Weekly Teacher Reflection
Each week, one of our teachers shares an aspect of our mission as it takes shape in the lives of the children. Below is an archive of current and past articles.

February 9, 2010
Pre-Primary Cultural Studies
By Carrie Bucksath (Montessori pre-primary teacher) and Dan Teller

The cultural work in a pre-primary Montessori classroom encompasses a wide range of studies:  the study of geography and other cultures, the study of our own culture, science, art, and music.

The intent of the cultural studies is to help the child to begin to understand the world around him. The young child often enters school with a limited view of what exists outside of his immediate experience. He may have little concept that there is more out there in the country, the continent, the world, the universe. Through cultural studies, the children are introduced to the bigger picture of life.  They begin to learn about other cultures.  They begin to enjoy the process of scientific exploration.  They begin to learn about the world and beyond. 

Science is a natural area of interest for children, who are attracted to and want to understand the world around them. They ask many questions and seek answers to these questions. Montessori schools value this questioning and work to develop this interest in the children.  The pre-primary science shelf includes work in zoology, botany, and physical science.  Many classrooms have real animals or take field trips to see the real animals.   

The geography curriculum has a global focus, both in terms of physical and cultural geography.  Children use a variety of materials, including puzzle maps; materials on aspects of the flora, fauna, and people of each continent; flag making materials, and more. There are also many books, both fiction and nonfiction, available for the children to look at, read, or have read to them about the specific culture. When possible, the children also experience celebrations and festivities native to that culture, such as the Chinese New Year celebration. 

Another purpose of the Montessori cultural studies is to introduce the children to art. Often, many children are not able to do the "messy art" in the home. Our Montessori classrooms allow for the "messy" works to be experienced by the children: painting at an easel, finger painting, clay, oobleck, and more.  

The children are also introduced to art concepts. They learn about the color wheel and color mixing. They learn how to add white or black paint to paint to change the shade of the color. They learn how to look classify art in categories, such as still life, landscape, portrait, abstract, and representational. The children learn about different art media, such as watercolor paints, oil pastels, markers, and paint. During our kindergarten art appreciation study, the children go to the Cincinnati Art Museum and do a report on a particular piece of art in the museum. 

Concerning music education, Montessori writes: "There can be no more than an introduction to [music] for children of tender age...His environment must be such that it can arouse in him a feeling for, and an understanding of, music....In the model Montessori schools musical education is cultivated in a serious way. As in all branches of his development, a child here is given a free choice and free means of expression." 

The children are introduced to music in a variety of ways. The Montessori bells are a permanent material in Montessori classrooms. With this material, the children learn to match and later to organize sounds by pitch. Through other media, we introduce the children to different types of music, to musical instruments, and to a variety of songs. 

The cultural studies enliven the classroom and help the children to develop a life-long love of learning. Enjoy discovering the cycle of cultural work in your child's pre-primary environment!

February 2, 2010 
Montessori's Five "Great Lessons"
By Jeana Olszewski, Lower Elementary Teacher

The Great Lessons are an important and unique part of the lower elementary Montessori curriculum.  The lessons are exciting stories developed to awaken the imagination and curiosity of the child.  Unlike the 3-6 environment where children start with small ideas and are gradually introduced to more abstract concepts, the lower elementary child begins with huge concepts-the largest being the start of the universe.  Following this initial presentation, the child will be shown how smaller ideas fit into the large framework. 

Traditionally, there are Five Great Lessons that are used to paint a broad picture before moving to more specific study.  They consist of:

First Great Lesson: Coming of the Universe and the Earth.  This is the most memorable and is often done during the first week of school.  It involves the use of concrete imagery and experiments  to tell the story of the beginning of the universe.  It leads to the study of astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, physics, geology, and geography. 

Second Great Lesson: Coming of Life.  The main component of this lesson is the Timeline of Life, a long chart with pictures and information about microorganisms, plants and animals and when they first appeared on the earth.   This lesson leads to the study of biology, botany, habitats, ancient life, animals and the Five Kingdoms.

Third Great Lesson: Coming of Human Beings.  This lesson focuses on the three gifts that make humans special: a mind to imagine, a hand to work, and a heart to love.  This lesson leads to the study of history, culture, social studies, and discovery and invention. 

