posted on October 17, 2012 by Admin
October 31, 2012
Mt. West Montessori
2-3:30 pm
This is a family event. Make plans to attend: work on your country together with your child,
find something for you and your child to wear, bring food to share!
PEACE STARTS WITH YOU!
Click to read about the Origami Legend
posted on October 12, 2012 by Admin
Math Line of Work
October 23
5:45-7:15 pm in English
6:30-8:00 pm in Spanish
Guides will present the way children learn Math at our school from
Infant Community until they are ready for High School.
Click to view invitation
posted on September 19, 2012 by Admin
Thank you for participating in our parent meeting last night. I hope you got some new insights in how Montessori views the child and how we work with special topics such as freedom, limits and responsabilities.
Depending on our parenting style, we tend to respond in different ways. We discussed the great need to little by little allow our children the freedom to discover the natural limits. The age of the child has a lot to do with the limits we set: Younger children need patters (schedules, language to communicate, consistency) to feel secure, as they grow the prepared adult ( Montessori Guides and Parents) must observe carefully, analyze, set clear limits and follow through on the outcomes of the childrens decision. We must remember that limits are boundaries that give children security.
Define them in your home! Here is a short summary of the Parenting Styles we covered last night:
- Authoritarian - Demanding but not responsive. ( My way or the highway)
- Authoritative - Places high demands but also highly responsive ( This is the limit, lets talk about it)
- Permissive - Highly responsive but not demanding. ( Whatever you want!)
- Uninvolved - Not demanding, not responsive. ( Unaware! )
There are also many perspectives to the same situation, child, activity, view: Lets remember that parenting is a complex. Be involved and open. Just like the Geoda it is one object with many faces.
If parents are not specific in their limits, children tend to find what buttons to push.
Hope to see all of you during our next parent meeting.
Happy Parenting!
posted on September 18, 2012 by Admin
The Adolescent Community invites you to participate in the SPJ (Siguiendo los Pasos de Jesus) Food Drive Program. All you need to do is send an article you wish to share, and we will collect it every FRIDAY at our school. The products will be collected in the classroom by the adolescent students. Every donation will be sent to the SPJ organization.
Food Drive Information
SPJ Website
posted on September 12, 2012 by Admin
TMontessori staff and parents are cordially invited to attend this Montessori Congress in Chihuahua this coming October. Please visit the following links for more information on World Renown Guest Speaker and topics.
50 Aniversario de Montessori
Information Website
posted on September 04, 2012 by Admin
Suzuki Violin and OrchestraInformative Meeting for ParentsMt. West Montessori LawnThursday, September 6th3:15-4:15 pm
Teachers will be measuring the children for instruments,
providing information on instrument rental
and giving a brief description of the curriculum.
Last day to register and submit deposit!
Classes start Monday, September 10th.
posted on September 04, 2012 by Admin
Visualize Verbalize Comprehension Program
Informative Meeting
September 6th
9:15-10:15 am
Language Comprehension is the ability to connect with both oral and written language,
recall facts, get main ideas, conclude, predict and evaluate.
Language comprehension is a cognitive act.
Julia Hanna professional Dyslexia Master Teacher (Trained in the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital)
will be offering this program to students between the ages of 11 to 14 yrs at Mt. West Montessori.
We invite parents to come and learn more about this great opportunity.
posted on August 31, 2012 by Admin
Google's logo celebrates Maria Montessori's Birthday!
Google Logo
posted on August 28, 2012 by Admin
Please visit this link to get a sneak peak of the beautiful talent Lora Quezada and Allegra Artis want to share with the kids during the After School Enrichment Classes.
posted on August 24, 2012 by Admin
Mt. West Montesssori will be offering a variety of After School Enrichment Classes during the 2012-2013 school year.
Please make note that in order for the teachers to be able to prepare a program suitable for your child, you will need to fully commit. Information booths with further class information and registration forms will be available during our Parent Kick-off Meeting, August 28, 2012, from 6:45-9pm.
Please stop by the booths and to talk with the teacher to sign up your child as each class will have limited spaces.
After School Enrichment Program Brochure
posted on August 20, 2012 by Admin
August 28th 6:45 to 9:00 PM
A must for all new and returning parents.
posted on April 27, 2012 by Admin
The 6th and 7th graders visit and tour Grand Central Station in New York during their trip to the Montessori United Nations.
posted on April 27, 2012 by Admin
The 6th and 7th graders are enjoying their trip to the Montessori United Nations in New York. During this trip they had the opportunity to visit and enjoy Grand Central Park.
posted on April 27, 2012 by Admin
The 6th and 7th graders are enjoying their trip to the Montessori United Nations in New York. During this trip they had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero.
posted on April 20, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents,
We hope you had a great Easter Break. We are getting ready for our Annual Carnival this Friday, April 20th. We are expecting a fun day!!!
Our garden looks beautiful, full of flowers and herbs. You and your children did a great job. Special thanks to Chimene Mark and Susana Escobar for taking the time and buying everything needed for our planting day.
Observations are scheduled to begin April 30th. You will have the opportunity to see and experience how hard your children work in the environment.
When dealing with children there is greater need for observing than of probing.
Here are some suggestions that will help your child practice activities with purpose at home.
- Folding laundry
- Washing dishes
- Pick up and clean their plate
- Place the placemats on the table
- Watering the plants
The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one's self.
Greetings,
Alicia & Carmen
posted on April 12, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents,
I would like to share with you some of the experiences that we had in our class this last period. We went to Margarita’s studio to work with clay, the children enjoy this moment. A wonderful cosmic education when they learn that the clay is “a gift from the mountains” and that the color depends from the place (geography) that we found it. A lot of new words, knowledge and a sensorial experience give us joyful expressions like:
“The clay is cold”
“Smells like “tierra”
“It’s moist”
“It’s sticky”
“The wind dries the clay”
And finally “what amazing things we can do with our hands”.
Another week a wood pecker came to the tree in front of our classroom, and the children went out quietly to observe and listen to it. The spring season is a great opportunity to discover all the wonderful things that nature gives us. We are talking to the children about how the seeds grow, the plants bloom and the spider’s web and the different insects we will be seeing.
“If for the physical life it is necessary to have the child exposed to the vivifying forces of nature, it is also necessary for his physical life to place the soul of the child in contact with creation, in order that he may lay up for himself treasure from the directly educating forces of living nature. The method for arriving to this end is to set the child at agricultural labor guiding him to the cultivation of plants and animal and so the intelligent contemplation of nature” M. Montessori.
I would like to thank you for sharing the beautiful flowers, plants and pots for during our planting day. Everything looks great and the kids love it! I also thank everyone who donated and volunteered in make our social Friday a great success. All the goodies donated were a great hit during our sale!
April 20
th is our annual School Carnival. The children have been rehearing a song and they look forward to presenting to all who attend. Please make plans to attend this great family event. All parents, family and friends are invited.
Sincerely,Gaby and Rosy posted on April 12, 2012 by Admin
The dusty winds of March have come and gone and so has another exciting and wonderful month. Maybe it is the wind that makes it seem as if this year is just flying by or all of the wonderful events we had in March. But enough about March, let me tell you what we got planned for April. We are so thrilled about all of the upcoming events we have planned for this month that we just know this month will probably fly by as fast as March did.
The first item on the agenda for this wonderful spring month is Planting Day on April 5
th. This spring theme activity is designed to have families get together and enjoy a fabulous day in our gardens. All of the kids are excited when they think of all of the activities we have planned for that special day.
Right after our Easter Break we have a very special day that will leave a lasting memory for all of the families of Mt. West Montessori. Picture Day will be April 10
th and I just know that everyone will look wonderful for that special event!
Next on our agenda will be two fun filled Friday’s that I’m sure everyone is looking forward too. The first will be Social Friday April 13. Our snack sale we will be prepared by our Room Mother Mrs. Quevedo along with several volunteer parents. During the snack sale they will be selling an assortment of snacks and other treats. All proceeds will be used in decorating our beautiful classroom, the bathrooms, and our garden.
The Friday following this event we will be having our Annual Carnival on April 20
th. The children from the English Children’s House have chosen to perform to the song “You Are My SunShine” for all of the parents. We are asking parents that all children where jeans and a white t-shirt on this day.
Last but certainly not least, we have our second observation coming up this April 30
th. The students of English Children’s House have been working very hard and they want you to see for yourselves what great progress is being made. They have been busy practicing and learning new presentations and materials. I will let you guys know ahead of time so you can set aside the time that best suits your schedule.
We hope that with these upcoming observations you can get a glimpse of what life is like in our Montessori classroom and what your child’s day is like.
Like I mentioned at the very beginning of this newsletter we are very excited about all of these events and we hope to see everyone their. On behalf of Lupita and I, we would like to thank everyone for their support.
Sincerely,Mayra and Lupitaposted on March 01, 2012 by Admin
Keep up with all our activities and get daily updates on Facebook. This will allow for you to stay up to date on your iphone or smartphones and view our pictures the minute they are uploaded to the site.
posted on March 01, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We want to thank you for attending the Sonnie McFarland conference "Montessori Parenting"! We had around 175 attendees altogether, making it a very successful and fulfilling conference. We hope that you took from the conference many new concepts and that you can apply at least one! We would love to hear from you on her presentation.
