September was a very busy month with my move, but I think we ended up having a great time and got a lot accomplished at the school, too! We've been working hard on practicing taking turns and doing other grace and courtesy exercises such as saying "Please, yes please, thank you, no thank you" etc. We're all really getting the hang of it!
This week we added the calendar to our work. Please encourage your child to tell you what the date is. Even the month or day of the week is a good start!
We are talking about the leaves and have been learning the parts of a leaf (blade, veins and stem). We've been talking about photosynthesis and what happens to trees/leaves in the fall. We were collecting leaves and putting them onto our nature table until we realized that our cat was eating them! We'll have to figure out a different way to have them in our classroom :) Until then, we are noticing the beautiful changes taking place through our classroom windows.
Later this month we'll take a short walk/field trip over to the Nicollet Ace hardware store and buy a pumpkin for our class. Just like last year, we'll carve our pumpkin and roast the seeds. On Tuesday, October 26th we'll have a little party with costumes optional. We'll eat our roasted pumpkin seeds and do Halloween crafts (if your child doesn't come on that day of the week, we'll still be doing the crafts through the entire week and will be sure to party on each day of the week!)
Here are a couple of Autumn songs we are learning:
Grey Squirrel
Grey Squirrel, Grey Squirrel swish your bushy tail
Grey Squirrel, Grey Squirrel swish your busy tail
Wrinkle up your little nose
Hold an acorn in your toes
Grey Squirrel, Grey Squirrel swish your bushy tail
Leaves are Falling
Leaves are falling, softly floating, tumbling to the ground
Leaves are falling, softly floating, tumbling to the ground
Orange, red, brown, yellow, orange, tumbling to the ground
Orange, red, brown, yellow, orange, tumbling to the ground
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Update: Changes!
Happy Labor Day, everyone,
I'm writing to tell you about a few changes at our little school. All good changes, I believe!
1. I am making this in-home daycare, my real home. Enrollment is still ok, but I lost a couple of students (due to job losses/changes) and feel that it would be in our best interest for me to live at the school. This will impact the environment, but it will allow me to invest more $ in materials and be more flexible with the hours of operation. Later in the month, I will be moving in all of our stuff, but have designated the large living room for the school. You will see a curtain come up, separating the dining area from the living room.
2. Due to a major loss of refrigerator space, you will now have to put ice packs in your child's lunch box. I would also prefer not to heat up lunches, but small Thermos containers work very well! Lunch boxes can be put on the shelf right inside the classroom/apartment door. Please also leave shoes downstairs and place backpacks/bags in the upstairs hallway. Coats/jackets will still go in the front hall closet.
3. I added a bunch of new materials last week and have a more formal curriculum coming for the fall. We are going to be working with themes this year. They will change periodically, but be based on the seasons and what's going on in the world. We'll have a nature table that we'll add items to. We'll take nature walks, but you are welcome to help your child find/bring in things that you find on your own nature explorations. We'll also have new art projects every week. I've found that the children really like to repeat the same activities over and over, so it may be more of a rotation as children lose interest... This week we'll be cutting and pasting with glue sticks and I've added a lined chalkboard for practicing writing/drawing. I'll be sending out a list of what we'll be focusing on each month throughout the school year. The calendar will also be a regular part of our day and they'll learn how to recognize their names in print.
4. I do have a cat that will be joining our group. If anyone has a problem with this and/or allergies, please let me know. He's a very friendly cat who is great with kids (he takes a lot of "love" from my boys!), but I do have the option of putting him in the basement during school hours, so please don't hesitate to let me know if you'd like me to do that.
I really believe that this move is for the best and that we'll have another great year at the school. It's been a joy working with your children and getting to you know you. If you know anyone looking for part time/hourly childcare (children 2years +), please pass on my information. So far, you have all been great with the referrals. Thanks so much! Also, if you want to increase your hours, let me know! :)
Have a great day!
Megan
I'm writing to tell you about a few changes at our little school. All good changes, I believe!
