A Montessori quick bite from The Center for Guided Montessori Studies

“Often what we call naughtiness on the part of the individual child is rebellion against our own mistakes in educating him. The coercive means which we adopt toward children are what destroy their natural tranquility. A healthy child, in his moments of freedom, succeeds in escaping from the toys inflicted upon him by his parents, and in securing some object which arouses the investigating instinct of his mind; a worm, an insect, some pebbles, etc.; he is silent, tranquil and attentive. If the child is not well, or if his mother obliges him to remain seated in a chair, playing with a doll, he becomes restless, cries, or gives way to convulsive outbursts (“bad temper”). The mother believes that educating her child means forcing him to do what is pleasing to her, however far she may be from knowing what the child’s real needs are, and unfortunately we must make the same statement regarding the school-teachers!”

— Dr. Maria Montessori, Pedagogical Anthropology, page 443

Fathers had little role in child care when Dr. Montessori wrote the passage above, but if we substitute “parent” for mother, the quote still applies. In the last century a liberation of gender has swept through western civilization. Though incomplete, this wave of liberation has swept much faster and further than a similar liberation for childhood.

Scientific evidence has long since demonstrated the ineffectiveness of authoritarian treatment of children. Chillingly, some parents and most traditional schools still persist in labeling children “good” or “bad” based on their ability to passively accept arbitrary constraints and to parrot back facts and dogma placed in front of them. Many educators treat children as potential criminals who need to be forcibly “civilized”. 

As Montessorians, we uncategorically reject this notion. A child’s behavior communicates his or her needs clearly to those who listen.  One child may break her toys in order to learn how they work inside.  Another may get dirty while exploring the mysteries of nature. A boy may chatter in class because he is unengaged by the work, or because he is simply hungry for social interaction. Consider that social intelligence, like all other kinds, also needs stimulation in order to develop.

Is there a disruptive child in your classrooms? Many well-meaning and thoughtful people have suggested that Montessori is not for all children. Others, both idealistic and with great depth of classroom experience, suggest the opposite, that the Montessori classroom is the ideal environment for every youth, and perhaps adult learners as well!

We would rather not paint with too broad a brush. Instead, we wouldsuggest that at least many of these more “difficult” children may be able to find a wonderful place within your classrooms. The key is for teacher and parents collaborate to discover – and unlock! – the key of the child’s interest.

Thoughts for the day:

Think back onto your own childhood. If you weren’t lucky enough to be in a Montessori classroom yourself, can you remember times that you misbehaved, or were judged to be “misbehaving?” What happened?  Were you being purposefully troublesome, or was there some need of yours that was unmet?  How can we become more tuned in to the children? How
can we better understand what their behavior is communicating and sobetter support them in meeting their unmet needs?

In a recent WSJ article “Acing Parent-Teacher Conferences” you’ll find some tips for a productive parent-teacher conference:

Do Your Homework — How parents can get the most out of their 10 minutes:

• Ask your child to share concerns before you go.
• Bring written notes and questions.
• Tell the teacher about at-home issues that might be impacting your child’s academics.
• Don’t be antagonistic. View the teacher as your partner.
• If teacher uses jargon, ask for simple explanations and specifics about your child’s work.
• Keep the conversation focused on your child—not your childhood, the teacher’s workload or views on the curriculum.
• Discuss strategies you and the teacher can use to help your child. Write out common goals.
• Ask for follow-up emails and conversations.

We’re confident November conferences at The Montessori House will be informative and useful for parents and teachers.

Today, October 7, children across the globe are reading Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day to break a world record for the largest shared reading experience.  Our Montessori House children participate in this event , called Read for the Record, and add over 70 to the worldwide count!

After hearing the story in class today, every child at school received his or her very own copy of The Snowy Day.  This lovely gift was arranged by Tracy — mother of Montessori House pupil Gabriela (and 2009 alumnae Liliana) — who works with Pearson, one of the supporters of Read for the Record through the Pearson Foundation.  So, send your thanks to Tracy, Pearson, and the Pearson Foundation.

We won’t know until the end of the day if we broke the world record.  If you’d like to participate by reading The Snowy Day to your child tonight, you may be counted at the Read for the Record website: http://www.readfortherecord.org

As you know, our Montessori Method has many materials and techniques to help children master both recognizing and writing words and letters.  From sandpaper letters to metal stencils we help your children develop good handwriting skills.  This week’s Wall Street Journal highlighted some interesting research on handwriting and cognitive skills:

Ask preschooler Zane Pike to write his name or the alphabet, then watch this 4-year-old’s stubborn side kick in. He spurns practice at school and tosses aside workbooks at home. But Angie Pike, Zane’s mom, persists, believing that handwriting is a building block to learning.

She’s right. Using advanced tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.

…

Studies suggest there’s real value in learning and maintaining this ancient skill, even as we increasingly communicate electronically via keyboards big and small. Indeed, technology often gets blamed for handwriting’s demise.

For our Suzuki Violin Fall Trimester, we now offer you the choice of a weekly group lesson on either Monday or Wednesday for 30 minutes immediately after 3:00 pm dismissal. 

We currently have 13 violin students enrolled, and can accommodate a couple more students on either day.

If you’re interested, please refer to recent e-mails concerning the program and registration.  Group lessons start next week, the week of October 4.

Q:  If my child has sniffles/cough, can s/he stay inside the classroom instead of going out on the playground?

A:  We presume that any child who is healthy enough to come to school is healthy enough to go out on the playground.  In addition, we are not staffed to keep some children inside while others go out.  If your child isn’t feeling well, it’s best for everyone to keep the child home.

 Q:  My child has seasonal allergies that make him uncomfortable.  Should I send him to school?

