In early August, GMS music teacher, Betsy Bevan, attended a week-long workshop titled “Music Makers Around the World” taught by a Musikgarten teacher trainer from New York. The workshop was held in Greensboro and people attended from as far away as California and Canada. It was a wonderful week of learning new songs, children’s dances to classical music, activities that teach young children about the world of music, music note reading and instrument playing. Betsy is now certified as a Musikgarten teacher.

The Musikgarten program uses the Montessori teaching style and is based on a combination of prominent music traditions such as Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, Ed Gordan, classical and folk music literature and studies in neuroscience about brain development by Dee Coulter.

"I found it to be a fun, active and in depth curriculum that suits Montessori education very well. I’m looking forward to presenting some new music material to my students!" said Betsy. This year she will facilitate a music class once a week in each toddler and primary classroom. The toddler music program is called Sing with Me, Dance with Me and Primary music class will use the Cycle of Seasons Musikgarten curriculum of singing, movement, song games, note reading and a variety of other activities which match with their class studies. Lower Elementary will be following the Home Place, Woodlands, Marshlands and world Musikgarten program and Upper Elementary will draw on the world music curriculum.

At Back to School night on August 17, our families celebrated the opening of two beautiful and newly renovated Lower Elementary classrooms with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

We had a tight window of time for the renovation this summer and wanted everything ready and in place for the children on the first day of school. Construction started the Monday after the last day of school in June. With everyone working together, the project came in on schedule and within budget.  The new configuration showcases two large and airy classrooms that lead out to the gardens, have maximum natural light, brand new bathrooms and kitchenettes, and flexible floor plans for open circulation. We achieved our goal of using environmentally friendly materials in the construction, and selected fixtures and fittings with high standards for energy and water efficiency.

GMS Summer Campers share "Seed to Table" products at the local farmer's market.  During the last week of July, we held our annual Montessori Market Summer Camp where the grand finale of the week included working a farmstead table at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market downtown on Yanceyville Street.
In preparation for the downtown market on Saturday, August 1, the children spent the week involved in all of the seed to table activities you can imagine. They were busy picking produce from our edible schoolyard gardens: tomatoes, peppers, garlic, basil, and lavender. They worked in our kitchen making homemade jams (peach, blueberry and blackberry), fresh pesto, zucchini bread, potato rolls and pickles to sell. They also hand stitched lavender sachets, small pillows, and purses.
This annual summer program is a perfect extension of our environmental education programming! Thanks to Mary Jacobson, Nancy Hofer, Alicia Simpson and Kristy Ford for leading the camp.
Seed to Table Seed to Table Seed to Table Seed to Table