Start of the Montessori School Year: Writing a Welcome Note to Parents

This year long series looks at the experiences of teachers, parents, students, and Montessori education itself, as we follow a student through his first year at a Montessori Preschool. The Montessori Insights and Reflections of a Preschool Student’s First Year is a collection of useful stories, tips, and information that has arisen from one real student's Montessori journey.

The beginning of the school year can be an emotional time for teachers, parents and children. For some, the feeling is pure excitement, however, for others the opposite is true and they are consumed by fear, anxiety and uncertainty. It is our role as educators to reassure parents and children and to help them feel safe and secure. Before school begins, I always send a note to all of the families welcoming them to the school and providing them with a little information on what to expect. The note is always very well received and appreciated, and I have included a sample below.

Start of the Montessori School Year: Writing a Welcome Note to Parents

Sample Welcome Note to Parents

We would like to welcome back all of our returning children and families and extend a warm welcome to all of our new children and families. September is always a time of excitement, yet with that comes anxiety and nervousness for many children. We will do our best to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible and to ensure that each child feels loved, respected and safe. A Montessori learning environment is like no other … our main objective at (Montessori school name) is to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which will help children to develop within themselves the foundational habits, attitudes, skills and ideas essential for a lifetime of creative thinking and learning. Respect and courtesy in our Montessori school is the foundation for everything we do and each child will soon learn the following important skills:

• how to put their work away where they found it
• how to tidy up after themselves
• the importance of helping a friend in need
• the importance of respecting the materials, the teachers and each other
• how to tuck in their chair when they leave the table
• how to walk in the classroom
• how to be self directed and find their own ‘work’ and most importantly,
• how to be independent!

Each child will feel empowered at (Montessori school name) and learn how great it feels to do things on their own! Each Montessori teacher is here to nurture, support and guide them each and every day and are committed to making your child’s Montessori preschool experience productive, stimulating and fun! We are honored that you have chosen our school and we are confident that this will be a wonderful year for everyone involved!

NOTE: We will collecting your email addresses very soon as we would like to send a newsletter via email at the end of each month to keep you posted as to themes, medical issues, new friends that have joined the Montessori program and also just to provide you with further insight into the Montessori Method and our program in general. We will do our best to keep you well informed of what is going on and if you don’t have email, we will also have hard copies of each newsletter available in the classroom. We are looking forward to getting to know each child and working with each family to make this year a successful one! If at any time you have questions or concerns, please feel free to make an appointment with us after school so that we can discuss things in detail.

A Poem for Parents: Nothing

When children come home at the end of the day,

The question they’re asked as they scurry to play is,

“What did you do at school today?”

And the answer they give

makes you sigh with dismay.

“Nothing, I did nothing today!”

Perhaps nothing means

that I played with blocks, counted to ten, or sorted some rocks.

Maybe I painted or learned to tie my shoe

Or learned what happens when you mix red and blue

Maybe I learned to tuck in my chair and put my work away

Or maybe I learned to be kind to a friend while I was playing outside today,

Maybe my scissors followed a line and I learned to write my name.

Maybe I learned some sounds or numbers or learned to play a new game,

Maybe I made a craft or sang a song from beginning to end,

Or maybe I learned to play with a special, brand new friend.

When you’re in preschool

And your heart has wings,

“Nothing” can mean so many, many things.

(Author Unknown)

As much as possible, NAMC’s web blog reflects the Montessori curriculum as provided in its teacher training programs. We realize and respect that Montessori schools are unique and may vary their schedules and offerings in accordance with the needs of their individual communities. We hope that our readers will find our articles useful and inspiring as a contribution to the global Montessori community.
© North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.