Manhattan Jewish Montessori

Before we get into what's been going on regarding Sukkot, we want to get straight into how the children have transitioned so beautifully into the routine of the day. In a Montessori style classroom, the teachers do not generally set out activities on the table. A child chooses his own, works with it, and places it back where it belongs when he is finished. When an activity is back on a shelf, that's when another child knows it is available. This teaches responsibility, independence and so much more.  This activity took on new significance after Rosh Hashanah. It joined the math shelf and the children have been using it all week. The children have been gravitating more and more towards the language shelf. We are careful to present activities for pre-writing skills. At the same time though, it is appropriate for the children to begin recognizing letters through the letters in their names. This activity below has become a favorite for a few of the children. I...

Welcome to MJM 2017! We are really excited to be working with your children this year, and we encourage you to check out these weekly blogpost which will feature all the great things that go on in the classroom. One of our goals in the beginning of the year, is to give the children the opportunity to learn the structure of the classroom, and routines of the day. And this past week we did just that. After just four days, the children have already learned and practiced every day skills such as waiting their turn, pushing in their chairs, serving themselves during snack and lunch time, and clearing their places after they eat. They have already been showing great progress in following the routine of the day. On top of that, the children have been learning how to use the different activities found on the shelves in the classroom. Each activity is placed on the shelf intentionally, with the purpose of teaching a specific skill or two. How do they learn? First, a Morah will give a les...