The Children's House

Peace

2012-01-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Montessori Education Week Peace Lessons

: Montessori Peace Lesson (Image from Montessori Opportunities)

February 26 - March 2 will mark the 105^thanniversary of Montessori education. Montessori Education Week promotes respect for children and awareness of the Montessori method. Montessori Opportunities has more information and links about Montessori Education Week. There are also more links in the Living Montessori Now Community.

Montessori Peace Education

Peace education is an important part of Montessori education and is a common focus during Montessori Education Week. Some Montessori schools have a peace pole ceremony, a peace quilt, or a “Walk for Peace” or a Montessori Moment of Peace (generally observed at noon wherever you are):

Observe a moment of silence to respect those who work to bring peace to our world. Let us all observe a moment of peace on Monday, February 26.

You can also prepare a Montessori peace table in your home or classroom in honor of Montessori Education Week. Peace tables are used in many Montessori schools and homeschools.

Montessori Print Shop has some attractive yet inexpensive peace table cards and a link to a very helpful article on “Designing a Peaceful Classroom.” Here are links to two lovely ideas for Montessori peace tables from Montessori Mama and Mommy Moment.

Here's to a more peaceful and joyful world!

Holiday Traditions

2011-12-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

Holiday celebrations are an ideal opportunity to teach children about cultures, traditions and values. Montessori offers meaningful activities to celebrate special days.

Holiday celebrations offer an ideal opportunity to teach children about cultures, traditions and values. In a Montessori classroom, meaningful special day activities engage a child’s interest, appeal to his senses, offer active participation and encourage exploration and discovery.

Which holidays to celebrate in a classroom is a decision that needs to be made every year by teachers, parents and children collectively. The holidays chosen need to be meaningful to the children and families, be developmentally appropriate, and represent the teacher, children and families of the class. By placing a limit on the total number of holidays celebrated in a school year, a special significance will be associated with each individual festivity.

Holiday celebrations in a Montessori environment incorporate hands-on active experiences through cooking, dramatic play and the exploration of authentic objects.

Exploring Holiday Traditions with Authentic Objects

In every early childhood Montessori environment, a set of authentic objects and photographs from each continent is always available for a child to explore and become interested about a community of people other than his own. A collection of authentic objects that reflect a specific holiday offers a similar opportunity to touch and feel and learn about a special tradition.

Authentic objects are not toys or plastic representations. A child should be offered real items associated with the holiday to experience. Objects could include traditional costumes to try on, natural decorations to touch and feel, real photos to look at, traditional music to listen to, and any other objects that are meaningful to the culture and values of the holiday. Ideally, these authentic objects should be available for the child to explore at will both before and after the holiday celebration.

Holiday celebrations are a wonderful opportunity for a child to learn about the traditions of others. Special day activities need to be meaningful, interesting and actively engaging to each child and really offer a hands-on experience of a holiday.

Holiday Cooking with Children

A large part of many holiday celebrations involves the preparation and enjoyment of traditional foods. Young children love to help cook, but finding the right tasks that are safe and not too difficult, yet still allow hands-on participation can be a challenge. In a Montessori classroom, each child is actively involved in preparing his own snack and participating in food preparation activities daily. Montessori food preparation activities that are easy to implement with a young child involve washing, peeling and slicing whole fruits and vegetables using child sized tools. Additionally, every young child can help to measure, pour, stir, whisk and mix with any recipe.

Choose traditional foods to prepare that have meaning to the holiday and represent the culture being celebrated. Families are encouraged to share any expert holiday knowledge with the class and be a part of the preparations. This is the ideal time for a child to try a new food that he has helped to prepare. Tasting and sharing a meal with friends is a meaningful way to celebrate a holiday.

From the Chicago Montessori Learning Examiner--Jocelyn Scotty

Montessori Grace & Courtesy is Education for Life!

2011-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

After spending the morning watching our new and returning students master apple cutting and serving so nicely, I am inspired to post these wise words from Montessori Services:

According to E.M. Standing, in Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, Montessori Grace and Courtesy activities are a natural expression of communal life. They teach children how to interact with people in a respectful way. Learning how to politely greet others, interrupt respectfully, open and close a door quietly, sit and stand up properly, and tuck in a chair will inspire children to spontaneously extend hospitality and respect to others.

Montessori teachers start the year with grace and courtesy lessons to help children become oriented to the classroom and each other. “Manners” are a welcome side effect; however, the intrinsic value of courteous communication reaches much deeper.

These activities give children practical tools they can use throughout their lives to interact respectfully with the children and adults with whom they share the world.

Grace and courtesy lessons also prepare children for later social (and business!) encounters, at an age when they are eager to imitate (and ready to internalize) the social behavior they see around them. Young children in Montessori schools are delighted to start the day with grace and courtesy: they greet the teacher, shake hands, make eye contact, and say a pleasant, “Good morning.”

As the year progresses, children become accustomed to greeting each other respectfully, using polite words, walking around each others’ work without disturbing it, and even waiting politely for their turn to speak. By the end of the year, such courtesies have become practically second nature.

Those early experiences serve children well beyond the classroom! Montessori teacher/consultant Pam Personette remembers her recent encounter with the technician who responded to her call for computer repairs. “Steven arrived promptly at the appointed time,” Pam recalls, “He immediately extended his hand, introduced himself and said a polite, 'Good morning.'

“Steven listened carefully and patiently as I explained my problem; he spoke to me respectfully. I asked Steven if he had attended Montessori school when he was young. Yes! He had.”

Invite Grace & Courtesy Home for the Holidays

In the classroom, the teacher presents new tasks one skill at a time, without the pressure of a schedule. Later, children will spontaneously apply what they’ve learned in a real-world social setting. You can use the same principle to help children prepare themselves to interrupt politely, use courteous words amidst the social whirl, and write “thank you” notes after the holidays.

Before dinner out with the extended family or a visit with seldom-seen friends, find opportunities to practice grace and courtesy with your children — and watch how they blossom in a relaxed, familiar setting with plenty of time to practice.

Interrupting politely
Unfamiliar settings will be more comfortable for children if they know how to attract your attention appropriately. Montessori Grace and Courtesy consultant Pam Personette offers this comforting, non-verbal technique from her classroom days.

In Pam’s classroom, a child needing her attention placed a hand on Pam’s arm without speaking. In response, Pam placed her free hand over the child’s, to let the little one know his “turn” to speak would come soon. Some teachers have reported that children would line up behind each other, waiting for their turn to “interrupt” respectfully!

Well in advance of the event, role-play interrupting with your child to teach the technique. A similar one is most likely in use at school (you might ask your child’s teacher how it’s done and use the exact same method).

Using courteous language
“May I get you a cup of tea?” “Yes, please.”
“Would you care for some butter?” “No, thank you.”
“Thank you.” “You’re welcome.”

Don’t all parents use such courteous language all the time? As hard as we try, the truth is it’s terribly easy for busy adults to forget ourselves in the rush. Yet modeling may be the most potent way for parents to help children extend their new social skills beyond the classroom. More important, these polite words and phrases set a climate of mutual respect within which your children will thrive.

Use the same simple, polite phrases at every opportunity. Rather than prompting children to offer appropriate responses, enlist a friend or family member (or an older child) to demonstrate courteous language. This kind of role playing is truly “play.” You may even find children practicing with their friends (be they stuffed bears or children!). Children are naturally inclined to imitate your speech and will join in with the proper responses in time.

1. Seat the two role players at a set table.

2. Model one set of phrases at a time:

“Would you like some water?” “Yes, please.”
(Pour the water.) “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.”

“Would you please pass the bread?” “Yes, here it is.”
(Pass the bread.) “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.”

3. Invite the younger child to take the place of one of the role players and repeat the exchange exactly the same way.

Tip: Children need lots of repetition. Rather than correct their early or incomplete efforts, choose another opportunity to role play again on another day.

Writing thank you notes
When is it appropriate to say “Thank you”? Knowing is not as easy as it seems! Of course, parents can model for their children by thanking them verbally for their efforts and their company. Thanking friends, relatives, and guests in writing is an appealing activity for children, especially when they can participate in the whole communication process.

