Tag Archives: Montessori

Summertime Extensions for Exploring the Cultural Area

Montessori Childrens Academy NJ

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!

Springing Forward and Springing Up

“Growth is not merely an increase in size, but a transformation.” ~Maria Montessori

By Alex Chiu

Hopefully, we can say with confidence that spring is finally here. After quite a crazy winter and the late arrival of spring-like weather, we seem to be moving toward warmer temperatures, budding trees, and greening grass. And just as the seasons have changed, so have the children in their Montessori classrooms.

What can you expect from your child this spring? And what can you do to keep their growth springing forward in a positive direction? Let’s take a look at the different age groupings to find out.

2 ½ – 3 ½ Year Olds
With eight months of school behind them, the toddlers and younger preschoolers are showing more independence. You might start hearing the phrase “I can do it myself” much more often. If you do, the very best way to respond is to allow your child to make attempts at doing more things by him or herself! From putting on their own coats and shoes to cleaning up toys to pouring a drink, allowing your children the time to do these tasks independently further encourages their confidence in their own abilities and helps to motivate them to learn to do more and more on their own. You will likely notice that your children are more adept at communicating their needs, and that they have had a ‘language explosion’ in terms of vocabulary and speech. Continue to foster this development by engaging in conversations, commenting on the things you see when you are walking or driving, and of course, reading together on a daily basis.

4 and 5 Year Olds
These students are likely starting to take on more responsibilities in their Montessori classrooms. They might be helping younger children with lessons or doing more to keep the classroom in order. Having had the older role models ahead of them has provided this group of students with a map for what their role will be in the coming school year. They are aware that they are now among the older more experienced classmates, and they rise to the occasion of helping others as needed. At home, provide your 4- and 5-year-olds with opportunities to help you plan, shop for, and prepare a family meal, organize the games or activities when friends come to play, or choose a family outing. This group is also deep into their friendship development, so encourage that further by inviting a friend or small groups of friends to get together during the summer to play, attend a free outdoor community concert, or visit the library together.

Kindergartners
The Kindergarten students may find themselves feeling some mixed emotions at this time of year. They are generally excited about their upperclassmen status, having worked through the complete 3-year cycle in their Montessori classroom. They are the leaders, the role models, and what the younger students aspire to be. They have learned a wealth of academic information, grown in confidence, gained leadership skills, and developed deep friendships and connections with their classmates and teachers. At the same time, they may be feeling nostalgic and a little apprehensive to leave this warm, safe, familiar environment. If they are moving on to a different type of school for first grade, the unknowns may be tugging at them—Who will be in my class? What are the expectations? These and other questions or concerns may be addressed by reaching out to your child’s new school for the upcoming year and asking if they might be able to take a tour. Looking around your neighborhood, you might see potential new classmates and have your child start developing those friendships during the summer through casual playground get-togethers. For those children who will continue their Montessori journey in Montessori Elementary, they likely will have the opportunity to visit their new classroom and meet with current Lower Elementary students. Being able to see what lies ahead may help these graduating Kindergartners feel more at ease with the transition that is approaching for the next school year. Don’t forget to celebrate their Kindergarten graduation as it is indeed a milestone worthy of recognition. These children have worked hard for the past three years on their academic, social, and emotional development, and what they have achieved is worthy of celebration!

Elementary
By springtime, the Elementary students are using the skills they have acquired to extend their knowledge and dig deeper into their various areas of academic study. While some students experience ‘spring fever’ or ‘senior slump’ with a lackluster attitude toward school as summer vacation approaches, we find that most Montessori students continue to approach their school days with anticipation and excitement. The Montessori materials provide continuous learning opportunities and grow with students, moving them ever forward from concrete to abstract thinking and from simple to complex concepts. Each day is a new day for discoveries, and the Elementary groups are not done yet! Elementary students have made the adjustments needed to thrive in their classroom setting. They understand the Elementary level expectations and have worked with their teachers and peers to develop time management skills. They have had the opportunity to do both independent and collaborative work, building skill sets with each of these types of learning. Moving into the summer, parents might encourage their Elementary students to create a reading list, with titles of books that span a variety of genres. Perhaps your Elementary child might like to further research an area that he or she found most interesting during the school year and take it to yet another level of learning. A family field trip to enhance this makes an especially nice summer activity. And just as with the toddlers who have moved onto declaring “I can do it myself”, your Elementary children will surely want to show you the added independence that they have in their new stage of development. Encourage them to take on more responsibilities at home. Invite them into deeper conversations about current events. These students are growing in their personal confidence and opinions, so it’s a perfect time to allow them to share their ideas, and teach them how to do that in a respectful, thoughtful manner which will serve them well throughout their maturation.