We had a wonderful workshop along many Montessori schools that joined us on Thursday for the "Honoring the Light of the Child" workshop, around 50 staff, parents and Directors took part. Sonnie revitalized the peace education work that Dr. Maria Montessori promotes through her pedagogy, and created concrete ways in which to introduce the child to wonderful concepts. "How is your love light today?" Your child might ask you. Perhaps they will tell you that their love light is bright or dim. So what does this mean? Your love light is right in the middle of your chest, and it shines when you feel love and are happy and it dims when you are sad or angry. The language around the concepts are beautiful, we hope you can hear them and use them as well. We learned so many wonderful concrete materials that help us show the child the many ways to understand the source of our feelings, to be empathic and know how we are feeling. We are so looking forward to the work we will begin with the children in helping them understand themselves, their spirit and their conscious love for one another. We are preparing the materials and will begin our work with the children. So keep an ear out for words like Love Light, Positive mind and Negative mind,etc.
We are grateful for Sonnie's visit to El Paso and thank her for teaching us many concepts that we can take with us and put to practice at home and in the school environments.
Best regards,Natalia BennettHead of Schoolposted on February 07, 2012 by Admin
posted on February 07, 2012 by Admin
Dearest Parents:
Welcome to the second semester at Mt. West Montessori. During the second semester and more evidently starting on February at Mt. West Montessori, children appear to be very industrious and interested! Their adaptation period has passed; they have become accustomed to the work and enjoy their environment! During this time of the year the children’s energy is more condensed towards academics, they enjoy their work, their levels of concentration are strong and they work very hard. This is a pre-welcome to Spring, a beautiful time here on the school property, as the children live the transformation of the sleeping plants and trees to the live and colorful beauty they bring.
The timing also brings a great opportunity for our staff to refresh our work with Montessori. It is important for us participate in continuing education to recharge and reconnect so
as a school we are traveling to Dallas for the AMI conference, “Montessori: Engaging the Human personality”. We are looking forward to the messages the conference offers. There will be some changes on our schedule, please be aware! We thank you in advance for your support and patience. We will be there during the weekend of the 17th of February until the 20th. School will be closed on Monday and open on Friday for the children. So children will have Presidents Day OFF!
BIG CONFERENCE! We’ve been planning this conference for quite some time! Sonnie McFarland’s visit to El Paso is going to create a wonderful opportunity for parents, schools and staff! Her “Montessori Parenting” Conference (Wednesday, February 22nd 6-8 pm and Day Workshop February 23rd 8-4 pm are going to be fabulous! Please make plans to attend both if possible. We are opening the events to other schools, and are giving our parents the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance. We hope that we have a wonderful presence from our parents! It is for you that we bring speakers like Sonnie! Don’t miss it.
Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN): This is our first year experiencing the preparation to the MMUN and it is absolutely exciting to see the children involved, speaking so openly and thoroughly about their current and international topics! Mostly to have them so interested in the world and current events. Some of the topics that the students are preparing to debate are “Demobilization of child soldiers”, “trade improvements” on behalf of Ukraine’s point of view as the delegates of The CCR Committee.
Monica Gomez’s place in our school has been a special one. She is now moving on to a new life in Dallas and we are sad to see her go, but at the same time so happy for the new opportunities and dreams this move brings to her and the school. We are going to miss her dearly not only as a wonderful Montessori Guide but as a sweet, loving, full of smiles friend we all had in her. Mayra will continue what Monica so beautifully began with the students and parents in her environment. Thank you all for your love and care in this transition. Monica will be missed.
Social Fridays have become a fun and wonderful way to re connect with friends and families. I hope you are enjoying them and I hope you continue to come. This next Friday, February 10th the adolescent program will continue to present their carpentry work in support of the MMUN trip to New York coming up in April, and the Infant community program will have some sweets to sell for Valentines! The room mothers are organizing some sweet surprises during each of the following Social Fridays so send your child with $1 or $2 in change if possible to purchase from them! Fun fun....
Parent Meetings: We had a wonderful turnout on the Level Introduction meetings, thank you to all the moms who participated in the roundtable meetings. Your voice is important and very helpful for all the parents to hear!
Registrations for next school year: It is time again for parents to reconsider their commitment to the Montessori education for their children. I see this as an opportunity to redefine and reinforce the reasons why we believe the philosophy is the best! I urge you to take the time to visit with your child’s guide if you have concerns or questions for the next years, also to observe a classroom of the next level if your child is moving up. The Montessori program is well established, the concepts are easy to grasp if you attend the informational meetings and listen to the concepts and the parents talk about their thoughts. I hope that if you have any concerns and doubts you come to us, so we can help you clarify. We understand the choosing a school for your children is a very important decision. We want to aid you in anyway we can.
New families: We welcome all new families that enrolled this spring semester. Please feel free to speak to us if you have any questions or concerns; email, call or come into the office. Welcome to our Montessori environment.
Best regards,Natalia BennettHead of School posted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents:
As my time here ended, I left very content of how the classroom is working without my presence. I was given the opportunity to step back and really see the seeds I had planted in each one of the children. I have truly enjoyed working with each one and watching them grow. It was an enormous growth for me and I feel very complete with this change. Hope to see all of you in my future visits.
As for the children in the classroom, they are finishing up works I last saw them working with. Some have finished learning their letters, phonograms or capital letter sounds. Some have finished memorizing their maps and have cut and pasted them. They are also starting to prepare for the spring. By observing the outdoor changes around the school and at home the children see how things that were hibernating, surprisingly and magically come back to life. The cycle of the life of a tree is carefully watched as the buds begin to sprout out of the branches that looked so dry and dead. A child will be amazed at coming back the next day and seeing bright green tiny leaves peak out at them. Then by the following day, maybe a beautiful flower will mysteriously greet them in their great work of discoveries. Although to us these things are simply normal, expected and common in the spring, the children see the true beauty and miracle each stage presents. Have your children explore these same changes around their house and during your outings together. Maybe they will surprise you with observations they will make on their own.
I hope you are able to attend the parent education meeting coming up this month. They are very interesting and as parents it is always helpful to either be reminded or learn new ways to help our children. It is always wonderful to see that as parents you are involved in anything beneficial toward working together on one goal...... to guide your little ones into being the best individuals possible. Keep up the great work!!!!!!
On behalf of Mayra, thank you for your support on her new journey with MWM. She has felt warmly welcomed by all. Her bright smile is shining brightly in the class and knows what a great assistant she has as well as students and parents. Please get in touch with her for anything you may need in regards to your children.
Sincerely,Monica and Mayraposted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents,
We wish that this year all your goals become a reality and that you receive many blessings.
We would like to invite you to come and participate in our classroom on Fridays to come and read a book to the class. Please contact me so we can schedule your visit.
We continue to work with the correct position to hold the pencil, colors and the utensils. “The hand is the way that has made possible the expression of intelligence and for the civilization to continue with its work. The hand is the organ of expression and also imagination of the world. During the first infancy the hand helps the development of intelligence and in adults the hand is the instrument that controls destiny on the earth". M. M.
We are also working with the Baric Sense exercises. This exercise helps the child learn to feel the difference of pressure or weight of different objects. This sense is heightened through the use of a blindfold or closing of the eyes.
Thank you to all parents for the interest and participation to the meetings of introduction to the different levels at school. We would like to see you in the “Montessori Parenting” conference. It is a great opportunity for us to learn more on how to help our children at home and at school.
We also give a great welcome to Jose Eduardo Milan and his family this semester.
Preparing for the next season we have been observing the plants outside focusing on the new “buds”. We encourage you share this with your child.
“A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge” Tomas Carlyle.
Have a wonderful month.Gaby & Rosyposted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
January 2012 Newsletter
December and January were busy months at the Adolescent Community: serving meals at Rescue Mission, studying and researching the Science and Humanities topics, and beginning to write their position papers due this next February and to be presented at the Montessori Model United Nations next April.
All these activities correspond to the Adolescent need and desire for social justice. Maria Montessori states that adolescents “must understand the complex problems of our times” lest be lulled “by a false sense of security” (qtd. in Adamczyk, 356), and our job as teachers is to guide them to understand the social factors that affect the society where he lives. In words of Wyld and Loghry, adolescents are looking forward to fit into society and are very interested in human struggle (364). They suggest to begin with the history of their own place (365).
To help the students to understand how history is integrated in every human aspect, Beverly Adamczyk designed a history graphic organizer that (355) provides the framework for the adolescent’ study of mankind as proposed by Maria Montessori in her work From Childhood to Adolescence, Appendix B, in which Dr. Montessori says that we should treat human history “as far as possible as a complete whole, from which special periods can be chosen for individual study.” (qtd. in Adamczyk, 355)
The graphic organizer works as a cause-effect chart that helps the student to analyze the multiple factors that identify a historical event and its multiple results. The historical event to be analyzed is placed in the center of the timeline. A set of arrows with labels are used as the framework of study. The social structure (how people organize themselves), government, technology, economics, culture (art, religion, ideas, and values of the peoples) labels correspond to the realm of society. The people and places labels correspond to the natural factors that affected the event and to the “supranature”, the effect of man in nature (355).
After the topic is selected, a set of historical questions are posed for the student to help him think by himself. The organizer and questions work as a guide through the research, and give the student the opportunity to consider all the angles of the issue without relying on the guide’s authority (358-359).
