Mama's Observing

Miss D has been asking me to "observe" in her classroom since last fall when I did it in M-Moo's classroom. At the time, we had some concerns about M-Moo's comfort-level in her classroom and were wondering if we shouldn't move her (either back to toddler class or to another early childhood class).

The time has just never been quite right to do it (what with me trying to work during the mornings and such). But this weekend I promised Miss D that I would come and observe.

So this morning I stopped by the coffee shop and picked up three lattes (one for me, two for the teachers) and spent the hours from 9:00 to 12:00 with Miss D and K-Wiggles in Montessori-land.

K-Wiggles was the single-focus child today, and her "work" for the entire morning was something called the "step board." I tried to find a picture of it online or a video of someone doing it, but I think I must have the wrong name for it, 'cuz I couldn't find it. I e-mailed her teacher so when I find it I will update this post to show you what it was.

Miss-D has been working on recording her "hundreds board." Here is a video of what she was doing, except she was "recording," which means that she was writing all the numbers down on a checkerboard piece of paper.


The Hundreds Board Montessori Material -- powered by eHow.com

After that, Miss D was doing some work with the "movable alphabet." Here it is, except at Miss D's school they have a set of small objects that they lay out on the mat and then spell the word that goes with the small object. Then they "record" the work by writing each of the words on a piece of paper, then putting each object away and its letters away as you write the word. Miss D was really quick at spelling all the three-letter words, but took a little longer to write the words down. She is working very hard at forming all her letters correctly.

Montessori Movable Alphabet Activity -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

It was a good day and it's always fun to see the girls so absorbed in their work at school.