Category Archives: Early Child Education

Five Questions to Ask at a Preschool Open House (Repost from October 2016)

As this is a common time of year for families to begin their preschool search for the next school year, we would like to once again share with you some pointers when attending a preschool Open House. An Open House provides parents with a firsthand impression that cannot be replicated via a website or a brochure. The opportunity for parents to establish a personal connection with the administration, the teachers, and the classroom environment is one that shouldn’t be missed.

Moreover, an Open House gives parents the opportunity to ask questions to help determine whether the school is the right fit for their family. If you’re just starting out on your family’s preschool search, begin by asking the following five questions when attending preschool Open Houses:

What is the school’s educational philosophy?

Today, there are dozens of different philosophies and methods applied in preschool settings. First, do your research. Once you know a bit about the different early education philosophies, you may be able to narrow your search based on what you believe fits in with your family’s values and educational goals.

At The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), we believe that a Montessori education benefits children in so many ways. Montessori classrooms are designed to recognize and address various learning levels and styles. Teachers take unique roles as classroom guides and observers, providing children with the freedom and opportunity to learn at their own pace within a carefully prepared, stimulating environment.

It’s also important to determine how strictly the philosophy is adhered to at each school. This is particularly important if you are looking at Montessori schools. Many parents are unaware that the American Montessori Society (AMS) has established guidelines for adhering to Dr. Montessori’s practices. Programs that work with AMS are required to uphold high standards in areas including teacher certification, classroom preparation, and parent education regarding Montessori education. The Montessori Children’s Academy is an AMS Member School.

How does learning take place at the school?

Children must have opportunities to explore how things work, to move their growing bodies, and to engage in activities that they find enjoyable. Especially with preschoolers, hands-on activities involving multiple senses often better facilitate the growth of children’s natural curiosity and their interest in learning for learning’s sake. When attending an Open House, ask what types of activities the children participate in during their school day. How much time is spent in teacher-directed activity? Do children have opportunities to make choices and move throughout the classroom? What types of learning materials are used?

The materials in Montessori classrooms are attractive, inviting, and meaningful. They also grow with the children, as the lessons move from concrete to abstract concepts. Every aspect of the Montessori classroom promotes the development of fine and gross motor skills, the expansion of new knowledge, and the joy in learning. Children have a balance of independent work time where they choose what they would like to do, small group learning lessons, and large group activities. Learning opportunities are integrated into all aspects of the Montessori classroom.

What is the school’s standard for teacher qualifications?

Some early childhood facilities, like cooperative programs run by local parents, and traditional day care centers, do not require state or nationally recognized teaching certificates for their staff. Regardless of the type of school setting, it is important that preschool teachers understand how children grow and learn. You will also want to find out whether teachers and their assistants are trained in CPR and First Aid, and if they regularly attend continuing education workshops to stay current in their field.

If you are looking exclusively at Montessori schools, check that the teachers have their Montessori teaching credentials. This will ensure that they have been trained in the Montessori Method by a qualified teacher education program. You can learn more about AMS Montessori teaching credentials from the Montessori Center for Teacher Development.

How is discipline handled?

Preschools have a very important responsibility in how their teachers manage their classrooms and help children grow and develop in a healthy, safe environment. Since preschool is often a child’s very first school experience, how discipline is handled can make a difference in how children view school and how well they succeed in learning.

MCA focuses on positive discipline and conflict resolution. Teachers are keen observers in their classrooms, and they are carefully trained to manage a variety of situations before there is any escalation of improper behavior. Redirection, positive reinforcement, and logical consequences allow teachers to help children learn respect, self-control, and responsibility in the most natural of ways. Peace Education is also a significant component of the Montessori curriculum, and children are guided through conflict resolution techniques with the aid of teachers and peers. Montessori classrooms are communities, and children learn that every member of the classroom is valued and important.

Later this month, MCA will host guest speaker Teresa LaSala, a positive discipline expert and author. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please consider attending this Parent Education event, as it is open to the public. Details can be found on MCA’s website.

What will a typical school day look like for my child?