Children need little urging to draw or write on a postcard they will mail themselves. Let them watch you address the postcards. Children can then affix stamps and, if at all possible, carry postcards to the post box and drop them in.

Before the holiday season begins, find an occasion for your children to create and mail a few postcards or letters in this way and they will be eager to repeat the activity after the holidays.

“Practice” for the Holidays with a Tea Party
Children love everything about a tea party! Having a friend to tea gives children a chance to write and mail an invitation, greet, serve, and thank a guest — every step is a wonderful opportunity to exercise grace and courtesy. After some time to practice individual skills, a tea party gives children a chance to synthesize what they’ve learned in a comfortable, low-key setting (before that big family dinner!).

When children have snack in the Montessori classroom, they chat quietly with each other and with adults. They take turns speaking and use their napkins. At the end of snack, they thank each other for the delightful experience, clear their dishes and glasses, and tuck in their chairs.

A tea party is a perfect chance for similar polite conversation at home. Parents can use the party to set the stage for a future event by pretending to be at a fancy restaurant (or Grandma’s house!). Ask the children to dress up the table accordingly. Even simple decorative touches like a doily, flowers, and special serving dishes bring out their formal best!

Prepare small servings of child-friendly foods with your child. Think apple wedges and cheese, crackers and sliced eggs, veggies and dip — foods that will call on plenty of passing and serving are perfect.

Life Beyond the Montessori Classroom
The mother of Anna, a former Montessori Primary student now enrolled in a third grade public elementary school, stopped Pam Personette at a clothing store to thank her for Anna’s early Montessori Grace and Courtesy lessons. Pam reports, “Anna’s mother told me her child always tucks in her chair (at home, at school, and in restaurants). When other parents are prompting their children to say ’please’ and ’thank you,’ it comes naturally to Anna.”

And then there is Steven, the college student who came to repair Pam’s computer.

When asked about having attended Montessori school, Steven was intrigued. How did Pam know? It wasn’t just the greeting! Pam says, “I prepared lunch for him (we have three computers...there was lots of work). He waited for everyone to sit down before he began to eat. We had a pleasant conversation and he thanked me for lunch. When we got up from the table... Steven tucked in his chair!”

Montessori truly is education for life! Montessori school prepares children to become citizens of the world and, whether at home or at school, it all begins with mutual respect — otherwise known as grace and courtesy.

Peaceful Morning

2011-09-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Words of wisdom from a gifted parent educator--
Susan Tracy:

Children in our society are often rushed and ordered around, especially in the
mornings. Parents tell me this is the time they are most likely to become,
shall we say, unpleasant with their children.

It is important to consider how mornings are going, because morning sets the
tone for the day. We would like children to arrive at school feeling happy and
peaceful, not stressed. Walking in late can be disruptive to child and class,
so make an effort to set up an efficient morning routine and avoid running late.

A good morning starts the night before. Everything that can be done to ease
the morning should be. Some ideas:

Tidying up
Child packs school bag and/or lunch and places them by the door
Check that shoes or boots, coat, snow pants, TWO mittens, hat, etc.are ready.
Provide low coat hooks and manageable storage near the door for these.
The child lays out clothing for tomorrow
Bath
Use the toilet
Pajamas
Snack and/or drink (if bed wetting is not a problem)
Brush teeth
Pleasant stories - no monsters or disasters, and no television in the evening.
Light from any screen hinders sleep.

Begin the evening routine with the necessities, followed by some pleasant, quiet
time together, perhaps reading stories, saying prayers, tucking in, expressing
your love for your child. This could all be done by candlelight.

Your child should go to bed at approximately the same time each evening to
set asleep habit. Most young children need a bedtime of 7:30 or 8 p.m. Allow
ten hours of sleep, or more.

Plan an evening routine for yourself also. Prepare for the morning. Plan eight
hours of sleep, or whatever you know you need to feel rested. This helps you
to be pleasant in the morning!

Get up a half-hour before your children so you have time to get yourself ready,
uninterrupted. Then, greet them with a smile! This sets the tone for a good day.

Children’s morning routines may include the following:

They get up on time, using an alarm.
Make the bed. Simplify bedding, perhaps using just a duvet.
Use the bathroom.
Get dressed in the clothing chosen the night before.
Provide clothing that children can put on independently.
Brush hair
When they finish these steps, THEN they may join you for a lovely breakfast.
You have spent the last little while preparing this breakfast,
INSTEAD OF nagging your children. I call this the "Muffin Method".
Remember, no nagging.
They will know what needs to be done once the routine is established.
If they are ready early, then reward them with time spent in an activity they enjoy.
Perhaps they have 20 minutes to play outside before they leave. (Note: Getting outdoors before school aids concentration).

What’s your routine now? Searching for shoes, laundry, the school bag,
car keys…

Easier mornings start THE NIGHT BEFORE. Do everything you can ahead
of time. For both morning and night,observe how long it takes your child to get
ready INDEPENDENTLY, with no unneeded help from you. Allow this much time,
plus some extra. I find that children respond better to nonverbal cues than verbal
reminders. Instead of repeating “Time to go!” numerous times, I would just get my
jacket and keys, and slowly head for the door, about 10 minutes early. If a child is
not ready and it is time to go, I put a young child in the car “as is” (unless it is
dangerously cold). They might get dressed quickly in the car (they must be
buckled before we depart), or at school. This could be too embarrassing for some
children, but it can be a very effective logical consequence.

Once your mornings are running smoothly, you may find you have some extra time.
Enjoy that time together reading a book, playing a game, playing outside, listening
to music, or having a conversation…something healthy that your child especially
enjoys. No television before school – it has a sedentary effect on children and adults alike.

Top 10 Reasons to Choose a Montessori Education for Your Child

2011-09-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Is Northfield ready for a Montessori Elementary Program? It's not just for preschool!

1.“ Follow the Child”

One of the most beautiful components of Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy is that teachers “follow the child” to her own potential. This means that teachers present individual lessons to children based on their own intellectual capabilities. Respect is given to the child to work at her own pace. Subsequently, children may excel beyond grade level and surpass state standards.

2.Freedom of Choice in Work

Because the children may choose their own work based on the lessons that they have been presented, the children are engaged, enthused, and purposeful in their work. The children develop a sense of ownership in their work, their lessons, and become active participants in their education.

3. Freedom of Movement

In the Montessori classroom, the child is free to move with purpose to acquire materials needed to perform a lesson or activity. Movement in the classroom requires that the child develop self-discipline and self-control. The child becomes independent and confident in the environment. Because the child is allowed to take care of him or herself, the child feels respected and safe in the classroom.

4. Educational Manipulative Materials

Montessori created beautifully inviting materials as an integral part of her lessons. The materials are not only aesthetically pleasing, but serve as important concrete models of concepts presented in the lessons. Montessori also believed in isolating the difficulty for the child, therefore, a multitude of materials may be used in sequence to facilitate the child’s progression from the concrete to abstract thinking.

5. Multi-Age Classrooms

Observing that children learn best in environments likened to family and home, Montessori designed her classrooms to include children of three sequential ages. Her extensive studies of children and how they learn led her to divide children into four planes of development and sensitive periods of learning. The children are grouped together in multi-age classrooms to meet the needs of the child. In the Montessori classroom, the younger children feel encouraged and capable of achieving mastery of work when they see older students completing the lesson. These groupings benefit older students as well because older children will feel capable, confident, and competent serving as mentors and role models to the younger children. Ideally, the children spend three years in the same Montessori classroom with the same teacher who nurtures and educates the child with a continuum of development.

6. Cosmic Curriculum

Maria Montessori developed the cosmic curriculum to excite and enthuse the child to his or her inner most core. The child is presented lessons on subjects from the entirety of the universe to discover how wonderful and wonder-filled the universe actually is.

7. Practical Life

Montessori believed that children should be empowered to become independent, stating, “The essence of independence is learning to take of oneself.” Practical life activities, such as scooping, pouring, sweeping, sewing, gardening, and conflict resolution, encourage independence, responsibility, confidence, and competence. The children feel valuable, capable, and empowered.

