Tag Archives: Montessori

Practical Life for Life: How Montessori Students Learn to Care for Themselves and the World Around Them

by Jacqueline Pisciotto, Early Childhood Head Teacher
and Becky Weaver, Early Childhood Head Teacher

“It is interesting to notice that where life is simple and natural and where the children participate in the adult’s life, they are calm and happy.” ~ Maria Montessori

“So, my daughter said she has been cleaning a mirror?”
It is not uncommon for a Montessori Directress to hear a parent, especially one new to the Montessori philosophy, express surprise that their child is cleaning a mirror during the day, and wants to do it again and again! Maria Montessori recognized that children are naturally drawn to meaningful work that satisfies their needs during various sensitive periods of development. Practical Life activities are crafted to foster movement, concentration, coordination, independence, order, and the development of both gross and fine motor skills. The Directress (or Head Teacher) thoughtfully arranges these materials to captivate the children’s interest, aligning with their sensitive periods. Maria Montessori observed such a profound attraction to Practical Life activities among the children that this component remained unchanged across the evolution of her educational model. Maria Montessori said, “We begin the day with a series of exercises of practical life, and I must confess that these exercises were the only part of the program which proved thoroughly stationary. These exercises were such a success that they formed the beginning of the day in all of the ‘Children’s Houses’. First: Cleanliness. Order. Poise. Conversation.” (The Montessori Method, originally published in 1912.)

If you have ever wondered about the Practical Life area of the Montessori Classroom… Let’s take a look!

Control of Movement (sometimes referred to as Dexterity) work in the Montessori Practical Life area, is vital for the development of the child. It embodies Maria Montessori’s principle of “helping the child to help himself”. The Prepared Environment, which includes work that incorporates real, child-sized materials, has the child engaged in activities such as spooning, pouring, sorting, or tweezing, in order to sharpen fine motor skills and enhance hand-eye coordination. This work serves as a precursor for academic skills like writing and mathematical operations. This focused work also cultivates concentration, independence, and a sense of order.

The Care of Self component of the Practical Life area plays an important role in fostering independence and self-esteem in young learners. Maria Montessori emphasized education as an aid to life. Through engaging with materials such as the Dressing Frames to learn how to button, zip, snap, buckle, and lace, or learning how to put on a coat without assistance, children refine their gross and fine motor skills. This aspect of Practical Life connects the development of physical coordination with the cultivation of independence. Care of Self tasks are designed to foster not only dexterity, but also lay the foundation for lifelong self-care and independence.

The Care of Environment work in the Montessori classroom is central to a child growing a sense of responsibility, respect, and connection with the classroom, the community, and the world. This component encourages children to engage in activities such as cleaning, food preparation, plant growing, and taking care of animals. By participating in the care of their immediate surroundings, children develop a sense of belonging and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living things.

Grace and Courtesy work in the Montessori Practical Life area is a key component to the development of social harmony and respect within the classroom community, which then extends to the children’s lives outside of the classroom. These lessons, which include practices like greeting others, saying “please” and “thank you”, and learning how to interrupt politely, are fundamental in cultivating an environment of mutual respect and empathy. Such activities not only reinforce positive social behaviors but also help children develop emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. Through Grace and Courtesy, Montessori students learn the importance of kindness, cooperation, and respect for others, laying the groundwork for becoming thoughtful and considerate members of society.

Children in a Montessori classroom are drawn to Practical Life work again and again!

The work is foundational for developing a child’s sense of independence, responsibility, and self-discipline. It helps children connect to their inner needs, as well as the greater classroom community and world around them. By engaging in tasks that range from self-care to care of the environment, children enhance their motor skills, concentration, and independence while laying a foundation for lifelong learning.

