Teacher's Reflection: The First 10 Days (Tired, Happy and Rooted)

Dear Fellow Guides,

Phew. We made it. As we head into the Labor Day weekend, let’s take a collective, deep, and well-deserved breath. We are tired—deeply, structurally tired in that way only teachers in September understand—but we are so incredibly happy.

The first ten days of school are always a sacred threshold. We prepare the environment, open our doors, and wait to see how this year’s "social miracle" will begin to knit itself together. In our Infant through Elementary spaces, this transition is a beautiful dance of building order, practicing grace, and embracing the wonderfully unpredictable nature of the child.

In the spirit of celebrating the absolute dignity, physical comedy, and profound sweetness of these past ten days, here is a reflection on where we’ve been as we head into our long weekend of rest.

The broken "U" umbrella had company. "J" jug was jammed into "H" house.

Five Bizarre (and Beautifully Human) Moments

In a Montessori environment, we observe the child with scientific interest and deep respect. But let's be honest—sometimes, those observations are just delightfully bizarre:

1. The Language Object Record: The annual breaking of the "U" object—our beloved miniature umbrella—happened in record-setting time this year. It met its gentle demise on Day 2. May it rest in peace until next September.

2. The Pinto Bean Avalanche: We made it all the way to Day 10 before our first broken glass object. While it was a bit late in arriving, the delivery was flawless. It shattered impressively into a million glittering pieces, scattering pinto beans across a solid fifth of our classroom floor (said with only the slightest touch of hyperbole). It was a masterclass in collective sweeping.

3. The Bathroom Dichotomy: We have navigated the complex psychological and physical milestones of bathroom independence. We recorded exactly three solemn announcements of "I need to poop," contrasted with countless, highly defensive exclamations of "I don't need to pee!"—only for those very same individuals to pee immediately upon facing the toilet bowl. The body knows before the mind catches up!

4. An Unconventional Focus Tool: During one of our group lessons, a shoe was quietly placed inside a mouth. While not traditionally listed in our Montessori albums as an executive function aid, we have to admit: it seemed to help immensely with focus.

5. The Laws of Gravity and Motion: We witnessed the magnificent, sometimes clumsy process of children learning to inhabit their growing bodies. We observed countless tumbles on the pavement, one earnest walk straight into a wall, and a single child whose shoes managed to fly off their feet approximately eight times while walking. (Yes, the same person, and yes, we are working on the practical life art of securing velcro).

We thought the "L" letters were missing but discovered them stashed in the "J" jug once we managed to pry it out of the "H" house.

Five Heart-Happy Milestones

Amidst the bean-sweeping, object rescuing, and shoe-retrieving, the true magic of our community has begun to take root. These are the moments that fill our cups and remind us why we do this work:

1. Our Rooted Safety Vests: Seeing the beautiful pinyon pine cone logo printed on our safety vests as we walk through the neighborhood. A huge thank you to Emilia for the stunning design that reminds us of our grounding and our mission.

2. The Day 6 Milestone: On Day 6, we achieved a monumental victory: absolutely zero tears at drop-off! We owe a mountain of gratitude to our parents for trusting our transition suggestions and keeping drop-offs short, sweet, and empowering.

3. The "I Can Do It" Chorus: The phrase "I can do it!" has been declared like a battle cry throughout the room. And, by gum, they mostly could. Watching three- and four-year-olds independently put on shoes (albeit on the wrong feet), carry loaded trays, and tidy their spills has been a beautiful testament to their capability.

4. The Sweetness of Orange Slices: The quiet, shy, yet deeply proud voices offering, "Would you like one of my orange slices?" as they practiced the practical life art of peeling and sharing food.

5. The Guiding Hand: During our first fire drill evacuation, as we moved out of the building, our oldest student reached out an unprompted, gentle hand to guide a brand-new EC student in the right direction. In that single, quiet gesture, the entire multi-age Montessori philosophy was realized.

We have swept the beans, guided the feet, and filled our hearts. Teachers, you are doing beautiful, sacred work. Go home, put your feet up, and have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Rest up, friends. Tuesday is waiting—and we’ll be ready to do it all over again.

With respect and admiration,

Margaret and Brandi