'Tis the Season to Be Busy

This month's overall theme has been December holidays from around the world. We have looked at the traditions and symbols of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, while sharing stories of our own Christmas traditions. Even amongst all that, we have been hard at work designing holiday/flower arrangements, sewing buttons, and decorating Christmas trees. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! Enjoy the picture gallery!

Designing Holiday Arrangements

Sewing Buttons

Decorating the Small Tree in Our Book Corner

Decorating the Real Tree in Our Front Lobby

Thank you Food Lion for the donation!

Two Birthday Celebrations This Week

Both a girl and a boy turned 3 years old in our class this week. We are so proud of both of them for the growth they have made thus far. Both individuals are intelligent and loving and we are blessed to have them in our classroom community! Per tradition, we took a walk down memory lane with both students, as they presented pictures of themselves growing older. And then they walked around the sun and 12 months of the year, 3 times. Yay for birthday celebrations!

Recognizing Hanukkah Traditions

As we read a cute story, What is Hanukkah?, we discussed the symbols and traditions of the Jewish holiday. We lit 8 candles on the "Menorah" using the "shamash" (helper candle) to represent the 8 days of celebration. We talked about the Hebrew words on the "dreidel", what they meant in English, and what instruction they give when playing the dreidel game.

The dreidel game requires players to spin a four-sided top and then take or give back token pieces depending on what side the top lands on. This proved to be a fun game for the children, as well as a great learning opportunity.

Traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil. I made potato latkes for the first time so the children could see that different cultures have different food traditions at holiday times. 

I discussed with the children first how I prepared them- peeled the potatoes, shredded the potatoes, added a few eggs, and formed patties before cooking them in oil. We made sure to sample the latkes with apple sauce and sour cream. And overall, they were a hit with the children!

We would like to say Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate it!

Giving at Thanksgiving

At iMontessori School this season, it was clear that the children and staff feel a genuine gratitude for all that we have. Because of our caring parents and teachers, we were able to have our very own feast at school. We filled our bellies beyond our needs and were joyful about the sharing between us. But throughout the month, we also collected non-perishable foods for Tender Heart Ministries, an organization that distributes food to the hungry over the holidays. Having the leaders of the Tender Heart discuss what the donated food means to those in greater need, was emotionally moving and motivational. I am so glad the children had this opportunity to give. A big THANKS to everyone who donated!

It Felt Good to Give to Others

There were smiles on the children's faces as they carried the donations to the trunk for Tender Heart Ministries. Physically bringing in the food from home and then physically giving the food away, provided a learning experience the children will surely remember.

The children and staff were overjoyed at this moment. Tears of joy were present, and it was confirmed for us, how good giving can feel.

Let's keep on giving throughout the year!