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Classroom News Decemberisacozytimeinourclassroom.Mostchildrenspendmoretimeindoorsandeveryoneknowsthebasicsofourroutinesandrhythmsnow,whichaddstothesenseofpeaceandcalm.Thereareusuallysometraditionalartactivities(makingaclove/orangepomander,stringingpopcornforthebirds,makingaholidaygarland)availablethatlendthemselvestoconversationwithaco-workerandgivethehandssomethingtodotoexpresstheanticipationofexcitingholidayplanswithone’sfamily!Indeed,theairisabuzzwithtalkofSantaClausandChristmastrees,lightsandcookies.Thisyear,weareenjoyingastudyofGermany.Asusual,wecelebrateaholidaythatistakingplaceinourcountryofgeographicalfocus.Thisyear,ourofficialpickwasNicholaustagorSt.NicholasDay,whichisDecember6.WewillsharewiththechildrentheNicholaustagIexperiencedwhenIwasanexchangestudentinBavaria,foroneyear,backin1984/85.Iwas18andlivingwithawonderfulfamilyofteacherswithadaughtermyage,asonwhowas12andthelittlestgirlwhowas6.Iamstillveryclosetothisfamilyalmost30yearslater.Weputourbootsbythefrontdoorwithacarrotinside,Ithink,forNicholaus’donkey/smallwhitehorse.Inthemorning,therewereafewpracticalgiftsleftonthediningtableforuschildren.Christmaswas,infact,amuchbiggerdeal.Iwillbesharing

manyofmymagicalChristmasmemories,aswell.IspeakGerman,too,soourstudyofthelanguageshouldbemorethoroughthanmostofourlinguisticefforts.WehavealreadybeguntosingsomeChristmassongs“aufDeutsch”including“Still,Still,Still”and“OTannenbaum.”Wewillsing“StilleNacht”andsomeGermanchildren’ssongs,too. IhavebroughtmanyphotoswhichIamplacingafewatatime,forafewdaysatatime,onatrayintheclassroomwithamagnifyingglassandalsosomeoldGermanmarksofvariousdenominations.Thesephotosweretakenpre-digitallyandcostmyparentshundredsofdollarstoprocesswhenIreturnedhome!IshuddertothinkhowmanyterribleandthoughtlesspicturesItookwithnoheedoftheexpense!Atleast,Iamgettingsomegoodofthemnow!Ihavebroughtinsomeartifacts,myfavoritebeingmy“Kristkindlsengel”(Christchildangel)thatmyGermanparentsboughtformefromtheworld-renownedKristkindlsmarktinNuremberg.Thisisanopen-airAdventmarketintheshadowofanoldcastleinthecityknownasthe“toycapitaloftheworld”soitislikeafairytale.Itispresidedoverbyaneffigyofagolden-hairedangel.Ayounggirlofthecityisalsochosenasthisyear’sChristchildAngelandshemakesappearancesinhergoldengownandcrown,carryingcandles.InGermantradition,

P h i l o m a t h M o n t e s s o r i N e w s l e t t e r December 2013

Ace & Anika making a booklet.

Annabel stringing popcorn and looking festive!

Jake & Hugo in the snow!

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itistheChristchildwhobringsgiftsonChristmasEve,butevidentlyitwastoogreatastretchoftheimaginationtoseehowababy,evenaholybaby,couldmanagesuchatask.Overtheyears,Hewasgivenahelper,anangel,todotheheavylifting.MyKristkindlsengelhaswaxhandsandfaceandsheisplacedatopthe

