The Seasons have changed and we can sadly no longer be sure of lovely April weather. This week has produced sun,wind ,sleet and snow and has confined us to the classroom for more time than we wished. However,yesterday gave us a small reprieve and we spent most of the day outdoors.The children enjoyed transplanting the tomatoes into larger pots(spooning the compost into pots) They will need plenty of feeding and watering and the children are very happy with their new duties. I had hoped to put our beans in their permanent bed but the wind was too sharp which would have been hard on  our frail little plants and so we will wait for the wind to abate.We then went on a walk around the garden to see what plants had appeared. Everything is late but there has been a great outburst of growth despite the cold weather.We stooped at the herb bed and the children enjoyed smelling the different herbs. All listened eagerly as I told them that their Mums use  thyme and rosemary to make their spaghetti or a tasty stew  and we can use mint or fennel to make tea. The lavender can be placed on our pillows to give us sweet dreams or we can also use it in cookies!Lemon balm was rubbed on all the little hands as it had such a lovely smell and is used to make soaps.Herbs were stuffed into pockets for Mums to use at home!!A great “Montessori sensorial lesson” in the real environment!!

After the herb bed we arrived at our pear trees. The blossom is just out on one of them and  beginning to break open on the other pear tree. Again this gave me another opportunity to talk about pollination and how bees do the work for the plants(and we all know that plants cant walk so they need the insects to exchange their pollen!! )The wonderful thing is that the children will be able to see in the next few weeks how that blossom really does turn into a fruit!  I am always telling them about how we depend on insects for all our food  and how insects  and plants need each other so it was lovely to see the bees flying from blossom to blossom transferring pollen and getting a drink of nectar in return.We had just reached the blackberry bushes where the blossom has already turned into fruit when it was time to go home and so our garden walks and work will continue in the weeks to come …so much to see and learn right now with changes every day and so my job of planting the seeds of wonder in the brains of these little children is magic itself!

Since that first visit last Monday morning, the little fat chaffinch has been arriving at the school doorstep ,strutting up and down with his little head cocked, listening to our toy chaffinch sing to him! He isn’t at all shy and as the children tip toe up to the door to look at him he cocks his head to one side as I  carry on a little conversation with him. I have told them that Milly (the cat) ate Mrs chaffinch and he was very sad. However , yesterday he arrived with a new hen chaffinch in tow and now seems much happier as he is going to start a new home with her! As we often discuss food chains,the children are aware that in nature bigger animals will eat smaller and that even if we don t like it, this is life!! They have no problems accepting this and yet respecting all living things and the job they have to do!!

Unfortunately,it has rained for the past two days and so once again we are confined to the indoor environment. However, the dreariness of another wet Monday was lifted when Roisin and little brother Eamonn brought in beautiful projects , the manatee and grizzly bear! Roisin,once again did all the beautiful writing and the class were captivated by her delivery!James also arrived with his bison and he also did his own writing ! This was also another beautiful  and informative project!Lorenzo arrived with a real cool skunk project! The North America beam is filling nicely and once again the children are enjoying listening and learning from each other( as I am too!!)

Seb was first in this morning proudly clutching a bison and a caribou! His Mum had brought them back to him from a trip to Yellowknife in Canada!  We had just started exploring the continent of N.America ,and so Seb was very excited  to share his news and the stories that his Mum had told him with all of us. Next came Patrick beaming from ear to ear with his beautiful  polar bear project! He had even written some of the words himself. Then Trudi arrived with her caribou project and Seb s eyes lit up as Trudi told us all about the caribou.First day back after our break and it was wonderful to share in excitement of the children as they discussed and chatted about their projects.In fact, I was amazed that where we left off 2 weeks ago was still so fresh in their minds!Oisin and Roisin were quick to say that their projects were on the way and nearly ready(no pressure Mums and Dads!)

Our seedlings,beans,peas,sweet pea, sunflowers and beetroot had all germinated so we transferred them to the greenhouse in order for them to get light and grow before we place them in the beds. A little fat chaffinch strutted up and down the step outside and children were delighted when I told them that he was welcoming them back. He was so tame that I thought he might actually come into the classroom and he listened and sang back when I pressed the toy chaffinch on our bird branch! It was one of those rare magical moments when one could hear a pin drop as the children listened to his song!

