DATES TO REMEMBER:
Fundraising Committee Meeting, Sun., 1/8/12, noon-1pm
Book Club, Sun., 1/8/12, 1-3pm “The Science Behind The Genius” by Angeline Stoll Lillard
SCHOOL CLOSED Mon. 1/16/12, In-Service
“Building Independence” parenting workshop led by Megan and Laura, Sat., 1/21/12, 9:30-11am – signs, cues and preparation for supporting your child as they learn to eat, sleep and toilet independently

“Life is the process of giving birth to ourselves.”
Eric Fromm
Happy New Year!

Tradition has it that we start each year reflecting back on the one just past and promising to start the new with resolve.

New beginnings … I’ve been thinking about them a good bit lately as I join my one pregnant massage client in waiting for the January birth of her son. I’m already in love with this little guy. I have the privilege of feeling him move during our massages. It is already a relationship… and I’m with him just once a week! The depth of relationship between him and his mom (his first “prepared (by nature) environment”) is truly extraordinary.

Nature – and millions of years of evolution – gives the unborn child experience of the external world. He has been experiencing stimulation of the skin, smell and movement from very early on in the pregnancy. He experiences his mother’s heartbeat, breathing and voice, as well as environmental sounds and he has taste experiences from about 3 months. Most amazingly he experiences light and dark from about 4 months on and his own mouth movement and REM sleeping from about 7 months.

With his senses of smell, vision, touch, hearing and taste already working before birth the baby is interacting with the external environment, the one into which he’ll be born, even before arriving here. His “new beginning” will be built upon his in-utero experiences. For instance, the sounds he’s been hearing – his mother’s heart beat, her voice, the voices of those close-by, music – all will serve as “points of reference” for him once he is born. He may be hidden from our view (except for those sonogram photos) but he is in relationship with this bigger world.

This got me to thinking about all the different “firsts” there are. A few for the infant include muscle control, intentional movement, grasping, rolling over, sitting, standing. Then there’s talking and toileting! The list goes on and on. Each new capability is built on effort born of an internal drive to become more. I imagine a newborn’s new year resolution to be something like, “This year I’ll grasp, turn, sit, grow teeth, feed myself and come to standing!”and then he gets busy at making it all happen! We should all be so lucky as to have such a strong internal drive!

How can we assist the child in meeting his “goals”? Well, for the infant, as Dr. Montessori said, “it would be enough for us not to put obstacles in his way.” Of course we do much more than that. We offer safe space for free movement, ‘developmental aids’ (ie toys) that encourage and engage him and our respectful attention – in other words, a “prepared environment.”

For the older children the materials Dr. Montessori developed hold a wonderful key: indirect preparation and the progression of concrete experiences to abstract understanding.

Just as the infant who arrives is touched by the influences of the external world, the children in the classroom are becoming readers, writers, and number manipulators through exposure to, and use of, materials that may not seem related to those “goals.”

For instance, one might wonder what grasping the knobs of the cylinders in the cylinder blocks has to do with writing. Grasping the knobs of the cylinders is an indirect preparation for holding a pencil. All the ‘sensorial materials’ serve in one way or another as ‘indirect preparation’ while offering a concrete experience. “Large” and “small” have a hands-on meaning while manipulating the cylinders. “Loud” and “soft” become clear while matching the sound cylinders, as do “heavy” and “light” while using the baric tablets.

With the senses developed and refined by the use of these materials, the child moves on to more sophisticated work just as the infant, with all he has absorbed during his time in-utero, moves into the bigger world, already in love, ready to put his 100 billion neurons to work to become fully human.

So, here’s to each stage! May each be filled with experiences that enrich the “new beginning” to follow!

Oh, speaking of stages – the baby was born on the 30th of December and I got to be there! Each stage of labor leading beautifully to the next until that little sweetheart was in his mother’s arms. Love. Fully human. Fantastic!

“The study of love and its utilization will lead us to the source from which it springs, The Child.”
- Dr Maria Montessori

For more information on Gio Bellonci who writes this portion of our newsletter, follow her blog Montessori In Motion

DATES TO REMEMBER:
“Enriching Family Time” Dec. 4, 9:30-11am — led by Megan, Laura and Sharon
Fundraising Committee Meeting, Dec. 6, 7:30pm — planning for our 2nd Annual Casino Night, coming Feb. 4th
Annual Holiday Giving, Dec. 5-16 — once again SafePlace shelter for families is our recipient, donation box is in the lobby
Holiday Teacher Appreciaton — a) cash collection Dec. 7-16; b) pot luck luncheon hosted by parents Dec. 19 [information letters for both coming soon]
Trumpet Demo, Dec. 9 — Erik Telford, dad to Eliza, will share his talent
CPR and First Aid, Dec. 14, 6:60-9pm — only $25, sign up in lobby
Hannukah Traditions, Dec. 21 — Jordan Bookey, mom to Cassius, will share songs, stories and games with us
Ornament Decorating With Grandparents, Dec. 22, 3-5pm — grandparents or any beloved adult will join your child in their classroom to create a unique treasure
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY, Dec. 23-30 (back Jan. 2)

