February Infant Newsletter

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Hello February~

This month, we have several infants on the verge of walking. It’s an exciting time in their development and a privilege to witness in the classroom! To support this developmental milestone, we have several “pushing works” in our environment. (This is something you can emulate at home if your child is close to walking.) Pushing work helps prepare an infant for weight shifting to their feet, strengthens hand-eye and bilateral coordination, and encourages the movement of walking! We have several rolling carts and cars throughout the classroom for students to enjoy.

 
“An authentic child is one who feels secure, autonomous, competent, and connected.
When we help a child to feel secure, feel appreciated, feel that ‘somebody is deeply, truly interested in me,’ by the way we just look, the way we just listen, we influence that child’s whole personality, the way that child sees life.”
— RIE Principal
 

Dates to remember:

  • Valentine's Day Craft Night--February 7, from 4:00-5:30pm
  • PFM closure--February 18 for President's Day

Classroom reminder:

Please check your child's cubby at pickup to see whether they are low on supplies. Also, please label your child's bottles and/or food with their first and last name, the date, and the type of milk or food. Let us know if your child has dietary restrictions! We'll update thier file and ensure these are monitored during communal snack times. Thank you!

 
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February South Preschool Newsletter

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Hello February~

 
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This month, the South Preschool students will continue to study Andy Warhol’s artistic philosophy. They will create a Warhol-inspired masterpiece available for purchase at the PFM auction in March!

The preschoolers will also learn about the U.S Postal Service. They’ll study addresses, where to write the address, and where to place a stamp!

“Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • Valentine's Day Craft Night--February 7, from 4:00-5:30pm
  • Tiny Tots--February 8
  • PFM closure--February 18 for President's Day

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please be sure your child has extra warm clothes in his/her cubby

 

 

 

 

February Birthdays:

Hunter (4) February 6 ; Alex (5) February 16 ; Alina (3) February 20

 
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Head of School Newsletter: February

PFM Families,

This month, we are gearing up for the auction that will take place in March! The children have been learning about many different pop artists and are in the process of making cool pop art for the big event. They are so creative and think outside the box, which makes them great artists!

In January, Harlem joined the infant room and is having a ball watching all the babies crawling and cooing around her. Quinn and Emery moved to the toddler room, and they have made fast friends with the other toddlers who are “showing them the ropes.” We welcomed Beckett to South Preschool, and he is doing great! We all enjoy listening to his stories at circle time.

We are so excited for Valentine’s Day in February! This is such a fun time of year to help children celebrate love and friendships. We hope you will join us for Valentine Craft Night on Thursday, February 7, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in the toddler and preschool classes. This is one of the children’s favorite events! We also have a field trip to Tiny Tots on Friday, February 8. We always enjoy these outings and feel so lucky to be able to take part in such a fun performance geared toward teaching young children about music and instruments.  

In February at PFM, we like to focus on friendship. Teachers plan many activities to support children in making friends, solving problems, and teaching children how to be a good friend. We will also spend time learning about and celebrating the Chinese New Year. We hope that the of the pig brings you good health and luck in all things!

Have a wonderful February everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM

Teaching your Child to Be More Patient

Patience is a lifelong skill that can be taught at home and in the Montessori classroom. But how do you teach patience? Preschool students practice patience while waiting for a work to be available, standing in line for snack, or when taking a turn on the playground. However, infants and toddlers can also practice patience!

In this article, you can learn how to s-t-r-e-t-c-h a child’s patience within a short period of time. (Patience “stretching” should not be confused with teasing, as there is a marked difference between the two.) We invite you to utilize timers or count with your child as they wait for your attention, a toy, snack, etc. Start by having your child wait a few seconds, and then, stretch the waiting period by several minutes!

January Afternoon Preschool Newsletter

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Hello January~

Hello afternoon preschool parents!

During the early part of the month, the preschool students will enjoy learning about winter forest animals, including bears, foxes, and owls. They’ll visit a bear cave and enjoy reading books under the “night sky.” The students will also take a trip to the arctic to play on the ice and in the chilly water alongside seals, polar bears, and narwals. They’ll be surrounded by igloos and mounds of snow. We’ll have them dressed for the occasion, don’t worry!

After learning about the winter wonderland, the preschoolers will return to the city to resume their “jobs” as doctors and construction workers. It’s sure to be a fun, busy month!

Afternoon Preschool Updates:

If you'd like to see our afternoon preschool program in action, we invite you to visit our space anytime between 4:00-5:00pm!

 
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January North Preschool Newsletter

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Hello January~

 
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This month, the North Preschool students will learn about famous artist, Wassily Kandinsky. They will create a Kandinsky-inspired masterpiece that will be available for purchase at our annual PFM auction! The students will also learn about penguins (a favorite topic of conversation) and “snowpeople.”

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. S/he has the power to teach her/himself.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM reopens after winter break on January 2
  • PFM will be closed Monday, January 21 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please be sure your child has extra warm clothes in his/her cubby

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, hats, and rain pants) at school

 

 

 

January Birthdays:

Effie (3) January 7

 
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January South Preschool Newsletter

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Hello January~

 
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This month, the South Preschool students will study Andy Warhol’s artistic philosophy. They will create a Warhol-inspired masterpiece that will be available for purchase at the annual PFM auction! The preschoolers will also learn about arctic animals. What are they? Where do they live? What do they eat?

“Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his/her mind comes through his/her movements.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM reopens after winter break on January 2
  • PFM will be closed Monday, January 21 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please be sure your child has extra warm clothes in his/her cubby

 

 

 

 

January Birthdays:

Evelyn (5) January 9

 
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January Toddler Newsletter

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Hello January~

 
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This month, the toddler students will learn about the artwork of Kusama. They will create Kusama-inspired masterpieces to be sold at our annual auction! The students will also enhance their fine-motor skills with cotton ball tweezing and play with the winter-themed sensory bin.

We will learn two new songs—”Five Little Snowmen” (to the tune of “Five Little Pumpkins”) and “The Snowkey Pokey” (to the tune of “The Hokey Pokey”). These will be fun to sing and dance to during circle time!

 

“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM reopens after winter break on January 2
  • PFM will be closed Monday, January 21 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Quick Classroom Reminders:

As the weather gets colder, please be sure your child has a warm coat, hat, mittens, and dry rain gear for the playground each day!

 

 

 

January Birthdays:

Joseph (2) January 6 ; Wiley (2) January 10

 
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Contact

tblades@pacificfirstmontessori.com