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Another year is upon us, full of exploring your interests, gaining new skills and diving deeper into old concepts. I look forward to welcoming all of you into our awesome learning community. I hope you're as ready for a great year as I am! Carey Wendell carey@traversechildrenshouse.org “The secret of good teaching is to regard the child's intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his innermost core” ~Maria Montessori (To Educate the Human Potential 11) |
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Classroom Highlights
September 24, 2025
All around, children hum with happiness.
They are birds, bright with their own colors,
feathering nests with knowledge,
tending the soft furrows of friendship.
They check for seedlings—
find them, and smile.
The air fills with joy.
Welcome Autumn!
As the leaves begin to change and the air turns crisp, our classroom has been buzzing with fresh energy. We’re thrilled to welcome both new and returning families into our community—this year already promises to be full of curiosity, creativity, and growth.
To set the tone, the children kicked off the school year with activities that built teamwork and trust. Through games, role-playing, and problem-solving exercises, they not only practiced conflict resolution but also worked together to create a classroom agreement—our shared promise for a healthy and happy learning environment.
Adventures at Leelanau Outdoor Center
Our day at Leelanau Outdoor Center was nothing short of marvelous! Students worked together on team-building activities, then set off on adventures at the beach—exploring sand, rocks, shells, and clay. The playground was a favorite, with its ropes, slides, balancing challenges, and even a bit of parkour! We also explored our senses by “meeting” a tree without using sight, and the “unnature walk” had everyone scanning the trail for hidden surprises. The big blue bus was a thrill in itself, and the counselors kept spirits high with new songs that quickly became favorites. By the end of the day, one thing was clear: everyone is already excited for our spring return to LOC!
Celebrating Peace
On September 22nd, our class joined the world in honoring the International Day of Peace. One highlight was teaching peace songs to younger students. Watching our class step into leadership roles, guiding and encouraging their peers, was a joy to witness.
Math & Language Adventures
With assessments complete, each child is now diving into math at their own pace, supported by individualized practice and problem-solving. In Language, students are exploring word study through compound words, alphabetizing, and dictionary skills. Writing has taken a creative turn with “Four Square” pre-writing work—students draw, brainstorm, and, for older ones, add facts that will grow into paragraphs and stories later on. Grammar, too, has a hands-on twist: we’ve begun with the Noun, symbolized in Montessori by a black pyramid, representing permanence. Families can extend the fun at home with a noun alphabet game—see if you can name a noun for every letter!
Big Stories in History & Science
We opened the year with “The Story of the Universe,” followed by “The Black Strip” and “The Clock of Eras,” to spark wonder about time and our planet’s origins. Students even felted wool to model Earth’s layers! Next, we’ll begin the “Second Great Story” and dive into the Timeline of Life.
Science has been just as lively. From states of matter to exploring the classification of living things, our studies span from Functional Geography (wind, water, the sun) to microbiology experiments—students swabbed their mouths, plated samples, and are now watching bacterial colonies form! Future months will bring chemistry, ecology, botany, zoology, and more.
Geography & World Awareness
This year, we’re also encouraging students to see themselves as world citizens. Beyond map work in class, families can make travel more fun by using maps together—or explore geography games on the Seterra website.
Mystery Reader Magic
A huge thank-you to Andrew Castine, our first mystery reader of the year, who shared The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm by LaVar Burton. The story sparked meaningful conversation, and we can’t wait to welcome more readers soon! If you’d like to join the lineup, please let us know—we’d love to have you.
Looking Ahead
We’re so grateful to share this journey with you and your children. Looking forward to seeing you at the class picnic this Friday. If questions come up, don’t hesitate to reach out by phone or email—we’ll always do our best to reply within 24 hours. Here’s to a joyful, curious, and inspiring year ahead!
Peace,
Carey and Jodie
Music Highlights
This year the students have started with working on the foundations of reading music, note reading. They have also started their work on ukuleles, from learning the parts of the instrument, learning beginning chords, and combining singing and playing. The ability to simultaneously sing and play requires another level of mastery beyond playing and singing separately. We are working toward being able to play several songs using 5 chords.
News from the Art Room!
The beginning of the year always starts with one of the student’s favorite projects of the year – placemat making. Each student creates their own personal placemat out of a cut piece of canvas that they design and paint with acrylic. These are very personal and unique to each student. I start by asking them the question, “What would you like to look at each day at lunch?” and they begin their brainstorming and designs first on paper and then transfer them to canvas. This year I’ve seen everything from robots to pets; army helicopters to sports team logos. The students are able to practice their drawing skills before diving into adding color with paint. We work on brush technique by first choosing the right size and shape for the area and then how best to hold it for smooth stroke application. The art room has been a gallery of creativity these past few weeks! I have to admit; it is one of my favorite projects of the year as well.