A Joyful Return to Routine, Growth, and Grace

January welcomed our community back from Christmas break with renewed energy, deep concentration, and joyful reconnection. The children were eager to return to their work, their friends, and the familiar rhythms of the Montessori classroom—making the start of the new semester both peaceful and purposeful.

A Warm Welcome to New Friends

We were delighted to welcome new students into our classrooms this month. Their arrival brought:

• Fresh friendships and new energy

• Opportunities for returning students to practice leadership, hospitality, and kindness

• Gentle guidance from our guides as new children learned classroom routines

It has been beautiful to watch the children naturally care for one another and grow together as a community.

Rooted in Faith Each Morning

Every day began with prayer and intention. The children gathered reverently to prepare the prayer table, choosing meaningful items and participating in shared prayer.

Morning prayer often included:

• Preparing the prayer table (cloth, icon, statue of the Good Shepherd)

• Singing together

• Reading Scripture or prayer cards

• Sharing personal prayers or words for Jesus

These moments ground our days and remind the children that faith is woven into all aspects of life.

Grace & Courtesy: The Heart of the Classroom

January placed a special emphasis on Grace and Courtesy lessons, which help children move confidently and respectfully within a community.

The children practiced:

• Walking calmly and working quietly

• Rolling and unrolling rugs

• Caring for classroom materials

• Waiting patiently for lessons

• Observing a friend’s work respectfully

• Communicating boundaries with kindness and clarity

• Putting a hand on someone’s arm to ask a question

• Using the bathroom and washing hands

Though simple, these lessons form the foundation for a peaceful, joyful learning environment.

Focused Work & Visible Growth

As routines settled back into place, the children quickly returned to deep concentration and meaningful work.

Highlights included:

• Older students refining early literacy skills, sound segmentation, and beginning readers

• Younger and newer students strengthening independence, coordination, and order

• Measuring everyone’s height and discovering that many children had grown 1–3 inches since August

Maria Montessori carried so much of her experience as a doctor into the way she approached education. For her, observation of the whole person—body, mind, soul, etc.—was essential. In her writings, she notes how she would always measure and weigh her students regularly to be aware of how much they were physically changing. This helped her to have a greater understanding of their needs while in the classroom.

Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls

Winter weather offered rich opportunities for outdoor learning and joy.

The children enjoyed:

• Shoveling snow on the playground

• Extended outdoor play on warmer days

• Eating lunch outside together

• Unstructured play that fostered creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving

Outdoor experiences remain an essential part of the Montessori day—even in winter.

Special Moments of Faith & Celebration

January also included meaningful communal experiences, such as:

• A presentation on the Adoration of the Magi for older students

• Our first school Mass of the semester, attended with attentiveness and reverence

These moments deepen the children’s understanding of faith and their place within the Church community.

Gratitude for Our Community

As we move forward into the new year, we are deeply thankful—for our students, families (past, present, and future), and the supporters who make this work possible.

January reminded us that true growth is quiet, steady, and profound when children are given the time, space, and love they need to flourish.

Thank you for being part of the Sophia Montessori community. We are so grateful to be walking this journey together.