This is an important question because it will help to alleviate some of the common anxieties that parents have when the first day of school arrives. Understanding how the day flows will help you to determine if your child will be comfortable in the classroom. As young children thrive on routines, it would be helpful to learn about things like what the procedures are for eating snack or lunch at school, using the restrooms, spending time on the playground, or having a resting time. It is important to know how much structure is in the school day. You might also ask what opportunities the children have for socializing with peers, spending one-on-one time with the teacher, or learning responsibility by having a classroom job.

At any Open House, it is important to get a feel for the facility and to meet the staff. Above all, you want to be able to picture your child in the classrooms. If possible, bring your child along to the Open House so that he or she can meet the teachers and interact in the school space. Watching your child explore might make your choice just a little bit easier.

The Montessori Children’s Academy is hosting Winter Open Houses at each of its campuses on the following dates:

Morristown: Saturday, January 21, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Chatham: Saturday, January 28, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Short Hills: Saturday, February 4, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Enriching Your After-School Schedule

Enrichment classes are offered by schools, community recreation programs, churches, and even the local library. Enrichment offerings fall into many different categories: sports, STEM, and art are just a few. Enrichment is for everyone, too; there are classes around town geared towards toddlers on up to adults. These recreational activities have something in common. They teach many lessons that go beyond just the subject of the class. I learned this firsthand when I took an enrichment class in college.

In my junior year, my advisor feared that I was working too hard. She suggested taking an enrichment course to break up my tough schedule. I recall laughing at her suggestion, but I soon found myself loving my lunchtime Tennis 1 course.

I learned a lot more than how to hit a backhand in that course. In fact, it became one of my most important college courses. There are four reasons why Tennis 1 was so important to me. And I have since discovered, in my time working in a school setting, that these same four reasons describe the value of enrichment for learners of all ages.

It taught me a skill: Tennis is a game that I can play for the rest of my life. Like learning to cook or to appreciate art, tennis is something that I’ve never forgotten and continue to enjoy. Enrichment classes are designed to help students discover stimulating, social activities that will complement their natural inclination to learn. While enrichment classes are not always purposely designed to teach “life skills” like cooking or playing a sport, they provide your child with the opportunity to learn new things outside of the traditional classroom setting.

It gave me the opportunity to make new friends: I took Tennis with students who were neither in my classes nor my social circle, and I made new friends. Enrichment classes give children the opportunity to interact with children from different classrooms every day. Enrichment thus allows them to broaden their horizons not just through new activity, but also through new personal connections in their school communities.

It helped me to build character: Tennis reminded me to exercise good sportsmanship. I became more respectful of the athletic abilities of others and learned not to take a win or a loss too seriously. Enrichment programs bring children together on a level playing field, as many participants are trying out activities for the first time. Students come together to explore a new activity, often encouraging one another through the process. Enrichments allow students to simultaneously develop confidence in their own abilities and respect for others through group activity.

It led me to adopt healthy habits: In addition to being good exercise, my tennis course reminded me of the importance of taking time to do something fun for myself. I learned to invest more time and effort into my personal well-being and spent time building new relationships with my tennis classmates. Many of us feel overwhelmed by school, work, and family pressures, and we all seem to have never-ending ‘to do’ lists. However, we have to remember to make some time for fun and to focus on things that we are passionate about. This applies to both children and adults. Our mental health is as important as our physical well-being, and enrichment activities allow for uplifting experiences that provide that positive boost. This is one of the most important things that you will learn from enrolling your family members in enrichment classes.

LEAF Approach to Enrichments

From November through February, The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) will offer eight different enrichment classes (seven for 3-6 year olds and one for elementary students) through LEAF Approach to Enrichments. LEAF’s enrichment programs provide an array of areas for exploration, creative expression, and social connections after the students’ formal school day is over. LEAF programs combine learning and fun under the guidance of experienced and enthusiastic instructors, many of whom are MCA staff members.

