DOBSON MONTESSORI SCHOOL NEWS

September 8 - October 2

WHAT IS MONTESSORI?

         Montessori education addresses the whole child. Academic development is important, but a child cannot learn if they do not feel their social and emotional needs are also being met. Helping children navigate friendships, develop empathy, learn to speak up for themselves as well as listen to another’s point of view, set boundaries, be responsible for words and deeds, care for the environment, develop a sense of purpose…all of these are a part of every day at Dobson Montessori. 

KINDERGARTEN

         Our class has become a closeknit community during our Off to School unit. In October, students will focus on “Practical Life” learning. Students develop fine motor skills and attention to detail by learning to do what the big people in their lives do. Visiting different stations in our classroom, students will transfer water using a sponge, learn to open a variety of different types of containers, sort small items like beads, beans, and pompoms using tweezers, make plant fertilizer by grinding eggshells with a mortar and pestle. Kindergarten children love to help clean up! We will have clothes washing station and learn to remove a chocolate stain using a washboard. Washing clothes was a social event in the old days where neighbors would gather at a river to scrub and talk. 

PRIMARY

         We are going on a field trip on Tuesday to Butterfly Wonderland where we will encounter many of the creatures we learned about during our study of Rainforests. Parent chaperones need to Venmo $17.50 to cover their discounted admission as we must pay the entrance fee in one payment as a group. Students will they slept at your house? Make sure to text your pictures to Ms. Krista. In October, our new cross-curriculum earning unit is “Caldecott Books”. We will read Make Way for Ducklings and learn how real events can inspire great stories. We will draw an animal we have seen using oil pastels. Making time for reading each day is one of the most important things families can do to reinforce academic skills for their children. Staying up an extra 15 minutes before lights out is a great way to build the reading habit for your student.

INTERMEDIATE

         The “Animal Kingdom” has been a fascinating unit. On Tuesday, students will read their original books based on their research to the primary students. Make sure your child has their completed book handed in on Sept. 29. Our next unit is “Physics”. We will learn what makes the world go round! We will discuss atoms and charged ions and experiment with centrifugal force. Can you turn a bucket of water upside down but not spill a drop? Using this principle, students will create spin art to display on our classroom walls.

UPPER DIVISION

         We conclude our “Archaeology” unit by adding photos and writing about our recent dig to our scrapbooks and give presentations about our research to our peers. You are the teacher! Don’t forget your handmade visual aid. There will be a test over what we have learned this month but don’t get nervous…we are learning how to avoid test anxiety and do well on exams. Our new focus for October is ”Botany”. We will investigate the world of plants and plant a vegetable garden at school. Students will prepare the soil this week by tilling the gardens and adding organic nutrients.  We will press leaves in books to use later in the month for a project. 

HIGH SCHOOL

         We are off to Utah this week for a five-day immersive experience. Students will visit Zion National Park and hike the Narrows. We will see two professional plays and compete in ensemble, trio, and monologue competitions at Southern Utah University. Students will also attend multiple workshops in acting, voice, communication, dance, creating characters, and many more. What an extraordinary experience for our students. Watch our Facebook page for photos of the trip.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

         What is that delicious smell? It’s warm chocolate chip muffins being sold on Thursday for $3 by our upper division students beginning at 8 AM and throughout the day.

HOT LUNCH

         Check out the new menu for October! Everyone looks forward to hot lunch on Wednesdays. The Maricopa County food inspector just awarded us another A for our restaurant standards and our student chefs are very proud to serve their peers a delicious meal every Wednesday. Remember to order by the Friday prior to the lunch so we can order ample supplies.

OCTOBER BREAK

         Remember, our fall break will be held from October 12-16. No school.