Fourth Great Lesson: The Story of Writing.  This lesson, also called Communication in Signs,  introduces the story of the written alphabet and the use of symbols to represent thought.  It emphasizes the unique ability of humans to express their thoughts in writing.  This leads to the study of reading, writing, language and the structure of language. 

Fifth Great Lesson: The Story of Numbers.  Also known as The History of Mathematics, this great lesson presents the development of the numeric system in different civilizations throughout history.  It leads to the study of mathematics, origin of numbers, geometry and number applications.

The Great Lessons are always followed up with further study.  The story is the launching point, not the focus.  The stories are referred to throughout the year when new topics are introduced.  This is a way to give unity to such a wide variety of studies.

January 26, 2010
Seminar
by Heidi Newell, Middle School Humanities Teacher

Montessori said, "The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'"

In the middle school, the students participate in seminars on a regular basis.  The purpose of these seminars is to reach understanding together. That might mean tackling a piece of literature which they are all reading, trying to understand a concept, or it might mean exploring a current issue.  This year the middle school students have had a number of seminars. For example, they have had them on two novels; The Bronze Bow and Cast Two Shadows.  Other examples include alternative energy in science class, right to bear arms, United States foreign relations, the economics of illegal immigration, and reading excerpts from The Earth Shall Weep (a book written from the Native American view of history).

When approaching seminar, there are guiding manners. The manners include sitting in a circle with the reading material on their lap, listening politely and attentively to others, no debating, respecting other's viewpoint, and keeping the conversation on topic or shared reading. They must also come prepared by reading what was assigned and having questions ready to ask during the seminar.   In some cases students have found additional information on a current topic and brought that information to the discussion. The teacher remains the moderator.  The moderator's role in seminar is to pay attention to what is being said, the questions asked, and the common themes throughout the seminar.  There is often consensus among the students and it is the moderator's role to point out where they agree.  The moderator is not there to take part in the discussion or to discuss his or her own point of view. 

After a seminar ends, the students evaluate themselves.  How did they act? Were they mannerly? Did they take part? Did they refer to the text? Did they explain their points of view?  Have they found ways in which they can improve their time in seminar?  They have, as a group, added rules in order to maintain the manners. For example, in seminar, after one student has finished sharing, he or she calls on a students whose hand is raised. After some experience, the students decided that no one should have a hand raised until the current speaker finishes all of his or her thoughts and is ready to call on someone else. Therefore, they are able to display a respect for what a fellow student is saying.

Thus, an environment has been created where the teacher is not the center of the room.  The teacher has become an observer and recorder of what is happening in the room.  What is remarkable are the sophisticated and unexpected points they make after a question has been discussed. For example, in a discussion about fighting terrorism, their conversation turned to the way in which a free nation must listen to dissenting points of view. They discussed the difficulty in acting decisively and quickly a nation with liberty might have and came to a consensus that this difficulty was worth it in order to maintain liberty.  Had I, as the teacher, led this discussion, expressed my own thoughts, and not listened, I would not have heard their thoughts expressed as they searched for what is true, good, and noble. 

Seminar is a time for the teacher to remain unobtrusive and observe and learn about his or her students. It is an opportunity for the students to search out truth and understanding together, in their own way, their own words, and their own noble minds. 

January 19, 2010
Choice in the Montessori Environment
By Anita Calo, Pre-Primary Teacher
  
"These children have free choice all day long.  Life is based on choice, so they must learn to make their own decisions.  They must decide and choose for themselves all the time.  They cannot learn through obedience to the commands of another."
-- Maria Montessori
  
It is always of interest to me to watch how the children in the 3-6 environment choose to start their day.  Some routines are set in place, which add to the child's sense of order and well being:  hang up coat and backpack, say goodbye to mom or dad, come into classroom and wash hands at the sink.  From there, the choice is theirs.

It's a Tuesday morning.  A four year old boy enters with a purpose and immediately goes to the a math material on which he received a lesson the day before.  A kindergartner enters and heads directly for the movable alphabet and begins to write a story.  A three year old enters, and moves slowly around the room, quietly observing what the others are doing, and stops to watch over the shoulder of a girl working the binomial cube.  A very social five year old boy enters and engages his teacher in a lengthy and detailed conversation of last night's soccer game.  

