Head of School Newsletter: August

Summertime is so much fun here for the children, as there are lots of events scheduled.  So far, we have enjoyed pajama day, the ice cream social and a visit from Bubbleman. We begin the month of August with a visit from the Reptile Man on Thursday.  This is always a favorite for the children here at PFM -- they get to see a python, large tortoise, Lucy the alligator  and other fascinating reptiles.  We conclude the month with a visit to the fountain at Seattle Center and a visit to Volunteer Park.

August has turned out great for me personally because I am back in the classroom teaching and doing what I love.  I feel truly blessed to be able to work with, teach, and play with all of these great kids. The classroom is where I am happiest, and I want to thank you all for your support in welcoming be back into the classroom.

We are happy to welcome Evelyn and Cameron Ginsburgh to preschool! They recently moved here from Chicago and have let us know that they are NOT Seahawks fans. ☺ They have both settled very nicely into their new classrooms.  Brody has transitioned into the toddler room from the infant room and is making new toddler friends already.  Grace Sullivan will be making her transition into South Preschool mid-month and is very excited to become a “big preschooler”!  Sadly, yesterday we said goodbye to two of our wonderful graduates, Lincoln and Amelia Goodhew.  We wish them the best in Kindergarten!  Aira Aggarwal is moving with her family to California this month and we will miss her very much.

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM

How to Teach Your Child to Take Turns

Learning patience is a critical life skill--one that is often overlooked in early childhood. However, even young children can be taught to practice patience (such as sharing, taking turns, waiting in line, etc.). Children are not born knowing how to do this. Rather, they rely on adults and older children to teach them this important life skill.

This article provides insight on how to communicate and demonstrate patience to your child. For example, say to your child, "I see you're waiting your turn to go down the slide." While it may sound intuitive, verbalizing this provides support to the child and celebrates their positive behavior.

At PFM, we encourage the students to wait their turn before going outside, using a work, talking at circle, and while waiting for meals. We discuss "taking turns" and practicing patience throughout the school day. If you have questions as to how you can support this behavior at home, please reach out to your child's teacher!

July South Class Newsletter

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer!

Hello July!

 
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Happy Summer!

 

This summer we will explore the mysteries of the ocean! We will learn about the creatures that live there, the parts of the fish, and its life cycle. We also have lots of fun and exciting adventures ahead this summer both here at school and out in our neighborhood!

Sarah

 
“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe’, but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”
— Maria Montessori
 

Dates to remember:

  • June 29th - July 6th: Summer Break; PFM Closed
  • Monday July 9th: Pajama Day!
  • Friday July 13th: Ice Cream Social at PFM (3:30pm)
  • Thursday July 19th: Bubble Man visits PFM (3pm)
  • Thursday July 27th: Field trip to the Burke Museum! (depart at 9am)

Please feel free to bring in any of the following:

• Salad scraps/veggies/fruits for the bunnies

• Old necklaces or necklace beads for stringing

• Water or bubble toys for the playground

Thank you

 

Birthdays this month…

Jack turns 4 July 8th!

Arya turns 4 July 22nd!

 

Happy Birthday friends!

 

 

Happy Summer!

 
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July North Class Newsletter

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer!

Hello July!

 
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Happy Summer!

We will continue our Dinosaur study this July! On our shelves we will keep sorting different dinosaurs by when they lived, where they lived, and what they ate. Our focus will be fine-tuned to learn about the dinosaurs that lived in Washington State way back when. We will add materials to the shelf to help practice a dinosaur excavation, create skeleton pictures and even materials to make some dinosaur costumes! Part of the Montessori method is following the child’s interests. Undoubtedly summer will inspire new topics of study that will make their way into the classroom 
At the end of the month we will be taking a school field trip to the Burke Museum. We will be able to see a life sized T. Rex skull, the first dinosaur fossil found in Washington state, and displays showcasing the landscapes and animals of Washington during dinosaur times. This will be a super fun field trip! Not only will we be seeing a dinosaur exhibit, but we will ride the city bus to get there! Public transit is always an exciting way to go on a field trip.
July will be a great month!

Hope

 
“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe’, but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”
— Maria Montessori
 

Dates to remember:

  • Monday July 9th: Pajama Day!
  • Friday July 13th: Ice Cream Social at PFM (3:30pm)
  • Thursday July 19th: Bubble Man visits PFM (3pm)
  • Thursday July 27th: Field trip to the Burke Museum! (depart at 9am)
 

Birthdays this month…


July 5th Riley turns 5!

