Thursday, January 28th 2016

ClaraJane and Mirium hold hands from breakfast to class

Today was the much anticipated annual MATH MORNING at Tobin school; a rare opportunity for parents to come witness the intriguing materials and fascinating works of our students inside the classroom.  First up, ClaraJane’s class in “Children’s House” (3-6 y/o’s).  Here is the greeting on the “Smart” Board (previously knowns as a “Chalk” Board.)

Um… Binomial Cube?  Multiplication… in KINDERGARDEN?

ClaraJane and Afomia demonstrate the “Snake Game.”

Ms. Mayya explains the legend of the bead snake, who got tired of his colors and traded them all in for Golden.

Ms. Mayya explains the Snake Game

The children count bead segments -each of which is color coded according to how many units it contains- and swap out ten for a single strip of 10 (made of Golden Beads).

e.g.; red=1, green=2, pink=3, yellow=4, purple=6, white=7, brown=8, blue=9

The students are implicitly learning addends of 10 (e.g.; 6+4=10), AND multiples of 10.  (e.g.; the above snake is made of 7 x 10 = 70 units).

Mommy Looks On (wearing “Hello Kitty, Hello Harvard”)

These students are 4 and 5 years old by the way.  Is your mind blown yet?

ClaraJane then shows me one of her other favorite “works” in class; Polishing Wood.

Montessori Materials are always meticulously organized.

More Montessori Works in a (most wonderful) Children’s House Classroom.

The school also encourages sibling participation in each others classrooms on special  days.  To that end, ClaraJane gets to host a most important dignitary;  her BROTHER!

Young Henry looks on in fascination

CJ shows him around her classroom.

(yes paint me silently ecstatic; they are holding hands)

On to Brother’s Class!  Being a 2nd grader puts him in a “Lower Elementary” class of 1st, 2nd & 3rd graders.  Chef makes it out of the kitchen in time to join us for Gavin’s presentation of the Bead Frame.

Dynamic 4-digit addition with the Bead Frame

Auntie Oxy and Victor also stop by to observe

Sajni (in the background) is in hot pursuit of playing with Victor (squealing and scrambling away on the right)

Oxy provides her feedback

Aunt Amanda comes by too

Which reminds me, I still have time to make it to Miles’ class!

Miles shows me the “Stamp Game.”    

He is also doing dynamic 4-digit addition, with different materials.  He also has a “Learning Target.”

Leaning Targd: You will be abl to Add

Using tiles representing the 1000’s, 100’s, 10’s & 1’s, he solved this problem:

3675 + 9381 = 3056… well, 1,3056, but we had run out of time to finish ):

Meanwhile, there is a dad in CJ’s class who is a ninja with his artistry in photography, and he gave us this:

ClaraJane concentrating on her work

And finally, in spite of Gavin driving his teachers crazy with his *constant* drive to read no matter *what,* underneath there is this:

Gavin and Mr. Dana

If you need me I’ll be reviving after I faint now.  ♥