8. Earth Conscious Curriculum

Believing in the importance of honoring, respecting, and understanding the inter-connectedness of all living things, Montessori developed her botany and zoology curriculum to inspire children to care for the Earth and all of her living creatures. Lessons also include introducing and practicing the concept of “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” in turn, reducing our carbon footprint.

9. A Global Village

With multi-cultural curriculum and classrooms, children learn to be respectful of all human beings from all corners of our Earth. Students learn the names of each continent’s countries, capitals, flags, and landforms, as well as examining customs and cultures of people throughout our globe. Montessori believed that children who know about the Earth and its inhabitants would be the peacekeepers of our world. The Montessori method is perhaps even more relevant is today’s global village.

10. Peace Curriculum

Maria Montessori was committed to creating peace in our world through the education of our children, stating “Creating peace is the work of education. All politics can do is keep us out of war.” She believed that children were “both the hope and promise for the future of mankind” and developed lessons for children to learn how to solve their own problems peacefully. Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1951 and 1952.

By Rachel Wallace Reid, Certified Montessori Teacher and Parent Educator

Summer Reading

2011-07-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

How glorious to have the seemingly endless time to really read. Aside from travel picks at the airport ("Room", "Her Fearful Symmetry", "Angels and Demons"). In between beach time with "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss (recommended by a new librarian friend of mine) and an ever present Jim Harrison novel, I am spending my summer with some work related reading.
The following are on my list--let's hope the vacation time allows for some thorough digestion.

"Raising Cain" - Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson
"The Courage to Raise Good Men" - Olga Silverstein and Beth Rashbaum
"Pink Brain-Blue Brain" - Lise Eliot
Obviously preparing for the new school year after the enlightening workshop by Biff Maier at the AMS conference in Chicago.
"Tomorrow's Children" - Rianne Eisler (from the last conference in New Orleans!)
Montessori Classroom - Paula Polk Lillard (I don't know, I tend to bring this along because it always helps me shed the old year and prepare for the next in a familiar way -- old habits.)

Pour me another glass of iced tea -- I'm heading down to the beach.

Event

2011-05-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Where: 1400 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057 (Northfield High School Auditorium)

Date: May 19, 2011
Time: 7:00pm–9:00pm

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Behavioral Expert and Educator Kirk Martin Coming to Northfield
On Thursday, May 19^th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., world-renowned parent/teacher/child educator Kirk Martin and his teenage son, Casey, will be coming to Northfield. Martin, the founder of Celebrate Calm, LLC, is a behavioral expert, author and radio host. This practical, humorous and life-changing workshop is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Northfield High School Auditorium. This event is being made possible by several area early childhood programs, various organizations and businesses within the Northfield community, as well as parent donations. Don’t miss this wonderful
opportunity. Visit http://www.celebratecalm.com/ to learn more about Kirk and the work he and Casey have done with parents, educators and children across the U.S. and in 18 countries around the world.
Features: Free, Open to All

Happy, Hopeful, Earth Day!

2011-04-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Signs of spring at our school --

the peace of wild things

When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world and am free.

Wendell Berry
Poems to Live by in Uncertain Times

spring roll...

Hope & Inspiration

2011-04-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

I am just reflecting on the wonderful American Montessori Society annual seminar in Chicago as I head back into the day to day world of school after spring break.

The theme of this conference was very forward thinking--technology and new educational frontiers. AMS described it in this way:

When education fails, cries for increased uniformity and standards become louder. Where does the Montessori Method, which encourages individual growth and personal development, fit into the current educational system?

What are the ways in which Montessori education can harness the ever-growing powers of technology and use it to work toward transforming lives and advancing the world toward a better future.

With over 100 years of successful Montessori education in our collective history, and current research corroborating Maria Montessori’s work, we reflect on her statement, “The child is both hope and a promise for mankind.”

As always, I left the conference very glad to be a Montessorian, but also with a real sense of hope--that isn't always the case when discussing such profound subject matter as the state of education and the future that awaits today's children.

I realize that I live with hope every day. It's not because I am an overly optimistic person (although I tend to be just that). It is because of my work environment. I am immersed in hope. Each and every day I am greeted by and spend the day with hopeful and enthusiastic people. Of course I am talking about the young children who come to Montessori Children's House in Northfield, MN. I know that almost all of the attendees of the conference in Chicago--all 3000 of them, have that same privilige. How awesome is that? My attitude alone is not the point of this posting. I would like to share with our community some of the wonderful presentations that we were able to participate in over the course of the weekend. From the opening keynote to the unbelievable opportunity of the closing by Sir Ken Robinson, we were soaked in the juices of what we can do to facilitate the future. Heady stuff, to be sure. Not that different from our day to day workload, but realized on such a different level. Having it all synthesized and handed to us, spelling out the purpose with graphs and statistics and global comparisons, was perfectly enlightening and affirming. Please allow me to lead you to some of the links from our conference in Chicago and beyond. Perhaps, like us and the planners at AMS this will lead you to a place where you can see a picture of the future and the place where tommorrow's children will dwell. I think it will be a happy place. I am filled with hope, as usual.

Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

Yong Zhao

Ellen Galinsky

AMS

Spring Workshop

2011-03-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

The Well Being of the Child

Spotlight on nutrition,

Montessori's view of the child's connection to the natural world,

yoga for kids

(child care available downstairs during presentation and then children are welcome for yoga demonstration.)

Saturday, March 12

10:30-12:00

Montessori Children’s House

2400 Division St S.

645-2445

Healthy Kids

2011-02-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

We are once again preparing for a MCH parent workshop. This offering in early March will be centered around children's health -- with information on nutrition, exercise, yoga, getting OUTSIDE in nature...guest speakers and practitioners will give parents lots of ideas and inspiration. My friend Micaela's blog has a sampling of just such information. Here is a "taste" -- from Mindful Momma:

Healthy Food Blogs Worth Drooling Over

Nothing gets my mouth watering more than a plate full of healthy food. Maybe it's age, but I'm more likely to load up on a healthy meal and pass on dessert these days. It's not that I don't love me a good fattening dessert because believe me, I do. But serious cravings for things like sauteed greens, roasted beets and brown rice send me into a cooking frenzy. Has this happened to you too?

A lot of my cooking inspiration comes from food blogs. Most of the time, I'm not even looking for a recipe, but I check out the blogs for ideas, inspiration and new food combos. Like mixing black beans with mango and cilantro or roasted carrots with honey, butter & apple cider vinegar. That kind of thing.

Would you like to see some of the food blogs I've been drooling over lately?

Nice videos from some of our heroes:
Lunch Love Community

The Gift of Patience

2011-01-16T09:09:00.000-08:00

"Let us send the children out into nature to learn from nature just what patience is and how important it is for them to learn patience."
- Bernard Shaw

According to my dictionary, patience is “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset”. In my experience, being patient is much more difficult when there is some kind of gratification involved as the end product. In that case, waiting can become an endurance.

In today,s western society, many young children struggle with patience. They cannot wait and they demand instant gratification. They are used to being entertained and in some cases they get served upon instantly.

The children at Montessori Children's House are taught the meaning of patience, not just knowing how to wait for something, but experiencing patience through hands on interactions and experiences. Our children are given time and space to be outside, in nature, in our garden to watch the birds, the animals, the insects, the flowers, the trees, the clouds, the wind, the rain, the falling snow, and everything else that is part of nature’s life theatre.

They learn to be patient when they plant seeds, and wait for the seedlings to grow into plants with beautiful white flowers that grow into yummy red strawberries.

They wait patiently when they place food on the bird feeder for the wild birds to visit, picking the seeds, and giving a live show of tricks.

They discover what patience means when they care for the lovebird who sits on the nest for three weeks, until they arrive at preschool one morning and find little hatchlings peeking from beneath mother bird.

They are patient when they observe the caterpillar turning into a chrysalis and one day emerge as a beautiful monarch butterfly.

And the ultimate patience is taught when they plant an acorn and wait to finally one day identify a green sprout that resembles an oak!