Body and Soul

As the holidays approach there is much to do. It is a time for shopping, cooking, baking and gathering together to enjoy family and to reflect on the year that is ending. For many it is also a time to reflect on our spiritual nature even as we live in a physical body.

In my Montessori training course we learned that the development and growth of both the spirit and the physical must always be considered as we prepare the environment and choose the objects that go in it.

Starting with the beds on the floor in the infant room, and the push wagon in the toddler room right on through to the materials and furniture in the Children’s House (3-6) the Montessori environment sends the message that the child is a welcome member of the community, free to move and explore at will (within the limits of safety etc). This freedom to move and explore is what moves the supine infant onto his tummy, then onto his knees and then his feet. It’s what moves a supported walker to an independent one and a child who needs assistance to one who offers it to others.

One thing that is often challenging to give, though it is free and priceless, is time. The gift of time to move, explore and repeat shows the reverence, awe and respect due the child in the midst of such big work.

Stepping back and allowing time to be taken (as the gift it truly is), we are in the gentlest way giving the message that the struggle/work is recognized and it is worthy of the effort.

This is as true for the infant working on body control as it is for the child working on buttoning or tying.

Dr Montessori description of the child from 0-3 as a ‘spiritual embryo’ underscores the call to consider how we care for the physical body. For instance, during diapering, bathing, dressing, feeding, are we making eye contact, are we speaking slowly and clearly naming the body, the bath items and the food? Do we wait until the baby/child signals readiness or do we forge ahead? Do we show respect to his process or do we impose our wishes on him?

Addressing both his physical needs and the growth of his spirit is one of the things Dr Montessori succeeded in doing with the design of materials that are self-correcting, encourage repetition, are beautiful to look at and a joy to touch. The “aim” of any given material may be to master some ability, but it is also to build self-confidence and self-esteem. (“I did it!” … oh, what joy!)

When the physical and spiritual are in easy harmony all is happiness, but when on the verge of a new capability there can be some struggle and frustration. What are we to do? As adults, we often take it upon ourselves to “help” young children reach physical abilities they may not be ready to reach on their own. This push takes them, and us, out of the present moment as though it is not good enough. There are any number of commercially available devices encouraging us to put the non-walking child into a walking stance, or to put a child not ready to sit up on his own into a seated position. These are not what we would consider “aids” to his development.

It would be better to offer a ball to the not-yet- crawling child that engages his interest but doesn’t roll so far out of reach that his effort is frustrated rather than encouraged. An example of an “aid to crawling” might be a slow moving knitted ball. (see www.michaelolaf.net) An “aid to walking,” for instance, the push wagon by Radio Flyer, in the environment of a child ready to pull himself up and walk, serves as an invitation that he will gladly accept when ready. When well-meaning adults place the child in a position he can’t reach on his own we are undermining his struggle to accomplish the task at hand. This is all a very fine balance; we do not abandon the child, but we do allow him to struggle, because there is no greater feeling than that of accomplishment after hard work. Remember it’s “process not product.”

One of the best things we can do is provide an environment in which the child can safely explore through his freedom of movement, and place in that space objects that are true “aids” to the development of those movements, not just to the movement/position itself.

From The Joyful Child, this quotation:

“Children who have freedom of movement feel they can pursue their own ideas and interests. The repeated experience of seeing an object, reaching for it and exploring it with the hands and mouth, produces the reassuring sensation that when we want something we can move and go and get it. This is how a healthy ego develops, a human being capable of dealing successfully with the problems of life.

Self-confidence is an internal feeling of being able to rely on one’s own resources, which comes from the experience of active work done in the environment using free movement. It is the sensation of personal power in solving problems, and this feeling of power remains in a person forever. In the future, the aims will change (from reaching an interesting object, such as a colored ball, to doing school homework, and so on) but the psychological situation remains the same; something interests you, you need to do something to satisfy this interest, and you are confident that you have the ability to do so.