Montessori would point out in each of these situations that the child is making his or her particular choice because it is precisely what he or she needs to do at that time.  The Montessori environment is prepared with an understanding that children have an innate sense of what they need to further their development, not too unlike the spontaneous and programmed development of the growing embryo.  As a teacher in this environment, it is my duty to be watchful, prepare the environment with materials that will enhance the children's natural development, and provide the love, safety and support necessary for each child to grow and flourish.

January 5, 2010
Students in Montessori: Working To Learn
By Noreen Sullivan, Lower Elementary Teacher

As a teacher, I have heard parents ask, "Why is what my child does called 'work'?  It sounds like she's a grown-up."  This is a valid question.  Many pre-schools have toys, blocks, and kitchen sets with bright colored plastic foods to "cut".  Montessori schools do not.  They may have a real sink, real food to cut, and blocks to work with in the math area, but they tend not to have many typical toys.  As much as possible, we encourage children to lead their education and to create real-world work.  A few ways children do this are gardening, pet care, classroom jobs, and responsibility for homework. 

Dr. Maria Montessori, in From Childhood to Adolescence, said that a child of seven to twelve: 1) needs to expand beyond the prepared environment,

2) is increasingly able to understand abstract concepts, and 3) has a strong moral sense.  As examples, she cites hiking to investigate a topic, learning to use money, and says "It is at this age that the concept of justice is born, simultaneously with the understanding of the relationship between one's acts and the needs of others."  As children grow, their educational needs change, and one way Queen of Angels Montessori School meets these needs is by giving children the opportunity to help others.

Helping Cincinnati Shriners Hospital for Children

Service opportunities also provide an excellent way to participate in the real world.  All the lower elementary classes take part in many service opportunities.   My class recently decided to have a bake sale to raise funds to bring joy to children at the Shriners Hospital for Children.

In these instances, I step out of the way and let the children run the show.  First, making candy and cookies and selling them got children out of the classroom and into the "real world".  Children took turns dipping pretzels into white or dark chocolate, and then sprinkling them with decorations.  Many also baked and decorated cookies at home.  Third level students were in charge of the sale, making price tags and setting up tables.  They supervised the younger children who sold the goods and made change.  In these ways they were building real-world skills outside the classroom. 

In addition, Dr. Montessori knew that children this age are learning abstract concepts.  She said children need experience with money and "It is therefore necessary that children have first-hand experience buying objects themselves and that they come to realize what they can buy with a unit of the money of their country."  In this case, children were both buyers and sellers.  Third level children priced the goods high, to make the most money for Shriners.  Some younger children changed the prices so that more students could afford the treats.  Setting prices, counting money, and making change had children practicing mental skills.

Lastly, the moral sense of our students is acute.  Is it fair to charge $1.50 for a pretzel?  Can we have the sale again tomorrow to make more money for the hospital's children?  Also, what about those children who are in the hospital?  Our students were happy to make the children notes and paper crafts.  As Montessori said: "The question of aid to the weak, to the aged, to the sick, for example, now arises."

Some people have asked why Montessori-schooled children "work".  Real work satisfies the needs of children.  Queen of Angels Montessori is a generous school, and many of the gifts come from children.  These contributions help the giver as much as they do the recipients and provide a way to children to learn by working.  In short, our students do real work, and feel the joy of a job well done.

December 15, 2009
The Vital Force of the Young Child
By Julia Damico, Pre-Primary Teacher

The absorbent mind is present in the child from birth to approximately six years of age. During this period, the child absorbs elements of the environment through the senses to form the mind. The absorbent mind is intrinsic to the young child.  Also present within the child is what Montessori describes as "horme," a vital force active within the child that produces the drive for independence. She believed horme to already be present in the general structure of the absorbent mind.

Horme is easily observed in a very young child who is learning to walk. If he falls, he is picked up and comforted, then within seconds he is wiggling to get off your lap and try again. Short of physically removing them from any available floor space, it is almost impossible to get them to stop attempting to walk. The child spends the majority of his time engaged in becoming mobile on his feet.  He will work on this task tirelessly and repetitiously until he has mastered it.