For the 2016-2017 Fall/Winter session, LEAF is offering the following classes for 3-6 year olds*:

Adventures in Art
All Sorts of Sports
Creative Builders
Games Galore
Kitchen Chemistry
Musical Adventures Around the World
Science in Bubbles

For students in MCA’s Elementary Program, LEAF is offering an exciting class called Project Discovery. This is a STEM class that combines science, technology, engineering, and math skills, and challenges the students to use their classroom knowledge in a practical setting. The students will be inspired to utilize innovative approaches to take on a variety of design challenges. We’ll be excited to see what all these students create!

Classes will run between November 28, 2016 and February 6, 2017. Enrollment for LEAF classes will begin on Monday, November 7, 2016. For more information about the classes or to register, visit the LEAF website.

Enrichment classes provide lasting benefits. They provide a space for acquiring positive attitudes and healthy habits that promote future academic and social success. They provide opportunities for your children to build new friendships, gain confidence, and discover new passions. Most importantly – they are fun!

*Please note that these classes are offered at different times on different MCA campuses. When registration opens on November 7^th, a full class schedule for Chatham, Morristown, and Short Hills will be available on the LEAF website.

Practically Speaking: Why Practical Life Matters

“The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” ~ Maria Montessori

Often at the beginning of a new school year, children in Montessori classrooms tend to choose much of their work in the Practical Life area over the other areas of the classroom. For one thing, they are drawn to the pretty materials, which are usually very colorful and inviting in so many ways. Transferring brightly colored rice from one container to another with a shiny silver spoon or pouring blue-dyed water from one large pitcher into three small cups is very appealing.

Children are also most comfortable with Practical Life work because it involves activities that they see being done every day at home. Things that are ‘real’ appeal to children who want to do ‘grown up’ types of work and make a meaningful contribution to their homes and classrooms. Practical Life is the area of the classroom in which children also receive the most lessons from the teacher at the start of the year, and for a very good reason.

On the surface, Practical Life activities provide the children with just that—practical, everyday skills that they need to survive. Learning how to button and zip, how to set the table and wash dishes, or how to do simple food preparation, is necessary. But even beyond these essential lessons, Practical Life, if you look at it closely, promotes additional skills that lead children to succeed in each and every other area of the classroom. How? Let’s look at just some of the skills that Practical Life teaches:

Planning and Order: The children learn, step by step, how first to take the work from the shelf to their work space and then set it up. Sometimes the work requires items from other areas of the classroom, such as an apron, a mat, a bucket, or other tools. The children learn where things are kept in the classroom and quickly realize the importance of putting things back in their proper places when they are finished using them. This ensures that everything is ready for the next person who wants to choose that work.
Self-Control: At first, children using the Practical Life materials may be tempted to rush through the activities. However, in the careful presentation of the work by the teacher, the children discover the beauty and joy of the work done with control. Instead of hastily scooping up beans with a spoon in a rushed, careless manner, the children learn to observe the beauty of the shape and color of the beans that they collect on the spoon and the lilting sound that they make as they are carefully spooned into the bowl. Their senses are attuned to each part of the lesson, and they begin to gain an appreciation for a work performed well and with control from start to finish.
Coordination: Grace in movement is important when using the Practical Life materials. Trying hard to not spill out any drops of water from a pitcher or bowl, the child learns to move with control and purpose. The children must negotiate how they travel from the shelves to the work space, making sure that all of the materials stay on the tray that they are carrying. Once at the workspace, the children develop a variety of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. These grow as the children continue using Practical Life works specifically designed to support this growth. While teachers may adapt the appearance of the lessons (perhaps changing the color of the water or the types of materials being used), the essence of the lessons remains constant to help children continue to develop their coordination with each activity.
Patience: There is only one of each activity on the classroom shelves. Popular activities fly off the shelves quickly, and classmates learn that they must wait for their turn if something is already being used. There is no grabbing a work out of someone else’s hands. Instead, a child might be invited to watch while waiting. Similarly, a child must practice patience in order to complete the work. Many involve several steps, and each step, from set up to clean up, is equally important and necessary. If a step is skipped, there is a natural consequence that affects whether or not the work can be completed correctly. Children respond to these natural results and will strive to do the work to the best of their ability with the goal of getting it done ‘just right’ with practice and patience.
Persistence: The Practical Life work is attractive for a reason. It entices children to return to it again and again to practice important skills and achieve their goal of doing it correctly. Because the Practical Life area ultimately helps the children develop skills they need in every area of the classroom, persistence and repetition are especially important. Pouring wet or dry ingredients helps develop hand-eye coordination and estimation; using tweezers or tongs to transfer items strengthens the pincer grip needed for holding a pencil and other tools. These will become important across academic areas.
Mastery: The repetition of movements helps the children to eventually gain mastery over specific skills. This is the aim of the Practical Life works, as it is with everything found on the shelves in a Montessori classroom. The self-correcting materials let the child know whether or not the work was done well and with accuracy. If the water spills when being poured, the children know they need to pour it more slowly or that they need to pour less in each cup so that the cups don’t overflow. There is little to no teacher intervention required—the child can see for himself or herself if the work was done right. Imagine the joy when a child who has struggled with one skill or another finally sees that success has been achieved! It is that intrinsic feeling of pride that most strongly motivates children to continue to try, to continue to learn, in order to attain that wonderful feeling again and again!