Family Dynamics
As your children grow and reach different milestones and stages of development, your family dynamic may shift a bit or require some adjustments. Keeping true to core family values is important. However, how you interact with your children and what you do to uphold what is important to your family could require some changes. For example, as your children grow, the vocabulary you use should grow with them. The responsibilities you place on your children can increase, and the conversations and ways of letting loose and having fun might become different. Being aware of how your children are growing and developing will help you help them to continue springing forward into the wonderful beings that they are and will continue to be as they grow in their knowledge, independence, responsibility, commitment to service, and love of learning and life. After all, each one of us continues to spring up and spring forward through each season of life!

Eye on the Montessori Elementary Experience

By Alex Chiu

Most people equate Montessori education with early childhood or the preschool years. However, did you know that there are Montessori programs which begin serving children in infancy and extend up through the elementary, middle, and high school grades? For families who embrace the Montessori philosophy, they truly do see Montessori education as an ‘education for life’ and something that continues throughout their children’s school years and beyond. Many adopt a Montessori approach to their family home life, especially if there is not an opportunity to continue in a Montessori program beyond preschool. We are lucky in that The Montessori Children’s Academy offers programs which invite families to begin the Montessori journey at age 18 months in the Montessori, My Child, & Me child-caregiver program and continues with programs for Preschool, Kindergarten, and Lower and Upper Elementary students. The MCA Elementary Program, one of the few Montessori Elementary programs in our area, serves students in grades 1-8 and is located at our Short Hills campus.

MCA Elementary Highlights
Let’s take a peek into just some of the unique opportunities that students have when they continue their Montessori education beyond the Preschool and Kindergarten years and move into the Elementary Program. Our MCA Elementary students benefit from many varied and unique experiences both in and out of the classroom. Here’s a sampling of just some of the special activities they’ve participated in so far this school year.

The MCA Garden
This year, our MCA Elementary students have taken over the responsibility of maintaining our school garden. When the weather was warmer, the students used tools such as pitchforks and hand trowels to clean up the garden and pull out bulbs that were no longer needed. Next, they will begin indoor planting in February. Students have also been in contact with the Master Gardeners of Essex County to help plan their garden. They even tied the garden to math lessons as they measured the area and perimeter so that they could draw, to scale, graphs of the garden in order to plan how they will utilize the space most efficiently. The garden is just one example of how our students connect with community members, such as the master gardeners, and extend their learning beyond the classroom walls. It also illustrates cross-curricular learning where gardening meets math, science, and more.

Practical Life Skills Put to Work
The Montessori Practical Life exercises came in handy to the Elementary students recently. They decided they needed to adjust the height of some classroom tables, so they grabbed screwdrivers and went to work. The students made tables taller so they could fit more comfortably, as they have all grown so much this year! Here, too, students took the lead in problem solving, putting their skills to use in a practical way, and working together for their classroom community’s comfort and well-being.

Exploring History and Making Predictions for the Future
Our Elementary students have been continuing to study pre-humans and the theory of evolution. In order to understand how scientists develop theories based on evidence, the students analyzed models of pre-human skulls. They wrote down observations, drew what they saw, and compared the skulls to one another. The students then developed theories based on what they saw, as well as their prior knowledge from class lessons, to hypothesize what the skull changes meant for humans and why these changes might have occurred. One student even took it upon himself to predict what evolutionary changes could happen in the future and why those changes might occur! Montessori students continuously build upon prior learning, making connections and discovering ways to answer their many thoughtful questions.

Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, Oh My!
To kick off our chemistry studies, the MCA Elementary students explored atoms! The students used three-part cards and books to learn about the different parts of an atom. Some students took the initiative to take their studies one step further. Here you can see 3-D atoms built by our students with materials they found around the classroom. Montessori students are hands-on, engaged, active learners!

What Montessori Elementary is All About
It’s important to note that our MCA Elementary Program maintains the hallmarks of the Montessori philosophy, keeping its true values at the core. Here is what Montessori Elementary (and beyond) is all about:

Classroom Community
One thing that remains consistent in Montessori education across ages is the mixed-age groupings of the students. The benefits of the mixed-age group are clear when students fluidly move from one level to the next as they are ready, not limited by age or grade, and as students learn from one another, with each bringing different talents and skills to the classroom. A younger student may already be an ‘expert’ in dinosaurs because of a vast amount of interest and research done on the subject, so that student might take on a teaching role to share his or her knowledge with the others, regardless of whether they are same-age peers, or younger or older students. Students take on various leadership roles at different times throughout the school year, and all work together in a way similar to how families function, with each class member taking on different responsibilities and everyone working together for the common good of a happy, productive, learning environment.

Teachers Who Guide Students
Montessori Elementary teachers have a certification that is specifically designed for teachers working with the elementary age groups. Using their finely tuned observation skills, they adapt lessons to the needs and readiness of their students, continuously offering appropriate, challenging, and engaging activities. Montessori teachers act more as guides than lecturers, helping their students understand that the students must take ownership of their learning, which makes their learning so much more meaningful. This is not to say that Montessori teachers don’t ‘teach’. They meticulously prepare their classrooms, work alongside their students, and provide all of the support necessary to promote active, challenging, and real learning in their classrooms.

Montessori Materials and More
Elementary students may continue to use some of the same materials familiar to them from their Primary classes, but they do so in a much more advanced, sophisticated way. The materials grow with the students, moving them ever forward from concrete to abstract thinking. Supplementing these Montessori materials are important curriculum materials that equal and surpass what is being presented in traditional elementary schools. These may include supplemental writing exercises, literature, science tools, and current technology. What is different is that Montessori students continue to have the freedom to explore these varied academic components after having been provided with initial guidance by a teacher. After an introductory lesson on a material or concept, students move forward with their learning at their own pace, oftentimes seeking out independent study of special areas of interest. Very often, learning is interconnected across subject areas, and students can see how the skills they learn in their core academic areas work together in so many real life situations.

An Uninterrupted Work Cycle
The work cycle of the Elementary classroom is similar to the Primary class in that the Elementary students also have a long, uninterrupted work time. During this work cycle, they may move from one activity or subject to another, completing experiments, writing essays, doing research, and working independently, in small groups, or with a teacher. The school day also includes special classes, such as Spanish, Music, Art, Technology, Physical Education, and Health.

Peace Education and Community Connections
The MCA Elementary Program continues developing the students’ global awareness and civic responsibilities through the ongoing Peace Education curriculum. This includes not only learning social graces, but also incorporating environmental education and involvement in community service activities. Students are encouraged to make community connections, and as they do, they discover that there is so much that they have to offer in making the world a better place starting right within their own communities.

Continuing a Montessori education beyond the preschool years allows children to further develop their love of learning while taking ownership of their education. Elementary students in a Montessori environment are provided with the opportunities to follow their interests and identify their passions. With the support and guidance of their teachers, these older Montessori students apply knowledge to new areas, make connections among subject areas, and delve deeper into each area of study. They come away with skills that stretch beyond strong academic performance. From their Montessori experiences, they learn how to learn, how to ask questions and seek answers, and how to be part of a community that works together for the benefit of all.

 

For more information about Montessori elementary in general, you might enjoy reading Montessori Today by Paula Polk Lillard, which provides an in-depth look at what Montessori elementary education is all about. We also invite you to visit our website at www.TheMontessoriChildrensAcademy.com for more details about our MCA Elementary Program, or call our Short Hills campus at 973-258-1400 to schedule a tour to visit and see for yourself.

