Transition into School

This week at Community Montessori School, we will be welcoming our children for the 2nd year!  The teachers have been working hard planning, preparing the environment, and anticipating the wonderful year ahead.  Our goal for the beginning of the year is to begin to build relationships with the children and help them develop a 'work cycle'.  The work cycle involves choosing a work, doing the work, returning the work, and moving on to the next work.  The development of a child's work cycle is critical to their development of concentration and focus.  As we present lessons and provide opportunity for exploration of the beautiful materials, children will become engaged in their work.  The teacher will work as a guide and supporter during this process.  Sometimes children develop their work cycles quickly and other times, it can take an entire school year for this to work itself out.  There are many things that may effect the development of a work cycle (for example age, experience in the classroom, interest, distraction level etc) and as the teachers get to know the children, we will learn how to best support their development.  Our hope is that the children develop a love of work, concentration, self-discipline and sociability. 


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Tips for Preparing for the First Day of School

What an exciting time of year!  Summer is coming to an end and families are gearing up for the start of school.  As a teacher in a Pre-Primary classroom, we get to experience a family's first time sending their child to school as a 3 year old. As exciting as it is, it can also cause some anxiety-the unknown, change, and concern of a child's emotions can cause parents to be a bit apprehensive as their child starts a new chapter in their life.  As teachers prepare the classroom and lessons, there are also some great tips for parents to follow as we approach the first day of school.  

*Begin by talking to your child about school in a very positive way. Tell them the reasons you chose the school for your child:  wonderful materials, great playground, caring teachers etc. Children are adaptable to change, especially when they know what to expect.  If the school is new for your child, try and schedule a time they can visit the school prior to the first day.  It's helpful for children to see the space and meet the teachers. 

*Set up a plan for drop off~ask the school/teachers what their procedure is and what they suggest for the drop off.  Many schools have car lines and recommend starting the Carline routine the first day.   However, if you feel more comfortable walking your child in the first day, that shouldn't be a problem.  Practice how drop off will go with your child at home-role play and explain that you are dropping him/her off at at safe place where they will have fun and meet new friends.  Be prepared for the fact that separating may not go smoothly at first, but be confident that the teachers have a lot of experience on how to handle these types of situations.  

*Know that most children will become calm and interested in the classroom soon after you depart.  The teacher can give you an update of how things went when you pick up your child at the end of the day.  Most children learn to separate pretty quickly.  If there is a pattern of a difficult separation, talk with your child's teacher to come up with a plan that can help support your child.  

*Remember that teachers and parents are working together to instill self-confidence and independence for every child.  The goal is to help your child enter the classroom confidently, hang up their backpack, wash their hands and choose work.  Every child will reach this stage of independence and teachers and parents should be respectful of that process for each child. 

Ultimately, your child will learn to love their school and look forward to coming each day! 

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Reflection on a Class taken this week

I attended a class this week presented by Xavier and GCCME (Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education).  The name of the class was 'Montessori and Special Education-Returning to Our Roots'.  The week was so rich with knowledgeable and passionate presenters as well as time set aside to share and learn from other Montessori teachers from here locally as well as out of town.  As I reflect and remember, many things are stirring in my heart and mind.
Dr. Thomas Knestrict from Xavier University shared his research on the resiliency of families who are raising a child with special needs.  He spoke about the importance of Rules/Routines/Rituals.  These are important for all children, but particularly children with learning challenges or special needs.  Here is why it's important to establish rules/routines/rituals in your family.
**Rules are important because it establishes order and predictability.  Even though children won't always agree with the rule we are asking them to follow, the fact that there are rules that are followed consistently sends a message of security and love.   
**Routines are also a way to create structure and predictability.  This helps a child organize themselves within a safe framework of people who care about them.   From small tasks (setting a table, throwing dirty laundry in the hamper, helping prepare a meal) to larger tasks (mowing the lawn, washing the car, cleaning the house) routines are a way for children to find a rhythm to their lives which again, helps them to feel safe and secure.  When everyone knows and understands a routine, it can provide stability for the entire family.
**Rituals are routines with meaning. Rituals bring about connectedness among family members.  Rituals help family members attach to each other in healthy, loving ways. They also helps establish a value system in the family.  Caring about nightly meals together, or going to church together teaches children what is important and shows that the family is going to stay committed to doing these  consistent activities because of what it brings the family. 

How can you establish these things with younger children?

~Bedtime routines can be a special time with young babies through school aged children. Establishing a routine that is followed each night is a good idea-bath, story, lights out each night give children an opportunity to relax and prepare for sleep.
~Pick a day each week to go to the library or visit a favorite park.   
~Serve something special one particular night a week (Monday is pasta night or Tuesday is taco night). 
~Do a monthly give away of toys/books/clothes to a local charity-involve children in this process and routine of giving away.

Decide what is important to your family and help bring order and stability by implementing rules/routines or rituals.  I'm quite certain everyone will enjoy the time together!

