MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

 

To allow the young child time to adjust to Preschool, classes are reduced for the first three weeks of school.  This is called the “phase-in” period.


Each year, a number of new students surprise parents and teachers by walking into the classroom and never looking back!  If by the second day of classes teachers note that  a child has adjusted quickly to Preschool, additional phase-in may not be necessary.  Alternately, we will be happy to offer a longer phase-in period if necessary.  Our goal is for your child to adjust securely and comfortably to his/her new school.

Help Prepare Your Child for Preschool

Your child’s first day of school is an exciting time!  We hope the following suggestions will help prepare your child.


Read books and stories with your child about school and making friends.  We recommend:

  1. •The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Stan and Jan Berenstain

  2. •My Teacher Sleeps in School by Ellen Weiss

  3. •Will I have a Friend by Miriam Cohen

  4. •Friends at School by Rochelle Bunnette

Discuss the positive aspects of school.  If you attended the Montessori & Me Family Day, focus on the fun your child had with their new friends and teachers.  Share memories of your own schooling, perhaps a favourite teacher, a best friend you made at school, etc. 


Review the calendar and talk about what days of the week your child will attend school.  Discuss our circle, gym, snack, dance and art activities.  Your positive attitude and calm voice is reassuring and helps your child to understand school is a good place to be.


Review the photographs in the Photo Gallery on our website with your child.  Explore the many exciting activities we have planned such as theme parties, field trips and guest speakers.


Begin to gradually readjust your child’s bedtime a week or two before school begins.  AM and PM students will often nap on the way home for the first month, exhausted after much work and play!



Family Day


New and returning students are invited to attend our Family Day each August.  We host a three hour party complete with refreshments and games.  Students will get to decorate a t-shirt to wear on the first day of school and then every Tuesday for craft day.

What to Expect on Your Child’s First Day of School


If your child has never been in a preschool setting before, he/she may experience some separation anxiety.  Here are some helpful hints to help your child feel more secure:

  1. •Involve your child in the preparation for the first day of school; pick out a new backpack, purchase new shoes, lay out the clothing the night before, plan and prepare breakfast and carry their belongings into school.

  2. •Do not allow your child to see that you are having any reservations about leaving them.  You can help accomplish this by allowing your child to walk into school rather than carrying them.

  3. •Your child needs to see that you trust our staff and our school.  Reassure your child that you will come back, give two kisses, one hug and say your short good-byes.  The longer you stay with your child, the more insecure he/she will feel.

  4. •We want to do what is best to help your child feel safe and secure and we need your help to make this possible!  Once you leave, please do not return to the classroom or wait outside.

  5. •The first few weeks of school may be tiring for the young child who is forming new relationships separate and apart from their parents, often for the first time.  Be sure your child has a well-established routine, adequate rest and spends the appropriate amount of quality time with you.

  6. •Some of your child’s teachers are also parents, and understand that “detaching” is not always easy.  Discuss any concerns you may have and remember we share the same goal - to see your child excel in an environment rich with learning and fun!


Homework for Parents


  1. •Read and become familiar with the M&M Parent Handbook.

  2. •Bring your child to school on time, each and every day.

  3. •Form a partnership with the Montessori & Me teaching staff. Support and show respect for your child’s teachers.

  4. •Drop off and pick up are busy times for everyone. If you have something to discuss with one of the teachers, please arrange a time after class so they may give the matter their full attention.

  5. •If you have a concern, schedule an appointment to meet with the Program Director.

  6. •Do not compare your child’s abilities with other children. Each child develops and grows at his/her own pace.

  7. •Read at least one book on the Montessori method.


Some of the recommended books are:


  1. 1.Maria Montessori Her Life and Work - by E.M. Standing

  2. 2.Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home, from Birth to Age Three - by Paula Polk Lillard

  3. 3.The Secret of Childhood – by Maria Montessori

  4. 4.How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way - by Tim Seldin

  5. 5.Montessori Madness! A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education – by Trevor Eissler




“Nature inspires both parents with love for their little ones, and this love is not something artificial…the love we find in infancy shows what kind of love should reign ideally in the grown up world. A love able, of it’s own nature to inspire; to sacrifice the dedication of one ego to another ego, of one’s self to the service of others.  In the depth of this love, parents renounce their own lives and dedicate them to their children, and this devotion is natural to them. It gives them joy and does not feel sacrificial…the efforts parents make for their children are a part of parenthood itself. The child awakens what adults think of as an ideal; the ideal of renunciation, of unselfishness, virtues almost unreachable outside family life.” 

  1. -Dr. Maria Montessori