Balanced Literacy in a Montessori Classroom

By Imelda McShane with Alex Chiu

Balanced literacy contains both spoken and written components. The foundation for language learning is hearing and imitating sounds, listening to words, understanding the meaning of words and sentences, and being able to use words to communicate. At The Montessori Children’s Academy, we teach the children who are ready to read by using a phonetic approach that demonstrates how words are made up of sounds, which is later supplemented by sight-reading strategies. Learning to read starts with phonics in Montessori schools because we understand that reading is essentially the decoding of the individual sounds of a word, and connections are made among speaking, reading, and writing in all areas of the curriculum right from the start to promote balanced literacy.

Many preschool children may already have mastered the names of the letters by the time they come to school. They know their ABCs from the Alphabet Song which uses the names of the letters and which we all know very well. When young children enter a Montessori classroom, they then are introduced to the sounds the letters make. For example, “A” says the sound “a” as in “cat”. This is a new concept for most preschoolers, and as their interest in the Language area of the classroom grows, they become engrossed in the various materials that facilitate their reading, writing, and general language skills.

The first of the Montessori materials used to help teach the sounds of letters are the Sandpaper Letters. These materials consist of 26 individual flat, thin wooden boards, each with a lower case letter made of sandpaper attached to one side of the board. Consonants are on pink boards and vowels are on blue boards. The Sandpaper Letters are kept in boxes containing 4 or 5 letters, chosen because of their differing sounds and shapes. For example, the first box a child would be introduced to includes the sounds “b”, “m”, “s”, and “t”. Each letter’s shape and sound is quite distinct from the others in the box, promoting an easier differentiation for the child.

Using these materials, children learn to recognize the symbols of the letters, associate the phonetic sounds with the letters, and make a tactile connection between the sounds and the formation of the letters. Montessori teachers show the child how to trace the Sandpaper Letter with one finger. While the child traces the letter, the teacher will repeat the phonetic sound of the letter. The child is encouraged to repeat the sound. An extension of this work is to have the child write the letter in a shallow tray filled with sand. The child is invited to form the letter in the sand, and if dissatisfied, the letter can easily be ‘erased’ by gentle smoothing the sand so the child can try again and again. These activities are direct preparation for writing because they give the children practice in the movement used for making the letter, which they will do with pencil and paper in the future.

Recently, in one of our MCA preschool classrooms, the children used crayons to trace letters written first by a teacher in pencil on a piece of paper. After tracing the letters, the children could choose stamps with pictures of objects that begin with those letters to illustrate their papers, for example using a stamp of a “rose” for the sound “r” or a stamp of a “monkey” for the sound “m”. Students have also used watercolors to paint turkeys and hats representing the sounds of “t” and “h”. Using a small pin punch tool, the children pin punched the outlines of the shapes of pumpkins and cats on construction paper to help them learn the sounds “p” and “c”. While studying invertebrates, the children had the opportunity to match different sounds with different types of invertebrates. Montessori classes perform many activities like this to reinforce the sounds across curriculum areas.

Another fun way to work with sounds is to play an “I Spy” sort of game. During circle time, some teachers, when calling children to choose work, line up, or get their coats, will often say, “If your name begins with the sound “d”, you may get your coat.” Parents can play this in the car or at home too, as it is an enjoyable way to incorporate learning sounds throughout the day.

Once the children have mastered many of the sounds, they begin working with another Montessori material – the Movable Alphabet. The Moveable Alphabet is a box containing small, lowercase letters of the full alphabet. Consonants are usually red and vowels are usually blue for the children to easily distinguish. The activity is done on a mat on the floor with a set of phonetic objects (for example, a hat, a cat, a rat, etc.). One of the objects is laid down on the mat, and the child is asked to identify the object. When the child names the object, he or she is then invited to listen for the first sound he or she hears when saying the word. The child then finds the letter that represents that first phonetic sound from the Moveable Alphabet box and places it beside the object on the mat. The child and teacher will repeat the word again, “h-a-t”, slowly so the child can hear each of the sounds used to make the word, and the child chooses each of the corresponding letters to spell the word on the mat. The fact that this reading activity requires manipulation of material is important because the child is still at an age where he or she learns a great deal through the use of the hands. The objects also are very inviting and draw the children to choose this activity in the classroom.

