Download Cattail Marsh Friends - Montessori of Alameda

N O V E M B E R
2 0 1 4 N E W S L E T T E R
Cattail Marsh Friends
"The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one's self. Adults work to finish a
task, but the child works in order to grow, and is working to create the adult, the person that is to
be"...........One way that the Montessori curriculum serves the child's efforts to "become" is through the
Exercises of Practical Life". (Maria Montessori) "Some of the main purposes of including such exercises in
the classroom are 1) to educate children's movements to be geared to a purpose; 2) to develop
children's ability to concentrate on a task: 3) to help children learn to carry out a series of steps in
sequence; and 4) to help children learn to care for the environment" (Lillard, page 48)
Cattail Happenings
Hello Cattail families!
The above quote reflects on the importance of practical life tasks. Though many of these practical
life exercises have a specific outcome...i.e., a clean table, a polished mirror, etc., what is most
important about these exercises is that they provide work that is meaningful and productive to the
child. "In addition to providing meaning for actions, Practical Life activities lead children to practice
concentration, a hallmark of Montessori education. Through concentration, Dr. Montessori believed
children develop an inner calm that they bring to their other activities in the classroom"(Lillard, page
50). I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand many a child who has been so completely
immersed in a task that they are completely oblivious to all the other activity in the room. Each and
every time, I am always awestruck at the opportunity to witness for myself a child who is completely
absorbed in the task of becoming. The book that has inspired this month's newsletter is
"Montessori...The Science Behind The Genius"....by Angeline Stoll Lillard. This is a book that had not yet
been written when I first began my work as a Montessori educator...it is so inspiring to now have a
resource that confirms what I have always known to be true about the Montessori approach! This
book is available for parents to check out from MOA’s parent education library.
This month we will be talking about the fall season, the changing weather and what we are thankful
for. We will also focus on blocks, building and design. I am working to create and foster a love of
architecture and design right now. It has been so amazing to see how innovative and creative the
children have become through their work with the blocks! We are also currently discussing shapes
and colors – through our focus on architecture and design. I am so excited to see what kinds of
discoveries the children make for themselves!
Sincerely – Kimberly
Important Dates for November
November 10- Teacher Planning Day (No School)
November 11- Veteran’s Day observed (No School)
November 26-28 Thanksgiving Vacation (No School)
Thank you for joining us at the
pumpkin patch, we were delighted
to spend the day with you!
November Birthdays
Quinn Gamboa - November 18
Rowan Endy - November 17
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to two
new families who will be joining our Cattail Marsh
community in November!
Some of you may already know Rowan Endy!
Our other new friend is Michael Wall!
Please make sure to extend a very warm welcome
to our new friends when you meet them in
November!
Spanish Words
We focused this month on shapes & colors:
Triangle – triangulo
Rectangle – rectangulo
Star – estrella
Heart – corazón
Circle – circulo
Square – cuadrado
Red – rojo
Blue – azul
Green – verde
Yellow – amarillo
Purple – morado
White - blanco
Black – negro
Orange – naranja
As we celebrate the arrival of Fall, we are beginning to sing songs
that further encourage a sense of awe and wonder about all the
changes that are happening around us!
(to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus)
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown, orange and brown,
orange and brown....the leaves on the trees turn orange and
brown....all through the fall
The leaves on the trees come falling down, falling down, falling
down...the leaves on the trees come falling down....all through the
fall
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish,
swish...swish,swish,swish....swish, swish, swish....the leaves on the
ground go swish, swish,swish....all through the fall
I want to extend my deep appreciation and gratitude to those of you who have diligently
contributed wipes/ tissues!...PLEASE keep us in mind when you are out and about....we ALWAYS
need these items, and can NEVER have too many on hand!
Parenting for Independence the Montessori Way:
Fostering Self Discipline and Confidence
Article by Michelle Irinyi
"Little children, from the moment they are weaned, are making their way toward independence." Maria Montessori, The
Absorbent Mind
Maria Montessori understood that in order to be free, one needs to be independent. She also said that
learning to be independent came before freedom. Teachers and parents that are new to Montessori sometimes
misunderstand this concept, and expect a child to become independent by granting her/him freedom of choice
without limits. Instead, fostering independence first will lead the child toward a sense of freedom and self-esteem.
We often talk about the Montessori prepared environment. This not only encompasses the physical setting,
but includes the all-important preparation of the parent, caregiver, or teacher. In the Montessori environment,
independence is an ongoing, organic process, and the Practical Life curriculum is integral to this. Material and
activities that encourage the child to “do for him/herself” and foster developmental progress, confidence and selfesteem are the cornerstones of the Practical Life curriculum. As a child learns to pour water, lace shoes, put on a
coat, clean his/her work space, prepare a snack, and consider others in his/her Montessori classroom or home
community, independence takes root and grows.
Parenting for Independence the Montessori Way: Fostering Self Discipline and Confidence
With independence comes the need for self-discipline. In the prepared environment, the Montessori child
moving toward independence will experience making decisions from limited choices, and will meet with success in
those decisions. Parents, too, learn to create the environment for such successes, by planning ways to involve their
children in daily life activities and in offering limited choices. In doing so, the child is then able to learn how to
make wise, well-thought-out decisions.
So, how does a Montessori parent go about encouraging independence in their children? Here are some helpful
ideas for parents to incorporate Practical Life activities at home, and foster the confidence and positive development
as part of the Montessori philosophy of an “education for life”.
Encourage your children to make wise choices. It is best, in the beginning, to give limited choices. For
example: Would you like an apple or a banana in your lunch? Notice, the question is not “Would you like
fruit in your lunch?” Another example would be: Would you like to clean up the playroom before or after
dinner? Again, the choice is not whether or not they want to, but when they would like to do so.
Personal care and hygiene. Allow your young children do things for themselves, such as dressing, bathing,
brushing hair and teeth, toileting/cleanup, etc., with your guidance and supervision while they learn. Assist
only when needed. What if they can’t reach the sink? Provide a step stool. What if they can’t see that they
are missing part of their head when washing their hair? Hold a hand-held mirror for them to see. Montessori
told us to let the child do for himself that which his is capable and to provide the tools necessary for success.
Experience logical (natural) consequences. Once your children make a choice, allow them to experience
the consequences (good or bad) of that choice. Of course, since you are limiting the choices, the children are
in no danger of being hurt. If you ask your children to take their gym shoes to school for field day and they
choose not to, the natural consequence may be that they are not able to participate fully. I’ll bet they will
make a different choice the next time!
Be careful of praise. In an early blog I wrote about Praise vs. Encouragement. “Excessive, long-term praise
can inhibit children from gaining independence because they rely heavily on the praise of those in authority
positions.” Instead, encourage your Montessori children to make judgments of their own behavior, work,
and ultimately, worth.
Include your child in family decisions. Ask your child for her/his ideas and input. Any experience will be
more meaningful to the child who feels they have some control over the situation, than a child who has no
engaged participation in planning.
There can be no freedom without self-discipline. Self-discipline must be taught, modeled, and practiced
before a child reaches the third stage of normalization. Without self-discipline, the child cannot be independent and
that is the true goal of the Montessori philosophy.
© the North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Friday, June 26,
2009.