 

Happy Birthday!

 

 

Happy Summer!

 
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July Infant Newsletter

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer!

Hello July!

 
 

Happy JULY Families!

Happy Summer Families! This summer we will be playing outdoors as much as possible on the small side of the playground. We will be focusing on developing our gross motor both outdoors and indoors through using climbers and tunnels. We also have push cart work that we will bring out in the afternoons to help babies practice moving!

On hot days please bring your child to school in sunscreen! Thank-you!

 
“Learn to move, move to learn:
Babies need to move freely in a safe
place. When babies are allowed to move
and explore on their own, they learn about
their environment and abilities. Babies
develop confidence and problem-solving
skills as they move, explore, and relate to
their environment. ”
— RIE Principal
 

Dates to remember:

June 29th - July 6th:

Summer Break; PFM Closed

Weekly Focus:

July 9 th-13th {Physical} – small & large motor, example: Climber

July 16th-20th {Social/emotional} exapmle: Baby dolls

July 23rd-31st {Language} exapmle: Books

 
 

Happy Summer!

 
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July Toddler Newsletter

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer!

Hello July!

 
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To celebrate the height of
summer, this month we will
be focusing on the ocean!
We will be discussing the
difference between
freshwater and saltwater,
working with water in our
sensory bin, and talking
about who lives in the sea!

Dates to remember:

  • Monday July 9th: Pajama Day!
  • Friday July 13th: Ice Cream Social at PFM (3:30pm)
  • Thursday July 19th: Bubble Man visits PFM (3pm) on PFM playground. You may join if you'd like but please take your little one home with you after the show.
 

Weekly lessons:

Week one: Sea bubbles and scoop transfer

Week two: Sponge squeezing

Week three: Goldfish gluing work 

 

 

 

 

Happy Summer!

 
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Head of School Newsletter: July

June was a buuuuuusy month for all of us here at PFM! I was so focused on our Super Hero graduation ceremony that I even forgot to do a June Newsletter -- my apologies everyone. Time to get back on track for our summer session!

We had a wonderful graduation ceremony and appreciate all the support we felt on this special day (and every day). Graduation is a bittersweet time for teachers, kids and parents as we are all so happy for them to move on to kindergarten yet sad to see them go. We said goodbye to Henry, Eloise and Laila who began attending summer camps after graduation. We love them and will miss them dearly. The other graduates will remain at PFM for either part or all of the summer session so we will spend as much time with them as we can before they go! We loved having this special group of kids over the years and know they will make us proud in their future learning and endeavors.

We are happy to welcome Lyla Seidenstein and Michael Sullivan to the infant room this month! Wiley Lippitt and Joey Njeim have transitioned to the toddler room and are doing very well! We also welcomed two new children to the toddler class in June -- Jack Bell and Zoe Cordeau. They have settled in and made many new toddler friends already! Melat Goytom and Vera Harmer are big preschoolers now and have settled nicely into their new classrooms. Effie will be joining North preschool this month and a new friend, Aira Gupta, joined South preschool this week. The children have welcomed all of their new friends with such love.   

We began summer session with a pajama day, and on Friday we will celebrate with an ice cream party! There are a lot of fun summer field trips and events coming up this month so be sure to check the summer field trip schedule posted in lobby for details (preschool). We plan to spend as  much time outdoors as we can this summer!

Have a wonderful month everyone!


Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM

When your Toddler Hits you: A New Perspective

"Odd though it may seem, if you come down hard when your toddler hits, you are likely to nail his hitting behavior onto his daily routine."

Hitting--and other seemingly aggressive forms of behavior, such as pushing and kicking--is a common part of child development; it is particularly common during the toddler years when language skills are still developing. Hitting is an emotional reaction young children may experience. A toddler cannot say to their parent, teacher, or peer, "I am angry," or "I am upset, and this is why." Instead, they use their bodies to exude emotional reactions. 

The teachers and staff at PFM are patient and adept at handling typical toddler behavior, such as hitting. When a child is upset, we react quickly, in a calm and supportive manner. We encourage parents to react similarly, while seeking to understand why your child is upset and offer additional ways to express anger or frustration. 

In this article, you can learn more about what may cause a toddler--or young child--to hit and how best to handle difficult, yet typical toddler behavior. 

 

Contact

tblades@pacificfirstmontessori.com