Christmastree,whichis,tothisday,litwithreal,burningcandlesonChristmasmorning. Infact,onthatlongagoChristmasmorninginGermany,IwasveryhomesickformyownfamilyandourChristmastraditions,whichwerelegend.ButIknowthatIamprivilegedtohavespenttheChristmasseasonintheculturewhichisresponsibleforsomanyofourAmericantraditions(nutcrackers,Christmascookies,gingerbread,Christmastrees,Christmaspyramids,Angelchimes,Christmascarols,theidealofthewhiteChristmas,toysandtoytrains,evenSantaClaus,formerlyFatherChristmas,formerlyStNick,formerlyNorseGod,Odin).AndmymemoryofmydayattheMarkt,withmysisterandherfriends,trudgingupthehilltothecastle,withsnowfallingandpiledupallaroundus,isatreasuredone. WewilllearnaboutsomeclassicalGermancomposersandartists.WewillreadsomeofGrimm’sfairytalestotheolderchildrenintheafternoonandwehavebeentellingstoriesofcastles,walledcities,gatesandfortressesinthemornings.

PaulinetoldawonderfulstoryofMadKingLudwig.Shedescribedmadnessas“makingconsistentlyoddchoices”orsomethinglikethat.Totallynon-judgmental.SoPauline.Shealsoshowedushispictureandapictureofoneofhispassions,thecastleNeuschwanstein,whichiswhatCinderella’scastleinDisneylandismodeledafter.Didyouknowhelivednocturnallyandcommandedgrandtheatricalperformancesinhishometheatreatwhichhewastheonlyaudiencemember?Hisascendingthethroneinadolescencecombinedwithhisgoodlooksmadehimpathologicallyself-consciousandheavoidedsociety.Richpeople’sproblems,amIright? WewilllearnabitabouttheAlpsandthewildlifethere.IhavesomegreatmemoriesofmistysummerdaysintheAlpsvisitingmyhost-family’suncleathisdairyandguesthouse.Ihavebeenbacktoseemyfamilytwicesincemyexchangeyearandtheyandtheirkidshavevisitedmemultipletimes.Theyareallworldtravelers,especiallythemother,Inge.Shehasbeeneverywhere!Thelasttimetheyvisitedtheytoldmethattheyweregettingoninyearsandtherewereafewplacestheyhadnotyetseen.Iftheytravelledanymoreatall,itwouldnotbetothePacificNWyetagainandtherefore,thiswouldbetheirlastvisittomyhome.Iresponded,“ThankGoodness!Iwillneverhavetogetmyhousethiscleanagain!”(EverythingyouhaveheardaboutGermanfastidiousnessistrue!Althoughstereotypesarewrong,ofcourse!)

NodoubtotherTeutonictangentswillbefollowed.IhaveresearchedGermanichistoryfrompre-history(manyhugelyimportantarchaeologicalfindsinGermany)tothepresent,butthatislargelywhatwehaveplannedforourstudyonGermany(orBavaria,really!).Whateveryoucelebrateathomethisyear,whetheritisSolsticeorChristmas,theNewYearorKwanzaa,Ihopeyoupursuethosetraditionswhicharethemostmeaningfultoyouandthosethatbringthemostjoy.Ihopeyouandyourchildrenmakehappymemoriesthattheywillonedaylookbackonandreminisceabout.Myoldercousin,Cathy,ofLaPorte,IN,justwroteaChristmasmemoirinherblogthatmentionedmydeardad’sfamoushomemadeeggnogwithislandsofmeringue

Balya sweeping snow from the deck.

Ren washing a table.

Sam getting ready to wash dishes.

floatingabout,freshlygratednutmegandservedinaSantamug,whichIhadjustspokenabouttoagroupoffriendsataparty!Youneverknowwhichdetailsofyourholidaywillprovideatouchstoneforachild’swholelife.WeatthePhilomathMontessoriSchoolwishyouallahappyholidayseasonandmanyjoysintheNewYear! Bestregards, Doni

Newsline • TherewillbeartclassonFriday,December20.Winterbreak begins Monday, December 23 . School resumes on Monday,

January 6.

• Pleasejoinusforournextparent meeting on Thursday, January 16 at 6:00.Thisisanimportantmeeting–just3weeksbeforeourbigfundraiser!ANDweneedyourhelpincomplyingwiththeQualityRatingandImprovementSystembyfillingoutashortsurveythatwewillexplainatthemeeting.Freechildcarewillbeprovided.

