one of our students and have enjoyed getting to know our new friends!

This summer, Ms. Jessie got to spend two weeks in Mexico visiting with her family as well as spending time teaching summer camp. Ms. Sadie spent her summer visiting family in New York and Boston and spending time with her kids. Ms. Julie was a very busy traveler and visited Costa Rica and Canada!

We know that this first week of school has been filled with so many changes and we cannot thank you enough for your patience, trust and understanding as we work on getting the year in gear. We are doing everything we can to keep your children safe and healthy. There are many extra procedures and precautions in place, and lots of extra cleaning to ensure their safety. Please keep in mind that while it is mandatory for kindergarten friends to wear a mask, it is not mandated for our younger pre-k and pre-school friends. We highly recommend and encourage them to wear it, but it is not mandatory.

Our first week was SO busy! We’ve been getting to know your child, and friends have been getting to know each other. We’re starting to feel more comfortable with each other and new friends are getting used to the classroom. For some friends this is a big change and it does take time to adjust. We are so proud of each and every one of them for how well they have adapted to this new environment and to these changes. They are AMAZING!

We started this year by reviewing classroom procedures such as how to walk around another friend’s work, how to ask for help, how to sit at circle and how to practice grace and courtesy. We’ve been working on saying please and thank you, and how to have a conversation at lunch. Our friends have also been practicing wearing a mask, and learning how to properly wash their hands. We are so proud of how hard everyone is working!

A few reminders: we are unable to provide snacks for your child, so please make sure your child has a snack for the morning, and if they are full day, a snack for the afternoon as well. If your child has an extended day, please provide a snack for after school. We cannot stress enough the importance of labeling! Everything! Masks, water bottles, lunch boxes, extra clothes… please make sure it is ALL labeled. Also, please make sure that you are signing your child in AND out of procare every day. Thank you so much for all of your help.

You can view pictures from the first week of school at this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sTs83OGuCpsyGkN3OZqN4EEfW09HfRNF?usp=sharing


Love,
The P2 Team

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”
~ Maria Montessori

Writing this, I can’t believe that this is the last blog of the school year. We have made some amazing memories, met some wonderful new friends and strengthened old friendships, learned about the world, and fed our curiosity. We thank you for trusting us with your children this year. We have been blessed to teach each and every one of them in person, in our classroom, this year. Thank YOU!

What have we learned these last few weeks? Well, there certainly has been a lot of buzzing going on lately with all of our insect studies! Figuratively, of course! Ms. Jessie taught us that insects are invertebrates, and that all insects have three parts to their bodies: cabeza (head), torax (thorax) and abdomen (abdomen). Ms. Sadie taught us about the life cycle of the butterfly and we discovered that some butterflies don’t emerge until it’s warm enough outside, while others emerge after only a few weeks. We’ve also looked more closely at ants (many of us decided we would like to be the reina – or queen ant, while some of us would like to be the obrera – workers) and the rather creepy praying mantis. We have also discussed the difference
between arachnids and insects.

We have taken a magical safari trip into Africa and have learned about the different zones in Africa: the savanna, the rainforest, and the desert. We have also learned about each climate and the animals found there.

This past Monday we got to enjoy Kona ice, which was the most delicious treat to begin recess with! YUMMY!!!

We wish you all the happiest, safest of summers filled with popsicles, memories, and relaxing days spent together. We say a bittersweet goodbye to our kindergarteners and wish them success in first grade. We look forward to seeing you all in August! Adios!

To view pictures from the last two weeks, click here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11hP6b0YpdQoaiNjuFlE_2J1IdTqib74p?usp=sharing

“Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child open up himself to life.”
~ Maria Montessori

Love,
The P2 Team

We have continued our study of the rainforests of the world by learning about the people of the Amazon. We learned about their houses and their ways of living. Ms. Sadie also taught the different resources that the rainforests give us: cinnamon, cloves, lumber, peppercorn, coffee, chicle, latex and tea.

Ms. Jessie taught us about different kinds of anteaters. We learned that an anteater can eat 30,000 – 50,000 ants or hormigas in one day! They have incredibly long tongues that start waaaay down in the chest. We also learned about the smallest (and quite cute!) anteater known as the silky anteater. Anteaters also have very large claws or garras to get into ant hills.

Ms. Julie showed us a variety of cultural items from Peru such as musical instruments, clothing, and a woven tapestry. She taught us that women in Peru carry their babies on their backs wrapped in a blanket, and use their head to help them carry baskets of food. Everyone especially loved exploring the drum and the rainstick. Thank you, Ms. Julie, for this experience!

We have also been learning about how to take care of our precious Earth. We discovered that we can reduce our presence on Earth by turning off lights when we leave a room, turn off the water when we’re brushing our teeth, and ride a bike or walk when we can. We also learned about reusing items such as water bottles and shopping bags, and recycling other items like paper, plastic and aluminum. There is also the option of compost for food items such as carrot peels and eggshells.

As it is getting warmer out, we have turned on the air conditioning in the classroom. We recommend having your child bring in a light sweater or sweatshirt to keep at school in case they get chilly during the day.

Friday, May 14th, we will be enjoying field day in the morning from 9am-10am. Field day is a fun day of wet, outdoor activities for our students. Please make sure your child comes to school on the 14th sunscreened, with water-appropriate shoes on, and dressed in their (labeled) bathing suit with regular clothing over it. Your child also needs a towel, as well as an extra pair of shoes. PLEASE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS LABELED! We recommend tankini or one-piece style suits for girls so they are more comfortable participating in the field day activities! It is a good idea to bring a plastic shopping bag where your child’s wet suit, towel, and shoes can go.

Please click the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_ubNMp79ebg7iT2fnEB53IKARUH8qiqh?usp=sharing

Dates to Remember:
May 14: Field Day
May 18: Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony @ 1:00pm
May 21: Last Day of School

“The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” – Maria Montessori

Love,
The P2 Team

South America…Here We Come!

South America is chock-full of some amazing plants, fruits, and a plethora of animals that range from the pokie sloth, to the sneaky jaguar, to the horrific bullet ant! We have been discussing how the rainforest has four different layers to it. The emergent layer which is home to parrots and toucans, the canopy layer which is filled with monkeys and sloths, the understory where you can find jaguars and frogs, and the dense, dark, forest floor where anteaters, armadillos and caimans live.

We are also learning about birds. Even though there are close to 10,000 (wow!) species of birds, they all follow the same life cycle. All birds hatch from eggs, become hatchlings, grow into fledglings, then adults who then lay eggs and the cycle repeats. We’ve learned that some birds, like pigeons, develop in the egg for only about two weeks, whereas Emperor Penguins develop in the egg for over two months. We’ve also taken a look at the different parts of a bird and have compared how there are different types of beaks and feet depending on the type of bird.

This year, the primary classrooms service project is the Lullaby Connection. The Lullaby Connection is a non-profit organization that helps mothers and infants in need. We are asking for donations to either be brought in or shipped directly to the school. The Lullaby Connection is in need of diapers (sizes 0-3 months), baby clothes, board books, and hygiene products. All items need to be new, not gently used. Our service project runs until next Friday, April 23rd. We thank you in advance for your help and support!

One of the things that we’ve been discussing with our P2 friends lately is how to keep recess games fun and safe for everyone. Keeping our hands to ourselves and only using kind words are important rules in the classroom that extend to the playground. Our friends love to play hard during recess, but safety is incredibly important. Reviewing this with your child is always helpful.

Please click the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1USmqRZ-sWa3P2t4f1oJC5tGCcf47mI9w?usp=sharing

“Children become like the things they love.” ~ Maria Montessori

Love,
The P2 Team