After the children have learned to spell out the words “hat”, “cat”, “bat”, etc. using the Moveable Alphabet, they read what they have laid out to a teacher; thereby moving from building the word with the Moveable Alphabet letters to reading the word out loud. The children will continue in this way building many words using all of the vowels in the box, and progressing from simpler words to more challenging ones, as they are ready.

To continue their work in putting sounds together, the children progress through the Montessori Pink, Blue, and Green Language Boxes. In one of the first Montessori reading exercises, the Pink Reading Boxes, the child matches small pictures with simple, phonetic words printed on cards. At first, this exercise involves three-letter words with short vowel sounds. Later, in the Blue and Green levels, four or five letter words such as “stamp”, “flag”, “crab”, etc. are introduced. These are called blends. There are many such pictures in the classroom, so that a variety of work is always available. The children are introduced to basic sight words and eventually reading phonetic sentences.

One way to enhance the Language curriculum in a Montessori classroom is with an activity known as “Sharing the Pen.” An example of this activity was observed recently when an MCA teacher drew a place setting on a large piece of paper. The children were asked to choose an object from the place setting picture and come to the paper and write the sounds they could hear when saying the name of the object. One child wrote “plt” on the picture of the dinner plate. Each child was allowed a turn to “share the pen.” The children look forward to activities such as this, and they are able to see how language is part of everything that they do.

Another important component of the Montessori Language curriculum is literature. Literature is part of every school day. Reading and class discussion are woven into every aspect of the MCA curriculum. Through their continuous exposure to literature, children build a wide vocabulary, gain a better understanding of the function of words, and learn to communicate and express themselves better, both orally and in writing. One recent literature lesson at MCA involved the book 10 Black Dots by Donald Crews. The author wrote, “One dot can make a sun, two dots can make the eyes of a fox, and three dots can make a snowman’s face.” The children were asked what they would do with 10 black dots. One child wrote, “Four dots for the flowers in my dad’s garden.” Another child wrote, “Two dots are for yummy chocolate chip cookies,” while still another one wrote, “10 dots can make a necklace for my mom.” Even the youngest students participated by illustrating pictures and dictating their stories to a teacher.

MCA students engage in language across all areas of the curriculum. Music and art connect to their Language learning, too. For Thanksgiving, some of our children wrote what they were thankful for on leaves with crayons and used watercolors to paint over them. In December, other students talked about their own holiday traditions and read holiday stories with a theme of gifts from the heart. The children then wrote cards to the parents expressing a gift such as love, joy, kindness, etc. Recently, a class read the book The Wonder of Hands by Edith Baer, which illustrates the many wonderful things hands can do. This book inspired much discussion about the varied things that hands could be used for, after which the children wrote about what their own hands can do. For example, one child wrote, “I can make a heart with my hands to show love,” while another wrote “I can hold my friend’s hand with my hand.” Throughout all seasons of the year, the children are exposed to poems and stories related to holidays, seasons, and current classroom themes, all contributing to their Language learning.

The goal of a developmentally appropriate classroom is to accept the children where they are and take them forward on their literacy journey. Montessori classrooms especially help guide children on this journey through a variety of activities and with specifically crafted materials that facilitate their language growth. A balanced literacy program, such as what you will find in MCA’s classrooms, helps to ignite the excitement of language learning and light the way for children’s development in this area.

Nurturing the Spirit of Charity and Goodwill

By Alex Chiu

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “charity” as “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” and “generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering”. We seem to hear more from charities during this time of year, with Salvation Army bell ringers on every corner and more envelopes than we can carry from the mailbox requesting donations for various groups. It is in December when more people are inclined to volunteer or make a contribution, opening their hearts and wallets a little more easily.

No doubt, we all feel a little lighter when we’ve done something to help someone else. Scientific studies have shown that volunteering and making charitable contributions of time or money can affect how we feel—people who are charitable tend to be happier, and even, according to some studies, healthier. So, if it makes us feel good to help others, why so often, do we set aside the needs of others until December rolls around? How do we keep this spirit of charity and goodwill alive throughout the year not only within ourselves, but in our children?

