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So week two done and all goes well in the land of Albany! Our lovely new children are settling in well and getting used to the routines, and the returning children are adjusting to the new class with some of their old friends having flown our nest. There are always interesting patterns in settling in and returning, and over the years, they have established themselves. It is something that I feel may help in sharing.
First our new starters: some dive in head first, are beautifully curious and, initially, there is no looking back. Then it becomes routine and there are some tears and a little protesting at coming in being a regular occurrence. From there on in, there is a little tunnel to go through and when they emerge the other side, nursery becomes the bees-knees and there is no looking back…Until there is a break! So now we come to the returning children, who are settled until they have a break. Here it must be emphasised that not all share this sentiment - many are so happy to see us after a holiday and are desperate to get through our doors! However when some of their peers return, and they witness that some of the new children are not having a bar of it, they have a little re-think too and some, not all, decide that they will join in! This can create a little domino effect and for a few moments, at drop off, it sometimes seems like we are in a maelstrom of woe! This soon passes and peace and happiness ensues. So even the returning children can go through small tunnels of their own. I think the message here is that tears and reluctance is normal particularly at the beginning nursery and also returning after a break. I know how they feel; many is the time I have returned from holiday to Monday morning blues! 
photo: Emma Collins Excitingly for the children this first week was the discovery of our new garden which runs down the side of our building. In reality the garden space has always been there however there were restrictions on using it. That all changed following a conversation with our landlord earlier this summer when he said something along the lines of, ‘Oh Fawzia if you would like to then you can.’ Hooray! Wonderfully he gave us carte blanche to do as we wished as his sea cadets no longer camped there - really they have not camped there for many years and the space has been overgrown with brambles and long grass, and also became a bit of a dumping ground for stuff to take to the dump but didn’t quite make it! The move to action came a week into the summer holidays when Tim and I loaded his car up and finally made that overdue dump trip! I then enlisted a friend’s son, Tom, who was back from uni to do most of the graft with me (I had to take time out as I then managed our summer school for the last part of the holiday). Tom was great and cleared the brambles, cut back the very long grass and then took a mower to it. It all finally took shape when we put the logs into place for an outdoor circle and Tim fixed a tarpaulin at one end. Then the children arrived! All our efforts were instantly and massively rewarded as they filled the space and properly brought it to life. One child exclaimed, ’this is the secret nursery garden!’ I smiled when she said that, ‘It actually is’ I replied. And it’s only the beginning - Im looking forward to lots of activity, outdoor learning and forest school activities. We have just had some wooden pallets arrive so the possibilities are enormous! Watch this space...
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Albany Montessori Blog
Latest news from Albany Montessori School. The original Montessori nursery in St Albans. Archives
October 2023
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photography Emma Collins & Joel McDermott
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website design Joel McDermott |
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