Instead of playing with computer games or watching tv, commodities that deliver instant gratification, the children at our preschool are outside, engaging their hands, their hearts and their mind in the ever changing life theatre of nature. Patience is a gift for life, our children deserve it!

Winter Workshop

2010-12-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

We held our first MCH Parent Workshop--Montessori in the Home--in early December. What a nice way for families to plan additions or changes to their home environments in order to accommodate the growing independence of their children. With the winter upon us in full force it is a perfect time to create new and stimulating areas in your home. We hope you can use some of the ideas from our winter workshop. Happy nesting!

Please e-mail if you would like a copy of the presentation sent to you. We would be happy to provide it.

Ideas for the home from Montessori Mama's Blog

An example from You Tube

a different kind of black friday - low cost "big" gifts for children

2010-12-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

While I have been putting together a new workshop for families at Montessori Children's House this Saturday, I have come upon so many wonderful ideas for children. I am so impressed with the ideas out there that I must put them out here for our community too. This is from one of my favorite bloggers at Sew Liberated. Enjoy--

I thought you would get a kick out of my Black Friday "shopping" excursion this morning. It started at the end of my parents' driveway where I grabbed a handful of newspapers that had been put at the curb to be recycled. I threw those in the back of the car and headed to the craft store, where I bought four styrofoam balls and some masking tape.

Styrofoam balls, masking tape, newspaper, flour and water ... all I need to begin my most ambitious holiday handmade gift of the season. Puppets. Four of them, with a door frame puppet theater from fabric in my stash. I'm planning on using the tutorial for the theater below, which can be found atPetite Purls.

Photo, design and tutorial by Nancy Anderson

I've been thinking a lot this holiday season about being thrifty. Since so many of us are needing to tighten the belts of our gifting budgets, I thought I'd point to some great, low-cost ideas for children's gifts.

Put together a new playspace for your child, using thrifted furniture cut down to size (i.e. saw off the legs of an old desk to make a child-sized table. Again, more on this later!) Here's an article with some helpful ideas.
Organize a spectacular dress-up area. Keep your eyes peeled for fun hats, shoes and outfits during thrifting excursions, or make your own. Dedicate a space for dress up in your home - set up one of those cheap wall mirrors next to a peg shelf. Add ribbon loops to all shirts and pants so they can be hung from the peg shelf, assuring that they are easily accessible to children and don't get lost in a bottomless toy chest. Place shoes and accessories in bins below the peg shelf. Remember to rotate the items on occasion to maintain the child's interest.
Put together a "kit-in-a-box" gift that caters to your child's particular interests. I thought the veterinarian's case Amanda put together for her daughter was amazing. You could take this idea and apply it to any interest - an field explorer's kit, a baking kit, a sewing kit, a florist's kit ... really any interest you see emerging in your child could be nourished through such a gift.
Stock your child's play kitchen with handmade felt food.
Set up a birding area near a large window in your home.
Re-organize and re-stock your child's art space or reading nook.

Leave a comment to share your own ideas!

How to talk with your child about their day at preschool

2010-09-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am passing this along from another blog. Seems timely after our first parent evening last week.

A few parents have asked me what words they can use to discuss their child's preschool day with them. And one in particular asked me to do a blog post about it. I thought that was a great idea, so here is the post.

It can be difficult to get much information from your preschooler about their day. There are a variety of reasons for this. For one, they are often so fluidly moving from activity to activity that it could literally be hard for them to recall specific things they did. Another factor is that they may be questioned about their preschool day several hours after preschool and that can also affect their memory of the specifics (how well those of us who are "older" can understand this one!!). And, of course, another factor may be that the words adults use to ask them about their day may be different from the words we use to describe things at school. So the child becomes confused by the question and is unable to offer much information. I am hoping this post will help some with the latter issue. I'm not sure much can be done to remedy the other issues, but it will definitely will help to use the right "jargon".

First, at school we refer to the materials and activities mostly as "work." This is just kind of a Montessori thing. Many or most of the materials wouldn't necessarily be called "toys", nor would the children necessarily think that they "played with" things. So if you ask them questions like, "What did you play with?" or "What toys did you play with?", you are unlikely to get much of a response. However, if you say, "What did you work with?" or "What work did you do?" or "What did you take off the shelf?", you may yield better answers.

Second, if you aren't getting a lot of specifics about the "work" your child is doing, don't give up on trying to have a conversation with them about their day. It may be that their "work time" is not standing out in their mind as the most salient or "important" part of their day. That doesn't mean they aren't learning or busy during work time. Rather, there just may be other parts of our preschool day that are more preferred by your child. If this is the case, you could ask them things like, "What songs did you sing on the line today?" If you read my blog regularly and have a child in my class, I will try to post most of our songs under the sidebar category called "Montessori---Group Activities". So you could specifically ask them if they sang the "Bakery Shop" song, for example.

If your child loves being outdoors, you could ask them about what they did outside or who they played with. For many children, this is a highlight of their preschool day. Additionally, most children will at least tell you about what they had for snack. When my oldest child went through Montessori preschool, that was the most reliable piece of information I gleaned from him.

Also keep in mind that all children (like all of us adults) are different. Some will voluntarily share with you many details about their preschool experience and some (like both of my boys, I'm afraid) are not as inclined to share a lot about their day. If your child falls into the latter category, don't despair. As far as I know, there is no correlation between amount of learning and amount of talking about their learning. Remember................so much of the learning that is going on within your child is just that..........within.

And for a final thought..............try to think about what your own adult response would be if, at the end of a full work day, you were intensely questioned about all the details of what you did for the duration of the time you were away from the questioner. Sometimes, you'd just prefer to not talk about it. Not because it was bad, just because. You know what I mean?? And............it's okay.

Back to School - 3

2010-09-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Back to School –

Study Shows the Right Preschool Leads to Later Success education.com

A study released by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) shows that the type of preschool a child attends at 4 years old, will affect how he or she learns at 7. The study, the largest of its type to date, followed 5,000 preschoolers in 1,800 schools across the world.

So what type of preschool is best? Larry Schweinhart, president of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, and a researcher on the study says, “Early childhood educators contribute to children’s development when they emphasize child-initiated activities, limit the use of whole-group instruction, and provide abundant materials in the classroom.”

In other words, allowing preschoolers to choose freely, for as much of the day as possible, rather than corralling them into too much circle time, is the best way to create successful first graders. The researchers are clear on a number of points:

Language performance at age 7 improves when:

Most of the activities available to preschoolers are free choice, rather than teacher led – exploration based, physical activities that allow kids to practice their gross and fine motor skills, crafts, music.
Their teachers have a higher level of education.

Thinking skills at age 7 improve when:

Preschoolers spend less time in whole group activities proposed by the teacher, like songs, games, group story-time, and pre-academic activities. 30-40 minutes is a good amount of whole group time.
The number and variety of equipment and materials for preschoolers to choose from increases.

In a nutshell, children become better thinkers when they’re active participants in their own learning.

Play Equals Learning

The study addresses what many of us teachers believe - that child development in preschool is the foundation for future learning. Many of the problems that children/young adults encounter usually arise because they didn't learn or weren't allowed enough developmental/exploration time at around age 3. Learning to share, cooperate and problem solve social issues are learned at a young age. “Academic” content can also be attractive to and appropriate for the young child. Although, I'd offer that every time learning is happening it is academic, even if it seems purely social. The term academic and formal are often misused when discussing early childhood education. What is more important is the understanding that play equals learning. For too long we have divorced the two. While early childhood education is a hot topic for Ready 4 K followers in Minnesota and is expected to be “on the national agenda” under the Obama administration, the topic of what is going on inside preschools is not yet part of the discussion. It is not enough to just say preschool is important—how we do it is important.

Back to School - 2

2010-09-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Back to School –

10 Signs of a Great Preschool

If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 and attends a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten program, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) suggests you look for these 10 signs to make sure your child is in a good classroom.