1. I am making this in-home daycare, my real home. Enrollment is still ok, but I lost a couple of students (due to job losses/changes) and feel that it would be in our best interest for me to live at the school. This will impact the environment, but it will allow me to invest more $ in materials and be more flexible with the hours of operation. Later in the month, I will be moving in all of our stuff, but have designated the large living room for the school. You will see a curtain come up, separating the dining area from the living room.
2. Due to a major loss of refrigerator space, you will now have to put ice packs in your child's lunch box. I would also prefer not to heat up lunches, but small Thermos containers work very well! Lunch boxes can be put on the shelf right inside the classroom/apartment door. Please also leave shoes downstairs and place backpacks/bags in the upstairs hallway. Coats/jackets will still go in the front hall closet.
3. I added a bunch of new materials last week and have a more formal curriculum coming for the fall. We are going to be working with themes this year. They will change periodically, but be based on the seasons and what's going on in the world. We'll have a nature table that we'll add items to. We'll take nature walks, but you are welcome to help your child find/bring in things that you find on your own nature explorations. We'll also have new art projects every week. I've found that the children really like to repeat the same activities over and over, so it may be more of a rotation as children lose interest... This week we'll be cutting and pasting with glue sticks and I've added a lined chalkboard for practicing writing/drawing. I'll be sending out a list of what we'll be focusing on each month throughout the school year. The calendar will also be a regular part of our day and they'll learn how to recognize their names in print.
4. I do have a cat that will be joining our group. If anyone has a problem with this and/or allergies, please let me know. He's a very friendly cat who is great with kids (he takes a lot of "love" from my boys!), but I do have the option of putting him in the basement during school hours, so please don't hesitate to let me know if you'd like me to do that.
I really believe that this move is for the best and that we'll have another great year at the school. It's been a joy working with your children and getting to you know you. If you know anyone looking for part time/hourly childcare (children 2years +), please pass on my information. So far, you have all been great with the referrals. Thanks so much! Also, if you want to increase your hours, let me know! :)
Have a great day!
Megan
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
UPDATE: Hours and contact info
Everything is going really well at the school. I'm loving my time with the children and we have been happy but are excited about the melting snow and sunshine. It'll be great when we can get outside regularly.
I have decided to change the school's days to Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 8:30-5:00pm (with some flexibility of coming earlier or leaving later if necessary). However, I will be CLOSED FRIDAYS. Being a one woman show - a one-woman-mother show has made me realize that being at the school 5 days a week 8:30-5pm is not ideal. Things might change in the fall when my younger son goes to Kindergarten, but now through the end of summer, I'll be sticking to the Mon-Thurs schedule. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Also, I've had some new referrals! That's great. The best way to reach me is by email meganlongtin@gmail.com. We can schedule a time to meet and take a tour of the school. It's helpful if you put your child's age and the days and hours you are looking for. I'm still working on an hourly rate of $6 for one child for over 12 hours per week, $7 per hour for under 12 hours per week and $10 for two. This may have to increase in the Fall. Students who come more than one day per week regularly or are not drop ins pay a $60 materials fee and put down a deposit of 2 weeks tuition that goes toward your child's LAST two weeks of child care.
I look forward to meeting all the new families out there! Welcome!
I have decided to change the school's days to Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 8:30-5:00pm (with some flexibility of coming earlier or leaving later if necessary). However, I will be CLOSED FRIDAYS. Being a one woman show - a one-woman-mother show has made me realize that being at the school 5 days a week 8:30-5pm is not ideal. Things might change in the fall when my younger son goes to Kindergarten, but now through the end of summer, I'll be sticking to the Mon-Thurs schedule. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Also, I've had some new referrals! That's great. The best way to reach me is by email meganlongtin@gmail.com. We can schedule a time to meet and take a tour of the school. It's helpful if you put your child's age and the days and hours you are looking for. I'm still working on an hourly rate of $6 for one child for over 12 hours per week, $7 per hour for under 12 hours per week and $10 for two. This may have to increase in the Fall. Students who come more than one day per week regularly or are not drop ins pay a $60 materials fee and put down a deposit of 2 weeks tuition that goes toward your child's LAST two weeks of child care.
I look forward to meeting all the new families out there! Welcome!
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