August 2014 Newsletter headers

1. Classroom highlights

2. Birthdays

3. Fun facts

4. Mark your calendars

5. Sound of the week

6. Wish list - to parents

7.Announcements

8. Parent resource

**The month that was -July 2014

thefreethinkingschool.com

an exciting kick-o�to a new month of fun and learning

VOL: 004

OCTOBER 2014

2

the month that was-september september kicked o� to a flying start with the tfs sports day held on the 2nd of september. the air seemed to be charged with excitement and energy as parents eagerly anticipated their ward's performances. mr. robert khin principal bethany high, our chief guest set the ball in motion. from that point on, the children held possession of the ball as they participated in novelty races such as 'bounce away', 'hold on tight' and 'whip it in to win'. parents also had their fair share of fun as they participated in the tfs world cup event, where we saw mr. and mrs. reddy from argentina who are the new reigning champions. the three legged race brought the competitive spirit of parents to the foe; participants were seen coaching, coaxing and even hauling their little ones across the finish line. the closing ceremony was a momentous one as the entire gathering united in dance. the event was enjoyable for we bore witness to the playful innocence of children which was and still is, the most adorable sight.

to celebrate teacher’s day the children brought along their blankets and soft toys to enjoy watching the movie 'finding nemo’ together whilst eating popcorn and cookies.

on september 12 children welcomed their dads to 'dad’s night'. it was delightful to see fathers sitting alongside their little ones and exploring the environment together. dads were curious about how classroom materials are used and asked their kids to demonstrate their usage. one of the dads exclaimed, “i never imagined that children at this age can learn about vertebrates and invertebrates!”.

september 26 our first field trip was dampened by the rain – therefore we had a picnic in school instead. children enjoyed the day by playing with toys after our snack break. they also made their own butterfly jam sandwiches and enjoyed it thoroughly.

classroom highlightslet me start o� by wishing you all a happy dassehra and eid mubarak . i hope you all had a joyous holiday season.

september was another great month at the free thinking school. classroom discussions centred around vertebrates and invertebrates. children made their own blue ringed octopuses. we welcomed our first pet 'mr. gold' a goldfish into our classroom. children enjoyed watching and feeding it. it was amazing how most of the children are able to di�erentiate between mammals and fish. most of them are aware of a few species of fishes like shark, pu�er fish, angelfish, clown fish, etc. we also learned about di�erent parts of a fish.in october, we will continue exploring the animal kingdom and will focus on amazing amphibians.

a gentle reminder – please continue your support in making sharing days a success. thursdays and fridays of every week are sharing days. please continue to send articles and share a few facts with your children about the article so that in turn they can share this information with the class.

-meenal goyalhod - montessori

3

4

fun factsbusy kids need a healthy snack to bolster their energy, help them concentrate and learn at school. we know this full well, but sometimes we mothers run out of ideas as far as our kid’s snack box is concerned. maybe it's the hustle and bustle of trying to get everything ready all at once in the mornings that constrains us from thinking out of the box. usually we end up just feeling guilty and frustrated. here are some useful tips and ideas to help you pack a smart snack for school.

since kids like fresh fruit cut and ready to eat, a fruit salad is the ideal lunch box solution. it’s colourful, easy to eat and bursting with vitamins. o�er di�erent seasonal fruits each day for a change in flavour, colour and texture. peel and slice or cut fruit if possible and choose a seedless varieties of grape and watermelon.

you could also try making a vegetable and fruit salad like a simple pomegranate, sweet corn and cucumber salad, your kid will love it.

almost all kids love sandwiches, but instead of white bread o�er a variety of whole grain breads, rolls and multigrain breads. try any of these filling fillings -banana and honey; mashed boiled egg and mayonnaise; cheese and tomato; cream cheese, cucumber and carrot.you can make sandwich fillings interesting by using a range of vegetables like grated carrot, sprouts, lettuce or baby spinach, sliced celery or avocado.to make your filling attractive you could use a vegetable peeler to strip cucumber into thin ribbons and decorate the filling.

moving on from sandwiches, try mu�ns, wraps, multigrain crackers, pitta bread, stu�ed parattas, pancakes, wa�es or scones

if nothing else works try the three bowl approach: fill one bowl with fruit, one with treats and one with dairy products (such as a bowl of yoghurt /cheese sticks) or even dry fruit.

the road to discovering your child's preferences in food will be exciting if only we are patient and creative enough to experiment with di�erent kinds of food. we wish you all the very best on this journey of discovery and will be happy to help you keep your creative juices flowing.