Children spend most of their playing and working with materials or other children. They do not wander aimlessly, and they are not expected to sit quietly for long periods of time.
Children have access to various activities throughout the day. Look for assorted building blocks and other construction materials, props for pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as matching games pegboards, and puzzles. Children should not all be doing the same thing at the same time.
Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend all their time with the whole group.
The classroom is decorated with children's original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling and stories dictated by children to teachers.
Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. The natural world of plants and animals and meaningful activities like cooking, taking attendance, or serving snack provide the basis for learning activities.
Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Worksheets are used little if at all.
Children have an opportunity to play outside every day. Outdoor play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
Teachers read books to children individually or in small groups throughout the day, not just at group story time.
Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Teachers recognize that children's different background and experiences mean that they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.
Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel secure about sending their child to the program. Children are happy to attend; they do not cry regularly or complain of feeling sick.

Also ask if the program is accredited by AMS, AMI or NAEYC. Accredited programs complete a rigorous self-study and external review to prove that they meet standards of excellence in early childhood education.

Back to School - 1

2010-09-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Back to School –

A Strategy for Picking a Preschool

For many parents it is wrenching and bewildering to consider handing over to others even a small part of the rearing of their own child. Whether you will be sending your preschooler to a day-care center because you wish to work, or to a preschool or nursery school because you are convinced it is best for him educationally and socially, it is a big step. For just that reason, it’s not enough (even though it’s natural) to pick a school on the basis of what your friends and neighbors say, the reputation of the school, or its official educational philosophy. Your friends are not raising your particular child. Reputations can be artificial, misleading, and unreal. Official philosophy can differ from the education that takes place within a school. I would like to offer here a strategy for picking a preschool for your child. I do not plan to tell you what kind of school is best—I will try to show you how to observe, question and decide. There is a series of questions that you must answer to your own satisfaction; I will explain the questions and tell you how to go about getting the answers.

The Practical Rundown

The first step is to call the schools you are considering. I suggest that each call be made only to answer practical questions, but the director will feel better if you ask about the educational program they offer. Be interested, but don’t pursue the subject too far by telephone. You will be able to find out more accurately at the next stage, when you visit the school. The following questions can all be answered by telephone.

Can I afford the school?

Is enrollment still open for when I wish to enter my child?

Do they accept children his age?

Are the hours, location and transportation such that I can get my child there and back on time?

(If you work) I s this a day-care center that can keep my child during working hours?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” drop the school from your list.

Is the school licensed?

The State of Minnesota requires that preschools be licensed. A licensed school guarantees minimal fire, health and safety standards, and an acceptable pupil/teacher ratio. It does not always guarantee that the staff is professionally trained.

The Observant Parent

The following questions are subjective; they can only be answered if you take the next step—a visit to the school for observing, asking explanations, expressing doubts.

The Physical Plant—Ask to be taken on a tour of the facilities first. Check for health and safety factors. Notice the play and learning materials. Jot down materials that capture your attention: a large number of blocks, an electric typewriter, plastic “toy” toys, a nature display, interesting artwork, a workbench, letter and number games. Ask about them. The answers will tell you a great deal about the real educational goals of the school, about its attitude towards children.

The Action—Ask if you can sit down in a classroom and observe for a while. Jot down what pleases you, what disturbs you, what baffles you. Educationally, a teacher can be didactic (“this is the right way to do it”), or a resource (“come to me if you need anything else”), or an enabler (“perhaps it’s too short; would a longer one work better?”). What is the tone in the room (animated, absorbed, quiet, noisy, frantic, listless, tense, happy, busy)? How is discipline handled? What sort of conversation do you hear? Do the children play well together? You will formulate questions and doubts as you observe.

The People in the School—The director or head teacher at a school tends to set the tone, pace and method for the rest of the staff. Now is the time to talk with her. Bring up your observations: Why did the teacher interrupt the block play to offer the children a balance scale? Why do they use only one color paint? Why do they let the children use sharp tools? What is the cardboard store front for? Express whatever doubts have come up about your child in this school. Don’t ask general questions, be specific. Say, “Can you give me an example of a child that hits or bites and tell me how you handle it?” Don’t say, “What do you do with aggressive children?” Questions now about the educational program will make sense, because you have seen for yourself the materials, activities and attitudes they feel are important.

The Philosophy Hang-Up

Don’t get hung up on philosophy. Good education is a question of the match—the match between school and child. You have known your child for several years; you have observed several schools. Now you can make the match: It is no more helpful to ask yourself general questions than it is to ask teachers general questions. Do not ask yourself: Should schools push kids or leave them alone? Is social growth more important than academic development? Does the Montessori system make kids brighter than the Discovery method? Deal in specifics. Will your child be stifled in this structured school? Will he be unchallenged in this undemanding one, or discouraged in this demanding one? Is there a good balance?

The final question is:

How well can I picture my very own child in this particular school?

Young Music Makers at Camp

2010-08-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

What a lovely week of music making it has been at Montessori Children's House. Thank you to Shana and Anika Hodel for their joyful and thoughtful preparations for each day of happy camping.

making sandpaper blocks

wind chimes

shakers

bell bracelets

stringed instruments

guest artists

make a pretty sound

instrument exploration

all together now

we love music!

Redshirting

2010-08-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

After reading this article in the New York Times The Littlest Redshirts I was more interested (as usual) in the reader comments that followed online. The social scientist in me loves reading all the varied opinions and "solutions" of our citizens. I had to scroll pretty far down before I found one from a Montessori parent. I appreciated her sense of calm in respect to her child's age at entering school:

I think the cause of the redshirting problem is two-fold:

1. Kindergarten has become way too academic. Kids who are 5 should not be sitting at desks doing worksheets. They should be learning through exploration of the world around them.

2. The rigidity of the traditional public school system is ill suited to meeting children's unique needs because it places them in an artificial age-based box. My 3 year old son, for example, is very academically gifted and is far ahead of his chronological peers intellectually but his emotional and social skills age are at or below his chronological age. Because of that disparity we decided to place him a Montessori school where the class age levels overlap and where multiple ages are in the same classroom. He has really blossomed because he is able to play with children his own age while doing the more challenging work that he is ready to do.

I've found that the parents at his Montessori school aren't stressed about the redshirting problem at all because they know that the school will be able to place their children where they fit best.

Letter to the Strib

2010-08-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Of course, I appreciated this letter to the editor by Northfielder Gayle Collins. Check out the reader comments, though.Why is this topic so contentious?

Letter of the day: Stop criticizing teachers and invest in more early education

Summer Browsing

2010-08-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Now is the time when surfing the internet can be an inspiration not just a method of procrastination. Summer is a perfect time for us teacher types to search for new ideas and connect with the outside world for a bit while the day to day school world takes a break.
Most of the time I find something and then forget where I saw it. Below is a list of sites I've visited recently while looking for classroom materials. These ideas are really great, and if I had the time I would try them all and relax into a state of creative bliss. Maybe I will be able to make a couple of things before September rolls around...

Child Made Ideas

Paint + Cut + Paste blog

Polar Bear Creations

Fair Trade Family blog

On the Shelf

Creative Jewish Mom

Childhood Magic

Rosy ~ Posy

Sew Mama Sew!

Sew Natural

Outdoor School Environment

2010-06-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

This post from a fellow blogger really gives validity to our quest for a connection to nature at MCH.

A symphony of tones

Recently I was talking to a fellow Montessori teacher from another preschool. We were discussing our outdoor environments, which are quite different from each other. Her environment follows a more traditional approach of a manicured lawn, sandpit, steel climbing structures, and a playhouse. Our environment is more natural, with logs and rocks, shrubs and bushes, sand and mud and a "wild" area of evergreens, seedlings, and any living creature that makes itself at home there. The teacher is looking at changing her outdoor environment, taking away some of the traditional playground items and bringing in more natural elements. We started talking about the fun (or is it entertainment?) the children have with those traditional items and we asked ourselves the question what are the needs (real or perceived?) of the children?

I thought about a passage in the book "The Tao of Montessori" by Catherine McTamaney, which I am currently reading. In it she writes:

"Simple environments, few choices. Are these the qualities of a boring classroom? In Montessori, they are the cornerstones of the children's imagination. When we debate the role of fantasy in our classrooms, we come back to these real items, these few, orderly materials presented with such care. The child who absorbs everything around her, is offered only those things that are real. In doing so, have we taken all the fun out? No. Rather, we have respected the inner vision of the child. By experiencing stimuli, colors, sounds, flavors in isolation instead of cacophony, the child observes the world around her and develops a more profound understanding of it than if we offered her syrupy "fun". The world is a symphony, Begin with a single note.