This drive for independence is seen daily in the classroom. We have children every year who are driven to master certain tasks. One child wanted to do the movable alphabet, but had not had a lesson.  He retrieved his mat and a movable alphabet then sat there in a posture that communicated loudly and clearly, "I am not putting this away until I've had a lesson." Often, a child will insist on zipping his own coat before going outside even if it means joining the rest of the class later. The triangle box has an extension that requires cutting and pasting different types of triangles to form a large equilateral triangle on a piece of easel paper.  This work takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. One week two boys, ages 4 and 5, completed this work three different times. By the third session, they refused all offers of help. They were driven to master this long involved "project." Examples of this vital force are abundant in our classrooms!

The beauty of the Montessori environment is that it allows children to engage this drive for independence. They have the time and the materials they need to master and succeed at tasks that they choose. This cycle of drive, independence, and success easily evolves into a love of learning. that having taken root during the absorbent mind phase, will remain an integral part of children's future learning. 

December 8, 2009
Choice in the Montessori Environment
By Anita Calo, Pre-Primary Teacher
  
"These children have free choice all day long.  Life is based on choice, so they must learn to make their own decisions.  They must decide and choose for themselves all the time.  They cannot learn through obedience to the commands of another."
-- Maria Montessori
  
It is always of interest to me to watch how the children in the 3-6 environment choose to start their day.  Some routines are set in place, which add to the child's sense of order and well being:  hang up coat and backpack, say goodbye to mom or dad, come into classroom and wash hands at the sink.  From there, the choice is theirs.

It's a Tuesday morning.  A four year old boy enters with a purpose and immediately goes to the a math material on which he received a lesson the day before.  A kindergartner enters and heads directly for the movable alphabet and begins to write a story.  A three year old enters, and moves slowly around the room, quietly observing what the others are doing, and stops to watch over the shoulder of a girl working the binomial cube.  A very social five year old boy enters and engages his teacher in a lengthy and detailed conversation of last night's soccer game.  

Montessori would point out in each of these situations that the child is making his or her particular choice because it is precisely what he or she needs to do at that time.  The Montessori environment is prepared with an understanding that children have an innate sense of what they need to further their development, not too unlike the spontaneous and programmed development of the growing embryo.  As a teacher in this environment, it is my duty to be watchful, prepare the environment with materials that will enhance the children's natural development, and provide the love, safety and support necessary for each child to grow and flourish.

December 1, 2009
How Montessori Helped 10-Year Olds Learn the Pythagorean Theorem ...
... With Joy and Spontaneity!
By Mary Rieke, Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher

You know how I love to share the Montessori moments I witness.  Here is another.

The other day Miss Cameron was giving a lesson about historical people from Ancient Greece because each student had to pick a person to "be" for our Greek feast on Friday.  Though LinMarie did not give much information about each person (the students have to read up on their person and write a report about them to present to the class) when she got to Pythagoras she mentioned that he was famous for (among other things) the Pythagorean theorem.  She got the model of the Pythagorean theorem (of course there are Montessori materials for the Pythagorean theorem!!!) and challenged the students to figure out the equation that Pythagoras proved from that model. 

Here is what I witnessed some of the students do:  two 4th graders "played" with the model as many ways as they could, periodically asking the teacher if they were on the right track (sometimes they were, sometimes they weren't).  LinMarie guided them but never told them the answer.  They figured it out after about 30 minutes of "play" and were so excited that they were jumping up and down and cheering for themselves at their discovery.  Another student thought she knew the equation and asked some questions to see if her thinking was right.  Then she went to the encyclopedia and looked up Pythagoras and read about his theorem.  A couple 6th graders heard that some 4th graders figured it out and they attacked the model with a vengeance to discover the answer on their own.  Their primary question was, "how long did it take them (the 4th graders?)" sure that they could figure out the answer more quickly.

These students will never forget the Pythagorean Theorem or the joy they felt at discovering it.  Only in Montessori.

