Ms Mashaya's Classroom 2

Hello from Classroom 2,

October went by in the blink of an eye! We had so much enjoyment discussing Halloween. We put lots of effort into our Halloween process art projects. Creating art with young children not only helps creative development but it also stimulates the brain. Most children enjoy a messy art experience - this allows them to freely express themselves and develop their creativity. We also loved singing Halloween songs such as Five Little Pumpkins by Raffi. While singing is lots of fun, it also encourages children to express their emotions and sharpens their ability to communicate while exercising lip and tongue movement. We were even able to experience a Halloween sensory event where we got to wear our costumes, too! We loved getting to touch and feel so many different textures! Sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which leads to a child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks. Sensory play also supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction.

For the month of November, we will be focusing on approaches to learning. Children will demonstrate interest in learning through persistence and varying degrees of initiative, curiosity, sensory exploration, and problem solving. All children, regardless of innate abilities or presence of disabilities, are able to learn. Young children gain knowledge by interacting with their environment. They learn by touching, tasting, smelling, looking, listening, and playing. Children show their curiosity, persistence, temperament, and problem-solving abilities as they develop learning preferences. When children are supported to explore their own approaches and to learn by trying unusual ways to solve problems, they develop their own style of learning. Nurturing and a variety of experiences allow children to learn about themselves and the world around them.

In addition, we will be discussing Thanksgiving and different Thanksgiving traditions. We are looking forward to singing Thanksgiving songs and creating some festive crafts that represent what we are thankful for. We will also be hosting a Thanksgiving lunch and would love for all our parents to be able to come join us! Be on the lookout for more information about a date and time.

Thank you,

Mashaya Wagy