Children’s time in the Practical Life area supports their success all throughout the Montessori classroom and extends into skills that help them all throughout their lives. Planning, concentration, persistence, patience, and self-control all contribute to the children’s effectiveness in learning every academic subject and in their success in managing social interactions as well. While Practical Life may seem simple, it is an area of significant importance for life skills. It is the foundation for all of the learning areas within the classroom and extends beyond it into all areas of life. As one parent commented to her son’s Montessori teacher, “I love that my child is learning to sew buttons in preschool. Not only will he be able to fix his own clothes when the time comes, but he may also make a fine surgeon one day!” Practically speaking, Practical Life really does matter!

Prepping for Preschool

By: Alex Chiu, Hannah Ferris, and Jax Pisciotto

Your child’s first day of school is a major milestone for your family. It is undoubtedly a very exciting time and likely will be marked by new clothes, a new backpack and lunchbox, and many adorable “First Day of School” photos. While the anticipation of a new school year is very exciting, it can also be stressful, for you and your child alike. Many years of experience have provided the staff of The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) with special insights into some simple things parents can do to prepare their children, and themselves, for preschool. We hope you find that these tried and true methods will help alleviate any stress that may be surfacing as the new school year approaches and that they will allow your family to truly enjoy the excitement of your child’s first school experience

1. Don’t miss “Meet the TeachersDay”

The first day of school at MCA is a bit different than what one might expect. We call this special day “Meet the Teachers Day”, and it’s coming up very soon! Parents and children come to MCA together to visit their new classrooms and meet their teachers face-to-face.

Meet the Teachers Day is followed by a “Phase-In” period that is aimed at helping to alleviate any separation anxiety and provide the children with a smooth transition into their new school environment. Meet the Teachers Day is just one piece of the school orientation that allows the children to acclimate both socially and emotionally to being apart from their parents and begin to take part in all aspects of their classroom community.

2. Take your child shopping for school supplies

Allow your child to get excited about going to school by bringing him or her with you when you go shopping for school supplies. Giving your child the freedom to pick out his or her backpack and lunchbox will also create a sense of ownership of these items, which will inherently point your child in the direction of being responsible for his or her belongings.

3. Begin evening and morning routines before school starts

Many of our teachers at MCA have already begun to re-adjust their internal clocks, which have been set to summer mode for the past two months. During the summer, we often stay up later, knowing that we can sleep in a bit. However, as we approach the start of a new school year, it is helpful to get back into a ‘school day rhythm’.

We know that it’s not always the simplest task to settle your little ones down for bed, especially when the sun is still shining, but it is important to establish a healthy bedtime for the school year. School days at MCA start early, at 8:30 or 8:45AM. If an early bedtime is proving to be tricky, you may consider implementing family “quiet time” in the evenings. This can involve quiet play, or you could engage in the time-honored tradition of reading before bedtime. Have your child pick out 3 or 4 favorite books to settle down with if he or she isn’t quite ready to sleep. As your quiet routine continues in the days leading up to the first day of school, cut back to 2 – 3 books until your child is prepared to settle down a little earlier.

