Category Archives: Montessori

The Absorbent Mind: Supporting MCA’s Youngest Learners

by Bernadette Fasolas, Director of Hiring and Montessori Education
and Tori Inkley, Executive Director

“Absorbent Mind” is a term coined by Dr. Maria Montessori to describe the natural absorption of information by a child from birth through the age of 6 years. A child in this age range has been described as being “like a sponge”. Montessori observed many children throughout her lifetime and noted how they gained a significant amount of their knowledge through watching others, not necessarily from being “taught”. This was found to be particularly true for children under the age of 3 years. During early childhood, children absorb information by observing, by experimenting, and by simply being part of a community. Likewise, they expand their vocabulary and gain language skills from listening to and interacting with other children and adults.

The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), like most Montessori schools, offers programs for children ages 2 ½ through 6 years. Understanding just how valuable the early childhood years are, MCA has also designed a special program for children from 18 to 30 months of age. Montessori, My Child, & Me (MMC&M) was developed so that children in this age range could experience a Montessori Prepared Environment along with their caregivers. In the classroom, these children observe and work at their own pace while developing independence, strengthening concentration skills, and learning to maintain order. Maria Montessori believed these particular qualities were especially important for children to learn and to flourish. In the Prepared Environment, children become engaged in “work” that allows them to gain pride in self, further motivating their desire to learn. This is in contrast to “traditional” methods of education, where children are frequently working for rewards.

In the MMC&M classroom, children become engaged with specially designed, self-correcting materials that allow them to learn through trial and error. At this young age, it is especially important for children to see how things work and to be allowed to move their growing bodies about the classroom. Dr. Montessori felt strongly that children learn through their senses – touch, smell, sound, taste, and sight. In our MMC&M program, children have the opportunity to observe their surroundings, experience a Montessori classroom and its materials, and absorb information using all their senses. Self-direction in the classroom and participating at one’s own developmentally appropriate pace were also strong beliefs of Maria Montessori’s, as children hit specific “sensitive periods” or “windows of opportunity” in their own time.

The MMC&M program at The Montessori Children’s Academy aims to introduce both the children and their caregivers to the Montessori Method of education. The program runs for six weeks and classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes once a week. Sessions are offered in the fall, winter, and spring at our Chatham campus. While children are involved in lessons and working with materials, we also offer information on the Montessori Philosophy, as well as child development and parenting trends, for the caregivers.

At MCA, we are planting the seeds for a lifelong love of learning and MMC&M’s introduction to Montessori education is one of those seeds. Over the years, MCA has had the good fortune to support the education of many young children and then watch as they blossom into independent thinkers and motivated elementary, middle, high school, and college students. What an honor and pleasure this journey continues to be for all of us at The Montessori Children’s Academy!

“It was amazing to watch the development of my child over the six week MMC&M session. His first school experience, he started to understand the work, socialize with other children, and engage with the teacher, despite me being in the room. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone considering a Montessori preschool education, as it familiarizes children with the environment and expectations of a Montessori classroom.”  ~ Aly Lopian, MMC&M Parent

If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about our MMC&M program, or any of our Early Childhood Programs, please contact Bernadette Fasolas at bfasolas@njmca.me (MMC&M) or Camilla Nichols at cnichols@njmca.me (Early Childhood).

Charitable Efforts: How MCA is Making a Difference with Our Students and in Our World

by Camilla Nichols, Senior Director of Montessori Development
and Tori Inkley, Executive Director

At The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), we believe in demonstrating to our students how all people can make a difference in our local communities and in the world. We want our children to understand that even from a young age, it is possible to make an impact on someone’s life. Whether that is done through feeding those who are hungry or providing warm coats, gloves, or blankets during the cold winter months, we value the importance of giving back.

Over MCA’s 25 year history, we have chosen various organizations that would welcome our students (beginning with the 2 ½-year-olds), families, and staff to become involved in different projects; leaving our footprints and spreading love and care to those in need. Over the years, some of MCA’s charitable efforts have included:

  • Bridges Outreach Program: Our students, families, and staff collected various food items, which were placed in “breakfast bags” that were also decorated by students. Class Parents and some of our Elementary students then dropped the bags off at Bridges for distribution to those in need.
  • Puerto Rico Montessori Assistance: During one school year, we were able to earmark the proceeds of our annual Kindergarten Bake Sale to help fund the re-building of Montessori Schools in Puerto Rico following a disastrous storm.
  • Paws of War: MCA has sold reusable grocery bags and donated the proceeds to Paws of War. Students were then thrilled afterward when veterans came and brought their therapy dogs to visit our schools.
  • St. Peter’s Orphanage: Another memorable organization that MCA worked with was St. Peter’s Orphanage. Our families, staff, and communities donated to a fund that allowed the boys residing at the orphanage to enjoy a festive winter celebration and helped to purchase items to create a Sensory room for the residents. MCA’s incredible staff also spent an In-Service Day cleaning the grounds of St. Peter’s, planting flowers, assembling bikes, and even putting together a skate ramp for the residents to enjoy. Through ties to an alumni family, a member of Zac Brown Band also provided signed drumsticks to all of the boys at St. Peter’s.
  • The Valerie Fund: One school year, MCA partnered with The Valerie Fund when one of our alumni students was diagnosed with leukemia. Students, families, and staff joined together to donate teddy bears and various other toys to the fund to be given to children struggling with a cancer diagnosis that required months spent in a hospital.
  • The Country Home: Just before COVID shut us all down, MCA worked with The Country Home, a Memory Care facility in Morristown. Our students and teaching staff created handmade Montessori materials for the residents of the facility. Each week, two of our staff members would visit the residents of The Country Home and work with them using those materials. Our motivation for this partnership stemmed from research that has shown that persons with dementia can regain some of their memory by using Montessori materials to stimulate their senses. During the holidays that year, our Elementary students also paid a visit to The Country Home where they read a holiday book and sang for the residents. It was an incredible experience for MCA to collaborate with this amazing facility! 
  • Girls on the Run: Through a connection with the Girls on the Run organization, MCA was able to help create a Girls on the Run site for ten young girls at a Newark school. The curriculum for this program is self-esteem based and incorporates healthy living and running. Through donations from our families and staff, we were also able to help purchase new running shoes for the girls, who were extremely grateful for this new opportunity. Our Director of Montessori Development was then able to run a 5K with this group of girls and hand them their gold medals at the finish line.
  • Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris Plains: Most recently, in November, MCA participated in a Thanksgiving Food Drive in conjunction with the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris Plains, as well as Calvary Presbyterian Church in Florham Park. Our students, families, and staff donated food items that went into making hundreds of Thanksgiving meals during the holiday. Some of our Class Parents helped drop off the donations at the food pantry and commented on what a special experience it was for them and their children.

No matter what organization we are supporting or to what charity we may be donating, we at MCA strongly feel that with this charitable giving of items, knowledge, or time, it is most important that our students understand why we are involved in such projects. It is not enough to just give; we also take these opportunities to educate our students on just how differently life can look to our fellow human beings. We do this by reading books, looking at pictures, having in-depth discussions, and whenever possible, inviting these organizations to visit our schools and talk with our students.

The Montessori Children’s Academy is devoted to not only educating our lifelong learners, but to helping build good, caring citizens of the world. We work to illustrate to our students that our communities and our world are better because they each are here and they are capable of making a long lasting impact, even from a young age, on the lives of others. We are all leaving footprints on this Earth and in this world. It is never too early to begin leaving the “good kind”.

The recent collection of food items for the Thanksgiving Food Drive
Even our youngest friends were happy to lend a helping hand