There was great excitement when we went into the orchard and fun climbing the little apple trees. Of course we had to be so careful as the little buds are just beginning to grow and very soon we shall have blossom so we wouldn’t like to hurt the arms of our lovely trees!To morrow we shall take a walk to see if their is any sign of the swallows! Then we can be certain that summer is on its way! Good days ahead in this really exciting term as we experience nature unfold all its wonderful treasures! For me sharing  and seeing this new life through the eyes of the children is the greatest joy of all!

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What has happened to our Seasons? Day after day it rains.  The children have become aware of time passing by their daily ritual of changing the date,day and today a new month but our weather picture never changes. We have the rainy day picture up continually. It is difficult for the children to understand what Winter is when we cannot put up the typical picture of frost and snow! And then to add to their confusion,our daffodils our peeping up at the wrong time. Nature should still be sleeping but something strange is happening ! I try to explain the confusion by saying that Spring is trying to come early and is having a fight with Winter but I am afraid that Winter might win and come back with vengeance! The goldfinches ,tits of all kinds and sparrows are hungrily feeding on the feeders and blackbirds,robins and wagtails still search the lawn for invertebrates. Children and families have produced the most beautiful bird projects which adorn our walls and each child can tell you about his bird and everyone else s too!!!They just love their birds and get such pleasure from observing them in the garden!

There is a great atmosphere of work in the room and at it is lovely to see the older children helping the younger ones. The first term we spent much time on practical life exercises and this has really laid down great foundations. It has given them a sense of order,taught them  how to wait for something,  how one must finish  an exercise one starts and thus they have developed concentration. They are moving on so fast and each day new work. Most of the children have finished their letters and are at various stages of movable alphabet and reading boxes. Number work and sensorial exercises provide new challenges and at the moment the binomal cube is very popular. As always ,the culture area is a great favourite.  I particularly like to share my love of our natural world with the children  and this area allows me to do this in a very exciting way.I have introduced our jigsaw map of the world and our continent globe so we are starting on an exciting journey together of moving around our world. At the moment we are exploring Africa and once again animal projects are being produced.They are so beautiful and amazing work involving all members of the family.Our projects really do light up these dreary ,wet days!Thank you, Mums and Dads

I think we have had the wettest November and early December ever.Even though its very mild,it hasn’t stopped raining for over 6 weeks. On December 1st, the children helped put up the Christmas decorations which caused great excitement as we lit the classroom up with twinkling ,coloured lights.The children then sat in their circle and I once again read the  Christmas story . As always,this story never fails to captivate them and as they sat entranced s one could hear a pin drop! We then put up the crib and discussed our Nativity play and who would play each role! We have been practicing since on a daily basis and the parents are in for a great surprise on Monday when they come to our Christmas concert.We have been busy making Christmas angels,trees,wreaths,stars and stockings and I m afraid the room seems to be coated in a film of glitter!!

Yesterday morning was the first morning that seemed a little dry so there was great excitement when I announced that we d go for a walk. As we reached the gate into the field, a little cock robin sang to us from a branch above.As the children are really familiar with our garden birds who visit the feeders,robin is a particular favourite. I told them that robin was singing a special song with a message from Santa and as I could understand his language I would translate, And so they stood captivated as I gave them robins message with instructions on good behaviour!Let s hope they will remember and surprise their busy Mums and Dads even more.

Today was such a contrast to yesterday,dark and grey and the rain poured down all morning. I was so glad that we spent yesterday outdoors!However, Lorenzo lifted all our spirits when he arrived in clasping a large matchbox. We all gathered around as he gently slid it open to reveal a tiny little pygmy shrew(Ireland s smallest native mammal) Sadly his cat had killed it yesterday and brought it into the house to show that he was a fine hunter! Lorenzo beamed with pride as he shared in the awe and wonder that this little creature brought to the classroom. Yes, even a bleak day can suddenly turn around to  become an exciting one amidst the little ones.