This framework of the chart can be used to study Humanities and Science not only in the past, but in the present era, a time in which the social aspects of the past continue to influence today, but one in which we don’t know its outcome. (356)
Example:
Timeline: 1598
Historical event: First explorations and conquest of the West by the Spaniards
Questions: What where the causes for this event? How were they interrelated? What was its relative importance? What were the political factors that led to…? What type of government ruled in those times? What technology led to the invention of…? How was the government involved in that regulation? Who paid for…? What diseases appeared?
Bibliography
Adamczyk, Beverly. “A History Graphic Organizer for the Montessori Adolescent.” The NAMTA Journal 34.3 (Summer 2009):353-362. Print
Wyld, Jennifer. and Loghry, J. “Elder Voices: RidgelineMontessoriPublicCharterSchooland Cascade Manor Assisted LivingCenter.” The NAMTA Journal 34.3 (Summer 2009):363-373. Print
posted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents:
With excitement and renewed energy we come back to school to start our second semester. We welcome back all students and families. We want to thank all the students who took care of the plants and pets during the Christmas break. All plants and pets returned to our classroom environment after being very well cared for. Both of us are grateful for the cards, presents and every sign of affection we received from you and the children for our birthdays on November and the holidays in December. We would have liked to personally thank each of you, but we also do it through this letter so we won’t miss anyone! May you and your loved ones continue to be blessed this 2012.
Last December we missed exchanging books from the Book Club due to several no-school days; we are getting back on track. We want to remind you that the main objective at home is that the child develops or increases interest and love for reading, and that both parents and children will be able to sit back, relax and enjoy reading together. We exchange book or review it on Fridays. It is very important that first graders bring it back every week so they and their classmates won’t miss the opportunity to bring home a new book. In the classroom we have different ways to observe the progress of each child in the comprehension area, through spoken or written reports, individually or in group and we usually do it on Fridays as well.
Once again we are asking for your cooperation as we will continue to develop the first timeline of the children’s life as a part of the History curriculum. First graders need to write down the ages of their parents and siblings and also bring one picture for every year of their life and a brief history (in their minds is fine) about the important events on that year of their life. Second and third graders will bring pictures of their parents and siblings and the ages of each family member to develop a Family Tree.
We also want to remind you about the mid-year supplies that your children need in the classroom for their daily work (labeled please):
- 1 eraser
- 2 glue sticks
- 1 tape roll
- 1 set colored pencils
- 1 medium-sized hand sanitizer
- 2 tissue boxes
Best RegardsLiliana and Tereposted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Welcome back to the second semester of our school year. We hope that this New Year has begun well. We would like to thank you for all the sweet gestures you shared with Arielle and I during the Christmas season, and for supporting your child with the donations for the “Following in the Footsteps of Jesus” Association.
To continue with the virtue of service, the children have made a schedule to do social service at school. They will be reading to the Children’s House classes once a week. It’s something that they love and enjoy doing that will help them develop more virtues.
During January we have been working on the Time line of Man project. They are working in teams doing research and exploring the early man life. It’s a good way to encourage their sensitive period of imagination and love for culture. You are more than welcome to see their work at the open campus.
Another project we are developing for this semester is the “Go Green” classroom, where they are learning how to make choices that help the environment, by adopting environmentally friendly behaviors and new ways of thinking. We hope that you will talk with your child about what he or she is learning and will make the effort to make a few of these practices part of your life.
In February we will be reading the great lesson “The story if our Numerals and Language”, which lets them know when in time we classify prehistory and history, followed by the project of the Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia,Egypt,India,China, Phoenicians, Olmecs, Greeks, andRome. If you have any bibliography that might help us, we would appreciate if you lend them to the classroom for a period of time.
Thank you,Karina and Arielleposted on February 06, 2012 by Admin
Our first newsletter of the year: Wishing you a Blessed 2012!
Our environment started with a lot of enthusiasm and a new addition. We welcome Ruby Pattison to our environment this semester.
The older children have been working with the decimal system and learning the concepts of addition and subtraction; reinforcing the concepts with the stamp game which is a more abstract material along with the memorization boards.
The children are practicing the area of language by reading their first books, which they are all very excited about. It is made more exciting by the adult volunteers that are coming to read with our children once a week.
We have also stared receiving children from upper elementary that are doing their "social service". They come and listen to the children read while others help in the environment.
In general all of our children are practicing order and self guidance to reach their full potential.
In the Geography area one of our goals this month is for all the children to learn the continent they live in. Depending on their level, they are going to be working with North and South America.
We are going to be working on the outdoor environment by observing the trees and plants and the changing they will go through in the coming season.
As always thank you for your cooperation and we are looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming parent conference “Montessori Parenting" presented by Sonnie McFarland, February 22nd.
"The child can develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experiences 'work'". Maria Montessori
SincerelyAlicia & Carmenposted on January 06, 2012 by Admin
Mt. West Montessori was filled with snow during the Holiday Break!
posted on January 06, 2012 by Admin
Monica's Eng. Children's House kids are glad to be back to play and enjoy the garden at Mt. West Montessori.
posted on December 15, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Thank you for taking your time to come to the conference. We are glad to share with you all about your child and how they are doing at school. Working together, we can help them develop and mature.
Our fieldtrip to theEl PasoArt Museumwas very meaningful for the children. Their knowledge and feelings were enriched through their observations about the paintings and sculptures. We thank Margarita Cabrera for taking the time to explain and share her Art Exhibit with us.
It is Christmas and this is the time to enjoy your family and friends.
Happy Holidays,Gaby & Rosyposted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
As we approach the end of 2011 we want to greet you on these very cold days! We feel satisfied that most of you attended the conferences and had the opportunity to come and observe the environment. We appreciate your comments and concerns as they help us grow and improve.
We are back to observing the moon phases because there were some days we missed it. The children are thrilled to see its changes and share their observations.
We hope you and your loved ones enjoyed Thanksgiving week and the Grandparent Day Celebration, as children were eager to demonstrate the musical show they had prepared and which turned out great! Right now we’re working on our Christmas presentation, so save the date, Friday December the 16th during the morning; you’ll receive more information soon.
We send warm wishes for the Holidays and our best for 2012!
Liliana and Tere
posted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents,
I would like to start by thanking you for attending the parent-teacher conference this past week, it’s very important to work as a team and be part of your child’s development.
December is a month of sharing and spreading love between our family, friends and community, that’s why the Upper Elementary class will be working on sharing, thankfulness and social service by receiving grocery items to help to “The Following in the Footsteps of Jesus Association” with their Juarez project. We will appreciate your support.
Also this month the children will be sharing their family traditions for Christmas, keeping up with their “Love for culture”, so that they can all share, understand and respect the diverse believes of others.
The children will also be preparing our performance to share with you at the traditional End of the Year Show! We hope to see all parents, family and friends attended this event. We want to wish everyone a safe Christmas and a Happy 2012.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”Maria Montessori.Happy Holydays!
SincerelyKarina and Arielle posted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
The Holiday Season is here! You can feel it and see it everywhere. The weather, nature even the children are singing Christmas carols in the classroom.
We hope you enjoy this time with your family and value the blessings that we received this year.
We wish peaceful and happy Holidays with your love ones!
Carmen and Yolanda
posted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
From Childhood to Adolescence was published in 1948 for the first time. In this work, Dr. Montessori presented her insights about the period of adolescence and the role of the school in helping him becoming an adult.
The education of the adolescent at this period is of crucial importance. Parallel to entering into manhood and becoming a social man, he is developing a sense of moral justice and personal dignity. The adolescent needs to feel protected in two aspects: physically, while moving from childhood to puberty, and psychologically, while transitioning from living in a family to live within the society.
The role of the school is to educate the adolescent for the unforeseen. For Dr. Montessori the most important quality a person must have is adaptability _ the power of adapting itself quickly and easily. The adolescent, “must have a strong character and quick wits as well as courage; he must be strengthened in his principles by moral training and he must also have practical ability in order to face the difficulties of life.” The adolescent, “must understand the complex problems of our times; he must see the relation that his work has to do with that of the community he lives in.
Dr. Montessori’s endeavor was to place the adolescents in the “school of experience of social life” inside a prepared environment that would allow them achieve economic independence: earning money, feeling capable of succeeding in life by their own merits, exerting virtues and values, applying intellectual and manual skills. When he understands his achievements and the environment reflects those to him, he valorizes his abilities. As a consequence, he ends up feeling as an asset to the community.
For Dr. Montessori, “success in life depends on self-confidence, born of a true knowledge of one's own capacities, combined with many-sided powers of adaptation, in fact what we have called valorization of the personality.” NAMTA 31:1 p. 158
Our aim in the Adolescent Program is to help students to be creative and to strengthen their self-confidence, to be conscious of their own capacities, to become useful to others, and to develop faith in themselves.
*Independence is one of the sensitive periods of this age group.
Adolescent Program
posted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents
We hope your parents enjoyed the day they spent with their grandchildren. We enjoyed seeing the children show what they have learned. Thank you, as always to the volunteer mothers that worked so hard in preparation for that special day.
We were so pleased to have seen you during observations and parent-teacher conferences. It was noticeable how excited the children were to have you in their environment.
