Another year zooms past

Practicing her handwriting.

So here we are in the last week of school.  All the library books at back at school, the reading reports have been filed for posterity, and even the art folders have come home.  Annika's portfolio is a trip through an exceptional year, starting in 4yo kindergarten, and finishing in Prep.  From writing small sentences, to writing pages at a time.

I am not educated enough in the ways of Montessori to write in detail on the Method, but let these photos speak for themselves.  For a child with advanced language skills, and advanced math skills, the opportunity to choose her own work, work by herself OR with others, learn the concrete AND the abstract ... the genius of Montessori is very clear.

Piping meringues

This last week is a time of very mixed feelings for us, because we take a step out into the unknown next year with a new teacher.  For many families, that's the norm every year, but at Montessori, the mixed-age philosophy means most students get three years with each teacher.

The Bookmonster, however, has had just two years with her beloved teacher, who has put a tremendous amount of effort into extending her in class, and ultimately, securing the opportunity for her to skip a grade. Going into Cycle Two - grade one - next year will give her the chance to work with her intellectual peers, we resources aimed at older children, and with expectations scaled that bit higher.  She thinks her new teacher is cool, and awesome, but ... he's not Bri.  And that upsets her.

Calculating with the skipchain

I know it will all blow over in the excitement of the first week of school, but it doesn't help that all her crying is making me cry, too.  Bri and I mounted the "she's not quite the same as other children" roundabout together, and worked so hard to find what it is she needed.  I know she is in the best possible place for her, and that she needs to be with the older kids, but ... I don't want to say goodbye either!

 What's not to love about a teacher whose most critical comment on the end-of-year report is "Annika needs to work on moving around the classroom quietly and slowly, as her singing tends to distract others at work."  Singing is one of those things moving into Cycle 2 will help with - she will be able to join the choir, and learn an instrument if she wishes.  Join the Chess Club.  Munch through someone else's library of books (though, to be fair, she has already started doing that!)

Every parent must feel some regret as their children get older, but when you have a child that needs to do everything sooner/faster/more, that regret is particularly sharp. The Bookmonster has decided she would like to be 15, thank you very much.  The Bookmumster would be happy if you could try being 5 occasionally, my darling.