Category Archives: Parenting

Summertime Reading Buzz

by Alex Chiu

Summer is a wonderful time for storytelling and reading together. Long car rides to the beach, lazy Saturday mornings in bed, and twilight evenings on the back deck are ideal moments to listen to books on tape, share memories and stories, or read with your children. But what types of books should you read? There are so many delightful choices available – both the familiar titles parents will remember from their own youth and many brand new and equally engaging options which seem to come on the market daily. Consider this quote from Dr. Maria Montessori: “Travel stories teach geography; insect stories lead the child into natural science; and so on. The teacher, in short, can use reading to introduce her pupils to the most varied subjects; and the moment they have been thus started, they can go on to any limit guided by the single passion for reading.” So, it doesn’t really matter what you choose!

As their children’s first and most influential teachers, parents are instrumental in opening up new worlds for their children, particularly through the sharing of books. As you read together, invite your child to ask questions and share thoughts and ideas related to the book. Ask open-ended questions or help your child discover connections between what is in the story and your child’s own experiences. Encourage active engagement with others by having your child relate the plot or information from favorite stories with friends, neighbors, and relatives.

With summer in full swing, we thought we’d share a few titles specifically related to geography (including maps and different places or experiences from around the world) and insects, as featured in Dr. Montessori’s quote. Geography and insect themes can promote many summer adventures. These certainly are two areas that lend themselves especially well to the summer months and often become a springboard for other points of interest. Adults may provide the first selection of books to enjoy together, and then based on the children’s responses, parents may offer more similar suggestions or veer off on a different path.

When diving into the ocean of books offered at your local library or favorite bookshop, follow your child’s lead as he or she shows a special curiosity about a character, topic, or genre. See where your summer reading adventures can take you this summer. It could be miles away to discover faraway lands and cultures, or right to your very own backyard where you can delve into the world of the creatures that crawl and fly about. Wherever you go, we wish you happy reading, happy exploring, and a very happy and safe summer!

A Small Sampling of Books Related to Geography and Culture

A Country Far Away by Nigel Gray
A Single Pebble: A Story of the Silk Road by Bonnie Christensen
Katie in London by James Mayhew
As the Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps by Gail Hartman and Harvey Stevenson
Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures by Jeff Brown
Smart About the Fifty States by Jon Buller
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Vanilla Ice Cream by Bob Graham
Where on Earth? by Helen Abramson

A Small Sampling of Books Related to Insects

A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Aston
Bee and Me by Alison Jay
Bugs A to Z by Caroline Lawton
How to Survive as a Firefly by Kristen Foote
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
Insect Detective by Steve Voake
Step Gently Out by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder
The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zoomer
The Disgusting Critter Series by Elise Gravel
We Dig Worms! By Kevin McCloskey

*Note: Several authors have used the same titles for different books, so pay special attention to the complete titles and/or author names above to ensure you find the right book!

The MCA Parent Book Club

By Alex Chiu with Jacqueline Pisciotto and Imelda McShane

MCA is delighted to be hosting its 4th Annual Parent Book Club at two of our campuses this spring. This year’s featured book is Raising Resilient Children by Dr. Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein. The book, selected by MCA’s Director of Montessori Development, Camilla Nichols-Uhler, provides parents with strategies to help their children prepare for the challenges of today’s world. Ms. Nichols-Uhler shared, “I selected it because Dr. Robert Brooks was a speaker at MCA several years ago. He made a very special impression and shared a lot of positive and insightful wisdom to our MCA families. His book is very practical, and I love the importance of focusing on a child’s strengths versus weaknesses.” The general consensus from the parents involved in the book club this year is that this is one of the best parenting books they have read to date.

The MCA Parent Book Club meets for one hour once a week for six weeks, and each week, one of MCA’s experienced Montessori Head Teachers facilitates the group discussion. The book club is an opportunity for parents to come together to share experiences, ask parenting questions, and discuss their concerns and hopes for their children. The teachers facilitating the meetings provide their professional insights into the conversations as well. Through this book club community, parents connect with others and build bridges between what happens at school and what happens at home. They learn new information not only from the selected books, but also from one another and the teacher leading the discussions. The teachers also help the group members grow in their understanding of how Montessori is connected to so many things and that it is not just an educational method, but a way of life.

Featured topics from this year’s book so far have included information for parents about how to:

• be empathetic
• communicate effectively and listen actively
• change “negative scripts”
• love children in ways that make them feel special and appreciated
• accept children for who they are
• help children to set realistic expectations and goals
• help children experience success and identity

Upcoming topics for the final book club meetings will include strategies to:

• help children realize that mistakes create learning opportunities
• develop responsibility, compassion, and a social conscience by providing children with opportunities to contribute
• teach children to solve problems and make decisions
• discipline in a way that promotes self-discipline and self-worth

The authors of Raising Resilient Children present real life scenarios and then recommend ways of dealing with them. Participants in the book club also share experiences and have engaged in some lively and insightful discussions during their book club meetings! As participants dig into the information provided in the book, they can consider how to apply techniques in their own family situations. Dr. Brooks even provides a self-assessment parents can take to find out if they are nurturing resilience in their children. You can find it online at: www.drrobertbrooks.com/0105.

The teachers who facilitate the meetings often find that conversations grow deeper as parents share their own parenting dilemmas. This affords the group an opportunity to brainstorm together and think about what strategies suggested in the book might help. It also allows the teacher to incorporate many Montessori approaches that are used on a daily basis at school to address certain behaviors or concerns. Parents do come to see that, not surprisingly, many of the topics presented in the book relate directly to the Montessori approach to education in so many ways. For example, a recent discussion that developed at one meeting was regarding the importance of family meals. The teacher could share classroom experiences of how the children set up their lunch spaces and eat together, enjoying not only the food in their lunch bags, but also the company of the others around the table. Parents sometimes forget that children gain skills by helping to prepare dinner, setting the table, and participating in dinner conversation. But children need modeling and guidance (and patience from parents!) as they learn these important Practical Life and social skills. The act of sharing a meal together provides a perfect opportunity for having children learn the art of conversation, taking turns with both talking and listening. And parents were reminded how being together around the dinner table is a great place for everyone (parents, too!) to practice these skills!

Our book club parents seem grateful to have an outlet for sharing parenting challenges. This community not only provides them with a place to release some of the pressures they feel in different parenting situations, but it also allows for new information to be learned and shared. The parents we see really do want to do their best by their children, and we hope that through the MCA Parent Book Club, they have yet one more resource to assist them on their parenting journey. After all, our children do not come with manuals, and many parents are looking for guidance. Fortunately, we can try to learn from one another’s experiences, glean information from some wonderful books shared by experts in their fields, such as Raising Resilient Children, and be inspired by the educational methodology set forth by Dr. Maria Montessori!

We hope to see more of our MCA parents join us for our MCA Parent Book Club next year!

Growing Up with a Grateful Heart

By Alex Chiu

Your spouse passes a dish from the dinner table to your son. You bring a tissue to your daughter when she is sniffling while watching TV. Your mother brings your child a birthday gift. As parents, our almost kneejerk response when any of these things occur is to immediately prompt our child with “What do you say?” Sometimes we do this even before the child has had a chance to process that someone has done something kind for him or her. But what do we really accomplish with that prompting? Generally, children will give the required “thank you” response you are seeking, but is there a real sense of gratitude behind those words?

To nurture a true grateful heart, we must make gratitude a daily practice with our children. It’s important for them to understand that there is so much we can be grateful for—big and small— and recognizing this at an early age helps children grow up with gratitude as a matter of course. Why is this important? Research indicates that having a sense of gratitude can help people reduce feelings of sadness, stress, and loneliness. In his article “7 Surprising Health Benefits of Gratitude”, author Jamie Ducharme outlines how gratitude can help people become more patient, reduce overeating, combat depression, improve relationships, improve sleep, and generally make you feel happier (Time Health, November 2017). And Ann Morin has her own list of seven benefits (seven must be a lucky number!), adding that gratitude can lessen aggression, improve empathy and self-esteem, and promote better physical and psychological health (“7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude That Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round”, Forbes, November 2014).

So how can parents help their children (and themselves) learn the practice of gratitude? Let’s count some very simple ways to express gratitude at least four times throughout the day:

1. First thing in the morning: Begin the day by sharing one thing you’re grateful for that morning. Warm water to wash your hands, the sun shining, fuzzy pajamas, breakfast—model a sentence of gratitude and invite your child to think of what he or she is grateful for that morning.
2. On the way to school: Comment about one thing you see that makes you feel grateful. Recently, for me, it was having all green lights on the drive to school! But it could be anything—a car that functions, the beauty of the changing leaves, a favorite song that comes on the radio. A simple recognition of “I’m so grateful that song came on—it really brightened my mood!” is a great way to share your gratitude with your child.
3. At home after school: Express your gratitude to your child when he or she is helpful, kind, or considerate to you or any other family member. But be specific and add on to the usual “Thank you”. If your child remembers to put toys away before coming to the dinner table, you might extend your gratitude by saying “Thank you for remembering to clean up—that really helps me and shows me that you’re responsible and that you care about taking care of your toys and our house!” Invite your child to think about who has done something since coming home from school that he or she would like to thank.
4. At bedtime: Have your child share one thing about the day that he or she is truly grateful for—it could have been time spent with friends, learning a new skill or concept at school, the yummy dinner you made, snuggling with the dog, anything!

It may take some time for this habit to take hold, but if you take the initiative in sharing what you are grateful for on a regular basis, your children will very likely follow suit. And then the entire family can reap the many more than seven benefits of a grateful heart!