5

mark your calendars16thOctober (Thursday)-Cooking Project from 5.30 - 7.00 pm You're invited to come learn how to make tantalising party appetisers and smart snacks to pack from Mrs. Lisa Colaso Govias. She is a food enthusiast who runs a catering business and was a faculty member at a leading cookery school in Dubai. She is all set to treat your taste buds and teach you to cook up somethings new.

18th oct -PTM - (Saturday) (9am - 11am)

22nd -26th Oct –( Wednesday - Sunday) Diwali holidays

birthdays in october

harishankara prasada – 30 oct

s a adnan – 17 oct

6

sound of the weekhere are the sounds we will focus on in class during the next 2 weeks.

oct 13-17 -"d" as in dog, dolphin, date

oct 27-31 -"h” as in hen, hat, hot

wish list to parentsmissing link : sometimes children may unknowingly take classroom material home. if you happen to find these missing links, kindly return it to the school as montessori materials are hard to replace.

announcementsdance- the tfs kids are dancing to a new bollywood beat. parents do catch on to that beat and swing a leg along with your little ones at home!

parent resource

please. thank you. you're welcome. excuse me. may i join you?

according to e.m. standing, in maria montessori: 'her life and work, montessori'.

montessori teachers start the year with grace and courtesy lessons to help children become oriented to the classroom and each other. "manners" are a welcome side e�ect; however, the intrinsic value of courteous communication reaches much deeper.

these activities give children practical tools they can use throughout their lives to interact respectfully with children and adults with whom they share the world.

grace and courtesy lessons also prepare children for later social (and business) encounters, at an age when they are eager to imitate (and ready to internalize) the social behavior they see around them. young children in montessori schools are delighted to start the day with grace and courtesy: they greet the teacher, shake hands, make eye contact, and say a pleasant, "good morning."

as the year progresses, children become accustomed to greeting each other respectfully, using polite words, walking around each others' work without disturbing others and even waiting politely for their turn to speak. by the end of the year, such courtesies have become practically second nature.

those early experiences serve children well beyond the classroom! montessori teacher/consultant pam personette remembers her recent encounter with the technician who responded to her call for computer repairs. "steven arrived promptly at the appointed time," pam recalls, "he immediately extended his hand, introduced himself and said a polite, 'good morning.'

"steven listened carefully and patiently as i explained my problem; he spoke to me respectfully. i asked steven if he had attended montessori school when he was young. yes! he had.

in the classroom, the teacher presents new tasks one skill at a time, without the pressure of a schedule. later, children will spontaneously apply what they've learned in a real-world social setting. you can use the same principle to help children prepare themselves to interrupt politely, use courteous words amidst the social whirl, and write "thank you" notes before the holidays.

before dinner out with the extended family or a visit with seldom-seen friends, find opportunities to practice grace and courtesy with your children — and watch how they blossom in a relaxed, familiar setting with plenty of time to practice.

7

(continued on the next page)

interrupting politely

unfamiliar settings will be more comfortable for children if they know how to attract your attention appropriately. montessori grace and courtesy consultant pam personette o�ers this comforting, non-verbal technique from her classroom days.

in pam's classroom, a child needing her attention placed a hand on pam's arm without speaking. in response, pam placed her free hand over the child's, to let the little one know his "turn" to speak would come soon. some teachers have reported that children would line up behind each other, waiting for their turn to "interrupt" respectfully!

well in advance of the event, role-play interrupting with your child to teach the technique. a similar one is most likely in use at school (you might ask your child's teacher how it's done and use the exact same method).

using courteous language

"may i get you a cup of tea?" "yes, please."

