Buby graduated from The Little Gym this morning. We made quite the deal of it. Daddy took off work to attend the last class and "medal ceremony." Many of Buby's classmates also came with daddys, grandpas, grandmas, uncles, and older siblings in tow. How fun to meet your child's friends' relatives. Seriously.
The babes ran around in circles playing chase, walked the balance beam, hung from the uneven bars, and jumped on the spring board. Oh, and let's not forget bells, balls, and bubbles. We do bells at the beginning of each class. Balls in the middle. Bubbles at the end. And stampers and stickers on our way out. All squeezed into a manic 45 minutes. We love Miss Beth... she's a fun teacher and totally gets Buby. Who, by the way, participated in the parachute activity for the very first time today. Last class, and he finally decides to do it. Gillian and Lillian LOVE the big parachute, but not my Buby.
We said goodbye to our friends. Some we'll see next Wednesday when summer music lessons begin, some we'll see at Shaelin's playdate next Friday, and others--sadly--not until we resume gym class in the Fall. That age group (2-4 years) is called "Beasts." An indicator of toddlerhood?
SCHOOL TOUR
After class, we were off for a private tour at an area Montessori school. The school is grades pre-k through 1st. We checked out it's 3-year-old preschool program for Fall '08. We were impressed by many aspects, the least of which is the 30-minute drive. We did like the classrooms. And how the 9-11:30 1/2 day schedule was very structured. And the hallways were plastered with each child's name and vibrant artwork just created that morning. All the classrooms have computers in them. I walked into one with a teacher and five four year olds each at their own station. There are additional ballet and karate classes offered after daily instruction. Buby in ballet? Wait. I just need a moment. Oh, the image of Buby in tights.. with that belly of his!! Classrooms reserved for speech therapy and other special needs. The children are not just socialized--they have a curriculum and are introduced to foreign languages at the time when their little minds are most open to it. Spacious playrooms with advance learning toys, and the most incredible outdoor space I've ever seen. It's a big class. I read in one of my guides to area schools that average class size here is 12, but today it is 24 students in a class with 2 teachers. Seems large, but in fairness the facilities are extremely spacious and well designed, and the teachers and assistants we watched this afternoon seemed to have it together. The kids looked happy.
There was a "new uniforms" display in the hallway. Uh oh! I had not considered this. Very serious navy slacks and vests. Dresses for the girls. The tour guide said the preschoolers will have more flexibility as they test out the uniform program; they will be able to wear slacks with short-sleeve polo shirts with the school's logo on it. I have to mull this one over. We have toured two preschools now with completely different environments and philosophies on learning. We're still up in the air on which is the better fit for Buby, so we'll tour maybe two more over the summer to give us perspective. Plus, these visits are fun for Buby. He gets the run of the place. And all new toys!!
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