• Therewillbeno school on Monday, January 20.WewillbecelebratingDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.Day.

• Ourbigfundraiseroftheyear–TheLove of Learning Auction,RaffleandFamilyFunwillbeonSaturday, February 8 from 4pm to 7pmatthePhilomathElementarySchool.

• Therewillbeno school on Monday, February 17,President’sDay.

• WearehavinganOpen HouseforprospectiveparentsonSaturday, March 1 from 10am to 1pm.Please“bringabuddy”totheOpenHouseandspreadtheword!

• Language Workshop,ParentEdNight,rescheduledforThursday, March 13 at 6pm.

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Theo working with the Pink Tower. Harper working with the Brown Stair. Eddie doing the 100 Board.

Jovi at the top of the tire tree. Outside group picture!

Hugo & Connor practicing writing numbers on a chalkboard.

Art Class TogoalongwiththestudyofGermany,thechildrenrecentlyworkedoncollagesofcastlesusingthewatercolorpaperstheyhadmadeearlierinthefall.PriortothisprojecttheymadesewnandbeadedleatherpoucheswithsomeoftheleatherthatJasmindonatedtotheartsprogram.Allthechildrenmadeanaturecollagecreatingbothmandalasandinterestingpatternswithanassortmentofnuts,pods,andplants.AroundHalloween,theymadepaintedandcollagedmasksaswellasleafpaintingsinwhichtheystudiedaleaf,didaresistwithcrayonsandthenpaintedwithwatercolors. Fortheongoingsideproject,manyofthechildrenhavebeenworkingonstrawweavingswithyarn,makingheadbands,beltsandscarves.Eachweektheyhaveadifferentassignmentalsointheirjournalsaswellasafreedrawingpage.Theyhavetracedandthendecoratedtheirhandandfoot,donerubbings,drawnandalsodoneleafrubbings,lookedcloselyandthendrawnsomethingintheclassroom,satacrossfromanotheranddrawnthatpersonsface,drawnamask,studiedaworkofartintheartcardsandattemptedtoreplicatethepainting,andotherideas.Theyarenowcomingupwithsuggestionsfortheseassignmentswhichisgreat. JenniferSmith

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Thank Yous

Classroom Projects • Drawandcutpretzelshapesfordrawing:

Meagan Johanson• Prepare“cuttingcorners”activity:Kim Catton• Cutshapesleafshapesforcollage:Meagan Johanson• Trace&cutleafshapesforpainting:Kim Catton• Trace&cutsquashshapesforpainting:

Meagan Johanson• Cutseaturtleandmanateeshapes:Meagan Johanson &

Kim Catton• Sewicepackcovers:Jasmin Woodside

Outside & Maintenance• Pickedupanddeliverednewpicnictables:

Lanny McGaughy• Pickedup,delivered,andpositionednewshed:

Lanny McGaughy & Allan Rack• Recycledlargeamountoffluorescentlightbulbs:

Shawnde Bausch• Changedseveralclassroomfluorescentlightbulbs:

Lanny McGaughy

• Shovel,rake,&levelrockinnewstrip:Ryan Johanson• Sand&refinishartdryingrack:TheWoodside family• Refinishclassroomtables:Shannon Bedford• Repairshedroof:TheWoodside family• Hangbulletinboardinoffice:TheWoodside family• Installsoapdispenser&faucet:TheWoodside Family

Donations • Raffleticketprinting:Phoenix Media• Severalbooks&rainbownestingbowls:

Shannon Bedford• Emergencyflashlight:Williams family• Extrakid’scloths:Heather Gerding• Pillowstuffingforartclass:Lua Siegel

Classroom Cleaning• Bausch & Kenoyer Families

Parent Ed• SpecialthankstoLua Siegel and Rory Plaireforlettingususetheirprojector!

Oursincereandhumblethanksforthemanythingsyoudoforusandgivetous!!Wearesofortunate.