Active movements in the first months of life provide the overall mind-body experience from which self-confidence is derived, and with this very valuable instrument, it is possible to face all the challenges of life.”
-Dr. Silvana Montanaro, MD, Montessori 0-3 teacher trainer

We support the child’s desire to learn from his own actions by providing a space for his safe movement and materials that are beautiful and complete for his repeated use. In this way the child receives those things that speak with respect for his spiritual self (materials that are worthy of his exploration) and his physical self (materials that aid in his mastery of a skill). Together, in harmony all is happiness.

Dates to Remember:
Sun., 11/6/11, Daylight Savings Time Ends: clocks go back one hour; this can sometimes be a challenge for young children so it might help to adjust your schedules gradually all week
Sun., 11/13/11, 1-3pm, Austin Postive Parenting Book Club: “Parenting from the Heart” by Inbal Kashtan (the best parenting book ever)
Wed., 11/16/11, 6-7:30pm, “Non-violent Communication and the Emotional Development of Children” a parent education workshop led by Bettina Vaello, MD
Wed., Thurs. and Fri. 11/23-25 SCHOOL CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Wed., 11/30/11, 6-7:30pm, follow up to NVC workshop, bring your case studies
Sat., 12/3/11, 9:30-11am: “Enriching Family Time” a parenting workshop led by Megan, Laura and Sharon

As a massage therapist, my friends have become used to a few of my oft uttered sayings, among them “drop (relax) your shoulders” when I’m receiving hugs from them. Another one is what I call “the pesky rule” (of the inter-connectedness of all things) to explain in a most general way why when I touch ‘here’ it is felt ‘there.’ This “rule” really can be quite pesky when we want to do something and not think about the consequences. At other times this rule is quite liberating and brings into focus the more commonly heard “we’re all one.” This certainly has implications for understanding the deeper meanings of “community;” ie beyond “a group of individuals sharing the same space.”

Several things have come to my attention recently in a serendipitously inter-connected way. One being this quotation from Dr Montessori: “Bring the child to the consciousness of his own dignity and he will feel free.” It’s a sentence full of positive words that align with what we all want for our children; consciousness, dignity, and freedom. Sounds simple.

The second thing is the newsletter article, written by Bethany Prescott on whining, that Lisa sent out to Hawthorne families earlier this month.

Hmmm, whining, dignity, consciousness ….

Another thing that came to me quite unexpectedly was the loan of a book called My Stroke of Insight by Dr Jill Bolte Taylor. She is a neuro-anatomist who watched herself as she had a stroke. Her stroke and her 8 year journey to return to where she is today are the subjects of the book. When she lost left brain function she lost boundary definition and had instead the experience of ‘fluidity’ (where nothing had a separation from anything else – “everything is one.”

Hmmm, brain development/function, consciousness, dignity…

So, what is dignity? The 1st definition in the dictionary is: the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect. And consciousness? One definition is this: the fact of awareness by the mind of itself and the world : consciousness emerges from the operations of the brain.

It would seem then that Dr Montessori is saying that when a child gains an awareness of his own worth he is free to be himself knowing that he has the respect of those around him.

This does not mean that those around him always accept every behavior without comment or guiding response, which brings me back to the whining child.

As Ms Prescott says (http://www.bethanyprescott.com/blog/) the whining child is expressing a real feeling. We can show respect to the realness of the feeling, and to the child having it, without standing idly by as whining worsens and nerves fray. As Dr Montessori also says, “To give a child liberty is not to abandon him to himself.” In her newsletter article Ms Prescott suggests using words that are not judgmental. For instance, “use your strong voice” instead of referring to the whine as a “baby voice.” This is one way to aid bringing the child to consciousness….

The adult’s role then is to respect the child where he is and to assist him in the development of his consciousness/awareness; to “bring the child to consciousness.”

We must remember that the part of the brain that is becoming conscious during the first plane of development (0-6) is doing so in response to experience in the environment.

By preparing a space that meets the true needs of the child we are acknowledging his dignity/worth and showing respect for it. This is also true when we make eye contact or get down to the child’s level.

So, what does it mean that when we “bring the child to consciousness of his dignity he will feel free”? Free from something? Free to something?

I think that he is free from judgment to a certain degree because he knows himself (consciousness) and he feels his worth (dignity).

And, perhaps, free to step beyond a given situation.

Another definition of dignity is this: a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect – two aspects of dignity that allow for those steps to be taken.

When a child is given the richness of a thoughtfully prepared environment – where he feels the respect inherent in having been provided such an environment – he carries himself with greater self-respect and sense of self worth, conscious of his role in the space/community. Here he is free to move himself forward (with the assistance of his guides, parents and family) as he engages in activities that he finds appealing.

