Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Montessori of the Rio Grande Updates!!

Thank you to the 42 parents that attended our last session of parent education!! During our workshop, there was interest expressed by some parents to hear more about Montessori-specifically how do the elementary aged children continue in the Montessori way.  So, for those parents of children aged six to nine, and anyone else interested, please join me on Tuesday, January 24th at 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. (in the library) or from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. (in Mr. Ben's room) for the "Explosion into the Elementary Curriculum" workshop!!

Montessori's approach to the elementary classroom is very diferent than that of traditional methods.  Come see first hand how the materials conceptualize very abstract concepts and how the curriculum intertwines every aspect of life!  The cosmic curriculum is based upon great tales of wonder and capture the child's imagination in order to inspire them to reach their full potential.  I look forward to sharing more with you on the 24th.

February 26th through March 3rd is recognized as Montessori Education Week.  Please stop by the office during this week and fill out a Testimonial-and come read past testimonials from our MRGC families.  Watch out for fun events-like the Spaghetti Dinner that TAPAS is planning on the evening of the 28th.  Please check out www.montessori-opportunities.com and see our proclamation!!! When navigating the site, click on Montessori Education Week, then the "Challenge" icon. (located on left side of page-scroll down when on the Challenge and look for our state flag!) Our proclamations for Montessori Education Week are also posted in the office.  These are the proclamations that were procured during the celebration of 100 years of Montessori education...we are now at 104!

"The child in a Montessori class is not pushed to intellectual accomplishment.  What is opened out to him is the world, and he is given the keys to its exploration through the sensorial material which is an aid to the classification and organization of the impressions that his mind must already hold, unless the avenues of sense are blocked and unusable...Montessori is based on the study of life, it is pure creativity, as all life is creation.  The child, like every other living organism, passes through successive stages of development, guided by what Dr. Montessori calls "sensitive periods."  These sensitive periods are shown in children,...During any particular sensitive period, the child shows an insatiable hunger for the acquisition of some particular knowledge or skill.  This phenomenon has been demonstrated over and over again, in Montessori schools around the world."  Margaret E. Stephenson, Director of training, Washington Montessori Institute, and Chairman of the AMI Pedagogical Committee in America.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Support the Montessori Way at Home During the Holidays!!

A component of the Montessori Way is to encourage children to be gracious and courteous to others.  We model this in our practice everday.  It rolls off our tongues in every direction we give the child: "Thank you for..., Please help..., Excuse me please..." Children learn to tuck chairs, take care of their environment and ensure that others are cared for.  So, how can you instill some of these values into your time at home?

Table setting: at some point during the break, allow your child to be in charge of the setting of a table. Let them do this independently and with creativity.  Acknowledge their hard work and effort!

Folding Clothes: show them how to fold a variety of clothing items, including the napkins for dinner! Use your hands to press the seams-do this with slow and methodical movements! Drama sets the tone and importance in each task.

Use the language of common courtesy.  See how they react to your direction by saying things like "Thanks for remembering to clean up afer yourself!." Say this just before you want them to do this instead of "Go clean up your mess." (Let me know how this one goes)

Let your child be the host/hostess at the door when/if company arrives.  You can even show them how to escort someone into the room by placing a hand out.  They can also be a "coat checker" and make paper ticket stubs to give to the guest as they put their coats away.

Allow them opportunties to perform! My favorite childhood memories are when we used to put on skits for our families!! You can include friends and neighbors.  So, these are just little snippets to inspire you! They are things you most likely already do with your child and family.  Montessori said "Joy, feeling one's own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul."   Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence. p. 87

Have a safe and joyful holiday.  I look forward to our continued Parent Education Workshops, featuring the next session in January-entitled "How Do the Montessori Materials Call to My Child?"  Tentative date and time:  January 10, 2012   8:30 - 9:00 a.m.  and/or 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 26, 2011  Observations in Classrooms - What did you see??

Now that you have had an opportunity to observe in your child's classroom, what did you see? Did you notice children working independently in the classroom-whether at a mat or table. Were they in small/large group lessons or working by themselves? How was the noise level and lighting?  How did children move throughout the class?  Observations are a wonderful tool for you to use as a parent.  Upon entering the classroom, you can see the  many materials that are are on the shelves, all calling to the child's sene of discovery and learning.

As the teacher serves the child by linking them to the environment, they also observe and scaffold the lessons according to the needs of each specific child.  It is a wonderful and sequential dance that is structured by the lead teacher in the class.  Just imagine the time each adult puts into lesson planning and preparation of the environment!

Please email me or stop by and share your observations!! msdebbie@mrgcharter.org

Friday, September 16, 2011 Next Steps for Parents: Sign up for Tours!!

