Hello from Classroom Two!
We have downsized our class as most of the children have aged out. This brought up many conversations about what was going to happen next. The unknown can be scary not only to us as parents and teachers, but for children as well. We as adults worry about whether they are going to make new friends and whether they are going to like their new teacher, etc. But for the children, they worry about if this is a safe place, and can they trust their new teacher and friends. Having these conversations about what is going to happen will help with the transitions that they are going to endure. With that being said, having a smaller class helps with better teacher interactions with children, more individual time, and peer interactions.
This next month, we will continue strengthening fine-motor skills by learning how to hold and position silverware in their hands while getting most of the food into their mouths. This skill will help them become more independent in meeting their own needs. Having family-style dining at home, allowing them to help with serving their own food, and being introduced to utensils at an early age will also help them build their fine-motor skills. Something we have been trying at meal times is to try something new, but sometimes that is easier said than done. Family-style dining gives children a chance to see how their families eat. Some things that we need to remember are that they may only eat one certain food at a time; this is called classification. They are beginning to recognize patterns and match objects together. Encourage them to try new foods, but if they don’t want to try it, keep introducing it to them in different ways. Also, allow them to control the quantity of food they eat, do not expect them to eat everything on their plate. Developing these skills at the table will carry over into their daily routines.
Encourage children to participate in whatever ways are appropriate for their level of development.
It’s a new season, which is the perfect opportunity to do something NEW, BOLD, and BEAUTIFUL.
Thank You,
Mollie Sanders
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