I thought of this "single note", and how we expose the children at our preschool to the natural world, one step at a time. How we observe the worms when they are hiding in our worm sanctuary in the sand. How we marvel at the delicate monarch butterfly when it emerges from its chrysalis. How we protect the little black walnut seedling from being stepped upon when it sprouts from the earth in our wild corner. These little gems in our garden are one by one a single note of nature's symphony. Our children take real joy in being in our garden. They do not ask for a plastic truck or digger, they do not miss their "playhouse" which now functions as a henhouse, they do not look for steel bars as they rather balance and climb on the boulders and logs that provide a more natural challenge.

Our preschool garden is protected from bright colored, noisy, steel and plastic toys and entertainment equipment. Instead, the children have access to natural elements, real, small, simple, and beautiful. McTamaney continues:

" The child, in offering her attention to the tiniest detail, respects the wonder of her world. She does not overlook the miraculous seed. She attends to the color of the rabbit's eyes. By protecting the space from too much color, too much noise, too much distraction, we preserve in the child the ability to wonder. We offer her the ability to hear each tone, to appreciate the complexity of the symphony by understanding first each simple sound."

And isn't that what nature does so well, a beautiful symphony of tones you wouldn't want to miss?

The Tao of Montessori. Reflections on Compassionate Teaching (2005, 2007) by Catherine McTamaney, Ed.D. iUniverse Star. Lincoln, NE

Montessori Races to the Top

2010-05-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Montessori in the national spotlight:

May 10, 2010

WASHINGTON – The White House and the U.S. Department of Education today announced that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver the commencement address at Clark Montessori Jr.& Sr. High School in Cincinnati, OH, as part of the President’s Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The commencement is scheduled for Thursday, May 27, 2010.

“Clark Montessori Jr. and Sr. High School shows an extraordinary commitment to encouraging their students to take responsibility for their education, get involved in their community and go to college,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “I look forward to congratulating them and celebrating their hard work as their 2010 commencement speaker.”

Clark Montessori Jr. & Sr. High School was one of over 1,000 applications for the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge narrowed down by the White House and Department of Education to six high school finalists. In recognition of the extraordinary achievements and outstanding efforts by each of the six finalists, the Obama Administration pledged to provide a Cabinet secretary or senior administration official to deliver the commencement address at each of the five schools not selected as the national winner.

The Commencement Challenge, launched in late February, invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications showing their dedication to providing students with an excellent education that will prepare them to graduate ready for college and career choices.

Applications were judged based on the schools’ performance, four essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their dedication to academic excellence and for showing how they are helping prepare students to graduate college and career ready, and prepared to meet the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

Voices for Children Day

2010-03-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

We made personalized flowers to give to the governor and legislators at the State Capitol this week to support the March 1st Voices for Children Advocacy Day. They need to know that we expect their support to fully fund early childhood education in our state.
The facts via straightforward video.

Obama's view.

Let's give quality choice to all.

Thank you, Google Guys.

What are we waiting for?

Children and Food

2010-01-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Children and food--especially regard the entries about children empowered to make their own school meals.
http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/back-to-the-land/

Let Me Help: Supporting the Young Child at Home

2009-11-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from the article -- Let Me Help: Supporting the Young Child at Home - by Karin Salzmann. Reprinted from Montessori Talks to Parents, NAMTA

In primitive societies, and even in quite recent times, children always participated in the life of the home. A sense of belonging, along with pride of accomplishment, help the child to grow up strong and secure.

When we begin to draw the child into family chores, there are, of course, difficulties. But taking time to show a child how to help is actually easier in the long run than trying to keep her occupied and out of the way. Because she will keep insisting, she will forever turn up underfoot. What she is saying is, “Let me help, let me be part of your life!” Or she will pull away: “I want to do it myself!” read more

Edible Schoolyard

2009-10-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

inspirational
video

Parent Evening

2009-10-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

Although it has been two weeks since our school's parent evening, the importance of this first community event of the year is still fresh in our minds. Our hope is to welcome you and encourage you to embrace the life of the school. Your interest and support has tremendous impact in aiding your child in their first steps on their journey of lifelong learning. While the journey seems to have just begun for these young students, the very first steps have, of course, been taken in the home. Preschool especially is a time of partnership between the home and the school life. It is a bridge. Many parents ask what can be done to integrate the Montessori philosophy into the home environment? This is a fairly easy thing to carry out and so gratifying and empowering for the child.

The following are five qualities that we strive to encourage in the child in the Montessori environment:

Independence- self esteem comes from being able to carry things out on one's own.

Socialization- your child learning to manage himself in increasingly greater social environments.

Communication- the human need to communicate clearly, to understand and be understood.

Order- addressing the human need for patterns and structure. Applied both to the external world (your child's world) and the internal world (your child's mind). The mathematical mind.

Curiosity- The scientific mind.

Dr. Maria Montessori viewed the child as a member of a family, not as an isolated individual, and one whose most formative life experiences take place within the family. She recognized parents as a child's first and most influential teachers.

Practical ideas for the home:

1. Independence

Care of the Person:

Teach them slowly how to dress themselves

Allow them to choose from limited outfits

Give them a drawer or space in their own closet where they can choose their own clothing from

Teach them where to put soiled clothing

A dress up box can aid in this practice for young three year olds

Let them brush their own teeth

A low cupboard in the kitchen where they can choose their own snack

They can help set the table

Let them participate in the kitchen

Provide them their own tools for kitchen use

Let them choose and make their own breakfast

Clear the table

Wash dishes

Teach them bathroom hygiene- let them do it themselves

If toilet is too high, put a step on it

Teach them how to use utensils properly, no reason why they shouldn't be able to use a knife

Care of the Environment:

Low work spaces

Tools that are accessible to them (sponges, buckets, soap, water)

Put a step up to your kitchen sink

Keep things in one place as much as possible so that they will know where to put them back

In the kitchen: measuring, pouring, stirring, spreading, cutting, peeling, grating, washing, seeding,

Watering the plants around the house

Wiping the table or counters

Washing hands

Mopping the floor

Making their own bed

Preparing their clothes for next day

Opening and closing curtains

Feeding animals

Putting dirty clothes in hamper

How to treat their toys

2. Social Relations

Practice wanted behaviors

Praise

Talk about positive things you see in them

Talk about positive things you see in others

“Catch them being good”

Let them hear you saying good things about others, including children, notice more of what you DO want them to do

Clear limits to unacceptable behavior

Talk about your values and what you find important

Model your beliefs

3. Communication

Clear precise communication with your child

Talk a lot with them, explain things

Sing

Read to them even when they can already read for themselves- they love the same books over and over

Let them see you reading

Tell them true stories

Prohibitions should be clear (and you should hold yourself accountable as well)

Give words to feelings

Introduce complex vocabulary

Stick to your own best language

Give realistic choices

Let them be a part of family meals

4. Order

Routines! Morning routines, and bedtime routines especially

Things have a place in your child's room, then he will know where to put them away

Not too many toys

Not too many activities to do- time to process the day is necessary

Limited sets of clothing to choose from

Limited work space

How to treat their toys

Tell them what happens before, and what will happen after

Make a picture schedule and talk about it

Give them real world word problems

Notice patterns with them

5. Curiosity, Creativity

Listen to what they have to say!

Outdoor provides much opportunity for exploration

Let them solve their own problems

Ask them what they think about things

Wonder with them

Read

Expose them to art

Give them tools for expression

Open ended toys

Book Lists:

Parent/Child Press AMS NAMTA

Toys and other materials that support Montessori ideas

for the home and school are available through

Michael Olaf

Little Red Robin

and

For Small Hands

Signs of Fall

2009-10-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Seasonal field trips are a classic and well-loved tradition for all schools. The child experiences something new with her learning community as they go out together into the wider world beyind the school environment. What excitement and positive stimulation it creates for them, even more special because it is shared as a group. Leaving the classroom for a field trip places the kids in a different social environment. They encounter a new set of adults and possibly other children during the course of the average field trip. These interactions teach them how to behave in different settings. They employ more self-control because it is a less contained environment than the classroom. It fosters a sense of teamwork and community among the students as they experience a field trip together.

