First Week of Class

The first week of school in Ward-Hobbs PM(WHPM):

WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME.

This blog is dedicated to the children and families of WHPM as a means of providing a window onto the school days in our classroom. We look forward to the year ahead and getting to know each of you. .


Upon arrival, the students spend some time getting to know one another outside, picking up pears on the playground, playing in the sandbox, watering the plants and having a good time.

When it is time to come inside, we ring a bell and line up at the door. We put our slippers on and come to line. Here Shannon leads a circle discussion, highlighting some essential grace and courtesy exercises (how we walk in the classroom, how we roll a rug, how we have snack, etc.).

We jumped right into work.
A student is pictured here working with the Metal Insets.

The metal insets are a traditional Montessori material developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. The Metal Insets (ten metal insets and frames) exercise strengthens the pincer grip and coordinate the necessary hand movements encountered in writing.

Concentrated work with the metal insets leads to a refinement of the small muscle groups used in handwriting and gives the child mastery of all the movements required to form the letters of the alphabet in writing. At the same time, use of this work reinforces recognition of the geometric shapes.

As our work period comes to a close, we walk through the classroom with a music box, signaling that it's time to put our work away, put our shoes on and come to circle. On second line, Shannon led a lovely little Tommy Mouse game:

(we all sing)

"Little Tommy, little mouse,
Who's that coming to my house?
Who's that knocking on my door?
Has he/she been here before?"

"Who's there?", says the child hiding.

"It's me.", says the child knocking.

(The child hiding behind the door guesses who is knocking at the house.)
Then the child knocking hides behind the door and we do it all over again.
The children always enjoy this fun line time activity and today was no exception.

It was a great final note for a wonderful first week.
We look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.