The children keep working hard and we can see how proud they are of themselves.
The Holidays are around the corner and the children are getting ready to present a little something for you. The date of our Holiday Show will be Friday, Dec.16th and we are asking for the children to wear Sunday Dress.
It is that tine of year when everyone starts getting busy in preparation for the Holiday Season and trying to create family traditions. We have been working with the children on the principles of sharing and giving. The main point that we have been trying to convey is the kindness aspect of the holidays and how is not about what you receive but that you have received something out of the kindness and love of someone's heart.
We wish you a very Blessed!!!!!!!!!!!
Navidad y Año NuevoAlicia & Carmen posted on December 14, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We had a wonderful month in November. Our garden turned colors and our weather got cold. The children were excited to have their grandparents come visit the classroom as well as having you come into the classroom to watch them at work. Their environment is sacred to them. It is something that together we all work hard to maintain in order and workable for them. We hope you enjoyed your glimpse into a day in your child’s' daily routine. Please remember that as each of your days are different at work, so are your child’s. Each day brings different interests, different moods and emotions, as well as different situations.
We also hope that the conferences were helpful and interesting as we spoke of the growth your child has had in this first semester as well as what areas we are working with.
December will be a short month and we will enjoy preparing for our holiday celebrations. Let's remember to enjoy sharing special moments and memories with our kids and all those we love.
We wish you and your families all of the best for the upcoming New Year and thank you for the love you and your child have shared with us. We would like to thank you all for the delicious food you have provided for the classroom. Everyone has done a wonderful job and we have so many great cooks!!!!!
Have a wonderful Christmas, and a spectacular New Year!!!
With warmest regards,Monica and Mayra posted on November 29, 2011 by Admin
Mt. West Montessori was happy to have Casa Colegio Montessori 6th graders visit the Adolescent Program. They joined the adolescents in Theatre class and worked with the Periodic table.
posted on November 28, 2011 by Admin
Grandparent's Day was a great success. We were very happy to see all the grandparents visit our campus. This was a wonderful opportunity for the children's grandparents to get to meet their guides and friends and to get familiarized with our Montessori community.
The Infant Community invited grandparents to visit their environment and work with their grandchildren in their environment. The children collected leaves from our sorounding trees and made a bookmarker as a symbol of appreciation for their visit.
Monica's Children's House class sang a song and read a poem to the grandparents. The children also showed them their favorite working material.
Alicia's Children's House class invited the grandparents to observe the children working and shared songs with the grandparents during circle time.
Gaby's Spanish Children's House class played music with instruments for the grandparents.
Lower Elementary classrooms played music with instruments (Scaramusa) and made beautiful pictures of their hand prints together.
Upper Elementary presented the Time Line of Life to all the grandparents.
The Adolescent Program had lunch together and shared wonderful stories with each other.
We will be posting pictures on this event soon.
posted on November 17, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents,
We want to thank you for your support by attending our parent meetings. These meetings are designed as a tool of communication between the school and parents regarding the Montessori philosophy.
We would also like to thank you for the time you invest on material making day. The material parents help make is a way of helping your children continue to learn in a well prepared environment.
During the month of October, the children were introduced to the United Nations awareness. Children worked on research and the preparation of designing the flag that represented the country they were assigned. This gave the children the opportunity to learn about diverse countries, cultures and foods worldwide. We thank the parents for their support and for bringing food to share with the community during this event.
November is when parents are invited to come and observe their children in the classrooms. This is a great way for parents to come and experience the working environment and be prepared to ask any questions or concerns during the parent/teacher conference. We hope that all parents are able to make time and attend both observation and conference.
Our Grandparent’s Day event will be taking place Friday, Nov 18
th. The children are excited to have their grandparents come and spend some time with them in their classroom.
We remind parents that we will have our Thanksgiving Break from November 21st – 25th. This is a time to share with your children the meaning of the holidays and spend some quality time together.
Happy Thanksgiving,Gaby and Rosyposted on November 17, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We’d like to start by giving a special thank you to all of you for participating in our United Nations event. We loved the environment and the support that we saw during the event.
In our environment the children learned about continents, countries and learned some of the flags. Additionally, we gave a simple explanation of the United Nations.
It is great to see how much the children are learning in all the areas of the environment. You are going to have the opportunity to experience and see the work that they have done and all they have learned when we have observations starting November 7th. Please take advantage of this opportunity to observe the dynamics of the environment and how your child and the rest of the group is progressing.
Also we are looking forward to "Grandparents Day." Start making plans and ask your parents to save the date; it is going to be held the last day before our Thanksgiving break. Further information will be given with the exact time at a later date.
REMINDERS1. Don't forget to send the book every Wednesday.2. It is very important for you to send the smock on Mondays.3. We are making our best effort to have the food containers ready by the end of the day. Please make sure that you ask for it during pick up time. There is usually many things going on and we may forget to give them out.4. Last month we asked for a pair of gardening gloves and so far only one child has brought it.As always thank you for your cooperation.
Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving,Alicia and Carmenposted on November 11, 2011 by Admin
The Upper Elementary children enjoyed their visit to Alpine, TX. They stayed at Prude Ranch and were able to visit the Observatory and local museums.
The children were excited to ride the bus to and from Alpine. We are glad they enjoyed this experience.
posted on November 11, 2011 by Admin
Our United Nations Celebration was a great success. We take the time to thank all students and families for their participation. Students did a great job mounting their poster board with informative research.
We all enjoyed the different food brought to share!
MWM
posted on November 10, 2011 by Admin
Human Tendencies “Throughout history, humans have relied on their ingenuity and adaptability for survival. Regardless of race, country, or culture, people follow similar patterns of exploration, inventiveness, and creativity. After years of careful observation, Maria Montessori was able to identify eleven important tendencies that compel human beings to construct and refine the world around them.”(http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com)
Tendencies are innate needs that are genetically transferred from generation to generation. They are timeless, universal, unchangeable, and useful for our survival and self fulfillment. These tendencies mark specific behaviors that are sought by the children. They have to be obtained in order to reach a normal personal development and stability in their personality.
Montessori defined those, as “the fundamental and unchanging facts…for example the fact that the man must eat; that man needs clothing, shelter and all other commodities necessary for the maintenance of all physical life. ” (Mario Montessori, The Human Tendencies and Montessori Education, p.3)
Throughout many years of observation, Dr. Maria Montessori defined the following tendencies. These are present with variations on the sensibility which depend on the developmental stage that the human being is encountering.
Our role as adults is to provide orientation and allow our children to discover their objectives in life, as well as their productiveness. Therefore, our support is crucial at this stage of their development.
Here is a list of the human tendencies with a special focus on the adolescent years.
- Orientation
- Having a changing body and learning how to use it
- Having a new brain (adolescents’ brains continue maturation until age 25)
- Learning how they fit into society’s teenage expectations
- Introducing them to new environments in which they have more freedom
- Exploration
- Learning social clues and structure
- Understanding sexuality
- Understanding adults´ codes of behavior, where they come from and why they act that way.
- Exploring their UNIQUE IDENTITY, gifs, and talents.
- Defining value systems
- Order
- Understanding hierarchy of people and why.
- Looking for order as a priority, trying to organize their surroundings as they order their whole being.
- Work:
- Purposeful and meaningful work within social organizations
- Using their bodies for difficult work even when they resist to.
- Being exposed to the different possibilities of expertise on society, and learning the multiple uses of their talents.
- Taking care of myself
- Working for the community
- Living in a working system and learning how to collaborate
- Testing and stretching their skills.
- Self perfection/exactness and repetition
- Adolescents are afraid of judgment because they want to do well.
- Adolescents want to be unique, but they actually copy society trends, and repeat behaviors thought to be “cool”.
- Repetition towards self perfection.
- Abstraction:
- Reaching new levels of abstraction
- METACOGNITION (: awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes)
- Acquiring a global vision, will give them new ideas that can be unrealistic but inspiring. These ideas can be settled once they have developed better abilities that support them.
- Communication
- Self expression happens in many ways. They need lots of avenues to dialog with experts and friends, because they need to feel connected to each other JUST TO ASSERT THEIR EXISTENCE.
- Imagination:
- Adolescents live in the present, in a more egocentric way. (e.g. What can I do with it? If I cannot relate it to my life, what is the point?)
- Ages 14 and 15 present high risk taking behaviors.
- They have to figure out how they relate to the universe. Every day is a Romeo and Juliet tale in order to understand the scale of their existence.
As adults, we need to let adolescents know that they have an important role in society, and that they are capable of accomplishing real work. When they leave us, they need to be sure that they can provide the community something worthy.
We need to help them continue with the idea of
AN OPTIMISTIC WORLD, and provide them with positive experiences filled with love and acceptance that will encourage them to continue advancing in their life path.
posted on November 10, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Continuing with the autumn changes, every child in the lower elementary has adopted a tree in the school grounds and has been documenting observations as the leaves change colors and fall, kids try to collect them; the insects and birds preparing for the coldest months ahead, it’s been wonderful to see them connect with nature this way. You may have heard that we lost one of our tees. This is part of the changes we see, as one life fades, a new one will begin. We are careful not to take the children out when it’s windy, as we’ve been advised, so nobody was outside while the event happened.
We welcomed all parents who took time to come and work with their children. They were very excited to share their work with you, even when they might have made mistakes while working, some of them got nervous! But they were all so proud to show their work.
