While Texas weather doesn’t always showcase the full range of the four seasons, this time of year still brings a gentle taste of autumn. We begin to notice small but meaningful signs: the leaves shifting in color, cooler mornings touched with dew and fog, acorns scattered on the ground, and of course pumpkins making their annual appearance. Exploring these objects offers a wonderful opportunity to naturally introduce lessons in language, math/geometry, biology, art, and music.
These seasonal changes, even when subtle, offer rich opportunities for children to connect with nature. Time spent outdoors helps children develop a deep sense of wonder, curiosity, and peace. It nurtures respect for all living things and teaches patience as they observe the slow, intentional rhythms of the natural world.
In our elementary classrooms, children explore these ideas through lessons like the “Timeline of Life,” where they learn that every living being has a purpose and that purpose is often to serve and support others. Even our youngest learners in Casita are drawn to observing insects at work, plants growing, and the way each part of our ecosystem depends on another.
Through these experiences, children not only grow in knowledge, but in empathy and a sense of belonging within the larger world around them. Caring for the natural environment allows us to make meaningful contributions today while ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the beauty of our planet including the wonder of seasonal changes.
“There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be found around them, in a real forest... The wood reveals that it is not only the trees that exist, but a whole, interrelated collection of lives.” Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence
Garden and Building Volunteers
We’re excited to invite gardening and building volunteers to help us create our upcoming orchard! If you have a green thumb or simply want to lend a hand and contribute to our beautiful campus, we would love for you to get involved. Parents and family members are welcome to join our volunteer list. For more information, please email Vrodriguez@community-montessori.org.
Fall Conferences are this and next week. We are looking forward to seeing you!
Staff Highlights
This year we will be introducing you to a different staff member each week. We look forward to sharing things like why they love CMS, how they were introduced to the Montessori philosophy, and what they enjoy doing when they are not at school.
Katie Elder
Lower Elementary Assistant
(at CMS since 2023)
Q) How long have you worked at CMS?
A) This is my second year at CMS as the assistant in Juniper, one of the Lower Elementary classrooms.
Q) How did you come to discover Montessori and how has it impacted your life?
A) Before coming to CMS I got to be a bilingual first grade and kindergarten teacher for 10 years at a public school in Round Rock. I enjoy learning about different pedagogies and after having my daughter I pursued an assistant position at CMS to learn more about Montessori.My daughter turned 1 year and 4 months old when I started working here last year, and I’m thankful for the timing. Learning about the core Montessori principles has aligned so well with me and my husband’s vision for raising her.
Q) What is something you would recommend for parents?
A)
I recommend practicing pausing. When our lives get busy we can forget to slow down and process, for ourselves and with our children. Pause to make eye contact with your child when picking them up from school. Let yourself pause when you’re thinking of how to respond to your child in a certain situation–you don’t have to have all the answers immediately, and maybe ever. When your child has a conflict or is starting to get frustrated with a task, pause and observe before trying to fix it. Teach them how to ask for help when they’ve already tried finding solutions for themself and step in only when they ask for help. I think that modeling how to slow down and take time to think before responding is a powerful skill for our kids to see modeled to them.
Q) What do you do for fun outside of work?
A) I love getting cozy at home with a candle and tea while reading or playing video games and board games. Stardew Valley, Wingspan and Catan are some of my favorites. Just about anything is an adventure with my 2 ½ year old! We love reading books, going on walks in the neighborhood and visiting family in Boerne and Houston on the weekends. I also enjoy yoga, hiking, camping, and playing pickleball.
CMS CALENDAR REMINDERS
- October 22-31st - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- November 8th - International Festival
Subscribe to our CMS Calendar: CLICK HERE
The mission of Community Montessori School is to provide authentic Montessori education
in a nature-rich environment that cultivates collaboration, curiosity,
love of learning, and respect for oneself, others, and the world.