Back to school with media awareness

2009-09-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

Is your child ready for a successful school year?

Every school year brings new questions for parents.

Is my child ready? Can my kids really get homework done while

checking their Facebook pages? How do I set them up for success?

Get answers to these questions and more in the

NEW MediaWise Back-to-School Tune-Up Guide!

Get the guide!
http://www.mediafamily.org/back-to-school/index.shtml

Red Cross Back-to-School Lesson on H1N1

2009-08-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.flufacts.com/about/default.aspx

A Red Cross Back-to-School Lesson: Keep Your Children Healthy with H1N1 Prevention
Thursday, August 13, 2009 — As a new school year gets underway, health officials are bracing for another wave of the H1N1 flu virus to hit the United States in the months ahead. And one of the first lessons that parents can teach their children this school year is healthy living steps.
The American Red Cross encourages parents to take a series of flu-prevention steps now to help keep their children healthy and to prepare for the possibility of a flu outbreak in schools. These include:
Teach kids proper and consistent hand washing techniques.
Tell them to avoid sharing objects such as utensils, cups, and bottles.
Show them how to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and wash their hands afterwards. If they don’t have a tissue, tell them to cough or sneeze into their elbow or upper arm, not their hands.
Teach them to keep hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth to keep germs from entering the body.
A recent poll conducted by the Red Cross showed more than a third of parents (39%) had received no flu information from their child’s school or daycare. Mom and Dad should talk with the school about what the plans are for a potential flu outbreak.The Red Cross also encourages parents to prepare for the potential spread of the H1N1 virus by talking with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people with flu-like symptoms stay home – except to seek medical care or other necessities – for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone. The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
We have more information available on the H1N1 pandemic and what you can do to stay healthy and keep your family healthy. Currently, the Red Cross is monitoring the developing situation and is in close contact with federal and state officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security. At this time the best action the public can take is to prepare and prevent further spread of the virus.

Keeping Up on Early Childhood Policy Issues

2009-08-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

The State of the Union for our early learners--

From Washington DC: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/Education/

Focus on Early Childhood Education
The years before a child reaches kindergarten are among the most critical in his or her life to influence learning. President Obama is committed to providing the support that our youngest children need to prepare to succeed later in school. The President supports a seamless and comprehensive set of services and support for children, from birth through age 5. Because the President is committed to helping all children succeed – regardless of where they spend their day – he will urge states to impose high standards across all publicly funded early learning settings, develop new programs to improve opportunities and outcomes, engage parents in their child’s early learning and development, and improve the early education workforce.

From Minnesota:http://www.ready4k.blogspot.com/
Early childhood care and education in Minnesota 7 Key planning gaps
Based on a review of the available information related to early childhood care and education in the areas of school readiness outcomes for children, leadership, public engagement, resources and financing, policy reforms, programs and services, and quality, the Minnesota Build Initiative has identified these system planning gaps:
• Minnesota has no consensus on a statewide vision for early childhood education. Minnesota needs a plan that articulates a vision for a coordinated, comprehensive early childhood system in Minnesota and spells out the cost to fully implement it.
• Advocates for early childhood need a concrete vision in order to engage the public.
• We need better coordination among state agencies responsible for programs serving children and families.
• We must elevate early care and education as a legislative priority.
• At the local level, there are very few examples of early care and education governance models that assess community strengths and gaps and promote integration of early childhood programs. • Early childhood care and education have few clearly identified champions such as business CEOs, police chiefs, mayors, or school officials.
• We need a comprehensive review of funding for early childhood care and education through foundations, United Way, and employers. Additionally, we must review research on all funding streams, including federal, for early childhood education in Minnesota.
• No clear vision is shared statewide for quality measures for the early care and education system and infrastructure.
• The State of Minnesota needs an ongoing statewide monitoring system for assessing the developmental status of children at the time of school entry.

From Northfield:http://www.nfld.k12.mn.us/FamilyServices/childinitiative.shtml

Like the wiring process in a young child’s brain, the
Minnesota Early Childhood Intitiative is transforming
communities – relationship by relationship. Through an
organic process carried out in communities throughout
greater Minnesota to identify and plan strategies to
ensure that all children thrive, five key components of
a nurturing community emerged. Backed up by research
evidence, these components are:
􀂃 Strong families – The Initiative works to build
trusting relationships and partnerships that support
healthy choices and connect parents to information
and resources on their own terms.
􀂃 Engaged community members – Young children
need advocates, and when people understand what
children need to succeed, they pitch in to improve
conditions and outcomes for them. Engagement
tends to breed more engagement.
􀂃 Effective and coordinated early care and education –
By coordinating efforts to produce essential
information, eliminate duplication, and fill service
gaps, early care and education professionals
increase their own community connections, sense
of mutual trust, and opportunities for service
coordination.
􀂃 Early learning opportunities – The Initiative
empowers parents with information and supports
child care providers to help children gain literacy
skills and to develop cognitively, socially,
emotionally and/or physically.
􀂃 Ready schools – The Initiative eases the transition
to kindergarten by building relationships between
parents, teachers, and schools and by promoting
parent involvement in their children’s education.

Gettin' 'r Done

2009-08-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Isn't it nice to have good news coming out of the White House?

Not long ago, the first lady planted the first seeds for the White House's own organic garden. Now the Obamas want to expand the idea to set up a farmers market just outside the White House. read more

Open House Week

2009-08-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's Open House time at Montessori Children's House. All of this week the school is open to the public from 10:00 am to 12:00pm. Come and see our classrooms and gardens. Visit with the animals that are back from their summer homes and stroll around the pumpkin patch--weeding is welcome.

The Child in the Kitchen

2009-08-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

The long relaxing days of summer are such a perfect time to start meaningful traditions in the home with young children. Cooking is a marvelous one to begin now.
Children love to cook and EAT. So many lessons--from why do we wash our hands and where does food come from--are made more real for the child in the kitchen. Shopping and better yet, growing some of your own food, makes the experience even more valuable. Children really do love to help in a meaningful way--peeling the carrots or washing lettuce is a genuine and fun way for them to contribute. Working together in the kitchen also affords the perfect opportunity to dialogue about good nutrition and what making healthy choices actually means.
Resources are plentiful for families today to incorporate the child's participation in this basic activity of home life. Any search on the internet or at the public library will easily fill your information pantry to the top.

Molly Katzen's cookbook, Pretend Soup, is a favorite at our school with great step by step illustrations for the child to follow. You may even be inspired to record your cooking experiences in a child's or family recipe book (the relatives are just waiting for this gift, right?)
http://www.molliekatzen.com/kids.php
Mollie and notable others have some things to say about children in the kitchen:
How and when did you start cooking?I started make-believe cooking when I was a toddler, using invisible ingredients, plus grass, flowers, and mud. I started cooking with real food when I was about 8 or 9. My mother and grandmother let me follow them around the kitchen, and I was entranced. I tested and wrote my first recipe when I was 9. It was for a chocolate dessert that leaked out of the oven door and across the floor. My wonderful, patient mother, instead of yelling at me, said, "Well this is certainly original. Let's give it a name." We called it "Creeping Australian BooBoo." Lacking the good sense to be deterred, I went on to write many more recipes over the next 35+ years. Somewhere along the way, I figured out how to have things stay in the oven.--Mollie Katzen

Thank you, Michelle Obama--“There’s nothing really cooler,” Mrs. Obama said, “than coming to the White House and harvesting some of the vegetables and being in the kitchen with Cris and Sam and Bill, and cutting and cooking and actually experiencing the joys of your work.”
For children, she said, food is all about taste, and fresh and local food tastes better.
“A real delicious heirloom tomato is one of the sweetest things that you’ll ever eat,” she said. “And my children know the difference, and that’s how I’ve been able to get them to try different things.
“I wanted to be able to bring what I learned to a broader base of people. And what better way to do it than to plant a vegetable garden in the South Lawn of the White House?”
For urban dwellers who have no backyards, the country’s one million community gardens can also play an important role, Mrs. Obama said.
But the first lady emphasized that she did not want people to feel guilty if they did not have the time for a garden: there are still many changes they can make.
“You can begin in your own cupboard,” she said, “by eliminating processed food, trying to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/dining/20garden.html

