Mrs. Morelli
September/October Teacher Notes
A warm welcome to all families in the 2 1/2 - 3year old group. It is a
pleasure to work and learn more about your child each day. The
following concepts are introduced in group time during the months of
September and October.
Circle time:
The children will begin each day coming together as a group. There are several reasons for this, which
include lengthening their attention span, focusing on the teacher presenting a concept and becoming
comfortable with responding to questions in a group setting. Each day we will review the days of the
week, focus on the present month, weather activities, counting, presentation of Montessori manipulative,
reading a story, and discussion of grace and courtesy.
Practical Life Exercises:
In a Montessori classroom, the Practical Life Exercises are the first activities introduced to a child. This
area allows the child to do things they see adults do every day. Each exercise has a beginning, middle
and an end. They will be trained to complete each manipulative as a process and return their “work” to its
proper place on the shelf for the next person to use. Through the training of Practical Life, children learn
to take care of themselves, their environment, learn social graces (manners and respect for others), and
enhance their self-esteem. They also learn how to control their fine and gross muscles with hand-eye
coordination activities needed for each exercise. The “work” on the shelf changes to keep up with the
interests and development of the children. Currently the children are working on transferring, pouring,
sorting, spooning, and washing. They will also learn to pass out drinks, snacks to their friends, and politely
wait until all children are served snack before they eat. We are practicing to get in line and walk in line to
get from one room to another.
Math Concepts:
The specific concept of one to one correspondence of numbers to objects (1-3) is introduced. An
assessment of your child’s initial number development, colors, shapes and size discrimination was
completed in September and the curriculum will be adjusted to your child’s developmental readiness.
Certain manipulative on the shelf such as The Pink Tower, which demonstrates largest to smallest, The
Knobbed Cylinders (series of 6 dimensions) teaches depth, height and width, and The Broad Stairs
(thickest to thinnest) equip the child with the visual discrimination he or she will need for learning general
math concepts.
Language:
The goals of the language program are for the child to begin to expand their sentence structure, begin to
see the relation of objects to each other (association through categories) as well as noticing differences
among objects. We want to build their expressive language as well as their receptive speech. This is done
by repetition of sentences modeled by the teacher and by the teacher asking questions (who, what,
where, why, when) to confirm comprehension of the language and appropriate cognitive development. The
following concepts will be introduced and practiced during the next two months.
Naming and matching objects that are the same (puzzles, games)
Relationship of object and its function (umbrella/raining)
Introduction of various categories (food, identifying body parts, clothing, fall objects)
Color recognition
Identify gender
Identifying members of their family
Full name and age
Completing simple inlay language puzzles
Expressing their needs during the day
Crafts:
Apple shakers, collage, prints and various age appropriate literature about apples
Circle project: gumball machine and “circle song”
Fall Trees-sponge painting and leaf painting
Color craft-primary
Stuffed pumpkins, seed craft
Spice scented play dough
Halloween crafts, necklaces, and spider craft
Various Fall and Halloween songs, finger plays and poems