Our Toddlers, ages 18 months to 3 years, are having a very busy and productive summer. We are always amazed at these little ones and all they are capable of!
MCS still has space in our Toddler program for fall. Give us a call to schedule a tour and learn more about the magic of Montessori at the Toddler level.
This article made me smile. As a parent I often have a difficult time seeing past my own expectations of how things should be. Spills, messes, fighting…they make me crazy and I forget that my boys are simply practicing, in the safety of my home, how to manage these simple realities of life in preparation for the bigger and greater things that are in their (hopefully very bright) futures. While I appreciate pristine floors and the sounds of laughter and kindess amongst my three children, I am trying each day to embrace their journey and experience. My hope for them is that when I allow them to really experience mistakes and explore solutions on their own, they are experiencing a gift that they will carry with them always. I hope you enjoy this blog post from a fellow Montessorian as much as I did…Click here.
Montessori Community School offers a unique outdoor education program at each level. We value the opportunity for children to become stewards over the earth and explore their natural environment. You can read more about our Outdoor Classroom and Great Outdoors programs here.
Now accepting Toddler (18 months – 3 years) Applications. Please call to set up a tour of the school, (801) 355 – 1555, or request a tour via www.mcsslc.com.
“The teacher, when she begins work in our schools, must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work.”– Maria Montessori,The Absorbent Mind
Ms. Kay Burgoyne, our new Early Childhood Teacher, ran the Utah Valley Marathon on June 14th. This was her first full marathon, finishing in 5 hours 39 minutes and 13 seconds. Kay ran 26.2 miles. When asked about the expereince, Kay told us, “I was so happy to accomplish a lifetime goal that I thought I never would be able to do!”.
“The teacher, when she begins work in our schools, must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work.”– Maria Montessori,The Absorbent Mind
Ms. Kay Burgoyne, our new Early Childhood Teacher, ran the Utah Valley Marathon on June 14th. This was her first full marathon, finishing in 5 hours 39 minutes and 13 seconds. Kay ran 26.2 miles. When asked about the expereince, Kay told us, “I was so happy to accomplish a lifetime goal that I thought I never would be able to do!”.
“A teacher, therefore, who would think that he could prepare himself for his mission through study alone would be mistaken. The first thing required of a teacher is that he be rightly disposed for his task.” – Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood
Many of you already know Ms. Kay as one of our Toddler Teacher Assistants. This coming school year Ms. Kay will step back into an Early Childhood classroom.Kay discovered Montessori in 1983 while living in Princeton, New Jersey when a friend observed her way of raising children and suggested working in a Montessori school. She observed a school, agreed completely and has been working in Montessori schools ever since. She began as a Toddler Assistant in a school in Princeton. In 1995 she finally was able to take her Montessori training in London, England at the Maria Montessori Training Organization (AMI) for ages 2 ½ – 6 year olds. She completed her BA degree at Chaminade University in Honolulu in Early Childhood education. We are so happy to have Kay with us and to be able to celebrate this accomplishment in her life. She is such a true example of implementing Montessori Philosophy, not only in the classroom, but in her life.
Many working parents are looking for a safe and healthy environment for their very young children. Options for child care are limitless and varied in what they have to offer a young child. However, current research shows us that the most crucial part of a child’s development happens in the unconcscious absorbent mind, from 0-3 years old. That being said, why wouldn’t any nurturing parent want the most prepared and beneficial environment for their child? This article, Montessori Infant-Toddler Programs; The Best Beginning, from The Montessori Way will help you determine if a Montessori Toddler program is the best fit for your child.
“This is a time of great sensitivity to language, spatial relationships, music, art, social graces and so much more. If, during this time, the mind is stimulated by the child’s exposure to a rich environment, the brain will literally develop a much stronger and lasting ability to learn and accomplish.” Read more...
The most beautiful thing about this video is that while Jackson might be an exceptional child, his documented experience (shown below) is not the exception….it is a true example of what happens in a Montessori Early Childhood classroom! As you watch, take note of his independence and self-direction. Pay close attention to his interaction with teachers and peers and opportunities for collaboration balanced with independent work time (and don’t forget about his community contributions.) Watch him choose a variety of activities in a variety of areas of the classroom and notice how he cleans up every piece of material before choosing a new activity!
These are all life skills that a child in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom has the opportunity to experience simply by being in a prepared environment with a loving guide.
MCS is still accepting applications for the 2014 – 2015 Academic Year. Schedule a tour today!
Current research and various studies support Maria Montessori’s approach to Early Education. She discovered that children 0-6 years old were in an absorbent mind, where children absorb information from their environment with little to no effort. Montessori wrote and spoke about “Sensitive Periods”, which are periods in a person’s development when they are more responsive to certain stimuli and quicker to learn particular skills. She also taught us that when these crucial stages are missed (which she referred to as “dropped stitches”, learning becomes a more difficult process. For example, children who are exposed to a second language in their first six years have an advantage over people who learn a second language later in life, when the sensistive period for language development has passed.
Simply put, a child’s early years lay the foundation for all that is to come. In recent years, researchers have learned that the human brain develops the vast majority of its neurons, and is at its most receptive to learning, between birth and three years of age. In fact, the intake of new information is critical to the formation of active neural pathways (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000).
MCS Toddlers do scrubbing work.
The Toddler Montessori environment is carefully designed to meet the children’s needs in this critical stage of development. Exploration of their environment through the five senses coupled with a rich socially prepared environment with children of different ages and abilities allows Toddlers the opportunity to develop the following:
meaningful relationships, mutual understanding, and approprite social skills
values and ethics
motor skills
creativity & imagination
self correction and overcoming fear of making mistakes
self expression through arts, music, dance, building and exploration of materials
ability to process emotions and life events in a safe and loving environment
cooperation
development of language
independence
control of body
sense of order
Montessori Community School is currently accepting applications for our Toddler program. Toddler enrollment is limited to the beginning of the academic school year, August, and January. Contact us for a tour now!
In all my years as a Montessorian, I have never met a parent who did not want the absolute best for their child. Just as adults want to go to work in a place where they feel satisfied doing something they love, many parents are searching for the same educational experience for their children. Most parents are searching for a system that actually works (as in, educates the child) while nurturing the genuine spirit of each child individually! The great news is…it really does exist!
The video below will show you how Montessori schools, including Montessori Community School – a private Montessori school in the Salt Lake Valley, gives children the motivation and interest to learn, allows for a productive and meaningful learning experience, and creates a peaceful learning environment.
If you think the Montessori approach might be right for your child, please contact us for a tour. We are currently accepting applications for the 2014-2015 Academic Year.
Special Thanks to Daniel C. Petter-Lipstein, creator of “Superwoman Was Already Here.”