In the morning, try the lure of a favorite breakfast to help rouse your little one while your family’s bodies adjust to school mode. Perhaps even do a practice run, where you and your child have breakfast and leave the house together to drive past the school. This will also allow you to assess how much time it takes to actually get out the door.

4. Differentiate your anxieties about separation from your child’s

Whether this is your first child heading off to preschool or your fourth, it is normal for parents to have some hesitation about leaving their children in the care of others. In order to assist children in making a smooth transition, it is important for parents to display a positive attitude and send children off with a big smile, a brief hug, and the assurance that you are looking forward to sharing stories about each of your days when school and work are done. Your positive attitude helps your child sense that you believe he or she will be able to manage the school day just fine, and that positive attitude just might be contagious!

To help you maintain a smile before you say goodbye, take some time to reflect on the successes your child has exhibited in playgroups or at other times when you were not by his or her side. Be confident that should your child need some extra support, the teachers at MCA will help you both through this transition until everyone is comfortable with a new school routine.

5. Talk about school at home using the names of teachers and classmates

After Meet the Teachers Day, and then throughout the school year, invite your child to share stories about the events of his or her school day. Keep a class list handy to help you both remember the names of new teachers and friends until they become familiar. Ask open-ended questions to encourage your child to share details, and be patient if it takes some time to remember events from the day. You might ask, “What story did you listen to during circle time?”, “Who did you eat snack with today?”, or “What did you do on the playground?” Gradually, you may find that your child will initiate and guide the conversations about school.

6. Take the time to meet other parents

Chances are you won’t be the only parent who is nervous about leaving your child at school for the first time. Some veteran parents may feel the very same way! We can guarantee that there will be friendly and sympathetic faces willing to lend advice to a first-time preschool parent. Take the first step and introduce yourself to another parent after drop-off, and set up time to meet over coffee to share your experiences. The other parents in your child’s class will be wonderful resources at the beginning of the school year, and in time, you may find that they become good friends as well. Just as your child will be experiencing new things and making new friends during his or her school experience, so will you.

We can’t believe that the summer is almost over, but we are anticipating a wonderful 2016-2017 school year! Our teachers are busy preparing their classrooms, just as your family is preparing for the school year in your own way. Everyone at MCA is excited to welcome you on September 7^th. To all of our new and returning MCA families, we look forward to seeing you very soon!

A Joyful Start to the Montessori Journey with MMC&M

By: Camilla Nichols-Uhler and Alex Chiu

This fall, The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) proudly launched an exciting new program called Montessori, My Child, & Me (MMC&M). Designed for children ages 18-30 months, this program offers young children the opportunity to explore a modified Montessori environment with their parents or caregivers. MMC&M also provides the adults with an opportunity to learn about Montessori education and to see firsthand how it benefits children.

MMC&M sessions are 1 ½ hours once a week for eight weeks and are held in a classroom specifically designed for this younger age group. The classroom is a beautiful, welcoming environment equipped with specially designed furniture and materials that are the appropriate size for little arms and legs. Everything in the classroom is of the highest quality, obtained from renowned companies such as Hello Wood in Rickman, Tennessee and Community Playthings in Ulster Park, NY.

During each class meeting, the children and adults are introduced to a sampling of age-appropriate Montessori materials from each of the five main learning areas found in a typical Montessori classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, and Culture. However, the materials for the MMC&M classroom are adapted to meet the distinct needs and abilities of the young children in this special program.

One example of a lesson modified for MMC&M participants is the Pink Tower from the Sensorial area. In the MMC&M classroom, the tower contains five cubes for our little explorers to use in order to build the tower from the largest cube at the bottom to the smallest cube at the top. In our MCA 3-6-year-old classrooms, the Pink Tower contains ten cubes, and the children learn to transfer one cube at a time from the shelf to their workspace. As children use this material, they gain a sense of sequence and order. When they are finished, they return the Pink Tower to its place in the classroom and arrange it in the same way that they found it when they began their work. This way it is ready for the next person to use.