November 24, 2009
Independence in the Montessori Classroom
By Carrie Bucksath, Pre-Primary Teacher

Children strive for independence from the moment they are born  A maxim of Montessori education is, "Respond to the child's silent plea, 'Help me do it myself.'"

How often do we ignore this plea of the children?  As a parent, I am guilty of doing for my children, out of reflex or convenience, when I know I shouldn't. Last year, my youngest son was putting on his coat. I asked if he would like me to zip it for him. His response was, "I can zip myself up. Do you want to see?" He proceeded to zip up his coat and looked up at me with a very proud smile.  He was very excited about his accomplishment!  He was proud to show his independence!

Montessori stated "The child seeks for independence by means of work; an independence of body and mind."  This drive for independence is the basis for the organization of the Montessori classroom, and the activities found in it.  The entire environment is child-sized, from the shelves, to the sink, to the tables and chairs. This enables the children to care for themselves.

Independence through the child's self-care occurs in a number of ways.  One of the most notable is snack. Snack is a long process.  The child must complete a long series of steps:

Put on the apron.

Wash hands.

Serve one's own snack. 
We use breakable plates so the child must be careful in his movement.

Take the plate to the snack table; come back to pour a drink. 

Return to the table; enjoy snack. 

When finished, the child is responsible for clean-up:  dispose any left-over food; pour out any water left in the cup; put the dishes away; sweep the crumbs off of the table and floor; push in the chair; and return the apron to the chair for the next person.  

Another way independence is developed in our classroom is when the children prepare to go outside each day.  We teach the children to put their coats on the floor so that the tag of the coat is by their toes ("tag by your toes"), put their arms in the sleeves of the coat, and flip the coat up over their heads.  The next step is to zip the coat. Initially, we start the zipper for the children, but eventually they learn to zip the coat completely independently, through repetition and the use of the dressing frames.  Sometimes the younger children have a helper to accomplish donning their coats, hats, and gloves, but often  the children quickly become independent in this process and no longer need a helper to get ready to go outside. The children are excited and proud of the accomplishment when they can do this independently.

Every aspect of the Montessori classroom promotes independence. All of the materials are designed to foster independence, from the arrangement of the materials to clean-up processes with paint and water.  The independence of the child begins the moment they walk into the classroom on the very first day of the school year, and continues every day.

November 17, 2009
Math in the Lower Elementary Classroom
By Jeana Olszewski, lower elementary teacher

The Montessori Math curriculum consists of materials that have been developed through careful observation.  "Math materials allow the children to have a sensorial experience of the abstraction that is mathematics, allowing them to store concepts so that when the time comes to deal exclusively in abstract terms, the understanding is already there. Every piece of material isolates one concept, which integrates to form the basis for a further step in the child's understanding of mathematics." (fmployola.com) 

There are six broad mathematical understandings:

1.  Introduction to Numbers.   These lessons are introduced in the pre-primary classroom.  The materials help prepare the child for abstraction and teach the names of quantities 1-9 and the quantity of numbers 1-9.   Materials include the number rods, sandpaper numbers, the spindle boxes, stone counting, numeral line, numbers and counters and the memory game.

2.  Decimal System (base 10).   The decimal system is also introduced in the pre-primary classroom, using golden bead material.  Golden bead work then continues in the earlyi years of the elementary program as well.

The golden bead material consists of a golden bead unit, ten bar, hundred square and thousand cube.  The golden bead materials provide an understanding of place value, provide a sensory comparison of quantities, and lead the child towards developing a mathematical mind.   After the introductory tray, children are given the building tray, decimal layout, number composition and presentations in all four mathematical operations.

3.  Linear counting.The skill in counting is developed with the bead chain materials, the teen boards, the ten boards, the hundred board, and the snake game. Another material. the bead cabinet, provides the foundation for the squaring and cubing of numbers 1-10, counting 100, skip counting, preparation for multiplication, and rounding.  This work begins in the pre-primary years and continues in the elementary classroom.

4.  Four base operations in math.  The order of operations in a Montessori classroom are addition, multiplication, subtraction and division.  Each operation is done first with the golden beads.  The process continues with the stamp game and bead frame works.  All of these works are intended to move the child towards abstraction where they are able to do calculations without concrete materials.

