1/13/14 — Toddler Signs and Materials

The toddlers had a great first full week of school in 2014.  They all seem a little bit taller, a little bit chattier, and a little more independent.  It’s amazing how quickly they’re growing!

We want to share a couple items with you to give you a little insight into the toddler room.  Many of you already received an email with a document demonstrating the signs we use with the children (see attachment below if you need a copy).  Toddlers often understand what we are saying to them but they don’t yet have words to use when they want to communicate back to us.  Imagine how frustrating that must be!   Sign language is an incredible tool to help them express their needs.   It’s also a great way to learn manners!  For the children who are already talking, signing can still be fun and it sets an example for the non-talkers.

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We have some new Montessori materials that we will be slowly introducing to the

children (and parents too, for those of you unfamiliar with them).  You may have seen a note last week on your child’s daily sheet about “knobbed cylinders.”   In A Parent’s Guide to the Montessori Classroom, Aline Wolf describes the cylinders as “a sensorial exercise in the discrimination of size…It has built-in control of error because each cylinder fits correctly in only one particular hole” (29-30).  Also, the material actually helps prepare the child for writing as he or she will use the same three fingers used for holding a pencil.

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We look forward to introducing more works in the coming weeks.  As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask the teachers.