Please stop by the office and sign up for a tour of the classroom. As stated during our Parent Education Workshop, these will take place before and after school (without students in the room and without your child. Your child will have opportunities at our Winter Parent/Student Night to demonstrate for you). I will walk you through the classrooms and expand further on the materials that were presented during our workshop.

Please check out "Opportunities for Montessori-like Activities at Home." You can click here to read about what parents can do at home to support their children in their learning. Also, I have a glossary of terms available. It is located in the office at the Coach's Table (right beside the copy machine). Please stop by and become engaged in your child's educational journey!!

That time of the year has finally arrived: the launching of...(and I'm not talking about Balloon Fiesta!!) Formal Observations! We look forward to your participation in Formal Observations, starting October 10th through the 21st. This is a time for you to observe your child in the environment. There will be sign-up sheets/emails, etc., from your teacher to inform you about how to get a time slot. There will also be some information provided as to how to enter the classroom and get the most out of your observation. After the observations, you will be asked to come in for your Parent/Teacher/Student Conference. PLEASE BE SURE TO ATTEND!! Those are scheduled for the week of the 24th of October.

During Observations, you are invited to enter into your child's classroom and act like a Montessorian: observe the child in the environment. For a parent, this hat looks a little different than the teacher's. You are the unobtrusive being that sits and watches the movements and actions in the classroom. Please take advantage of this time by looking at the general organization of the room, the lighting, the sounds, the direct contact between teacher and student, and the overall movement of the children. When you first arrive, you will be asked to sign in and read over the "Guidelines to Observation" sheet. These will be located at the door of each class. Please wait by the door until someone greets you and then you will be escorted into the room. It is important to be respectful of the space and the children working in it.

You are asked to be true to the timeframe: typically your observation won't last any more than 20 minutes. You may have many questions, but we request that you ask them later at the scheduled conference time, in which you meet directly with the teacher AND your child. That will be the time to ask those questions. If you have any other questions before entering the room, please stop by anytime. Don't forget, we have many great articles and other resources for parents.

Kind Regards, Miss Debbie

Tuesday, September 7, 2011

Parent Support Available at Montessori of the Rio Grande Charter School For New Parents!! (and anyone else interested)

As Instructional Coach at MRGC, I want to ensure that parents' needs are being met! If you have any questions or want general information about our school and the Montessori philosophy, I would like to invite you to come into the office and join us in conversation about this diverse and holistic approach to learning.  We are awaiting final word on when we can actually move our Upper Elementary classrooms into their space and until this happens, there is no available space for formal Parent Education Workshops.

Please check the sign up sheets for availability...space is limited, so we can accept five parents each morning! The sign up sheet is located in the office-beside the photocopy machine.  I anticipate your company and look forward to meeting all of you!  Kind Regards, Miss Debbie

Monday, August 29, 2011 

Normalization

Normalization-what does it mean??  In Montessori classrooms around the world, teachers talk about periods of normalization in their practice.  What they are referring to is the development of the child's ability to function in the room with focus, concentration, and independence.  Children are taught "how" to work in the room-how to use an appropriate voice-how to walk in the room-how to take materials off the shelf-how to ask for help and how to communicate with others.

It typically takes about six weeks for this "normalization process" to transform the room and the children in it.  When these moments happen, the teacher can stand back and observe the classroom in a different light.  These are very magical moments in the environment and are part of the teacher's ongoing assessment of the development of your child!

Children thrive on long pieces of work that engage them for extended periods of time.  Work is joyful and self-fulfilling.  What a joy it is to present a lesson to a child and hear, "Thanks for the lesson!" 

The Casa Plane of Development

The CASA Program at MRGC:  The first plane of development in a Montessori program is commonly referred to as the Casa Program-coming from the "Casa dei Bambini" term, which was the name of Maria Montessori's first classroom.  This multi-aged classroom, typically housed with children 3 to 6 years of age, is the foundation of the Montessori Curriculum.

It is the sensitive period for order and the room is set up sequentially with varying degrees of lessons that "call" to the child.  There is emphasis on staying on task and developing concentration skills.  Lessons are given with many steps to complete and teachers observe the child to ensure not only completion, but focus and understanding of the order.  The child's "absorbent mind" is given many opportunities to develop through the use of the materials.  The child is given many avenues to answer the "what" questions by classifying everything in their environment. This later leads to the next plane when children ask "why" and are confident to ask because they know the "what."

Please watch out for postings about the first Parent Education Workshop for September.  We will meet and discuss what normalization means for your child and what you should be expecting from the first six weeks of the school year.  If you have any questions before then, please e-mail me at msdebbie@mrgcharter.org. 

Take a Look At the Montessori Topics Ms. Debbie Has Discussed: