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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cDevelopment is a series of rebirths.\u201d<\/em> ~Dr. Maria Montessori<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the time of year when many special events start springing up on our calendars. At MCA, we again find ourselves in the midst of planning and preparing for a variety of end of the year activities that will certainly make this already fulfilling school year even more enriched and memorable.<\/p>\n One highly anticipated spring activity occurring in several MCA classrooms is the hands-on study of the life cycles of different living things. Students have the opportunity to witness firsthand the development of plants, caterpillars, or baby chicks. Some classes begin planting seeds in early spring and track the growth of their plants on a chart. They may experiment with different types of soil or different growing conditions and compare and contrast their results. Several of the 3-6 classrooms set up butterfly habitats and observe caterpillars as they grow, form their chrysalides, and then emerge as butterflies. Students have an up close and personal look at the anatomy of the butterfly, and they are often amazed to see the butterfly\u2019s proboscis stretch out to collect nectar from sugar water sprinkled onto flowers which the children place into the butterfly habitat. This unit generally ends with a celebratory releasing of the butterflies on the playground, and the children keep watch to see if their butterfly friends fly by throughout the remainder of their spring school days.<\/p>\n Other classes welcome eggs from a local farm and care for them in an incubator. Students learn how much warmth the eggs require, and they are careful to monitor the turning of the eggs while they are in their care. It\u2019s always a delight to see the children\u2019s reactions as they marvel at the baby chicks when they begin pecking their way out of the eggs. The children learn about what the chicks eat, and they take great pride in how carefully they handle them once they hatch. The growing chicks are returned to the farm, and while the students are sad to see them go, they have wonderful memories of this experience. Having both the caterpillars and chicken eggs in the classroom allows the children to see firsthand how the circle of life continues during this season of rebirth. They learn about the needs of these living creatures and nurture them through their development. It\u2019s a precious thing to see the excitement in the classrooms as the children notice the first sprouts of the plants, or the day when they first see butterfly wings stretching open, or when they hear the first pecks at the eggshells when the chicks are ready to hatch.<\/p>\n And just as the children learn about animals and their offspring as an extension of these life cycle studies, they take time to reflect on their own families, as well. The children prepare and plan tributes to mothers and fathers. These important family members are honored in a variety of ways, either at classroom teas or special breakfasts prepared by the children or with lovingly-made crafts kept secret until Mother\u2019s or Father\u2019s Day arrives. We find that parents who come into the classrooms either for spring celebrations or merely to observe the children at work really are amazed at the growth that has taken place over the course of the school year. The children are certainly changed by spring!<\/p>\n Spring is also a time when MCA students come together as a community to celebrate the season in song at our annual Spring Sing<\/em><\/strong>. After working with our Music Teacher, Mr. Vergara, throughout the year learning about matching pitch and keeping the beat to different tempos, as well as other musical dynamics, the children are ready to present their musical talents. The performance includes song selections that highlight the different types of musical learning the children have gleaned. This year\u2019s performance likely will include songs about spring, nature, and peace, as well as a blues piece, a lullaby, and a song sung in a foreign language. The Spring Sing is their opportunity to put into practice what they\u2019ve learned and share the joy of music with an audience.<\/p>\n Our Elementary students host their own annual Art Exhibit and Choral Presentation<\/em><\/strong> in the spring, where they, too, sing for an appreciative audience of parents and friends. After this special event, guests are invited to view art and science displays, as well as other work and projects completed by these oldest MCA students. It\u2019s a fitting celebration of their achievements as the students take pride in showing their accomplishments to their visitors. Our Elementary classes will also perform original plays for other MCA students at our Short Hills campus. This performance is the culmination of the Elementary students\u2019 theater work with the Paper Mill Playhouse as part of their arts enrichment programming. The Elementary Yearbook Club will also publish their school yearbooks. Yearbook distribution is a highly anticipated event, and the students enjoy looking through the yearbook to revisit memories of the past school year and sign each other\u2019s yearbooks with special messages and summer sendoffs.<\/p>\n As spring is a time of rebirths which flourish all around us, we enjoy this season and delight in reflecting on the growth and achievements of our students who have blossomed in our classrooms. We celebrate the children who learned to separate from their parents without tears and those who have learned to tie their own shoes. We celebrate the children who have mastered new learning in Language or Math and the children who have taken the initiative to help someone who was struggling with their work. We celebrate these children who have learned to care for the classroom materials as well as care for family, friends, and the environment. Spring is a delightful time to acknowledge and celebrate all of this growth which has unfolded beautifully throughout the school year!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Alex Chiu \u201cDevelopment is a series of rebirths.\u201d ~Dr. Maria Montessori This is the time of year when many special events start springing up on our calendars. At MCA, we again find ourselves in the midst of planning and preparing for a variety of end of the year activities that will certainly make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[47,144,54,213,145,147],"coauthors":[13],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7icff-dW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1028,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2019\/12\/18\/collaborating-with-the-country-home-keeping-the-spirit-of-caring-and-giving-alive-all-throughout-the-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":0},"title":"Collaborating with The Country Home: Keeping the spirit of caring and giving alive all throughout the year!","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"December 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It is always with great anticipation that MCA selects and announces the organization it will support each school year, and we take great pride in making our charitable efforts an ongoing series of events throughout the year rather than limiting them to just the holiday season. This year, we are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_5811-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":438,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/05\/the-importance-of-the-montessori-kindergarten-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":1},"title":"The Importance of the Montessori Kindergarten Year","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"April 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I had the pleasure of running into a recent graduate of The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy (MCA) and his family at breakfast last weekend. I asked him how he likes first grade. He told me, \u201cFirst grade is awesome,\u201d and launched into an impressive monologue about his math class, his soccer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"montessori childrens academy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/01\/110-years-of-montessori\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":2},"title":"110 Years of Montessori","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"March 1, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Montessori schools around the world are celebrating Montessori Education Week this week. Parents and visitors to The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy (MCA) will notice festive banners on display at our schools and an excited buzz in the air as we begin this week-long celebration in honor of Dr. Montessori and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Special Events"","block_context":{"text":"Special Events","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/special-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"MONTESSORI CHILDRENS ACADEMY","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/MEW-cover-photo.jpg?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/MEW-cover-photo.jpg?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/MEW-cover-photo.jpg?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/MEW-cover-photo.jpg?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":806,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/06\/celebrating-montessori-education-week-at-mca\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":3},"title":"Celebrating Montessori Education Week at MCA!","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"March 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A sampling of MCA student projects on display at local libraries for Montessori Education Week We at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy celebrate Montessori education each and every day, but for one week out of the year, we join together with schools from around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":742,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/04\/creating-a-montessori-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":4},"title":"Creating a Montessori Community","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"October 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu Parents who choose Montessori for their children\u2019s education hopefully find themselves embarking on an educational journey that goes beyond what their children learn within their classroom walls. An equally important aspect to Montessori education is creating a community among the children, parents, teachers, and administrators, and then\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"benefits of Montessori\"","block_context":{"text":"benefits of Montessori","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/tag\/benefits-of-montessori\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/acorns-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1379,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/04\/world-connections-through-montessori\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":5},"title":"World Connections Through Montessori","author":"Tori Inkley","date":"October 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Camilla Nichols, Senior Director of Montessori Development At The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy, we are always looking for opportunities to connect our students with other children and cultures through events inside and outside of the Prepared Environment. Maria Montessori believed that widening the children\u2019s horizons was an important aspect of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care of Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Care of Environment","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/care-of-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/864"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":866,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/864\/revisions\/866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=864"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}