For a list of fun gratitude activities for the whole family, including how to make a ‘gratitude box’, some gratitude prompts, gratitude games, and even gratitude apps you can download, check out: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-exercises/

More information and resources on gratitude, including those used as references in this article include:
http://time.com/5026174/health-benefits-of-gratitude/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/#13d897b9183c
https://tinybuddha.com/

And some lovely children’s books with a gratitude theme you might enjoy:
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Jake Swamp
Splatt Says Thank You by Rob Scotton
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

Farmers Markets and Montessori

By Alex Chiu

August is perhaps one of the most colorful months of the year, especially if you take some time to visit any number of local farmers markets in the area. Fruits and vegetables in rainbows of hues fill the baskets and tables, inviting a closer look at their beauty. Who knew there were not only red and yellow tomatoes, but orange, purple, and striped ones, as well?! Beets, red and golden, inspire something new for the upcoming week’s menu. Cauliflower, bright white, neon green, or even purple, might find its way into new family recipes. The variety of fruits and vegetables available at this time of year is such a welcome sight. Some are common and well known and loved—something to enjoy and savor again and again. Others are surprising and completely different, and they welcome us to give them a try, offering us a chance to find a new favorite to include at our tables at home.

As strange as it sounds, walking through a farmers market on a Saturday morning elicits images of a Montessori classroom. The markets are filled with colorful, carefully cultivated, and specifically chosen items, made available for us to explore, investigate, and learn from as we take our time moving from one stall to another. Our senses are awakened to the colors, flavors, and textures before us, and who can resist the beauty and opportunity within each market item? The markets are also a place for community. We meet the farmers, learn from them, and share our experiences. We might provide feedback about last week’s purchases, describe a new recipe we tried with some of the grower’s ingredients, or ask questions about additional benefits or usages for what they have brought to the market. We learn together. We see how we are different, how we are the same, and how we are connected in it all.

Similarly, Montessori classrooms invite students to do the same sort of exploration and discovery as they entice students with their carefully prepared materials specifically developed by Dr. Montessori to support child development. The materials are heirlooms of her teachings passed on to promote the growth of new generations. The Montessori materials, intentionally pleasing to the eye, draw the students’ attention and invite them to use them as they delight their senses and develop new skills. The Montessori classroom, like the farmers market, is also a community. Students and families come together to learn, share experiences, ask questions, and develop personally. Montessori students, teachers, and families also grow together as a community, acknowledging one another’s strengths and needs, and working together to promote growth in all.

So, as the summer continues on, consider taking in a farmers market or two with your child. Identify what’s familiar, and find out more about what’s new. Enjoy the fruits of the season, and make some discoveries about nature together. Before you know it, school will be starting up again. And when September arrives, even as the produce available at the farmers market changes and begins to dwindle, you can be assured that with the start of another school year, the fruits of Montessori education will continue to flourish and grow all year long.

Summertime Extensions for Exploring the Cultural Area

Montessori classrooms truly give students the world. The Cultural area of the classroom is filled with flags, globes, and maps which allow students to travel to places beyond their classroom walls. Montessori students learn about geography, land and water forms, and climate, not to mention the customs and cultures of people from around the world. Exposure to these cultural aspects opens the minds and imaginations of students. They discover the similarities and differences between their own country of origin and places worldwide. Through their cultural studies, they also gain an appreciation for things that are unfamiliar to them, and this appreciation of ‘other’ lends itself to developing understanding of and respect for all people, all cultures, and all places.

Summer is an excellent time to use the Montessori Cultural area as a springboard for continued learning. Because many of the students have already been presented with lessons in map making and simple research, parents can challenge their children to extend their cultural discoveries at home over the summer holiday. Even if your family is planning a ‘staycation’ this summer, you can all travel virtually through your participation in some of these Cultural extensions.

1. Discover your roots. If your ancestors came from other countries, summer might be a perfect time to find out more about your family’s history or about your family’s country (or countries) of origin. Public libraries generally have children’s books about places around the world, so check out a few related to your family’s own ethnic background.

2. Taste something new. As an extension, you might enjoy trying out a new recipe from one of these places. Involve your child in planning the dish, shopping for ingredients (and there are some ethnic markets that are like a trip to a foreign land in and of themselves!), and then together prepare and taste something new!

3. Map your neighborhood. Keep those cartography skills sharp and have your child create a map of your neighborhood or town. Challenge your child to identify the major landmarks (school, library, police station, favorite playground), and invite him or her to draw out the paths from home to each of these important places in your area.

4. Design a family flag. The children have learned that nations can be identified by their flags. They also know that each state in the US has its own flag. Why not design a special family flag? Think about things that are important to your family and include symbols representing those things on your family flag. Design it first on paper, and if you’re really ambitious, create an actual fabric flag to wave proudly at home!

5. Identify the land and water features you visit. Again, even if you don’t leave home, your child can look at maps of where you live and practice identifying what land and water forms are displayed on the map. Not only do we have the Atlantic Ocean along our NJ border, but the state is filled with rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges to identify.

6. Research a destination. If your family is planning a getaway to another city, state, or country, include your child in the planning, and research some of the history, geography, and culture of the place you will be going.

7. Keep a travel journal. Keeping a journal on a family trip is a wonderful way to have your child document the trip, and it is something that your child can then share with family and friends upon returning home. Drawings, notes, and collected items such as ticket stubs, photographs, or brochures can build a wonderful keepsake of your vacation.

Whatever your summertime plans, your child can continue to discover the world through a variety of activities, even from the comfort of your own home. Happy Exploring!