Specials

SPANISH LANGUAGE

Spanish is offered in our pre primary classrooms once a week with our instructor from "Spanish Para Ti". It is a different and innovative Spanish learning program developed specifically for preschool and Kindergarten programs. It is based on techniques that facilitate children's language experience using songs, games, puppet and story books as well as arts and crafts. Lessons incorporate key areas - listening, speaking, pronunciation and vocabulary at an age appropriate level.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

The school has a garden, a greenhouse and 2 compost bins. Students work in the garden all year, growing and preparing food. Each pre-primary and toddler class meets each week to participate in a gardening related activity.

The concepts of cycles and progression are an important part of our program. The children learn about insect and plant life cycles as well as the paths plants take to become a part of a healthy diet. The school year begins with enjoyment of a garden full of colorful annual and perennial flowers, as well as the harvesting and tasting of fruits and vegetables planted the previous spring. In the fall the children plant spring flowering bulbs and we cut, bundle and dry herbs from our alphabetical herb garden Later the dry herbs are chopped or pulverized for use in winter cooking projects such as bread with lemon verbena, lemon thyme and lemon balm, pizza with oregano and the favorite - brownies with chocolate mint! The children also participate in clean-up and composting of dead plant material. In early December the children grow paper white narcissus bulbs indoors in clear cups, which allow the children to see the development of a bulb and understand what is occurring underground to the bulbs they planted outdoors.

Compost: Composting is a year round activity in the garden. Each classroom and the staffroom are equipped with an easily recognizable green compost bucket. We discuss what food scraps from the children’s lunches and food preparation activities are suitable for composting, often making posters to hang near the buckets. The classes bring their buckets to class each week and dump them into one of our two barrel composters. Each week the children see the progress of decomposition occurring in the composters and help to turn them. Every six months the children help to unload the finished compost and till it into the flower and vegetable beds.

The school year culminates in a well-earned garden party where we taste fresh fruits and herbal baked goods.

YOGA

Yoga is offered to children in the toddler and pre primary program based on their days of attendance. Pennington Montessori engages the talents of Miss Terri from the YogaFlow4Kids program and introduces children to the world of yoga while discovering the mind, body, and heart. Yoga class is a wonderful journey and adventure of “Getting to Know Myself” through yoga. Direct experience builds confidence, self-esteem and respect for themselves and others. Children develop self-awareness through breathing and movement. In a group setting, children have fun identifying with different yoga poses which strengthen the body and improve flexibility and balance. Breathing and visual techniques are introduced to help children learn to relax and concentrate.