The Events
“We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are a part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.” ~ Maria Montessori
AYM Garden Walk
“When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.” - Maria Montessori.
Every spring for the past twenty-three years, the AYM children have built a vegetable, annual, and wildflower garden as soon as the blustery Midwestern weather allows. Chicago doesn't allow for much gardening time, so they go all-in as quickly as possible with generous donations from the AYM families. Watering, weeding, and harvesting are all daily responsibilities for the children. AYM's garden is a lovely retreat for children who spend many hours at school, and the work in the classroom often is inspired by their labors of love in the gardens.
Then, in early August, the children host an event for their families, "The Garden Walk." Small tables and chairs are moved from the classroom outdoors to create an alfresco experience. The children meet their families at the yard entrance. The parents are toured, enjoy refreshments, and even take home a freshly picked harvest. The children are always so proud to share the day with their families!
AYM Fall Harvest
“History should not be taught as a collection of dates and places. But rather be approached to arouse gratitude and appreciation. This gratitude should be aroused first to the law and order of the universe and the preparation of the environment into which human beings came.” - Maria Montessori
Every year around the second week of November, mouthwatering fragrances can be traced throughout the halls of Countryside Day School. The All-Year Montessori class works diligently to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner they will offer their family members on November 8th. Children three to six years old plan for this treasured event for weeks. They begin in October by choosing stories they will act out on the school’s stage.
A few days before the event, the “oldest” children in the class use their writing skills to make a long grocery list of their shopping needs. Then they have the much-anticipated privilege of taking the school bus to Sunset Foods in Northbrook to gather the ingredients. Back at school, the other children are busy arranging flowers for centerpieces, writing place cards for the guests, and folding napkins for the tables. As the evening event draws closer, the food preparation is endless. The children are involved in all of the bastings, measuring, and stirring that are necessary for each recipe. The menu includes; roasted turkey with gravy, herb stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, sweet corn, and bread rolls. In addition, homemade pumpkin cobbler is served for dessert.
AYM Cookie Exchange
“It is interesting to notice that where life is simple and natural and where the children participate in the adult’s life, they are calm and happy.” - Maria Montessori
This event allows the AYM children to hone their baking skills at home and create special treats to share with their friends. This is also a fun event for the parents to spend time visiting with or getting to know other members of the AYM family. I strongly encourage the parents to include their children in the actual baking and decorating process. They enjoy getting messy with their children and seeing them light up joyfully, knowing they made the holiday cookies. We then gather on a mid-December Saturday to swap all the creations.
AYM Spring Dance
“It is through movement that the child arrives at understanding music. It is not only by playing and singing for the child that this happens; he must understand it by his own movements.” - Maria Montessori
The children and I have been hosting this event for almost twenty-four years now. I'm all about tradition and warm/fuzzy memories. Every Spring, the children in the All Year Montessori class pick a genre that calls to them. From a waltz to polka, Elvis's Jailhouse Rock to the Beach Boy's Boy's USA, Beatlemania to Bollywood…skies the limit! We then learn a simplified version of the themed dance, choose a coordinating dinner menu, and send invites to their families. A few weeks later, we all join the school gym, have a light dinner, and then the AYM children present the dance to their parents. It's spectacular. I'm no dancer and don't pretend to be, but I know that dancing improves our quality of life. So many benefits, really…mind/body coordination, social engagement, memory and whole-brain exercise, accessibility and diversity, self-expression, and an artistic/creative outlet. That said, we weave it into our 10-hour, five-day-a-week, 245-day school year as often as possible!
