Landen's Preschool Progam

Landen has attended the Syracuse Montessori for the past year. I have seen him learn and grow so much. I tell many people that Landen is probably my most challenging child. However, there has been such an improvement in his attitude since he has been going to school. I am so proud of how hard he has worked and all that he has learned. Landen picks up new concepts so quickly. Sometimes I wonder if he even listens at school and the things he tells me he has learned shocks me. Landen is learning to write and knows how to spell his name. Landen is left handed so it has been pretty difficult for Mike and I to help him because we just aren't sure how he should be holding a pencil. He knows all of the sounds the letters in the alphabet make and is starting to read simple three letter words.

It is fun to see the differences between Gage and Landen and their learning styles. The Montessori is about self learning and it allows the students to pick and choose the things they work on. The school sends home a weekly binder filled with the papers they had completed during the week. Gage's binder would be filled with all different kinds of papers. In Landen's binder, I would be lucky to see one paper. The few times there were more than one I would notice a difference in the coloring styles. I knew there was another boy in the class named Landen. I would ask Landen if he had completed the work or if maybe some of the papers belonged to the other Landen. Landen at first would tell me he colored them and then later would tell me he wasn't sure if he had done it or not. How could you not know?

When Gage was in preschool, he would come home singing all of the songs he had learned. I continually asked Landen if he was learning songs for his program. He said he was. I would ask him to sing them to me and he would tell me he didn't know any of them. Needless to say I was a little worried about today's end of the year program.

Here's Landen waiting for everyone to arrive.

Gage is Landen's biggest supporter. He was so excited to be able to see Landen's program. One of the few advantages of afternoon kindergarten. My sister-in-law Jamie was kind enough to watch Tanner so that I would actually be able to see Landen in action.

The program was at the Clearfield Library. After each program I am reminded that I need a new camera before the next one. Landen is in a class of 45 students. They all sang a few songs together and then broke up into smaller groups to sing a few more. Landen actually surprised me. He looked like he knew all of the words and actions. My favorite was "You are special to me." I was able to get Landen to sing me a solo before the program so that I could film it.

After the program, the students sat with their parents and watched a movie put together by the school. It has pictures of all the students during the year in the classroom.



This is the picture of Landen that was in the movie. Here he is with Mrs. Reed in the math room. All of their learning is hands on.

Landen will attend preschool again in the fall. I am so excited to see what he learns next!

I had to get a picture of my Dad wearing socks with sandals at the program. I don't know how many times I have told him this is a no no but he just doesn't seem to listen.