And, of course, Alice Waters--
Why do you think involving children in growing food and preparing it can make such a big difference for kids? My solution is not to try to feed children in the same way that fast food nation does — which is to figure out a gimmick to get them to eat something. It’s to bring them into a whole relationship with food that’s connected to nature and our culture.
No other country thinks about food as just fueling up. It’s always connected to the seasons, to nature, to what’s growing, to celebrations with family and friends. It’s a kind of moment in the day when you collect your thoughts and stop to sit down and to eat. Food is considered precious and vital, and farmers are treasured. We’ve allowed ourselves to be completely indoctrinated into another way of thinking about food in this country.http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/alice-waters-takes-kids-beyond-chicken-nuggets/?apage=3

Even Rachael Ray-- how does a cooking class help a child overcome his or her circumstances?
It literally changes the quality of your life to be able to eat good food. It improves the nutrition of a child, and therefore it improves his or her health. But I think it’s also a self-esteem issue. I think we should get our kids into the kitchen not only for their health, but because being able to provide good food for yourself is very empowering. Being able to cook a simple meal and feed your family at the end of the day really feeds your soul.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/rachael-ray-wants-kids-in-the-kitchen/

And the wonderful Julia Child--credits her early years in a Montessori school with the preparation of her hand and mind for cooking.
“Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.” --Dr. Maria Montessori (Maria Montessori concluded that the child needed meaningful work by which she could construct her personality. Thus, practical life and the Montessori method itself were born.)
Bon Appetit!

Summer Rabbit Action

2009-08-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

The summer break from school can be difficult for a bunny. Bela has a very quiet lifestyle during July and August, but he has become a new father. Summer School visiting rabbits Snowflake and Cleo spent time with Bela in the goose pen and now Snowflake has six babies. Congratulations!

New Book

2009-07-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Pre-order Micaela's book--Practically Green-- at amazon.com

Mindful Momma

2009-07-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

View Micaela Preston's blog for green parenting tips.

http://mindfulmomma.typepad.com/

Nearby Nature

2009-07-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hiking

http://www.rbnc.org/

Camping

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/nerstrand_big_woods/index.html

Children & Nature Network

2009-07-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) was created to encourage and support the people and organizations working worldwide to reconnect children with nature. C&NN provides access to the latest news and research in the field and a peer-to-peer network of researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-being.

http://www.childrenandnature.org/

Field Notes from the Future

2009-07-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

These selected articles and recent writings by Richard Louv expand on events and initiatives in the children and nature movement, its leadership, strategies and vision for the future. Richard Louv is an author and journalist focused on nature, family and community.

http://www.childrenandnature.org/blog/

The Child in the Kitchen

2009-07-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

The long relaxing days of summer are such a perfect time to start meaningful traditions in the home with young children. Cooking is a marvelous one to begin now.

Children love to cook and EAT. So many lessons--from why do we wash our hands and where does food come from--are made more real for the child in the kitchen. Shopping and better yet, growing some of your own food, makes the experience even more valuable. Children really do love to help in a meaningful way--peeling the carrots or washing lettuce is a genuine and fun way for them to contribute. Working together in the kitchen also affords the perfect opportunity to dialogue about good nutrition and what making healthy choices actually means.

Resources are plentiful for families today to incorporate the child's participation in this basic activity of home life. Any search on the internet or at the public library will easily fill your information pantry to the top.

Molly Katzen's cookbook, Pretend Soup, is a favorite at our school with great step by step illustrations for the child to follow. You may even be inspired to record your cooking experiences in a child's or family recipe book (the relatives are just waiting for this gift, right?)

http://www.molliekatzen.com/kids.php

Mollie and notable others have some things to say about children in the kitchen:

How and when did you start cooking?
I started make-believe cooking when I was a toddler, using invisible ingredients, plus grass, flowers, and mud. I started cooking with real food when I was about 8 or 9. My mother and grandmother let me follow them around the kitchen, and I was entranced. I tested and wrote my first recipe when I was 9. It was for a chocolate dessert that leaked out of the oven door and across the floor. My wonderful, patient mother, instead of yelling at me, said, "Well this is certainly original. Let's give it a name." We called it "Creeping Australian BooBoo." Lacking the good sense to be deterred, I went on to write many more recipes over the next 35+ years. Somewhere along the way, I figured out how to have things stay in the oven.--Mollie Katzen

Thank you, Michelle Obama--“There’s nothing really cooler,” Mrs. Obama said, “than coming to the White House and harvesting some of the vegetables and being in the kitchen with Cris and Sam and Bill, and cutting and cooking and actually experiencing the joys of your work.”

For children, she said, food is all about taste, and fresh and local food tastes better.

“A real delicious heirloom tomato is one of the sweetest things that you’ll ever eat,” she said. “And my children know the difference, and that’s how I’ve been able to get them to try different things.

“I wanted to be able to bring what I learned to a broader base of people. And what better way to do it than to plant a vegetable garden in the South Lawn of the White House?”

For urban dwellers who have no backyards, the country’s one million community gardens can also play an important role, Mrs. Obama said.

But the first lady emphasized that she did not want people to feel guilty if they did not have the time for a garden: there are still many changes they can make.

“You can begin in your own cupboard,” she said, “by eliminating processed food, trying to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/dining/20garden.html

And, of course, Alice Waters--

Why do you think involving children in growing food and preparing it can make such a big difference for kids? My solution is not to try to feed children in the same way that fast food nation does — which is to figure out a gimmick to get them to eat something. It’s to bring them into a whole relationship with food that’s connected to nature and our culture.

No other country thinks about food as just fueling up. It’s always connected to the seasons, to nature, to what’s growing, to celebrations with family and friends. It’s a kind of moment in the day when you collect your thoughts and stop to sit down and to eat. Food is considered precious and vital, and farmers are treasured. We’ve allowed ourselves to be completely indoctrinated into another way of thinking about food in this country.http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/alice-waters-takes-kids-beyond-chicken-nuggets/?apage=3

Even Rachael Ray-- how does a cooking class help a child overcome his or her circumstances?

It literally changes the quality of your life to be able to eat good food. It improves the nutrition of a child, and therefore it improves his or her health. But I think it’s also a self-esteem issue. I think we should get our kids into the kitchen not only for their health, but because being able to provide good food for yourself is very empowering. Being able to cook a simple meal and feed your family at the end of the day really feeds your soul.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/rachael-ray-wants-kids-in-the-kitchen/

And the wonderful Julia Child--credits her early years in a Montessori school with the preparation of her hand and mind for cooking.

“Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.” --Dr. Maria Montessori (Maria Montessori concluded that the child needed meaningful work by which she could construct her personality. Thus, practical life and the Montessori method itself were born.)

Bon Appetit!

2009-07-15T10:02:00.001-07:00

"Whoever touches the life of a child touches the most sensitive point of a whole, which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future."
Dr. Maria Montessori

http://www.mchnorthfield.com/

The Child in Nature

2009-07-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

"What did you do outside today?"
"I just played."
Translation: "I followed a croaking sound to the edge of the marsh until I found a bullfrog, I watched a cloud turn into a big fluffy bunny,I figured out that you have to go to the end of the line each time after you are up in kickball."
You can ask any expert about the importance of unlimited time outdoors for a child. They will tell you about the need for a connection to nature, the necessity for developing imagination without electronic stimulation, the socio-emotional building blocks going missing every second the child stays indoors.
Better, I think, to ask the child.
"What can you do outside tomorrow?"
"Play some more."
Focus, listen, share your own experiences.
"I used to go down to the marsh, too..."
Don't just follow the frog on the screen, go on out and find the real thing.

http://www.childrenandnature.org/