"would you care for some butter?" "no, thank you."

"thank you." "you're welcome."

don't all parents use such courteous language all the time? as hard as we try, the truth is it's terribly easy for busy adults to forget ourselves in the rush. yet modeling may be the most potent way for parents to help children extend their new social skills beyond the classroom. more important, these polite words and phrases set a climate of mutual respect within which your children will thrive.

use the same simple, polite phrases at every opportunity. rather than prompting children to o�er appropriate responses, enlist a friend or family member (or an older child) to demonstrate courteous language. this kind of role playing is truly "play." you may even find children practicing with their friends (be they stu�ed bears or children!). children are naturally inclined to imitate your speech and will join in with the proper responses in time.

1. seat the two role players at a set table.

2. model one set of phrases at a time:

"would you like some water?" "yes, please."

(pour the water.) "thank you." "you're welcome."

"would you please pass the bread?" "yes, here it is."

(pass the bread.) "thank you." "you're welcome."

3. invite the younger child to take the place of one of the role players and repeat the exchange exactly the same way.

tip: children need lots of repetition. rather than correct their early or incomplete e�orts, choose another opportunity to role play again on another day.

(parent resource continued...)

8

writing thank you notes

when is it appropriate to say "thank you"? knowing is not as easy as it seems! of course, parents can model for their children by thanking them verbally for their e�orts and their company. thanking friends, relatives, and guests in writing is an appealing activity for children, especially when they can participate in the whole communication process.

children need little urging to draw or write on a postcard they will mail themselves. let them watch you address the postcards. children can then a�x stamps and, if at all possible, carry postcards to the post box and drop them in.

before the holiday season begins, find an occasion for your children to create and mail a few postcards or letters in this way and they will be eager to repeat the activity after the holidays.

"practice" for the holidays with a tea party

children love everything about a tea party! having a friend to tea gives children a chance to write and mail an invitation, greet, serve, and thank a guest — every step is a wonderful opportunity to exercise grace and courtesy. after some time to practice individual skills, a tea party gives children a chance to synthesize what they've learned in a comfortable, low-key setting (before that big family dinner!).

when children have snack in the montessori classroom, they chat quietly with each other and with adults. they take turns speaking and use their napkins. at the end of the snack, they thank each other for the delightful experience, clear their dishes and glasses, and tuck in their chairs.

a tea party is a perfect chance for similar polite conversation at home. parents can use the party to set the stage for a future event by pretending to be at a fancy restaurant (or grandma's house!). ask the children to dress up the table accordingly. even simple decorative touches like a doily, flowers, and special serving dishes bring out their formal best!

prepare small servings of child-friendly foods with your child. think apple wedges and cheese, crackers and sliced eggs, veggies and dip — foods that will call on plenty of passing and serving are perfect.

life beyond the montessori classroom

the mother of anna, a former montessori primary student now enrolled in a third grade public elementary school, stopped pam personette at a clothing store to thank her for anna's early montessori grace and courtesy lessons. pam reports, "anna's mother told me her child always tucks in her chair (at home, at school, and in restaurants). when other parents are prompting their children to say 'please' and 'thank you,' it comes naturally to anna."

and then there is steven, the college student who came to repair pam's computer.

when asked about having attended montessori school, steven was intrigued. how did pam know? it wasn't just the greeting! pam says, "i prepared lunch for him (we have three computers...there was lots of work). he waited for everyone to sit down before he began to eat. we had a pleasant conversation and he thanked me for lunch. when we got up from the table... steven tucked in his chair!"

montessori truly is education for life! montessori school prepares children to become citizens of the world and, whether at home or at school, it all begins with mutual respect — otherwise known as grace and courtesy.

—by joyce beydler (with pam personette, m.ed., ams) for montessori services

(parent resource continued...)

9

montessor i + a f te r schoo l c lub

080 2553 3446 / 88613 03631

thefreethinkingschool.comlearn@thefreethinkingschool.com

log on to www.facebook.com/thefreethinkingschool to engage in conversationsthat enable SMART PARENTING.