Back to School!

What a wonderful start to the school year! Our older children had a few days' head start and our youngest students joined us on Monday. Somehow, after only a few days together, the classroom is already beginning to feel settled, with new friends learning the routines and returning children happily showing them the ropes. 

We always spend the beginning of the year making plenty of time for art, stories, music, movement, and just getting to know one another. This year has been no exception! 

The children have been cutting, gluing, painting, drawing, and creating some amazing art along the way. It's so fun seeing how differently children can interpret the exact same project.

We have also been doing lots and lots of reading. A Bad Case of Stripes, The Library Dragon, and The Spiffiest Giant in Town have already been requested for re-reads.

Of course, no Marlowe morning would be complete without plenty of singing and dancing! We have pulled out the rhythm sticks (and glow sticks), learned new songs, practiced old favorites, and moved enough to make sure nobody leaves with too much extra energy. 

And then there is all the incredible work! One of my favorite things about the beginning of every school year is watching twenty children walk into the exact same classroom and immediately begin twenty completely different journeys.

I am so delighted that our students have jumped head-first into geography, language, math, writing, and other wonderfully ambitious work.

One of the wonderful things about the Montessori classroom is the children's ability to work side by side, compare discoveries, and turn a lesson into a two-person project simply because doing it with a friend is always more fun. :)

After one week all together, the classroom is already humming along. I'm excited to see where this year takes us!