5.  Memorization of math facts.  This is the second part of the operations, the memorization of facts.  Materials such as the strip boards, bead chains, charts and snake game all help the child learn their math facts.  These boards and charts help the child work through an ordered then random way all the combinations for addition, multiplication, subtraction and division.  Different mathematical rules (such as the cumulative property of addition) are also introduced.  Memorizing math facts is important because it allows the child to work with very large numbers in a variety of ways.

6.  Fractions  There is a sequence for fractions works in the classroom.  First levels lessons are: introduction, dividing a unit, concept of numerator and denominator, fraction families, symbols and etymology, and real life applications.  Second levels lessons are shown equivalency.  Second levels and third levels do work with operations, addition and subtraction with the same denominator, multiplication and division (fraction by a whole number) and word problems.  Fractions help prepare the child for the geometry concept of equivalency.

Geometry is also taught with concrete materials, and then later moves towards abstract principles and formulas.  The basic geometry materials are the geometry cabinet, geometric solids, constructive triangles, geometry stick box and insets of congruence and similarity (in geometry cabinet.) Both plane and solid geometry are experienced sensorially by the first levels.  It is not important at this level for the child to know the characteristics of the forms, they are just learning about them in a general way.  The second and third levels learning is more detailed.  They learn the specific properties of shapes and solids. The geometric nomenclature provides the vocabulary to help the child  classify and organize the concepts.  The idea of congruence, similarity and equivalence are still experienced sensorially in the 6-9 classroom.  The concepts of area and volume are also introduced generally at this age.

Our world is dependent upon mathematics.   Order and precision are important not only in math but in everyday life.   The earlier the child is exposed to math processes, the easier it will be for them to learn more complex abstractions over time.  It is through the senses that the child begins to develop their "mathematical mind", a term Maria Montessori discovered in the writings of Blaise Pascal.  It is our role as teachers to prepare the environment so that the child has a solid foundation in sensorial materials from which develops their understanding of math.

November 10, 2009
Stretching the Intellect
By Anita Calo, 3-6 Teacher

Mission:  "...enable each child to develop as a well integrated human being - spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally..."

As I re-read our school mission in considering the focus for this article, the word "intellectually" drew my attention.  It was this aspect of the Montessori method that really attracted my interest.  I am amazed and inspired daily at the level of academic potential the children are able to reach given the opportunities available in the Montessori environment. 

A visitor to our school today could have witnessed a child: naming and explaining the six elements of a biome, locating Surinam on a map, drawing the life cycle of a pumpkin, performing an experiment on a leaf losing its chlorophyll, classifying vertebrates into their five kingdoms, and adding four digit numbers.  What is exceptional about this?  All of these activities occurred today by four and five year olds in the pre-primary classroom! 

Montessori classrooms are alive with rich, deep, meaningful work, in which the children can stretch their minds and intellects.  The environment is prepared in such a way that the child is supported through the processes that allow this type of learning to take place.  Each area of the classroom contains works that provide scaffolding and support to the child so that they are able to master the academic works available. In addition, each level provides the work and practice that the child needs to be able to master works at a higher level, from pre-primary all the way through junior high. 

In Montessori's words, " Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences upon the environment.  Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master.  Doing so they will be witness to the unfolding of the human soul."

Now that is a reason to come to school every day! 

November 3, 2009
Two Reflections of the Middle School Odyssey Trip to Hico, WV
By Christine Lustenberger and Sarah Shim, Eight Grade Students

Eighth grader Christine Lustenberger shares the context of the two reflections written by students during their Odyssey Trip this fall:
In September, we went to Hico, West Virginia and had a great time. We enjoyed going white water rafting, rock wall climbing, going on a high ropes course, and going for a hike.  Each day in Hico, we stopped and reflected on the time we had that day.  On our last day in Hico, we went on a hike and reflected on a lookout over the New River Gorge.  We wrote the following reflections at the top of the lookout.

I am the River, by Sarah Shim, 8th grade
I am the river. I am long and peaceful. Every drop leaves a rippling memory on my surface. I am flexible and can easily flow over rocks. I am upbeat and fast moving, yet always calm.