We want to thank you for your participation and enthusiasm in contributing to make this first United Nations Event a success. We saw our kids work hard on their assigned countries, trying to get acquainted with the different cultures and places in the world, preparing costumes and food; we think it was a great learning experience for the whole family.
We look forward to a month full of learning as the children will pay special attention to the Phases of the Moon, where they get a chance to develop their abilities of observation, prediction, comparison, critical thinking, analysis and recording information. We are also preparing for the parent observations, parent-teacher conferences, the grandparents day and our Thanksgiving break!
Best RegardsLiliana and Tereposted on November 10, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
This month observing will be one of our main activities and having this in mind we will like to share in a brief way the importance of observation through human’s history.
According to the dictionary observation is an activity consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments.
Since the beginning and through human’s history observation has been an important and vital aspect. Humans have constructed their knowledge through observation; from the skies, to animals, plants and other human groups.
Humans have been observing the skies during day and night, from this they were able to determine the seasons, the moon cycle, the different constellations, new galaxies and their origins. Humans have also learned from the animals, by observing their migrations, their behavior, and determining their weaknesses to be able to hunt them for food. Now through observation and research we are trying to find a way of saving their habitats to keep animals safe. Observing plants has also been important to know which plants are eatable and which poisonous. Humans have also observed other humans since the beginning to know other groups traditions, beliefs and even war tactics.
This month the children will be observing the moon and its phases. We will send home a chart so your child can record his or her observations; we invite you to be part of this activity. Also, in November we invite you to come and observe your child in the classroom. Remember observation is done through your eyes and your ears. Please have in mind the three aspects during the observation. Observe your child, his/her working attitude and body language, the other children and the environment. Finally this month we are preparing to remember the things that we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is a beautiful celebration where we emphasize the virtues of gratitude, thankfulness, generosity and love. Let’s demonstrate in a way that the children can observe through our actions and our conversation what we are grateful for.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!Carmen, and Yolandaposted on November 01, 2011 by Admin
The children enjoying setting up and helping with the lunch preparation.
posted on October 07, 2011 by Admin
WHAT IS A SOCRATIC SEMINAR? By: Maria Ferrer
A Socratic Seminar “gives the students the opportunity to engage in intelligent discussions in which ideals, values, social issues, and principles are critically scrutinized in non threatening environments.”
The seminar uses the questioning method of Socrates, who viewed his teaching role as the “art of asking questions”. The students, “as a collective intelligence”, looking for the truth, “search for the understanding of the text and how those ideas resonate in the reader”. The seminars focus in a wide range of topics, including specific readings, scientific demonstrations, and the arts. Additionally, the students enhance their “abstract and metacognitive thinking”; as they listen critically to others points of view, learn “win-win conflict resolution styles, and values clarification”.
The Socratic Seminar methodology is designed to provide repeated opportunities to practice and develop logical, higher order thinking skills, and to reflect abstractly which, in turn, allows students to integrate exploratory experiences into their lives.
During the seminar, the students express themselves with respect. They follow grace and courtesy rules: waiting until a person finishes speaking before responding or starting another comment, giving others the opportunity to speak, calling people by their names. They also exercise their listening and speaking skills: making eye contact, watching their body language, giving clear and concise responses, summarizing.
The procedure is the following. The students are given a reading. On their own, they write three types of questions: interpretive, factual and evaluative (two of each one) and answer them.
An
interpretive question accesses the text and arouses interest. It is many times raised with an excerpt from the text. It has no correct answer. It usually begins with
Why? or
What does the author mean?An
evaluative question pertains to life or personal opinion.
How do you feel about…?A
factual question demands recall from the facts.
What are the physical attributes…? Here are some examples of the questions made by the students from the reading
Why We need Humanities?
- What does the author mean by this reading? They are talking about all the things humanities do, and how it affects your daily life.
- What are humanities? What we have in common and what we share.
- What do humanities mean to you? Humanities mean beauty, love, and compassion.
- Why do we need humanities? Because it is hard to get to the bottom of the question "Who am I?"
- How do you feel about humanities? I feel it takes a huge role in your life. I had no idea what humanities even was, but now I know how important they really are.
- Why is language important in humanities? Language is important because it allows you to express.
- Why do we think about death? Because we don't know what will happen, where it will happen, and when it will happen.
- How do you feel about human beings dying? I think it is a natural part of life and I should not to worry about.
- How do I feel about death? I don’t feel bad about death but every time I think about, it makes my life worse.
- What are the only things that can out way death? LOVE
- How do you out way the shadow of death? Love. Love can overpower anything.
- How do you feel about love?
It’s amazing how love affects your life. People look to find love in poems, songs, stories, paintings, which are all humanities.
- What can make memories become worse? Memories can distort reality. We sometimes remember things not the way they were but how we wished them to be.
- What are the memories used for? To remember the past.
- Why do we need to be part of the past? Because if we don't, we won't learn from our ancestors. By looking back into the past, we can improve for the future.
- What does the author mean by we were born with a moral sense? We are born with a moral sense, so we think before we act.
- Why were we born with a moral sense? So that we can make the right choices.
- How would you imagine our community with no humanities? There would be no order or moral sense. Like we wouldn’t think of the food that we are eating, we would just eat it, no questions asked.
- How did you feel while reading this document? I felt good, and very interested. No other viewers
Why We need Humanities? By Perry Link“We need humanities because it can explain what beauty means, because we were born with a moral sense, because it can teach us why we need wilderness, that languages are not codes, because human beings die, because love can outweigh death, because we have memories, because as things gleam in the past they can also gleam in the future, because we don’t know the answer to “who am I ?”, because there are many people living in the world and we can’t get to know all of them, and finally we need humanities because humanity itself is something we all share.”
Summarized by Madison Noyes
Bibliography Polite, Vernon C., and Arlin Henry Adams. "Improving Critical Thinking Through Socratic Seminars ." http://www.temple.edu/lss/pdf/publications/pubs96-3.pdf. The Publication Series No. 3, 1996. Web. 27 Sep 2011. <http://www.temple.edu/lss/pdf/publications/pubs96-3.pdf>. posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:This first month of class has been very exciting for our students and us. We have been very busy working with the academic subjects of Science and Humanities, Theater, Carpentry, Cross fit, and with other activities.The students have embraced with great enthusiasm going to the library and researching, working at the orchard picking up fruits and vegetables and selling them at Ardovino’s Farmers Market every Saturday. The outcome has been very successful. We also enjoyed having your on our “Booth” this last Open Campus!They also attended a four day Archaeology camp which included a visit to Hueco Tanks and recently, we visited Stahman Farms, the biggest pecan orchard in the United States. Our students have demonstrated great interest by applying the information received to their learning process.The children presented their goals to the parents last week on a Parent/Child conference. It is very nice to see that we have such respectful and conscious young adults, who are aware and responsible for their efforts. We are very pleased for the way this first term has worked and we are looking forward to the interesting activities we are planning for the coming term. We will keep you updated.Thank you,Fabiola and Marie posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:This past month we have been able to observe great changes in the dynamics of our environments; even though for some children the adaptation process has taken a little longer, on most days we are experiencing what we Montessorians call a normalized environment. Children now understand the daily routine and have coped well with separation from parents. This is allowing them to enter the environment joyously, eager to work much more self directed and less dependent on the guiding adults. Children are beginning to experience the satisfaction of being able to do things for themselves.They continue to develop a sense of security in the environment to the fact of experiencing clear and consistent limits on a daily basis. Constant feedback and follow through have also played an important role in this process.We recognize that such success in the adaptation process of your children is in great part due to the valuable efforts you have done as parents. We truly appreciate your trust and partnership in your family’s and child’s own process. Please remember that we are always available if a concern should arise in regards to your child.Due to the changes observed in the behavior of the children, this month of October we will be incorporating more challenging exercises and materials to our environments. One of them will be “Arranging Flowers” which from now on will be part of our community lunch routine. Children will have the opportunity to set up the table and include their arrangements in our place settings – an activity they all love!Once again, we thank your for all your collaboration and are always happy to hear from you all!Sincerely,Gaby Gutierrez and Michelle PerezInfant Community Guides posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:We really enjoyed seeing you and getting to talk to some of you at our “Open Campus”. Thank you for taking care of your children as well as the playgrounds. The children really had a good time. We are looking forward to our field trip to the Mesilla Valley Corn Maze on Thursday the 13th. Please remember to return the permission slips and money for the entrance fee for your child as well as for yourself or anyone accompanying your child by no later than, Wednesday, October 12th. We would like to ask you to please have your child wear their P.E. shirt for the field trip. If you have any questions please feel free to call the office.Reminder of class activities:
- Mondays - P.E. and bring back smocks
- Fridays - bring book bag with book to exchange.
- We send folders home on the last school day of the month. Please return empty folder the following school day.
