To Back to School Night Mrs. Istvanyi’s Kindergarten and First Grade

Class of 2026 Your children will be in the workforce until 2060!

A Little About Me Beginning my 19 th year of teaching I graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a Master’s in Education. I’m Brazilian and speak Portuguese fluently. I learned Spanish in High School. I have a wonderful husband, two children and a dog. I live San Marcos.

Our Morning Breakfast in the classroom Morning Routine

Kindergarten and First Combo

Specials Visual and Performing Arts Spanish

Montessori Method Montessori philosophy differs from traditional school in three primary ways. Multi-aged classrooms which serve to encourage cooperation, minimize competition, provide opportunities for indirect learning for younger students as they observe older peers, foster self-confidence in students who serve as role models, and provide long-term child/adult relationships. Educational materials are concrete to aid the child to learn order, to discriminate physical dimensions, provide opportunities to teach responsibility, coordination, and interdependence, and to indirectly prepare for complex abstract concepts. Individualized lessons.

What is the difference? Montessori Traditional Whole to part presentation of subjects. The universe is presented and then the details. Uninterrupted work time is designed into daily schedule to honor child’s individual focus and interests Control of error lies in the material itself. Child’s own intelligence fosters correction. Child can work where s/he is comfortable, moves around and talks at will (yet disturbs not the work of others). Part to whole presentation of subjects. Details are presented based on graded curriculum and the universe is built detail by detail over a span of years. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm or teacher. Work is set up for a right and wrong answer. Teacher indicates errors. Child assigned own chair and expected to spend most of school day stationary.

Recess and Snack

Homework I expect 100% return rate It will go home on Friday and it must be turned on the following Friday The purpose is to set a daily schedule at home and instill responsibility I expect no less than 15 out of 20 mastered vocabulary words If work is completed early they must still practice sight words

Field Trips Bates Nut Farm San Diego Zoo