I was placed on this earth to give life. I not only give my water and nutrition, I also give happiness. I give animals, people, and plant more life, more time, and a life worth living for. It seems so perfect, too perfect, that by flowing over rocks I can be ridden on and loved. I love to see when I make people happy, I will usually babble a thank you, listen for me.

All I want in return of your people's happiness is love. Spread this love to everybody. I roll over every rock and love them, every color, shape and size. Follow my example and pay it forward. Love your enemies, family, friends, and most of all love the unloved. Spread the happiness I give to you.

I remember everyone; I move faster with their presence and keep them afloat. I am smart and try to steer them in the right path. Follow this path.
I am the river, long and peaceful.

I am the Mountain, by Christine Lustenberger, 8th grade
I am the mountain.  I am here because of the earth.  I have been around for millions of years and I will be here for millions to come.  I have seen everything around me.  I have seen what has changed and what has stayed the same.

My role in the world is to be tall and strong. I am for everyone to look at, and to see my beauty. I hold thousands of trees on my back and animals too.  I see the rivers around me and the sky above and I feel important, like the sun, or the air.

I know all things that happen around me, behind me and in front of me. I know the trees and everything around them. I am what I am and I know what I know.  I know that the world is a wonderful place, and I am glad I live here.

All I ask in return is that I am appreciated and liked. I like to know that people enjoy my tall sides and peaks.   I like when people climb me and feel accomplished afterward. I do not wish to be worshiped or praised, but just to be needed.

October 27, 2009
9-12 Science Update
By Jennifer Griffin, Upper Elementary Math and Science Teacher

We have just completed our first unit on Astronomy!   I honestly look up at the sky at night and have a deeper appreciation for our amazing universe.  A cosmic perspective is humbling and inspirational. Our first trimester is a study of Earth and Space science with astronomy being our first academic adventure.  We kicked off the year with a wonderful story about the formation of the solar system.  Our story began...

Our first weeks of school were spent gathering information about the universe specifically focusing on planets and our solar system. We spent a large amount of time reading, researching and writing.  We realized that many books had outdated information and that NASA.org was a great resource for current and relevant information.    The children had many opportunities to be creative both artistically and musically.  They listened to a narrated story about the birth and death of a star accompanied by classical pieces of music.  They also expressed themselves with a watercolor print that was inspired by the composer Gustav Holst, who wrote the Planets suite.  Our first project of the year was a true success.    I was amazed at the creativity and interesting information within the games.  We had loads of fun presenting these projects to each other and Grandparents enjoyed playing them on Grandparents Day. 

Our next unit is on the Earth's Atmosphere with the majority of the time focusing on the science of Meteorology.  We have already started gathering information about the heating of the earth and the layers of the atmosphere.  We have created fun foldable graphic organizers to put our work in and organize our notes.   We will have a chance to research more throughout this unit but a bulk of our time will be using science tools and working on collecting and interpreting data.  We will add a new job to our list "weather forecaster."  Thermometers, barometers, anemometers and hygrometers will be used by all to develop a deeper understanding of how weather is measured and studied on Earth.  

Below:  Upper elementary students share their planet games with one another.

October 13, 2009
Liberty and Discipline
By Julia Damico, Pre-Primary Directress

We have in our classroom a small boy who is so full of joy and exuberance that you can observe it constantly in his movements, words, and actions. He is bursting at the seams from beginning to end during his time here at school.

The freedom of the Montessori environment, coupled with the internal structure of the classroom, has enabled this child to maintain his joyful demeanor, and at the same time to develop the self-control that leads to true self-discipline.

The rules of grace and courtesy in our classroom allow him to watch another's work. He must ask and then sit quietly and watch without touching the work. This has been very challenging for this child as his natural tendency is to participate - vigorously! We have had to gently redirect him as he tried to resist touching his friend's work.

Recently, I observed him approach a friend and ask permission to watch his work. He sat next to the mat and watched. Three times I saw his hands move toward the work and he put them back in his lap. The fourth time he actually pulled his hands back and sat on them. He then moved back about three feet so the work was out of reach. Finally, after a short time, he stood up and asked me if he could do something else. Obviously, my reply was "Of course you can."