As the season changes we talk about the changes we see all around us, the changes in nature as well as with our clothing. We begin to bring sweaters and eventually jackets to school. Please make sure you mark your child’s' P.E. sweater with their names as we cannot distinguish them otherwise. We already have 3 in the classroom that have been left for over a week and have no names. Also, please make sure that the sweaters or jackets have functioning zippers or buttons in order of the children to hang them up. Another request or reminder is for children who cannot tie their shoelaces to bring velcro or other types of fasteners on their shoes that will help the child be more independent.As well as working with letters, numbers, maps and all the other materials the children do on a daily basis; we are practicing respect in our environment. Maria Montessori emphasized learning as something purposeful and life lessons, not only for academic knowledge. In order to live in a harmonious society, the people who make up this society must be respectful to one another. New or old, each member of this group must follow rules in order to grow and be productive as well as happy. These groups of societies can be as small as a family at home, larger groups as a classroom, an office, a neighborhood, city, country and ultimately our world. We start by learning to respect others' work as well as their concentration while doing their work. How hard is it to get your work done when others are constantly interrupting or interfering? In the class we use Grace and Courtesy lessons to show the children the proper way to observe someone who is working. We practice using our inside voices and sometimes asking others to lower their voices in order to concentrate. We also practice going over to the guide or assistants table when they need help or simply need to speak with us. As well as going up to anyone they might need to speak to instead of calling them from across the room. These are all things that help keep the classroom conditioned for peaceful working and learning. We as parents can remember practicing this respect at home by having a small reminder of its importance and how we show respect in different situations. Remember that they should wait to speak when someone else is speaking, or when you are on the phone. That they must wait when you are busy but you will tend to them as soon as you are done. Respect their time to speak as well and their concentration with a particular activity. We show someone how to respect by giving it.We hope you have a wonderful month.Monica, Mayra and Lupita posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:We are very happy to see the children adjust to their environment. Congratulations and thank you for all your help and trust. We know it is hard to see the children go through the separation process, but it is a process!We will be having a special table to collect fall harvest objects so that the children can observe, touch, and learn. “It’s through the senses that the information gets to the brain”. We would like to ask for your help by sending any kind of fall harvest fruits and leaves.We would like to thank all the mothers for their time and effort in helping us with the material for our environment. If you are interested in joining to help, please let me know, I will connect you with our room mothers. And to all the parents who voluntarily donated money for the wonderful books that we bought. The children have been enjoying them.A couple of reminders:* Field trip to The Corn Maze. Thursday, October 13th.* Please return your child’s folder and book bag every Wednesday.* P.E. classes will take place every TuesdayWe are very excited to have Rosy Marin in our environment. We welcome her. SincerelyGaby & Rosy posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents: We are so pleased to have such a wonderful group of children, they work really well together and are enjoying each other. The children continue to explore and orient themselves in the environment and experiencing the freedom to move, within the limits of safety, which is essential in their positive growth. It is rewarding to see how the children, especially the youngest, are choosing to be involved in self selected and meaningful activities. Independence as a result of the freedom of choice, is gaining ground already in the formation of the children’s characters. I would love to hear if you are seeing the effect of this from your perspective.We hope that last Friday on “OPEN CAMPUS” you noticed that we have been working in the garden. As we continue with this activity, we are asking parents to please send a pair of small gloves labeled with the child's name. In connection with our environment, this month we are going to be working with the parts of the leaf, children are noticing the change of weather. Children will be working with wooden puzzles, coloring booklets and others reading and writing the booklets of the part of the leaf, depending on the child's age. We have many sizes, shapes and forms of leafs outside of our classroom! The children enjoy going outside and collecting on a basket the “different” kinds of leafs. We also learn the different names we find. On Thursday October 13th, we are having our first field trip. Please send the permission slip on time. We hope you can all come! REMINDERS:- Wednesday is the day you send the bag with the book- P.E class is on Wednesdays- All the children at this level need a smock with buttons. - Send back the folder on Monday. Otherwise they won't be able to take their work home on Friday’s. Thank you for your trust and cooperation.Alicia & Carmen posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
This month we will continue focusing our work in the development of consciousness. Our goal is that the children understand that following rules in the classroom environment, is for our own well being, as well as for the rest of the community and not for fear of a consequence. For example:
1. At the playground: I can not throw rocks. My amusement – fun cannot be based over my classmate’s safety.2. In the classroom: Working on the presentations, and using the materials that are difficult for the child are a challenge that needs to be overcome, not a passport to go out for recess.3. At home: Getting involved with house chores is part of the children’s responsibilities because they are part of a community. This has to be worked on a continual basis, with perseverance and abundant examples. We need to work as a team with you.
This month we will also give a follow up on the presentation of “God with no hands” (Story of the creation of the Universe) and the Big Bang Theory. We will be discussing with the children the types of galaxies, constellations and the first chemical elements in the universe.
Later this month, October 20
th, we will have a Parent-Child working day. We will keep you posted so you can join us.
Kind regards,Carmen and Yolandaposted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:Thank you for all your support and attention to the details regarding your child's school. You are a wonderful source of order for your child's awareness and ability to be successful at keeping schedules and responsibilities!During this past month, we have been working on the child's adaptation process within the classroom activities and their integration with the school, the guides, and their classmates. That is why I would like to talk to you about the period of socialization in which your child is going through. At this stage the child is learning some fundamental applications that take place in the socialization process: adaptation, integration, the achievement of goals, and to learn about how keep social patterns. Dr. Montessori mentions that at this age the child has the need to associate himself with others, not merely for the sake of company, but in some sort of organized activity. He likes to mix with others in a group wherein each has a different status. A leader is chosen, and is obeyed, and a strong group is formed. This is a natural tendency, through which mankind becomes organized.So by having the opportunity to be in a Montessori environment the child will experience this need, and will live important values that are going to help him/her through this process: respect, cooperation, tolerance, empathy, maturity, leadership, self-esteem, loyalty, respond to a group, and the skills developed (cognitive, physical, motor, social, etc).Regarding the classroom activities, last Thursday, September 29th we presented the play of the "Creation of the Universe". We enjoyed having in the environment; this is one of the most important fables that Dr. Montessori wrote to begin with our curriculum in History. Reminders:
- Also we want to let you know that this week, we are starting with the Spelling Book homework.
- We will continue with the reading book club every Friday;
- The second payment for the Alpine trip is due by October 15th.
October 20th is the day were parents come to the environment and spend a time working with your child "Parent &Child Working Day", so don’t forget to sign up, we will pass out the sign ups soon. The schedule is from 1 to 2 or 2 to 3. This activity will allow your child to show you his/her work, it is meant for him to teach you what he is doing. The children are very proud of their work, let them show you and guide you through their learning. If you cannot attend, please have a significant adult come and share the experience! Moreover, we as a school community will be celebrating the Peace Day and the United Nations Day together at the end of the month. This will be a whole school family activity, we are sure you’ll enjoy. Please look for more detailed information coming up on both of these activities.Thank you,Karina and Arielle posted on October 06, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We would like to thank all the parents for their continuing support in helping us with the preparation of the materials that your children use in class. This makes our work easier and at the same time you get to help in your child’s education. Thanks a lot!!
Children love it when their parents bring the lunch that was scheduled during the month; the effort you make in preparing such a meal is greatly appreciated. To see the face of your child when he/she sets the table, helps to serve, watch the other kids enjoy the food and even afterwards washing the dishes, is a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment, which your child appreciates very much.
We are looking forward to a happy and productive month. As we are moving from one season to the next, we have noticed that the air is cooler, the days are shorter, and trees are changing colors. As you know, during this month the children welcomed Teresa Prince. The change of working with her was a natural process for them as the change of the season. The transition was particularly subtle and favorable to your kids as they adapted exceptionally quickly to the new changes. They are very happy and enthusiastic to have her with us.
On the other hand, we have been working with experiments in the classroom to continue supporting the Great lesson “God with No Hands” that we presented in September. These experiments illustrate what the Big Bang Theory presents. We learn about gas formation, gravity, solids and liquids, etc. October is filled with new projects. We will be talking about constellations, galaxies, and the nebula; and the children will research more about these topics, we assure you, this is a very exciting topic, it is both very instructive and fun! As a general note, it is important for you to know that we continue always to work on the math, geography and biology, as well as the many language, grammar and spelling work that we have in the environment.
“The goal for a child of this age goes beyond the imparting of knowledge. It seeks to aid children in their development as complete human beings. Through their exploration of the Universe, the beginnings of life on earth, and of the laws and order which govern existence, the children gradually realize that everything in creation has a role to play. They are inspired to look for what it is that creates the interrelatedness of the Universe and the living beings within it. They begin their personal search for the meaning and value in human life.” MMontessori.
Thank you for your continuing support!!
Liliana & Tere
posted on September 26, 2011 by Admin
The Lower and Upper Elementary classrooms had an amazing and growing experience during their camping trips this past weekend! The Lower Elementary left the school at 7 a.m. on a bus and arrived to Ruidoso at 10:30 am, where they camped out. The weather was great and with plenty of sunshine. All the children enjoyed setting up camp and everyone participated with the making of the food, washing dishes, setting up the tents etc. They had lots of fun hiking and site seeing.
The Upper Elementary class left on a city bus at 9:00 on Friday to the Human Body exhibit in downtownEl Pasoand returned to school grounds around 3 p.m. where they camped. The children had a wonderful time and couldn't wait to get back and start setting up! The children had a lot of fun toasting marshmallows around the camp fire. They also enjoyed a surprising fire work display which took place around 9 p.m.
Lessons in independence, integration, solidarity and team work are the goals of these experiences. We are proud of all the parents who worked as hard as their children in making these camping experiences successful. Thank you to all the staff that was involved! We send out a special thank you to our Carpentry Teacher Gerardo Valles and to our Cross-Fit coach Paul Smith for accompanying the students. You where a great support!
Mt. West Montessori
posted on September 07, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Last meeting was a great success. It was exciting to see many parents attend and enjoy the different topics covered. We truly appreciate your involvement and your effort in learning a little more about Montessori; remember every meeting we offer through out the years is different! Here is a brief description of what we covered last Wednesday.
One of the main topics was on LOVE and the four ingredients it takes to consciously love, these are: knowledge, respect, responsibility and care. We at school get to know your children through observation and interaction, respect their needs, prepare the environment for their development and connect them with the work they need. We love them this way! We touched briefly on the life of Maria Montessori and the "Scientific Pedagogy" as she called her philosophy and its current developments around the world. The importance of the Prepared Environment (our Montessori classrooms) which includes 4 aspects: Large groups, mixed aged groups, three hour work cycles and developmental material. The meeting was filled with inspiration as we covered "the Spirit of the Child". We heard a beautiful and very touching presentation by Hortencia Jacques, truly a special experience! We also had 4 presentations of and directed toward the development of understanding the concept of division, from Infant community all the way to Upper Elementary. A very special guest Eugenio Mesta, currently a sophomore atCathedralHigh Schooland an ex-alumnus from the 6th grade Graduating Class of 2009, answered swiftly and respectfully a series of questions from parents. Questions where mostly geared towards his adaptation process in a traditional school after leaving Mt. West Montessori. He was truly charming to hear!
We feel that a lot of questions and concerns were answered. We are happy to hear that the parents enjoyed the materials presented. We hope we will keep seeing you and other parents in the next part of “Because No One Was Born a Montessori Parent”. Thank you for attending!
Natalia Bennett
posted on September 07, 2011 by Admin
Farmers Market
Adolescent Program will be selling yummy pears and pecans from the school at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing FARMERS MARKET.Come join us and experience local and home grown produce from 7 am to 12 noon. Many local farmers and local artisans have booths and sell wonderful local grown products.The market offers wonderful pastries and breakfast burritos!posted on September 07, 2011 by Admin
Meet your Room Mothers
Gaby’s Infant Community: Sandra Castaneda
Michelle’s Infant Community: Rati Baijal
Alicia’s Span. Children’s House I: Susana Escobar
Gaby’s Span. Children’s House II: Katherine Thomas,
Myriam Carrillo,
Tiffany Mojica
Monica’s Eng. Children’s House: Maria Quevedo,
Marly Estevez
Carmen’s Lower Elem. A: Claudia Ruiz
Liliana’s Lower Elem B: Norma Baeza
Karina’sUpper Elem: Liz Flores,
Gaby Navarro
Fabiola’s Adolescent Program: Tina Velasco
These wonderful moms are the pulse of the school campus! Please contact your room mother (email or call school office for contact info)for any questions you might have regarding social and school activities. We had a great meeting yesterday and great activities coming up! Room mothers organize material making day, help out in the big events like Grandparents day, Carnival and Holiday Show. Also they can recommend and guide you through your first year at Mt. West Montessori if you are a new parent. Please keep yourself updated by checking your email and the blog.
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Hi everyone! Welcome to this exciting school year. This is a very special moment for our school because we are being pioneers, in our adolescent community, and for that, we are very happy.
Why is this so important for our community? because we are offering an educational option based on the adolescents’ needs, taking into consideration their developmental stage.
“It is during the period of adolescence that interest in the construction and functioning of society presents itself in germinal form in the individual consciousness. Now society is built up by various activities and not only intellectual ones. The greatest element in its construction is the growing sentiment of the conscience of the individual, which develops through and by means of social experiences.” (From Childhood to Adolescence, Appendix C)
Maria Montessori defines the individual entering this developmental stage as a “SOCIAL NEWBORN”:
“…this is the time, the “sensitive period” when there should develop the most noble characteristics that would prepare a man to be social, that is to say, a sense of justice and a sense of personal dignity.” (From Childhood to Adolescence Appendix A)
We want to extend an invitation to follow our activities through the year by reading this news letter. That way we can share the multiple experiences we will enjoy as learning explorers. At this stage the prepared environment for the adolescent becomes the city, the next visit will be a day camp at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. We will share our experience on our next publication, we will keep you posted.
Thank you,
FabiolaValenciaand Mary Ferrer
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Upper Elementary welcomes you to this school year!
We would like to share with you some of the things that your child will be experiencing this year. According to Maria Montessori, children at this age level are going through the second plane of development, that’s why it is very important for us to guide the students through this process by giving them the opportunity to live their independence and love for culture. Field trips play a stimulating and important role. From September the 22nd to the 24th, we will be having the Upper Elementary integration field trip, and we hope all the students will be able to go. We will give you more information on the Orientation Meeting coming up, don’t miss it!
During this age, children are developing their moral conscience. In the environment we will be offering the children the opportunity to live justice and responsibility by having: the “peace table”, sharing during circle time, giving special time to do some reflection, focusing on movement by practicing yoga, dance and other activities. During these activities children will have the opportunity to connect with themselves and others. Is is a very important process for them!
To promote imagination, we will be exploring different ways of expression: like free writing, art, oral expression. We will begin this month with a play of the great lesson ‘God with No Hands’. This is one of the seven “Great Lessons” given to children in this level. We can say that Montessori Cosmic Education continues to be our inspiration as it reminds us that everything and everyone is interconnected in present and through time.
Once again, we would like to welcome you, and invite you to keep being a part of this marvelous stage of your child life. Feel free to speak with us, we are interested in your questions and comments!
Sincerely
Karina and Arielle
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful summer. We are looking forward to the new school year!
During this month children:
- will be learning and understanding the classroom rules
- start to get organized during working time
- learn and review materials in the environments
- get new presentations
The children are becoming familiar with their new environment as well as adapting and integrating themselves into the group. It is great to see their efforts and interest, already they are forming friendships and are excited to see each other.
In September we will be presenting the great Montessori lesson of “God Without Hands”. This awakens a special interest in the child which stimulates their creativity, their reasoning and provides a new way to see the wonders of the world.
Cosmic Education Quote:
“The children have been taught about the creation of the world and the position or place man has in the world”. “The answer has remained the same”. “God has created you and brought you into the world to work and accomplish your task”. Maria Montessori.
Please come to the orientation meeting. Well be able to talk more about your child and how they are working. We have a comping trip coming up in September. It is a great opportunity for the children to develop independence and integrate themselves even more with the group!
Thank you for your trust,
Liliana Valverde and Audra McNeill
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Welcome to a new school year, we hope you had a great summer! We are very excited about starting this school year, and for having new families in our environment.
We appreciate your enthusiastic response to the changes we are implementing this year. Changes sometimes are hard to confront, everything that is new creates tension or stress, but without challenges we would not grow or learn. We are sure these new activities that we are implementing such as community lunch will reflect positive aspects of your children: like generosity, thankfulness, courtesy and service.
During this month, 23rd and 24th, we will be having our Lower Elementary Camping trip. We will do it at the beginning of the school year as an integration activity. It is a great opportunity of independence growth for all children, make sure to come to the meeting to learn about the event! We will let you know soon the day for our meeting.
Please contact me with any questions, if you need to see me please set an appointment.
Kind regards,
Carmen and Yolanda
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
It has been a great start to the new school year. We hope it has been just as great for you as well. We began with two major changes which have been the drop-off, pick-up lane and the community lunch. Both have been working wonderfully! The drop off and pick-up has been going smoothly and children have been doing great adapting. The community lunch is also going very well. The children have been eating quite a bit and trying different foods every day. We have also enjoyed “thanking” the families who bring the lunch to share before we eat. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in both transitions. It is you who have made the changes a success!
We would also like to tell you how much we appreciate your attendance to the kick-off meeting and hope to get the opportunity to see you at our meetings and events throughout the school year. We understand how hard it is at times to take evenings off to attend but these times are the best moments to understand more of what goes on in our environment and the chance to ask questions over any concerns you may have. Our next meeting will take place on September 1st so please mark your calendar. It is an orientation meeting regarding all the classroom activities: who, what,when and where things happen!
In October we will be going on our annual field-trip to the Mesilla Corn Maze. We will be sending you the information with date in a few weeks. It is a day we have enjoyed as a class together with parents the past few years. In this month we will be sending you a colored construction paper with your child’s name and we ask you send a family picture to display in the class. This picture is of your immediate family and will be returned to you in a couple of weeks.
We will be having our P.E day as an entire class on Mondays starting this month. We ask that you send your child in their P.E. uniform every Monday. Children MUST wear tennis shoes in order to participate. Thank you very much and I would like you to know I am available for meetings if you have any questions or concerns. Please call Liz or Margie in the office to set up a convenient date and time.
Sincerely,
Monica, Mayra and Lupita
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We would like to welcome you to our community once again. It is our pleasure to have your children with us in an environment specially prepared for them. Despite the changes that this school year may bring, it is important to regard them as an opportunity for growth and development in many areas.
Our next meeting will take place September 1st from 6:30 to 7:30, please mark your calendars and make sure to come in and discuss any concerns regarding to your child and/or school.