As our youngest MMC&M students began to learn the process for using the smaller version of the Pink Tower, the adults observed that this activity is so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. Many of the parents and adult caregivers marveled at how the children were able to follow directions, concentrate on the activity, and put away the materials in the appropriate place when they were finished! This is just one example of how Montessori engages the whole child in each activity. Gaining skills in independence, small and large muscle control, planning, and care of materials all are the essence of this seemingly simple lesson. And as our adults observed, even the youngest children can be successful when given the guidance and opportunity to take on new challenges!

In addition to using a sampling of modified Montessori materials, the MMC&M children and adults participate in music, movement, art, and yoga activities under the guidance of a certified Montessori Head Teacher. Movement is an important aspect of the Montessori environment. Studies have shown that children engaged in movement while learning are able to retain information more easily. In Montessori classrooms, the children often are moving to choose and complete their work. Movement provides time to release energy, to think, and to plan.

Within the MMC&M classroom, children have many opportunities to move and to develop their large motor skills as they crawl through a tunnel, push a carpet sweeper, or balance a wooden wheel on a yellow line. The MMC&M children also practice yoga poses and participate in a variety of songs and games that allow them to move their bodies in controlled, purposeful ways. At the same time, they are having quite a lot of fun!

And it’s not only the children who benefit from participating in the MMC&M program. The adults also glean a great deal of knowledge not only about Montessori but also about their own children. By welcoming parents and caregivers into the prepared Montessori environment and guiding them while their children explore the materials, the adults are given the opportunity to see their children through a different lens. This allows them to come to a deeper understanding of their children’s needs and unique capabilities.

During the course of the morning, the parents and caregivers are invited to visit the cozy adult area that offers a comfy couch, lounge chairs, and a coffee table. There, with a cup of coffee or tea, they can sit back and observe the classroom in action. Past participants have told us that by taking note of how the classroom is organized and seeing the types of child-sized tools we provide, they have learned how they can model the Montessori layout in order to promote their children’s independence at home. There are some simple things parents can do to adapt the kitchen, bathroom, and child’s bedroom to facilitate more practice with important daily life skills. As Dr. Montessori once said, “The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self”. By modeling the Montessori environment at home, parents give their children the gift of independence, as well as a sense of pride in being able to do things for themselves.

The adults in our MMC&M program also have the opportunity to peruse Montessori resources, including books and articles related to the Montessori philosophy and methodology, and to read a collection of parent testimonials from current and former Montessori parents. Through observation and in conjunction with the parent education materials provided and guidance by the Head Teacher, the adults can witness how the Montessori environment addresses the needs of the children and fosters their natural curiosity, making learning meaningful and fun! They can also begin to build a bridge between home and school by implementing what they see in the MMC&M classroom in their own homes and family routines, which is one of the main goals of the program.

The Montessori Children’s Academy plans to expand the successful Montessori, My Child, & Me program in the future so that it is available at all three of our campuses—Morristown, Chatham, and Short Hills. We are excited to offer even more parents the opportunity to join our community and to embark on a beautiful Montessori journey together with their children.

“The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth. From this almost mystic affirmation there comes what may seem a strange conclusion: that education must start from birth.” ~ Maria Montessori

Morristown: Saturday, January 21, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Chatham: Saturday, January 28, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Short Hills: Saturday, February 4, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

*Please note that these classes are offered at different times on different MCA campuses. When registration opens on November 7th, a full class schedule for Chatham, Morristown, and Short Hills will be available on the LEAF website.

“The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth. From this almost mystic affirmation there comes what may seem a strange conclusion: that education must start from birth.” ~ Maria Montessori

*Please note that these classes are offered at different times on different MCA campuses. When registration opens on November 7^th, a full class schedule for Chatham, Morristown, and Short Hills will be available on the LEAF website.