Oh, that pesky rule! It’s taken me on a journey through Dr. Taylor’s book, through my Montessori training albums, to Ms Prescott’s website, to the dictionary, and to various other sites as well. The thread that binds them all together is the child who is, unconsciously in the years from 0 to 3, creating consciousness and a sense of dignity. As adults, we have many chances with our children to support that – even when there is some whining …

For more information about Gio Belonci who writes this portion of the newsletter, find her blog: Montessori in Motion.

Dates to Remember:
Sun., 10/9, 1-3pm, Book Club “Siblings Without Rivalry”
Mon., 10/10, SCHOOL CLOSED, Teacher In-Service Day
Fri., 10/28, Fall Festival, 4:30-5pm games to play, 5-6pm pot luck dinner (children may dress in costume at 4:30 – masks and weapons stay home); sign up sheet will be posted a week before the event; extended family and friends are welcome

For years and years I have referred to time as “the weird factor” – Can I really be the age I am, already!? Can it possibly be true that a former student is in medical school? How can it be that my youngest sister is a grandmother? I mean is she even old enough to drive? It’s stunning.

Home, at last after our long summer away, I recently had a nice visit with a friend and her 10 month old baby whose birth I attended last Autumn. I also attended the birth of his sister who will be 5 soon. My friend confessed that thoughts of the upcoming 5th birthday bring her to sentimental tears, and it surprises her that this is so.

Meanwhile, watching the baby take confident steps, giggle in play, and explore the items I have in a prepared area in my home stopped me in my tracks. How can it be that this little guy is walking already? engaging with things from the shelf? understanding spoken language? Wasn’t it just yesterday we were delighting in his birth?

As I watched him I thought about what Dr Montessori called the external pregnancy – the 9 to 10 months that bring the child to crawling and standing and to a point where he can survive on food other than mother’s milk. Yes, I thought, there it is; it’s true. (again!)

But back to the 5 year old. What is it about 5, my friend asked. Well, five is a fantastic number! We have 5 fingers on each hand and 5 toes on each foot. We count by fives, the clock is divided into 5 minute segments etc. And age 5 to 6 is that time of transition from what Dr Montessori called the “first plane of development” to the second.

The first plane, 0-6 is divided into two subsets 0-3 and 3-6. By the time a child reaches the end of the 2nd sub-phase, she has developed her physical equilibrium through walking, running, and jumping; she is a “conscious worker” with refined capacity of her hands; she is able to speak well and has the ability to read and write. She is also developing social skills with her peers. She is moving from a time of great transformation (to say the least) to a time of stability and uniform growth in the period of the second plane.

Birthdays can, and do, bring a mix of emotions. We celebrate the growth of our children and look forward to what comes next, but we also may miss the baby who is transforming into a child, and the child who is “suddenly” an adolescent. Once over the shock, we marvel at who they have become. I know I feel that way. My daughter turns 40 (a multiple of 5) in a few weeks, and I do marvel as I think back to the baby at my breast, the sweet toddler, the determined, bright child, the difficult teen, and the delightful adult she has been for a number of years now.

To celebrate her birthday I am doing a bit of “time travel” – going through old pictures to put together a little something. For the children in the classroom, a similar ritual is part of the celebration. There is a circle of gathered children with a candle (sun) in the center. The birthday child carries a model of the earth around that sun for each year of her life – sometimes stopping after each revolution to see a picture from that time … newborn, 1 year old, 2, 3, 4, 5! Wow, what a lot of changes in such a short time!

0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40! Wow, what a lot of changes in what feels like such a short time …. oops, is that a sentimental tear?

For more information on Gio Bellonci who writes this portion of our newsletter, follow her blog Montessori In Motion

I’ve been pondering a topic for this “back to school” newsletter while continuing my travels northeast to visit family and friends and spend time in cooler temperatures than at home in Austin. Time at the ocean has been refreshing physically, mentally, and spiritually.

That being the case I am reminded of one of the strong points Dr. Silvana Q. Montanaro (my trainer in Rome) emphasized which is to always consider these three realms as we prepare the environment, as we speak to, and as we care for our children. From the moment of birth the pre-frontal lobes (the most human area of the brain where highest level thinking takes place) are developing in response to experiences in the environment. When we speak kindly and touch gently we are giving messages of affection, commitment, and love to our babies and children on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. They feel our affection and respect directly, and through the choices we make when creating an environment that supports their true needs. The return of that affection creates a bond like no other.

I found the following quotation on the Facebook page of the Dalai Lama:
“Everyone can understand from natural experience and common sense that affection is crucial from the day of birth; it is the basis of life. The very survival of our body requires the affection of others, to whom we also respond with affection.”