We would also like to share with you our experience on the first day of community lunch. It was wonderful! We can’t describe the children’s faces. They were happy eating together, proud to share lunch. One girl said to another “I really like it, it’s like a restaurant!” So we really enjoyed that day, observing how fun was for them and listening to everything they had to say.
Following is a quote from Maria Montessori that we’d like to share with you all:
“Every child needs freedom to grow and explore the world on their own, because only this way we are educating future men.”
Sincerely,
Gaby and Maricarmen
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
Welcome to the school year 2011 - 2012!!
We are glad to see you and your children, it is amazing how much the children have grown during the summer.
For those children that where here last year, we observed the children comfortable in their familiar environment. It was nice to see that they noticed the changes in the environment, as well as their joy in working with the materials once again.
We extend a special welcome to the new children in our environment Teresa Benavente, William Chandler, Maeve Garay, Teresa Guemez, Schyler Harvey, Daniel Aaron Lopez, Evan Marquez, Ana Mendez, Oyindamola Opawumi, Tex Rasberry and Romina Torres. We know that they will adapt to the environment with ease and soon will be busy working.
We would like to thank you for attending our first meeting, also for your cooperation with the drop-off lane and the community lunch program!
This first month we will pay special attention to the adaptation of the routine in the environment. Reminding the children and focusing on the order of the environment ( a place for everything and everything has its place), of processes ( like pushing your chair in when moving away from the table) and of the routine!
Soon we are going to inform you our designated P. E. day, I remind you to order your P.E. uniform which will be used on our assigned day, also children must wear tennis shoes in order to participate!
We are looking forward to working as a team with you the parents, the children and us guides. Remember communication is a key for success: We are always here for you, any question or concerns feel free to call and make an appointment at the office.
Thank you for your trust and best regards,
Alicia & Carmen
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Welcome to our new school year! Welcome once again to the wonderful world of Montessori. I hope that your summer was restful and constructive in company with your family and children. I know that I always look forward to an emptier mind during these months. The time at school to implement all our creative plans began last week, and the staff and myself where all very excited to see you parents and most specially the children. I do have to share with you that the environments and the school as a whole have a certain feeling of tranquility to them that is warming! It’s great to have the children here with us. The community lunch has created an atmosphere of camaraderie that complements the Montessori principals of Grace and Courtesy! Serving each other, waiting for all to be ready before eating, thanking parents for providing the food, promoting proper conversation while sharing a meal and having nourishing and healthy meals is what we are seeing in the environments. “Mom... we ate very elegantly! Is this everyday at Montessori?” one mom reported her child replied. Our efforts to give honor to sharing a meal, has returned with a warmer feeling of community! Independence as life begins at birth. What does this means to you? What kind of independence would you gift your child if you could? It is the great question. I know for my children, independence of thought is on the top of the list. This is a big one. I for one wonder in the many ways in which the world as their environment promotes their dependence, and how in contrast, Montessori environments promote their independence. I wrote of this last year briefly stemming from a though from a Montessori Adolescent guide that said to us during a training, “We are born individuals and we die as copies”. This poses a question that we must answer individually. What kinds of limits are set within our everyday lives that hinder our individuality? Through what process does one loose or own our individuality and connect it with the conscious free will. Dr. Montessori presented the idea that it begins at birth, and through compassionate adults who prepare themselves to guide and share an environment of curiosity and discovery. I invite you to revisit your home environment, and look at all the processes that can shed light into higher levels of independence, individuality and connectedness. I continue to extend a cordial invitation to our Parent Orientations Meetings coming up Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Look for your child’s classroom level, each class has a specific hour. Also make plants to attend our “Because No One Was Born a Montessori Parent, Part I” series. All parents are invited, however these meetings are specially created for new parents to our school community; these continue to bring awareness to our mission and work in progress. This first meeting will have a special visit of an ex-alumnus, a beautiful note on the spirit of the child, “Love” as a driving force of the world and the special and fragile balance of the Prepared Environment. We will see you, Wednesday, September 14th from 6-8 pm. I look forward to conversing with you in more depth. I wish you a wonderful month of September. If you would like to come see the school please let us know. Thank you for your trust and keep updated with the school through our blog at www.mwmontessori.com/news Warm regards, Natalia BennettHead of SchoolMt. West Montessori posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Dear Parents:
We would like to extend our warmest welcome to you and your child. First of all, we would like to thank you for your trust and assure you that we´ll do our best to ensure a safe and positive environment where opportunities for social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth will be provided at all times.
It is important for you to understand that our environment is not a “classroom,” but an atmosphere especially designed to create an extension from the home environment. Therefore, the Infant Community will naturally become interesting for the child inviting him/her to enter willingly. Each and every object found in the environment serves a specific purpose. Many of the activities replicate those performed at home on a daily basis, giving the child a sense of familiarity within the environment. The importance given to order - both, physical as well as in daily routines – allows the child to understand its surroundings and develop basic trust in our environment. When this happens, the child will know what to expect and will develop a strong desire to freely explore and actively participate in the environment.
In response, us the guides, will make sure that the use of every piece of material is understood clearly, allowing the child to use it independently. This way, we respond to the inner voice of the child saying “Help me to do it by myself”
Despite their young age, children in the Infant Community have a natural interest in doing things for themselves. It is extremely important for the development of a positive self-esteem, to foster this interest throughout collaboration. In our environment collaboration means the child is allowed to participate as much as possible in each task to encourage independence, while the adult provides only the necessary assistance to avoid frustration.
It is in the best interest of your child that a partnership between home and school exists in order to facilitate the process of adaptation to school. The meaning of congruency acquires then a higher level of importance.
With this in mind, we would like to invite you to reflect on this and share your thoughts at our next parent meeting or trough the school blog, we are always interested in what you have to say!
Sincerely,
Gaby Gutierrez & Michelle Perez
Infant Community Guides
posted on August 30, 2011 by Admin
Parents this is A MUST…look for your specific classroom date and time on the calendar on this blog.
There are many values and virtues we develop while being part of a Montessori community. For example, when we bring an object to Show and Tell, we learn to share and communicate. During this meeting we will learn about the purpose, values and virtues of all activities and how to apply them at home as well.
The Guides will give an orientation on Calendar events, Community lunch, Elementary Camping, Show and Tell, “Reading Child Program” Book club, fieldtrips, Drop off and pick up, Prent Meetings, Grace and Courtesy , limits and guidelines in the environment, communication with the staff, etc. Lots of information for you as parents and of course the meeting poses a great opportunity to come and meet other parents.
Meetings are Wednesday, August 31st and Thursday, September 1st. from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Every class has an hour meeting slot and they are all staggered. If you have more that one child, you will be able to attend all of them!
This meeting is for parents only. Welcome to another great way to connect with your childs community!
posted on August 25, 2011 by Admin
Our first day of school was a great SUCCESS! All our implemented new program changes such as the drop off, community lunch and pick up lane worked out BEAUTIFULLY!
Our drop off and pick up lane worked smoothly and we thank you parents for your participation. Staff has heard continuous compliments in regards to this service. We are glad you are enjoying it. If you need more time with your child’s Guide please call or email the office to set up an appointment or with a message.
Our community lunch program has helped the children be open to the meals being served and allowing them to taste all that is included in the lunch menu. Children are happy are excited about the meal and we are happy to see empty plates and full stomachs. Some of the children are even asking for seconds and thirds! We invite you to share success stories of what your children are telling you about their lunch.
We continue to see many smiles as the children enter their prepared environments. The Guides have taken the time to prepare the atmosphere for it to be inviting and at the same time meeting the child’s developing needs. Come to the orientation meeting scheduled for next week. For more information log onto our BLOG as we will be updating all events coming up.
Welcome students and families to our Montessori community, we are glad you are here.
posted on August 24, 2011 by Admin
Mt. West Montessori is proud to announce Aida S Cuisine catering service. Aída Samaniego has over 21 years of experience in the food industry. She provides up-scale, gourmet catering to businesses and families, gourmet cooking and nutrition classes, and in-house, personal chef services. Aída's menus celebrate local flavors while incorporating exotic tastes developed during her travels around the world. She uses local, organic ingredients when possible. For any catering needs please contact her at 915-351-9434.
posted on August 22, 2011 by Admin
Staff climbed the Frankiln Mt. early Tuesday morning on Aug. 16th. In a team building and inspirational climb, the staff reached the top working through the "most dangerous" area if the mountain. Both climbing as well as
coming downhill, all of the members offered help, required help, understanding and compassion from each other. It was a beautiful experience for all! We know now that together we can continue to offer the beautiful montessori environments and experiences for our community!
posted on August 11, 2011 by Admin
MWM Participated in the West side 4th of july Parade, we had two decorated vans, children on bikes and scooters, parents and fans enjoyed the walk!
The 6th and 7th graders visit and tour Grand Central Station in New York during their trip to the Montessori United Nations.
The 6th and 7th graders are enjoying their trip to the Montessori United Nations in New York. During this trip they had the opportunity to visit and enjoy Grand Central Park.
The 6th and 7th graders are enjoying their trip to the Montessori United Nations in New York. During this trip they had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero.
coming downhill, all of the members offered help, required help, understanding and compassion from each other. It was a beautiful experience for all! We know now that together we can continue to offer the beautiful montessori environments and experiences for our community!