What does a child get from just “Watching”? As parents we want to see our child as part of the group, actively in the mix. But there are many reasons that a child may enjoy observing. Observing can feel safe. Many children enjoy watching the action standing just outside the group. There may be times when a child may feel the need to see what’s happening a few times before he or she is ready to jump in and have his or her turn. Being able to witness the sequence of an activ

“Maybe he is not a good swimmer like me, thought Rabbit, and he jumped into the river and swam to the other side. But as he pulled himself up onto the bank…” a teacher read aloud from the beloved book The Black Rabbit by Philippa Leather. One child enthusiastically anticipated the next page and declared, “and there was the black rabbit!” Story time happens formally and informally throughout the day in the Preschool classroom. Our Preschool library is well stocked with seasona

Debbie has begun presenting letters at circle. Each day, we see the letter, hear what sound that letter makes, practice sky writing the letter and find words that begin with that letter sound. This exposes the children to letters and their purpose as well as gets them excited about letter lessons with the sandpaper letters. Debbie shared the letter “m” at circle. Voices called out “M!” Many children made an “mm” or “ma” sound. One friend was called on to identify the let

Recently, the sound cylinders were presented to the class as a new work whose purpose is to refine the child’s sense of hearing. The child carefully shakes one cylinder and then attempts to find its match. The cylinders’ sounds range from almost silent to quite loud when shaken. A young student has taken this work off the shelf, sits quietly at a table with focus and determination, and begins to match the sound cylinders. She is oblivious to the noise and activity of the clas

At first glance, the Practical Life Area allows a child to work independently using their hands to grasp objects and transfer items into a variety of containers. The child can choose to use a variety of tools from the shelves. We have spoons, cups, pitchers and tongs among many other enticing materials for the children to choose from. The nuanced role of these materials allow a child to gain independence, become confident and establish order. The Seedlings have been worki

“One, two, three.. four”, a three-year-old child was overheard quietly saying as she counted four carrots onto her plate. As she independently prepared her snack, she practiced many skills. First she recognized her body was feeling hungry so she paused her work and retrieved a snack necklace. Next she asked a teacher if she could wash her hands. With clean hands, she headed over to the snack area. She remembered to use two gentle hands when picking up her glass plate. She kne

Currently, the Math area is full of simple activities and works. Puzzles in this area involve putting the numerals in order based on the pieces. Many of the children have discovered these puzzles and have actively mastered them. Problem solving, number identification and sequencing are all important aspects of child’s developing mathematical mind. Three friends began a work time by sitting together at the math table doing individual works. Each friend had a different puzz

“I’m going to teach my friend the biggest math work in the room!” a returning student declared during the first week of school. This work is called The 45 Layout, an introduction to place value that is taught in a concrete manner using hands-on materials. The boys excitedly begin to set up this large work: putting out the big work mat and ferrying the materials from the shelf to their work space. In addition to requiring the children to use their memory when organizing the wo