Affection involves:
Affiliation, or spending time with others. In the Montessori classroom, children of mixed ages spend their time together every day. They assist each other, they serve each other, and they share materials with each other. Preparing the room, inviting the children to be members of the classroom community, and being available to them as guide, are all displays of caring and affection.
Nurturance, or taking care of another person. Changing diapers or assisting in the bathroom is one part of caring for the child’s physical needs. Doing it respectfully nurtures his emotional needs and keeps the spirit of the child bright.
Play, having fun with others, is always uplifting to the spirit. Play does not mean total abandon however. An outdoor environment thoughtfully laid out for running, climbing, and gardening not only meets the need for gross movement, it sends a message of recognition and caring. Providing a place for tools and toys to be stored is a show of respect for those things. It says, “Your things are of value.”

Paying attention and recognizing the abilities of our children and then responding with an environment or activity that invites the use of that ability is a show of respect that feeds a sense of well-being. It says, “I have confidence in your ability” and “I recognize that you are developing.” It says, “Oh, I see you can do that” and “You can help as an active member of this family/classroom/community.”

It’s not always easy to see that we need to make changes to accommodate changing capabilities. Sometimes, it seems, it would be easier if the child would stay at one stage and not force us to make changes – or to slow down so that he can be involved as a “helper.” Not to do this, however, can feel like an insult which does nothing to further the emotional or spiritual realms of the child. Dinner may be made, and the child fed, but how much more delicious (emotionally and spiritually) it would be if he had a hand in the making or serving of it!

As it happens, there is more on this subject here: http://michaelolaf.net/newsaugust2011.html
and this excerpt comes from there:

“The working parent does not always have the time to include the child in everything and should not feel bad about this. We must be easy on ourselves in the home and plan a time when we will really enjoy working together. Success in learning to “follow the child” comes slowly. It is helpful to begin with one thing, perhaps putting the napkins on the table for a meal, and gradually add to the tasks in which the child can participate, and little by little take over. Soon we will begin to learn from the child how to bring our whole selves, mental, physical, and spiritual, to the task of the moment, to focus on each thing we do, and to enjoy each moment of life. Thus the child becomes the teacher of the adult. The needs of the adult are met at the same time as the needs of the child.”

Happy September, everyone! We’ll be home from our trip in a few weeks and I look forward to seeing all the changes that are taking place on campus. With luck the temperatures will be a bit cooler, too!

This section of the newsletter is written by Gio Bellonci, for more information on her, check out her blog: http://www.mimaustin.com/MiM/Welcome_.html

Dates to Remember:
Parent Meeting, 3-6 Group, Sat., 8/13, 9-11am, childcare available; sign up in lobby
SCHOOL CLOSED for Teacher In-Service, Thurs. & Fri., Sept. 1 & 2
SCHOOL CLOSED Labor Day Holiday, Monday, Sept., 5

“Observe always that everything is the result of change, and get used to thinking that there is nothing Nature loves so well as to change existing forms and make new ones like them.”

- Marcus Aurelius

As I’m traveling this summer, visiting family and friends up and down the east coast, my thoughts have turned to how much things change even as they stay the same. The house where I was a child has been radically altered; where the azaleas once bloomed there is now a tennis court, the lawn where we played as children is now a circular driveway. I am at once amazed at how things change, somewhat perturbed that they do, and grateful for memories. The old path from the house to my elementary school is the same, but from an adult perspective it seems quite different. It is the same, but different. I’m different. Where I used to run and jump, skip and skate I now walk. I am the same, but different. It takes a bit of getting used to.

I’m pretty low-tech, but am checking email as I can while we travel so I know that there are some big changes coming to Hawthorne. Amber is leaving for a new chapter in her life; a new building will be part of the campus soon, and new teachers will join the staff as the group expands. Change. It’s inevitable, and every school year encompasses lots of it. Obvious signs of change are everywhere as crawlers become walkers; as diapered babies learn toilet use; as babbling turns into sentences! These are all great advances in development and we celebrate them. But let’s face it, change is hard and requires time and effort. Toilet learning takes time and effort, talking is built on a long time of listening, and walking securely comes only after a few falls.

As ‘Assistants to Infancy’ and Children’s House guides, we know we can’t take short cuts or do the work for the children but what we can, and must do, is support them in the process of moving forward. A major part of setting up the environments is to prepare them in an order that makes successful functioning in them easy. Because a disruption in order can trigger emotional responses it will be especially important for us all to be watchful and ready to respond should a child need our patience.

Transitions can be difficult but they can also be pure pleasure. Spring, for instance, is the year’s transition period to Summer and, especially this year, wouldn’t it have been nice if it had lasted longer!?