Maria Montessori writes in her book, The Montessori Method,

"Discipline must come through liberty......Liberty must be an activity. We call an individual disciplined when he is master of himself, and can, therefore, regulate his own conduct when it shall be necessary to follow some rule of life." 
 
The above observation is a perfect example of this philosophy at work in our classroom. Liberty or freedom has allowed this small child to begin to master his impulses. The freedom exists for him to approach his friend and ask permission. The freedom exists for him to try every day no matter how many times previously he has failed to watch without touching. The freedom exists for him to choose another work when he has exhausted his self control. This one instance of self discipline will lead to others. 

 
Some people, when they hear this philosophy of discipline mistakenly believe the Montessori classroom to be "unstructured." How could we possibly have discipline in a classroom full of free children? Just as there are limits to freedom for adults, of course, there are limits to freedom for children.

Again, Montessori sums it up well:

"The liberty of the child should have as its limit the collective interest; as its form what we universally call good breeding. We must, therefore, check in the child whatever offends or annoys others, or whatever tends toward rough or ill-bred acts."
 
Our mission is, in part, "to enable children to develop as well integrated human beings spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally." Children who are given opportunities to control themselves and respect their friends' wishes are well on their way to becoming well integrated human beings in every way.
This week's article emphasizes the first-grade child's transition from being the oldest in the pre-primary class to the youngest in the lower elementary environment.

October 6, 2009
Joys in Lower Elementary
By Noreen Sullivan, Lower Elementary Teacher 

The beginning of the year is a big time for kindergarteners moving to first grade.  They have come from a beautiful environment in which they were the oldest, the leaders, and the ones who helped the younger children.  Now they are the smallest in a room of larger tables, different works, and bigger children!  Wow. 

It is a joy to watch the transformation from kindergartener to first grader.  Somehow, slowly, over the month of September, through community building, learning routines, and new friendships, the first graders lose their "little-people-ness" and become true members of the elementary class.  Now they know how to work in the classroom.  They know what to do in the morning.  They still get tired sometimes in the afternoon, but so do the other children (and the teachers!). 

Best of all, the older children welcome and celebrate them.  For example, last Wednesday, while working on a word ladder, one young child lost her first tooth.  She came to me, almost in tears, not sure what to think.  She held up her tiny tooth.  "Ah!  She's lost her first tooth!"  The older children were excited for her, and sent her right away to the water fountain to rinse out her mouth. 

When she came back, nothing would satisfy but ringing the bell, stopping the class, and announcing that this child had lost her first tooth.  Cheers all around.  And so our class celebrated the now-smiling child.  She belongs in the first grade, and with these classmates, her community. 

In Montessori, we always talk about the "whole child".  Nobody leaves his or her social or spiritual or physical side at home.  Our goal is to help children develop all of these, at their own pace.  It is particularly beautiful to watch at the transition times, as small children grow to fit their new surroundings.

As Montessori said, "The child passes little by little from the unconscious to the conscious, treading always in the paths of joy and love."

 

Below:  A first grader working alongside a third grader.

 

 

During solo time, students and teachers are asked to read or journal alone in silence. Students are given one reflection per week. Reflections are sometimes tied in with trimester themes or other school events. This fall, prior to our rafting trip to Hico, we looked at an essay from Mark Twain called "Two Ways of Seeing a River." In this essay, Twain describes the majestic experience of seeing river for the first time (like the 7th graders); he contrasts that experience with seeing a river many times (like the 8th graders). 

Solo time has a way of soothing the community. The environment is quiet, lights are dimmed, and relaxing music is played. Although solo is primarily an individual experience, there is a group bond that occurs similar to the experience of praying in church. Solo reflections occur in and out of the classroom. Pictured is a reflection time provided during our trip to the New River in Hico, WV. The Middle School had rafted on the river the day before and we reflected on that experience from this beautiful vantage point.

September 22, 2009
Observation is Key
By Jenny Griffin, Upper Elementary Teacher

September 2, 2009
A Graduate's and Parent's Reflection
Kelsea Damico, Class of 2009 and
Julia Damico, Mother and Pre-Primary Montessori Teacher

Our mission states:  [O]ur goal is to enable each child to develop as a well-integrated human being: spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally.