May – Birch Tree Community

Here we are entering our last few days together this school year. May has been packed full of fun activities, special occasions, and changes. We wished Ms. Kionna farewell on her trip to Africa and welcomed Ms. Anna back to Greene Towne which has been a special pleasure for her stepping back into a classroom. She has jumped right in engaging with the children, giving lessons, and keeping things running smoothly. We also had a special surprise visit from Ms. Cara! The Kindergarteners spent time with her on our last library trip outing and she came for recess and circle time with baby Harrison.

We started off May with a few more precious days with the chicks and ended with butterflies. These transformations are very special for the children (and adults) to get to watch and just as fascinating each year. Everyone was gentle, quiet, and respectful of these living creatures and it gives us a sense of how each living thing serves a special purpose and has a role to play in the world. It’s also a great opportunity to connect our work to what’s happening in our environment.

It’s a bittersweet time for our Kindergarteners as they share excitement and reservations about leaving the classroom, missing their friends, and entering first grade. We have been meeting with the other K’s to practice our songs for the celebration and sharing them with the classroom at circle time too. The lemonade stand was a big hit and the K’s had so much fun squeezing lemons together and were eager to take orders and money during our time outside. We raised a lot of money and are in the process of donating it to a local animal shelter – voted on by the Kindergarten classes! Another special Kindergarten tradition has been to read to a Toddler classroom. The K’s work hard to practice a book and present it – wowing the toddlers to get a glimpse of what it might be like to be a big Kindergartener! They also feel a great sense of accomplishment. It’s especially significant if they can revisit their own toddler classroom. As we know, these are significant years in a child’s life and memories become more pronounced at the ages of 5 & 6. Transitions can feel so big and it’s important to foster a sense of tenderness and care around these time while still encouraging a sense of independence and self-confidence that their Montessori experience has enhanced throughout their journey here.

It’s been a wonderful year for our Birch Tree class and everyone has grown in significant ways. Sometimes pictures speak volumes and as I was selecting photos for the blog, I couldn’t help but notice so many big smiles from a sense of pride in their work or just good old goofy moments with a friend. Enjoy!