“These children reveal to us the most vital need of their development, saying:
‘Help me to do it alone!’” ~ Maria Montessori

The Montessori Children’s Academy Celebrates Montessori Education Week 2024

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

During the week of February 25 – March 2, 2024, several hundred students at The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), along with Montessori students from around the world, will celebrate Montessori Education Week! Montessori Education Week is an annual event that is celebrated around the world in honor of Dr. Maria Montessori and the legacy that she left behind. In 2007, the year Maria Montessori would have turned 100 years old, some of our MCA students celebrated with a cake that had 100 golden icing dots, representing the Golden Unit Beads from the Golden Bead Material. Students work with this actual material in the Math area when they are introduced to the Decimal System. In past years, parents and students have written about their most memorable Montessori experiences, which MCA has displayed in the hallways of our school. [A few are included at the end of this blog post.] And one year, our Elementary students even created a replica of the Montessori Pink Tower using the school’s 3D printer. Other highlights from past Montessori Education Weeks have included proclamations and/or visits by the Mayor of Morristown and the Deputy Mayor of Millburn, and one year, MCA was even recognized by the New Jersey Governor for the valuable role Montessori schools play in providing education to young people.

This year, one of the ways the children at the three MCA campuses (Chatham, Florham Park, and Short Hills) will commemorate this special week is by demonstrating Montessori Practical Life exercises to parents and visitors during school drop-off and pick-up. The children will also sing Montessori songs, study Italy, review the timeline of Dr. Maria Montessori’s life and work, and practice the Silence Game while thinking of peaceful things, much like Dr. Montessori did. Also, during the 2024 Montessori Education Week, current parents are invited to spend time observing their children working in the classrooms and noticing the pride they exhibit while demonstrating their growing independence in the Prepared Montessori Environment. This year, the grand finale of our Montessori Education Week celebration will be a pizza party, with pizza being supplied for all staff and students by Nonna’s Italian Restaurant in Florham Park.

In addition to the special “in-house” activities, each year, MCA students create artwork or other items that represent some of their favorite Montessori materials or work. These beautiful pieces are showcased in displays titled, “I Am a Montessori Child, and I Can Change the World” at the public libraries in Chatham, Florham Park, Livingston, and Millburn. During this week, posters and banners with decorate the local areas around and inside our schools, so that children, parents, and our local communities will observe that “Maria Montessori is all over town!”

Lastly, for the first time in our 25 year history, MCA has established an international relationship with a Montessori school in Malmö, Sweden. Our students are learning that children all around the world use the same types of Montessori materials as they do right here in their classrooms in New Jersey. During Montessori Education Week, the students in Sweden will sing “Light a Candle for Peace”, along with our MCA students, and students from both countries have been engaged in an “exchange program”. Across our three campuses, our students created items representing the United States that have now been shared with their Swedish counterparts, and the students from Sweden created items representing their country that are being shared with MCA students during this special week. MCA is thrilled with our newly established, international collaboration and is excited to offer our students the opportunity to gain a global awareness and broaden their horizons at such a young age.

The Montessori Children’s Academy is proud to be making a positive difference within our immediate communities, within our state, and around the world. We are grateful to everyone involved in celebrating this special week with us. No doubt we will all have memories that will last forever.

Some “Most Memorable Montessori Experiences” from MCA Alumni Parents:
“Our three-year-old son suddenly took control of his Daddy’s birthday celebration. Placing his flashlight on the floor and a world globe in his Father’s hands, he then proceeded to walk his Dad around the light singing, “The Earth goes around the Sun, the Earth goes around the Sun and daddy turns one… and so on, until through our tears of joy (having never seen the Birthday Walk before), we had to suggest he might not want to go all the way to thirty-something! We plan to adopt the Birthday Walk for all our family birthdays from now on. Thank you, Montessori! Every day is truly a memorable Montessori experience for him and for our family.”

“For a recent playdate, our friends brought a giant-sized bag of baby carrots to share. While the other kids ran off to play, Erin immediately asked to do some “cutting work” with the carrots. She carefully sliced about twenty carrots, and then she only ate from the bowl of carrots she cut herself.”

“Eddie remarked recently, “Mommy, I like learning in my class, it’s so peaceful there.” I answered, “Do you know what Peaceful means?” He replied, “Yes. It’s when we use our inside voice.”