A:  Only you can decide how comfortable your child is likely to feel as a result of seasonal allergies.  Please note that if you decide he is healthy and comfortable enough to be sent to school, he will be expected to stay for the length of his class session; we generally send children home if they are suffering from an illness, not allergies.

Q:  My child  was ill yesterday with a fever, but this morning seems to be fine?

A:  Public health guidelines call for a child to be fever “free” for at least 24 hours before returning to school.  Only send your child to The Montessori House if the child has not registered a fever for 24 hours.  Please be sure to accurately measure your child’s body temperature and to do so only in the absence of fever reducing medication.

Clothing

Q:  Do we need to bring extra/emergency clothing?

A:  No, we’ll provide clean clothes in the event of an “accident.”

Q:  Is there any particular kind of clothing that’s best for school?

A:  We recommend clothes that give your child freedom to move and that can be easily managed, such as those with elastic waistbands and large buttonholes. 

Q:  Do we need to send in snow clothes?

A:  We’ll give you more information about snow clothes when the weather starts to get colder.  In the meantime, there’s no need to send in any snow clothes.

Q:  What kinds of shoes are best for school and the playground?

A:   Sneakers work best for class and for the greatest safety in climbing, running and jumping on the playground.  Unfortunately, Crocs and other loose-fitting shoes can be unsafe on the climbing tower.

A  Montessori “quick bite” from The Center for Guided Montessori Studies:

 “A child asked his father once why leaves were green. The father
thought how intelligent his child was, so he gave a long explanation
of chloroplasm and chlorophyll and of the blue rays of the sun, etc.
Presently he heard the child mumbling and listened; the child said:
‘Oh, why did I ask Papa? I want to know why the leaves are green, not
all this about chlorophyll and the sun!’ “…The teacher requires a
special preparation, because it is not our logic that solves problems.
In no point on which we have touched, does our logic help, we have to
know the child’s development and to shed our preconceived ideas.
“Great tact and delicacy is necessary for the care of the mind of a
child from three to six years, and an adult can have very little of
it. Fortunately the child takes more from the environment than from
the teacher. We must know the psychology of the child and serve him
where we can.”– Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

As adults we have built up layers of abstraction into an
understanding that helps us navigate a complex world. What did our
ancestors need to know of chlorophyll or the various spectra of
reflected light? Entering the world anew, our ways of thinking may be
useless, and actually add confusion. At worst, by imposing
abstractions onto a child we may diminish their pleasure in exploring
the world and subvert that natural science that children do best.

Abstractions are wonderful tools of the intellect, and sharing them
with a child receptive to them can be joyful. Much of being a
Montessori guide is learning to observe a child and understand best
where their sensitivities lie. A book on photosynthesis might be
perfect for one child, whereas another child may do best with an
activity on the life cycle of the seed and yet another child might
have her curiosity met by taking care of a classroom plant. In all
cases, the concrete precedes the abstract; hence, a prism is a better
tool for introducing the notion of spectra than a dry discourse.

Part of the challenge of being an educator is to unravel the cloth
of our adult perceptions. We must see the world as a child in order to
understand how to help them knit together their own understanding and
mastery.

And that’s just what teachers at The Montessori House are trained to do, and do so well!

Birthdays

Q:  How do you celebrate birthdays in the classroom?

A:  We have a wonderful Montessori birthday celebration which includes having the child’s parent(s) in the classroom and having the child and parent(s) work together on a birthday book.  We also provide the birthday snack, so we ask that you not bring in any extra treats.

Q:  My child has a summer/early fall birthday.  Will s/he get a chance to celebrate in school?

A:  Yes, just contact Ms. Anne Marie in the office (201-816-8343) to schedule a date for a celebration in your child’s classroom. 

Getting Involved

Q:  What can I do to get more involved with the school and/or my child’s class?

A:  We LOVE having parents in the classrooms, at the festivals and fundraiser, and even helping out from home.  We have a wide variety of parent-run committees, and you can participate in any or all of them.  Don’t worry if you’ve never worked on a committee before; we make it easy for you to get involved.  Just sign up and get ready for a fun year being involved with your child, your class, and your school!

Arrival

Q:  If my child and I arrive at school early, can we wait inside, especially if it’s raining or very cold?

A:  Unfortunately, it is unsafe and against fire code to have parents and children waiting in the vestibule.  Instead, please wait outside in the line or inside your car until a teacher opens the door at the designated school start time (8:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.)

 Q:  If my child and I arrive at school late, can I walk my child up to the classroom.

A:  When you arrive, please ring the doorbell and wait for a teacher or Ms. Anne Marie to greet you at the door and take your child upstairs. 

Dismissal

Q:  How do you dismiss if it’s raining?

A:  If it’s raining, we will have a car-line dismissal.  Please see page 10 of your Montessori House Parent Handbook to review the car-line rules.  There are two very important things to remember:  1) We form two lines (not just one) along the East side of the building in order to keep cars from blocking Riveredge Rd. and 2) A teacher places the child in the car seat and closes the door, then you pull far ahead in the parking lot, turn off the car, and secure your child into the car seat.  This helps to keep the car line moving. 

 Q:  If I need a friend or another parent to pick up my child from school, what do I need to do?

A:  We need photos and written notification from you identifying the each person who has permission from you to pick up your child from school.  We already have photos of other school parents on file, but ask that you designate in writing the individual parents eligible to pick up your child.  Note, on any given day, we need instructions from you regarding an alternate pick-up person.  You can let us know in two ways: 1) at the entrance door you’ll find pre-printed slips you can fill out with instructions, or 2) you can call the office with your instructions (be sure to call at least 30 minutes before dismissal).