Tales from the Work Folder (early April)

Today lots of kids spent much of the day focusing on music and even making their own musical instruments!!! Now THIS is truly Montessori, . . . where the child chooses exactly what they want to learn about today!!! THIS is why we chose Artgarden!!! The things that Leia Rose learned about music by doing this project could never be replicated by teacher involvement!!! And by the way, THIS is Leia's french horn. (French horn?!? "But, Mom, it only has one 'tube.'") Ha!
Here is Leia's "recorder." She really painstakingly made a slit for the mouthpiece & the end piece.
Here is Leia's "flute." Again, she painstakingly made the holes at the top (but here she's playing it more like a harmonica). : )
And here is Leia's "piano," which isn't quite as spectacular as the rest.
She even made a music book, complete with a staff and musical notes!!!

Here is Leia's trumpet, with the end "bell" and everything.
And this, my friends, is Leia's "violin." She even sewed real "strings" into the paper and made a real "bow."

And as I always say, these children have the rest of their lives to feel the pressure of scholastic achievement. But thank goodness there's one preschool out there that still lets kids be kids! By the way, Mrs. Schnell called me today to let me know that she wouldn't be pushing Leia Rose the last month of the school year doing mindless worksheets. Yay! Our main focus for Leia Rose was to have her ENJOY the beginning of her education. And I can't tell you the difference between a true Montessori day (where she can choose her own works) and a teacher guided day (where she is forced to do worksheets). Her mood about school is entirely different. Heck, she's got the rest of her life to do worksheets, . . . but today I'm sure glad she made instruments!