Sensorial Materials & Concepts: PTO Meeting Programming

Welcome back from winter break!

Now that we're through the flurry of fall fundraising, the PTO would like to turn our focus back to developing our Parent Teacher Organization as an informed and active group. That's why we hope you'll join us at 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 14 for the monthly PTO meeting where our teachers will provide a programming workshop on sensorial materials and concepts. 

What is this? It's a great opportunity to gain additional insight into your child's classroom experience. Have you heard your child talk about the pink tower, brown stair, colored cylinders, geometric solids? 

OK, if you're like most of us, you haven't. But guess what? You can find out what this work is, and then you might be able to prompt your child to tell you more about what he or she is doing!

At the sensorial materials and concepts workshop, which will be held during the regularly scheduled PTO meeting, you can come investigate why the Sensorial area of the classroom is often considered the most intellectual area in a Montessori environment.  Maria Montessori said children perceive the world through their senses, and these materials encourage the child to classify, thus organize and sort, their sensorial impressions. This ability to classify is a basis for intelligence.  

On one hand, so many sensory-based activities exist for children these days. On the other hand, with even more screen-based activities available, children are not engaging with their environments in the same ways they were even a decade ago. Our teachers will discuss why hands-on activities are so important, and how Montessori Sensorial activities are unique and provide a basis for mathematical reasoning, scientific thinking, and literacy.  

As always, childcare will be provided. We ask only that you please RSVP to Ellen at ellen@clemsonmontessori.com by Friday, January 11. 

Thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at our first meeting of the New Year!

-- Heidi & Drake