Think about that first Merriam-Webster definition again. In what ways do we foster “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” at home? First, it comes from how we treat our own family members, showing respect through our words and actions at home. We then must have the same expectation of our children to show respect to us, their siblings, and other relatives. Words do matter. So do actions. When our children see and then emulate respect at home, this then naturally trickles into their interactions with friends, neighbors, store clerks, classmates, teachers, colleagues, etc. For Montessori students, it’s reinforced daily with Grace and Courtesy lessons as well. In addition, as Maria Montessori herself said, “There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community.” The Montessori classroom is an extension of that environment of respect which is developed in the home.

Next, think about the second part of the definition: “generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering”. Again, as the old adage acclaims “Charity begins at home”. How can your child show generosity and helpfulness at home? Very simply, they can do this by participating in the necessary tasks of daily life—tidying up, helping with mealtimes, sharing with siblings, or offering to do something for someone else who may be tired or busy. Parents who model this type of generosity and helpfulness, and who encourage their children to follow suit, have already laid the foundation for spreading that goodwill beyond their homes, where their children will realize that their acts of charity, however big or small, can benefit ‘the needy or suffering’, too.

This year, it’s been impossible to ignore the many needs of people suffering both in our own country and around the world. The many natural disasters, resulting in fires and flooding, have devastated so many areas near and far. Sometimes, even for adults, seeing the news repeat the details of such events can be overwhelmingly sad and disheartening. However, as we have seen with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, these disasters have actually brought people together working for the common good. And even our youngest children can learn that there are ways that they can help.

At The Montessori Children’s Academy, we recently held Bake Sales at each of our campuses, with all of the proceeds benefiting Montessori schools affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The students learned about how the schools were damaged, and class discussions led by the teachers allowed the children to process what it must be like for children just like them to not be able to go to school following such a strong storm. The empathy of the students permeated into their beautiful posters which were displayed at the Bake Sales, and the overwhelming response of parents, teachers, and administrative staff to contribute items as well as purchase them to support this great cause was heartwarming. In all, MCA raised more than $3,000 to support Instituto Nueva Escuela in its efforts to provide disaster relief to Montessori schools and their families in Puerto Rico!

In addition, MCA annually chooses an organization to support through various charitable endeavors throughout the entire school year. This year, we are supporting Paws of War. From September through June, our MCA students will learn about this organization and participate in several activities in the hopes of raising awareness, as well as funds, for the good work that they do. Earlier this fall, the students were treated to an in-school assembly where a Paws of War representative shared information about how the organization trains rescue dogs to become supportive service dogs to military veterans. The children had the opportunity to meet one veteran and his canine partner, and they learned firsthand how this partnership has improved the life of both the rescued dog and the serviceman. Doubly good work! Over the course of the next several months, MCA students will continue to learn about the programs and brainstorm other ways they would like to help.

At home, children learn respect and the value of helping family members. In school, there is a natural extension of this in the multi-age Montessori classrooms, where students help one another every day. Our Montessori children quickly come to learn that it feels good to help others. As a school that promotes awareness of a different charity each school year, our students also learn about the variety of larger needs in our communities. Whether it is by helping a classmate tie his or her shoelaces, making posters for a bake sale, or collecting money to support an organization such as Paws of War, they see that there are so many ways they can contribute to their communities and help others each and every day. And when a sudden disaster strikes, such as the hurricanes of this past fall, they see that their school families can combine efforts to help with those needs as well. Charity then is something that becomes a natural part of the children’s lives. Most importantly, they see that charity isn’t a one-time, December event. The children find that charity comes in the words and actions that they share daily, showing their “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity”.

This holiday season, everyone at
The Montessori Children’s Academy

extends our warmest wishes for
Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All!

*For more information about or to make a contribution to Paws of War, please visit their website www.pawsofwar.org. For more information about Instituto Nueva Escuela, please visit www.en-inepr.weebly.com and the GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/puerto-rico-montessori2montessori to help support the disaster relief efforts for the Montessori community in Puerto Rico.