Tuesday

Hi parents,

Today was a rough day for the class, so this blog might sound a bit complain-y. But that isn't my intention! I feel like when we have days like today, I end up being overly strict with the class, and I feel like many students end up going home feeling frustrated, as though they're being blamed or punished for things they didn't do. I hope that you can have some conversations at home about how things have been going at school, and how much I truly appreciate all the students who have consistently been kind, helpful, and responsible at school!

Vandalism Rant

One of the reasons I've been kind of upset with the class is that a lot of classroom supplies are being vandalized or taken. I'm finding marker and pencil scribbles all over the shelves, whiteboards, and desks. Even some of my personal books which I keep behind my desk have been scribbled on with marker. Today I found a ruler that had been snapped in half, and covers that were ripped off of new books. Finally, a huge number of our erasers have gone missing. We've actually went through our entire year's supply already, which is around 100 erasers!

So that has been very disheartening lately. The students' listening has also been lacking, which is probably a result of staying inside all day, but it's still been a challenge. 

The Plan

A Montessori classroom functions when students are able to make responsible choices for themselves, and since this has not been the case lately, we're going to have to go back a few steps. School might feel a bit more traditional over the next few days, while I help the students remember how to use their time responsibly during the work period. I'm going to be reducing the number of responsible work choices available to students because I've noticed that things like Lego, Magnets, and Board Games seem to just generate mess and noise. I think we'll go back to just quietly reading, writing, and drawing when work is completed. I know that might feel a bit boring to some students who have become accustomed to using our fun materials when their work is done, but I feel like it will be easier to maintain a peaceful classroom environment when students are limited to more independent and calming activities.

We will still be doing all of our regular classroom work as usual! 

Thank you all for your support and understanding. I hope that kids will still enjoy school, and being in my class, even without some of the fun things that used to make it unique.

Have a nice night,

Zac