We observe and learn from the changes going on around us all the time. The children will observe and learn from the upcoming changes on campus … and will, no doubt, enjoy the fruits of those changes!

In the course of the school day, transition periods are often a time of great movement – arrival at school, going outside, coming back in, preparing for group meal time, etc. all require stopping one thing in order to start another. All require organization and ritual – washing hands, setting a table, putting work or outdoor equipment away, saying good-bye. And in the course of the (school) year, as in life, buildings change, people come and go, perspectives change and it all takes a bit of getting used to.

Dates to Remember:
SCHOOL CLOSED for summer break JULY 4-8

What Do They Mean When They Say…

There are so many Montessori terms, and some of them can be confusing. Let’s start with the most often heard prepared environment. Prepared for what? For whom? With what? With what intention?

First, there is no one prepared environment; the environment changes as the child changes.

Space for an infant is arranged in quite a different way than for a toddler, an older child, a teenager or an elderly person. The environment is prepared so that those who use it will have success functioning in it. In the context of the Montessori classroom the prepared environment contains materials that are scientifically designed for the developing intelligence of the children; materials for practical life work and items from nature for study. Artwork and carefully chosen, a

ge appropriate, books are included as an essential part of the environment. It also contains an adult, who is prepared through a training course, to introduce those materials in a specific way to the children and to choose the artwork and books with a discriminating eye.

In our training we learn about analysis of movement and its importance as we set up sweeping, dish-washing and table-washing activities, to name just a few. Montessori trainer Annette Haines defines analysis of movement as: A technique used by Montessori teachers. The adult, when showing a complex action to a child, breaks it down into its parts and shows one step at a time, executing each movement slowly and exactly. The action thus becomes a sequence of simple movements and the child has a greater chance of success when “given the liberty to make use of them.”

One common misconception about the number of steps in any of these activities is that the children are required to follow them. Not so. Analysis of movement is a help to the adult as she prepares what is needed so that the child will experience success, and how to move through those steps so that they can be seen and absorbed.

Even for the youngest children, maybe even especially for them, we must do (model) what they must do to be successful and we must set what they need to be successful. Breaking an activity down into steps gives us a chance to see what difficulties might arise for a young child. Once those difficulties are revealed to us, we can remove them with a well thought out set-up. For instance, as adults we have the capacity to carry more than one thing at a time in our bigger hands and with our more developed balance, but watch a child carry a tray to a closed door and attempt to open it. If we take the time to put the tray down, open the door, lift the tray and carry it through to the other side, put it down again, close the door carefully and then pick it up and continue on our way, we are doing what a young child would need to do to be successful. Alternatively there could be a second person invited to handle the door. Whichever method is employed the child requires concentration, social interaction, awareness of others and balance as he moves through a space shared by many.

Is there the possibility of a spill in a certain activity? If so, supply a sponge. Sponges can be color coordinated with a bucket and put on a tray for carrying without dripping. It goes on and on, so it’s no wonder Montessorians can seem rather obsessive; there is a lot to consider once we realize how many challenges are present. In analyzing movement and what might be required for success, we are trained also to consider body size (how big are the hands?), clothing (crawling children need knees free) etc.

Ms Haines’ Glossary of Termsdefines Maximum Effort: Children seem to enjoy difficult work, work which tests their abilities and provides a sense of their growing power. They exult in giving their maximum effort. For example, a tiny child will struggle to carry a tray with juice glasses or push a heavy wheelbarrow …

Children like to challenge themselves with “big” work, so we must not be afraid to allow them opportunities for that. As adults we like to make things as easy as possible, but for children the fun is in the challenge, the doing and the accomplishment (which is its own reward)!

All this brings us to another term that is often misunderstood and can be quite off-putting; it is

normalization. Again I’ll take Ms Haines’ definition: When young children are repeatedly able to experience periods of spontaneous concentration on a piece of work freely chosen, they will begin to display the characteristics of normal development: a love of work, an attachment to reality, and a love of silence and working alone. Normalized children are happier children: enthusiastic, generous, and helpful to others. They make constructive work choices and their work reflects their level of development.

The Montessori classroom, with all the materials, the child size furniture and an adult trained to lead (guide) by following the children’s development, is a place for young children to engage and develop their abilities, make discoveries about themselves and others while respectful adults are at the ready to assist when needed and to observe (and learn) when not.

What could be more normal than that!?