“My most memorable Montessori experience with my daughter Alexandra was when I saw her interacting with my friend’s 1 ½-year-old daughter. Alexandra (5 years old) was gently and patiently explaining to the younger child how to open and close a container, as the girl listened intently. She was able to teach this new skill to the younger girl with patience and kindness, the same way that older students at MCA have taught her to do things.”

A Montessori Journey for Adults: Educating the Educators

by Doreen Adamo, Program Director of Montessori Center for Teacher Development

“The real preparation for education is a study of one’s self.
The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more
than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character;
it is a preparation of the spirit.”
~ Dr. Maria Montessori

Montessori teachers are a special breed of teachers. Their method of teaching differs significantly from a traditional teaching method because Montessori teachers place much more emphasis on the children’s natural interests and abilities. Their role is to observe and respond with appropriate individualized guidance and instruction. The students discover information for themselves using specially prepared materials. It is believed that children who are at liberty to choose their work freely in a specially prepared environment develop a true love of learning.

The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) proudly boasts its own MACTE-accredited, AMS-affiliated Teacher Education Program – Montessori Center for Teacher Development (MCTD). Since the program’s inception in 2014, MCTD has trained and assisted in the certification of many Adult Learners at an Early Childhood level. Through meaningful experiences in a respectful and inspirational learning environment, adults are entrusted to uphold Montessori traditions in their endeavor to become the best Montessori teachers that they can be.

MCTD is designed to support Adult Learners through each segment of its 2-year training program. The curriculum is comprised of three components: Academic Phase I (a four-week summer intensive phase), Academic Phase II (which meets on designated weekends, during the regular academic year), and the Practicum Phase (the internship/student teaching year). During the Academic Phases, the Adult Learners meet in the training classroom, where they attend academic lectures and practice with hands-on materials. The training classroom is fully equipped with AMS-approved and required materials with which the Adult Learner can practice. During the Practicum Phase, the Interns work in a classroom and receive mentorship and guidance from an experienced certified Montessori Supervising Teacher and are monitored by an MCTD Field Consultant. The training culminates in the candidate receiving an Early Childhood Montessori Certification to teach children ages 2 ½ through 6 years.

MCTD aims to provide meaningful learning experiences to all Adult Learners and offers opportunities for exploration and active participation throughout the training program. Preparing and empowering Adult Learners to become exceptional, effective Montessori educators while attending to the unique needs of each Adult Learner are the primary goals of MCTD. Our Instructors are professionals with diverse backgrounds and a wide range of teaching experiences. However, they all have one thing in common; a great passion for the Montessori Method and a desire to prepare adults for a great Montessori experience.

“The MCTD program provides all of the guidance and support that is needed to be successful to Adult Learners who, like me, have no prior knowledge of the Montessori Method or experience in a Montessori classroom. In addition to growing in my understanding about Montessori, I have also changed and grown personally as well. While juggling my many responsibilities, I have been forced to become more organized, to procrastinate less, and to be more confident both in and out of the classroom. I had forgotten how much fun it is to learn, and the great thing about being a Montessori Teacher is that the teachers never stop learning along with their students! There have admittedly been many late nights writing papers and last-minute shopping trips to stores to find the materials needed for a lesson, but looking back, it was all worthwhile. I now know that I have found what I want to do during the next phase of my career, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
~ Diane Palazzi, EC Certified Teacher/MCTD Graduate

If you are interested in learning what MCTD has to offer, please email us at MC4TD@aol.com, call 973-539-0196, or visit our website at www.montessoricenterforteacherdevelopment.com for more information.

At MCTD, we Empower Adult Learners to Empower Children.

What We Love About Montessori

Evidenced by the red and pink hearts, candy, and flowers displayed in stores everywhere, February is a special month. Not only do we acknowledge Valentine’s Day on February 14^th with little exhibits of love and kindness for those around us, but we also celebrate Montessori Education Week February 24^th – February 28^th and pay tribute to Dr. Maria Montessori with gratitude for the incredible philosophy of education she shared with us over 100 years ago.

Mrs. Adamo, Mrs. Fasolas, and Mrs. McShane, three of our MCA Head Teachers, recently asked the students in their classes what they love most about their Montessori classrooms and what they think is important about school. What follows are some of the quotes and written
responses shared by the children.

“I love math.”

“I love Golden Bead Addition.”

“I love the Stamp Game.”

“I love all the friends, Math, and Language.”

“I love my friends.”

“I love the maps in Culture, Math, and the
teachers.”

“I love the calendar and the material.”

“I love Music class.”

“I love Circle time.”

“I love working with the Language material.”

“I love the teacher, the hamster, and the
library.”

“I love using the Moveable Alphabet to make words.”

“I love reading in the library area.”

“I love the Red Rods Maze.”

“I love all the Practical Life work.”

“I love Food Prep in Practical Life.”

“I love eating lunch with my friends.”

“I love free play in the gym.”

“I love playing with my friends on the playground.”

“I love chillin’ in the Peace area.”

“I love working with my friends.”

“I love helping the younger children.”

“I love EVERYTHING!”

MCA’s Top 10 List for Starting Back to School

Our MCA classrooms are ready to welcome you to the 2019-2020 school year!

It seems like the summer, once again, is passing by in the blink of an eye. And while some folks are eking out the most of their remaining vacation time, many teachers have already made their way back into their classrooms to start preparing for the upcoming school year. Now is actually the perfect time for parents and children to also begin to do some preliminary planning to help ease into the start of school in September. Below are some helpful hints shared by some of our MCA professional staff of things families can do now to build excitement and alleviate any stress about the upcoming school year.

1. For Parents First: Read through your Parent Packet and complete any necessary forms prior to the first day of school.
By now, our MCA families should have received their Parent Packets filled with information about the school year, the calendar, school policies, the Parent Handbook, and much more. Included in the packet are several forms which should be completed and ready to turn into the school office on or before the first day of school. Especially important are the medical forms, which were mailed earlier in the summer and are due back to school by August 26th. The State of New Jersey has very specific requirements about what schools must have on file before any student may enter the school building. Reading through this information and completing the necessary paperwork ahead of time will help parents be prepared for that first day of school.

2. Adjust activities at home.
One of the wonderful things about summer is the opportunity to have some ‘down time’ which often is missing from September through June as children’s days are filled with their time at school, which is often followed by after school enrichment activities, sports, homework, and very little ‘down time’. If the house rules for summer allow for more screen time—television viewing, computer games, etc. —it’s probably a good idea to trim those hours now. Instead, consider initiating a reading time (perfect for when parents are preparing dinner—children can read aloud while you cook or look at books silently nearby until supper’s ready). Or, engage as a family in a few more activities that require more concentration and focus—a large jigsaw puzzle, card games, or even art projects. Helping children return to tasks that need their full attention will help them when they enter or re-enter the classroom.

3. Start easing into a “school day” morning and evening routine.
A few weeks leading up to the first day of school is a good time to begin adjusting your family’s morning wake up times and evening bedtimes, which may have become a bit lax during the summer months. Knowing how early your family needs to get up to get through all of your necessary morning activities makes starting each school day so much easier. From brushing teeth and getting dressed to having a nutritious breakfast and making the morning commute, some families benefit from doing a ‘test run’ a few times to see if they can accomplish their morning rituals and arrive to school on time.

Equally important is establishing a healthy bedtime which ensures your child has adequate sleep for the busy hours spent at school. It’s not always easy to settle down for bed when the sun still hasn’t set in the summer, but even easing into a bedtime routine of listening to soft music or reading a few books in bed helps with this summer to school year transition.

4. Consider creating a family calendar.
One family activity you might consider is to create a school year family calendar. Many dollar stores sell wonderfully large calendars which you can customize with your own important information. After looking through the school calendar, mark important dates on the family calendar. Invite your child to decorate special event days with their own illustrations, or color-code the days of the calendar according to school days and days off from school. As children see some of the exciting activities that await them each month, their excitement about school may grow and override any nervousness they may be feeling about that first day.

5. Visit with friends.
Some of us have the best intentions to reconnect with friends and family during the summer when we think we have more time to get together only to find that we’ve blinked and haven’t had a chance to do so! If your child hasn’t seen neighborhood friends or former classmates over the past few months, now is a nice time to reconnect. If you know some of the children who will be in your child’s class for the upcoming year, having them come together at a local playground might be enough to spark that joy of returning to school to see old friends and make some new ones, too.

6. Attend “Meet the Teachers Day”.
If you’ve created a family school calendar, then you’ve marked the date for “Meet the Teachers Day” already! At MCA, parents and children together visit their new classroom, receive their lists of necessary school supplies, and meet their teachers face-to-face.
Meet the Teachers Day is followed by a “Phase-In” (see your Parent Packet for details), aimed at helping to alleviate any separation anxiety and providing the children with a smooth transition into their new school environment. Meet the Teachers Day is just one part of the orientation to school where the children acclimate both socially and emotionally to being apart from their parents and begin to take part in all aspects of their classroom community. At home, use your child’s teachers’ and classmates names in conversations, and begin to initiate conversations that are related to school.

7. Take your child shopping for school supplies.
Allow your child to get excited about going back to school by bringing him or her with you when you go shopping for any needed supplies or a special first day of school outfit. Giving your child the freedom to pick out his or her backpack and lunch box will also create a sense of ownership around these items, which will inherently point your child in the direction of being responsible for his or her things. Now is also a good time to remember to label all items with your child’s name.

8. And while you’re shopping, consider making a grocery list for lunches!
Sometimes planning for mealtimes is the most stressful part of a busy school or work day. Get a jump start on this and together with your child, create a list of things your child would like to have packed in his or her lunch each day. Creating a one or two week schedule of meals that can rotate may alleviate any of the issues your family may have regarding food. Keep in mind your school’s nut-safe policies, your child’s personal tastes, and what is important for a healthy lunch that will sustain your child for the afternoon.

9. Separate your anxieties about separation from your child’s.
Whether this is your first child heading off to school or your fourth, it is normal for parents to have some hesitation about leaving their children in the care of others. As parents ourselves, we at MCA know the internal struggles of sending our children off to school. We also know that our children will thrive and grow in their school settings, and that our children’s schools are nurturing, safe, and enriching places for our children to be!

In order to assist our children in making a smooth transition, it is important for us, as parents, to put forth a positive attitude and send our children off with a big smile, a brief hug, and assurance that we are looking forward to sharing stories about each of our days when we meet again after school and work. 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 play groups or at other times when you were not right by his or her side. And be confident that should your child need some extra support, the teachers at MCA will help you both through this new transition and with becoming comfortable with a new school routine.

10. Consider starting a new ‘last day of summer vacation’ or ‘first day of school’ family tradition.
Again, using your family calendar, mark something special to do on the day before school starts or for that first day of school. Maybe it’s a special outing to a favorite nature spot, an end of summer ice cream treat, or a family splash in a pool. Or perhaps it’s a first day of school dinner picnic in the park, ride to a favorite bookshop to purchase one new book for bedtime, or an evening walk around the neighborhood in pajamas. Whatever you decide, make it something that will bring about a heightening happy anticipation to the start of school.

We can’t believe that the summer is almost over, but we are anticipating another wonderful school year ahead!! The MCA school calendar is filled with fun activities for everyone, starting with our Welcome Back Coffee. We hope you’ll mark your calendars now for our Parent Workshops and our highly anticipated night with guest speaker Dr. Robert Brooks, author of Raising Resilient Children, which was the featured selection for our MCA Parent Book Club last year. Our teachers are preparing their classrooms, just as your family is preparing for the new school year in your own way. To all of our new and returning MCA families, we look forward to seeing you in September!