A Visit from a Mentor

Today a very important person came to my school.  For several summers, I have been able to spend time with Marian who was one of my teachers when I received my Montessori training.  She has become a friend, a mentor and someone I greatly respect and turn to for advice, guidance and support.  She is in her 70's and so very passionate about Montessori.  In fact, she was trained by women who were trained by Maria herself.  She owned a school for many, many years and provided a wonderful, respectful, loving environment for many children living in the Forest Park area.  I believe it's critical for Montessorians to stay in touch with those who have (and continue to go) gone before us. It's important to hear their stories and allow them to share their wisdom and knowledge with us. It's important to constantly be reminded why we do what we do-what we value and why we believe so strongly in the ability and beauty of children.  Children have a lot to teach us if we allow ourselves to be humbled in their presence and learn by observing, rather than moving in, directing, controlling, fixing.  Instead, we build relationships with children and understand and respect where they are developmentally, socially, academically etc.  We believe that their hearts, minds, and spirit guide their choices and providing them with a prepared environment with beautiful materials and allowing them to build their independence, magic happens in the hearts of children and adults alike who are blessed to be a part of the unfolding of a child.  Thank you Marian for sharing your time and passion with us today.  I am forever grateful that I met you and thank you for the impact you have had on me personally and Community Montessori School.

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Great Giveaway From Montessori Print Shop

This is one of my favorite spots to purchase materials for the classroom~great ideas and wonderful support to teachers and homeschooling Moms!

http://blog.montessoriprintshop.com/2011/07/25/montessori-nomenclature-giveaway.aspx

Check it out!

Creating Emotionally Safe Environments

Part of my passion for Montessori environments is how respectful of children these environments are.  Not just where children are developmentally or academically, but also emotionally.  As a former traditional teacher,  my training for classroom management and/or discipline was very teacher directed and controlled.  In Montessori classrooms, we help support children as they go through challenging times with their emotions.  Helping children understand what they are feeling and helping them use their words in the midst of frustration, anger, or sadness, is a real life skill.   Children's emotions are respected-frustration, sadness, anger, joy, compassion.  Children, just as they are learning new skills everyday, are also learning how to experience, express and deal with their many emotions.  As they encounter new things in their world, they will experience new emotions as well.  As directresses and guides in the classroom, Montessorians take very seriously the tenderness of a child's heart and mind as they learn to navigate through social situations. Daniel Goleman discusses the importance of promoting, what he calls, emotional literacy in classrooms.  He says it's important for teachers to use opportunities of strife among children to teach children skills of conflict resolution, perspective taking and negotiation.  Goleman's review of research tells us that educating the emotions has a wider mission than preventing violence.  It teaches children to think differently about disagreements (Children Who Aren't Yet Peaceful by Donna Bryant Goertz).  

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Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful by Donna Bryant Goertz

I am being blown away and challenged by a book a friend recommended.  It's a collection of stories written by a woman who started a Montessori school in 1975 with 17 students and now has a functioning Montessori school housing 285 students from pre-primary to Middle School.  Her belief is that Montessori classrooms can serve as healing agents for all children, in particular children who (what she calls) 'eccentric', meaning children who may have some emotional, behavioral, or learning concerns.  My heart is relating deeply to what she says.  And, I am especially moved because we will be welcoming a child with special needs this Fall.  It gives me such hope to think of the power our classroom can have on all the children including this new student who has been written off by many.  We believe in children at Community Montessori.  The power of believing, hope, encouragement, patience, and safety can not be measured-it can't be tested on a scan tron and it can't necessarily be 'counted' in the traditional sense.  But, those of us who know the power of children and believe in their capabilities and gifts know this is BIG!  Here are a couple of quotes that I am soaking in from this author:

'Inclusion of more eccentric children (we all have one of these children or know one personally!) in our classes affirms the human worth of all children.  It provides an opportunity to learn emotional skills as well as academic subjects.  It is an unhealthy burden for a child to be seen as 'good' or 'bad'.  We must relieve every child of that burden and allow all of them to be works of art in progress.'

'A great challenge of any teacher is to distinguish between behavior that can and must be stopped immediately, behavior that requires a sure response that takes the child the first step toward outgrowing it, and behavior that is best ignored until later.  Not every behavior can be dealt with at once.  Our children need strong, flexible, authoritative, and patient teachers-neither permissive nor authoritarian-for sure progress in their learning and behavior'.

'We (teachers) must be true observers of human development.  We must see beneath the veneer of false acculturation and defensive addictions with which the child armors himself against the over stimulation of pop culture and the oppression of deadening academic programs.  We must be observers whose high intellect, sturdy sensitivities, and keen perceptions allow us to penetrate to the inherent and essential drives of a vital, healthy, and human child.  Once we have designed an environment as such, we must leave it flexible enough to fit the exceptional children.  We must stretch our imaginations and our creativity to the maximum, knowing that we will learn as we go, becoming more pliant, more creative, through the exercise of our highest human attributes.  We will become worth of the children we serve.'

She has left me pondering things in a wonderful way...I look forward to finishing her book and taking in her words of wisdom.