To learn more about Gio Bellonci, who writes this portion of our newsletter,

check out her blog: Montessori In Motion

Dates to Remember:
Splash Days on Fridays in June and July — come dressed in clothes and shoes that can get wet; see the classrooms for more specifics
Breakfast With Dad, Friday June 17th, 7:30-8:30am
SCHOOL CLOSED for summer break JULY 4-8

Community- we crave it, but what is it?

It’s a noun, it’s an adjective, it’s everyone all together, it’s a specific group, it’s stable, it’s changeable, it’s bio-diverse, it’s local, it’s global … with so many possibilities no wonder it’s a word heard as often as it is these days!

According to the dictionary community is a noun referring to a group of people together in one place, and it is an adjective as in “community spirit.”

Family is the first community for a child, and he enters it as what Dr Montessori called “the spiritual embryo.” The shared support, love and respect within this small community develop confidence, security and engagement.

Building community is about much more than simply being a group of people in the same place. In our Montessori school community building is an awareness within the population of each classroom as well as all classrooms within the school.

The infant and toddler classroom communities include the prepared space, knowledgeable adults, and carefully chosen objects that support growth. Just as the physical embryo moves into a larger world at birth, so the toddlers move into the Children’s House classroom (3-6) where the group includes a wider age range and scope of abilities. In this setting the older children have many opportunities to share their expertise and knowledge with the younger ones. In the act of an older child assisting a younger one we can see community being built and the spirit of cooperation growing. When the 3-6 classroom students prepare and serve a meal to the toddler classroom students we see community being built and the spirit of sharing and caring for others developing.

The carefully prepared environment, and the many lessons of grace and courtesy, allow and enhance activities within and among the classrooms that support the ongoing strengthening of community. Receiving assistance appreciatively lifts the spirits of the receiver, just as giving it lifts the spirits of the giver, both enjoying a sense of satisfaction and pride. This is a sense that is also felt by the adults in the environment. To assist a child in the development of his capabilities and rejoicing in them is deeply satisfying.

But what about outside the classroom? The parents, support staff and administration who work together in collaboration to support the classroom staff are an essential part of the school community. Together with the trained classroom staff, these two groups work to support each other and the children for the benefit of the greater community – our city, our state, our country, our planet.

With our individual styles and personalities coming together as one, inspired by the work of Dr Montessori the classroom staff, the parents, the administration and support staff together with the children all make up the Hawthorne Montessori Community. As summer begins we experience the departure of some and the arrival of others into this ‘open’ community. May those leaving journey well into their next community, and those arriving find a warm welcome in the one growing here.

To learn more about Gio Bellonci, who writes this portion of our newsletter, check out her blog: Montessori In Motion

Dr. Maria Montessori

Dates to Remember:
CARDINALS GROUP PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, May 2-6 (see sign up sheet)
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day Tea, Fri., 5/6/11, 7:30-8:30 [mother alternates are welcome]
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, Fri., 5/6/11
ROBINS GROUP PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, May 9-17 (see sign up sheet)
The Montessori Journey, Sat., 5/14/11, 9am-noon – an amazing glimpse into the full birth to age 6 curriculum, no child care available since the teachers will all participate, RSVP in the lobby
Book Club: “Last Child In The Woods” Sun. 5/15/11, 3-5pm
Memorial Day Potluck BBQ, Thurs. 5/26/11, 4:30-6pm
SCHOOL CLOSED, In-Service, Fri., 5/27/11
SCHOOL CLOSED, holiday, Mon. 5/30/11

“We cannot create observers by saying “observe,” but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”

~ Dr. Maria Montessori

A close friend used to joke sometimes about “seeing what we’re looking at” but that is exactly what Dr Montessori did. With scientific training to support her, she “looked to the child” to learn about who he really is and how he really learns. It was through her careful observations of children that she developed materials to meet their real needs. She wrote, “The teacher must derive not only the capacity, but the desire, to observe natural phenomena. The teacher must understand and feel her position of observer: the activity must lie in the phenomenon.” It is because her work is based on what she observed that so many people comment about her work “making sense”.

Infants love to observe themselves in the low mirror. They love to observe (and imitate) the adult mouth as it moves and speaks. From their supine position they observe the goings-on all around them and then, with movement capability, they join in! In the 3-6 classroom, one can often see younger children observing the older ones before they find themselves feeling confident and engaging directly with materials. Once they do they’re off making their own observations about the nature of things through their hands-on experiences with the sensorial materials and involvement in practical life activities.

The older children have the satisfaction of being of assistance to their younger classmates, and also have a view of how far they themselves have come. We observe others, we are inspired by what we see and we learn about ourselves!

Observation is also a large part of the work of the adults in the classroom. We observe without judgment and intervene only when really necessary. When a Montessori teacher (guide) observes a child having difficulty with a material she doesn’t step in to correct or give the answer; she waits, and maybe offers a lesson that will address the challenge perhaps the next day.

It’s not always easy, but when we observe, truly observe without judgment, we are in a good position to do what I call “narrating the moment.” To articulate what one really sees without the addition of judgment helps young children build awareness, build vocabulary, and build trust. It engages the brain beyond the ‘survival’ response to higher level thinking.

A quick search on the term “observation” brought me to these two statements that I found particularly apropos:

· Observation is an activity of a living being consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses.

· Observation, in philosophical terms, is the process of filtering sensory information through the thought process. Input is received via hearing, sight, smell, taste, or touch and then analyzed through either rational or irrational thought.

It is the work of attentive adults in the classroom to make scientific observations of the child’s development. These observations are made on the level of concentration of each child, the introduction to and mastery of each piece of material, the social development, physical health, etc. It is through thoughtful interactions with children and involvement with sensorial materials and practical life activities in a supportive, prepared environment that children come to understand that they (and their true needs) are seen (and tended to) and that they, too, have the freedom to “see what they are looking at!”

Dates to Remember:
Go Western Day, Fri., 4/1/11
Yard Work Day, Sun., 4/10/11, 8-10am
Book Club: “The Elephant In The Living Room”, Sun. 4/10/11, 3-5pm
Workshop: Childhood Unplugged, Sat. 4/16/11, 9-11am, child care offered
National Screen Free Week, April 18-22
WARBLER ROOM PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES April 18-21 (sign up 1 week before)
Celebrate Earth Day, Thurs. 4/21/11
SCHOOL CLOSED, holiday, Fri., 4/22/11
CARDINALS ROOM PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES April 25-29 (sign up 1 week before)
CPR & First Aid Training, Thurs. 4/28/11
Book Club: “Last Child In The Woods” Sun. 5/1/11, 3-5pm

Dr Montessori designed hands-on materials that “give the world to the child.” What does this mean? In any Montessori classroom you’ll find materials that isolate the qualities of the world. These include color, shape, dimension, smell, taste, touch and sound. You’ll find these in the color tablets, the metal insets, the geometric solids, etc. The children explore those materials using their absorbent minds, their senses, and their movements. Having absorbed these qualities through their explorations they understand the quality and can recognize it without the aid of the materials.

Life is full of much more than sensorial materials and their qualities though; it is society – communities that come into being when individuals come to understand that life is more easily lived through cooperation. The ways we deal with each other – commonly accepted rules of etiquette – are presented in the Montessori Children’s House (3-6) as the exercises of grace and courtesy; these are the basis for civil life.

In the Montessori classroom the lessons of grace and courtesy go far beyond the simple repetition of a desired action like walking around work rugs. The lesson is given with the intention of showing how to do something, without the expectation that it will be done. We must be patient and watch the child as he takes in that information, makes it his own and uses it with awareness and consideration of the ‘other.’ The lesson is given to the intelligence of a child and then we wait as the (developing) will of the child chooses to use that information when an occasion arises to do so.

The children in the 0-3 classes live in an environment in which they observe and absorb (into their unconscious absorbent minds) the grace and courtesy that we adults show each other and show them. Here, as in the home, it is the work of the adults to move gracefully (ie, not slamming doors) and to be courteous to one another (ie, not interrupting, saying please and thank you, etc) so that even the youngest child is surrounded by these expressions of kindness because, just as in artistic expression, first there must be impressions from which to draw.

When they reach the 3-6 phase of the first plane of development, children have many chances to consciously develop what they unconsciously absorbed in 0-3. Now he uses his will to make choices. During this time the adult can challenge him to carry out certain activities or movements more perfectly. With the knowledge of how, having been given to his intellect, he can now be asked to challenge his will (ie carrying a chair and setting it down without making a sound). This, said Margaret Stephenson, a respected Montessorian, is a victory for the will and the beginning of the realization of human responsibility.

The lessons of Practical Life include Care of Self, Care of the Indoor Environment, Care of the Outdoor Environment and Grace & Courtesy as these are all necessary skills to make living together in community – whether it be the family, the classroom, the city, the state or the world – pleasant for everyone.

As the world gets more connected, our community is clearly global. Imagine if every adult behaved in kind and courteous ways in their homes, and all young children absorbed that into themselves and then took it out into all their relationships…. It is a tremendous vision and one we work towards every day in our homes and classrooms and in our own hearts and behaviors as we look on the ‘other’ remembering the oldest rule in the book – “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

It is no wonder Dr Montessori called education “an aid to life” and worked so hard to help us all understand “education for peace.”