Skip to main content

Tag: Healthy Living Montessori Community School

Helping Children in Times of Crisis

Talking about hard things is… hard! Sometimes we avoid for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing and making things worse. We are so very grateful to Cherie Mockli for helping us understand how we can offer support and provide comfort when needed. Cherie’s perspective is so very grounding. Her advice is practical. Thank you Cherie!

The recording of our conversation can be found below

 Resources

Praise and Punishment

“Eventually we gave up either punishing or rewarding the children.”
—Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood

It’s a new year and many of us make resolutions. As parents, in spite of our best intentions, we sometimes get stuck in patterns that are no longer working or may not be the most beneficial for our children. What are some new ways to deal with the normal day-to-day challenges of being a parent?

Re-Thinking Some Common Practices

No one is really taught how to parent. We do what our parents did, or the direct opposite. Some practices enter the mainstream and are implemented by parents without much thought.

How often do you use the phrase “Good job”? Do you use a “time-out” when your child is challenging your patience? Changing some of these rote responses can make a huge difference for children and parents alike. We can communicate to children in ways that help them feel more secure and independent.

Unearned and Unnecessary Praise

The “good job” comment which seems to roll off the tongues of parents, teachers, and by-standers is said with good intentions, but gives very little acknowledgement of what went into accomplishing the “job.” Similar to every child getting a trophy whether the team wins or loses, this empty praise may discourage children from trying new activities at which they might fail. They also may get an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement.

The adult becomes the judge, and motivation becomes external rather than internal. This “conditional parenting” teaches children to behave in a certain way in order to be loved. It becomes another method of control, just like punishment.

It’s more meaningful to have adults understand a child’s feelings and communicate appreciation of the effort and natural hard work involved in learning. Practice, trial and error, and persistence in the face of failure help your child’s brain develop.

Alternatives to false praise:

  • Talk about specifics: “That picture has so much red color.” “You tried really hard to make that goal in soccer.”
  • Solicit the child’s thoughts and feelings: “What did you do when you spilled the tray of food?” “How did you feel when you missed the goal?”
  • Encourage persistence and hard work: “You sounded out that word all by yourself.”

Punishment or Setting Limits

In The Discovery of the Child Maria Montessori says, “To tell a child: ‘Stand still like me!’ does not enlighten him.” She explains that such a demand is both physically and mentally impossible for a “still growing individual.” What may appear obvious and understandable for adults is not always true for a child.

b2ap3_thumbnail_Screen-Shot-2015-04-27-at-2.40.55-PM.png

Some time ago, as a reasonable option to corporal or demeaning punishments, the “time-out” method became the discipline of choice. This prevalent form of discipline makes a child experience a feeling of rejection and learn that love will be withdrawn if she does not conform to our wishes.

Misbehaving is often a call for help or some added adult encouragement and understanding. Helping your child verbalize feelings often is enough for her to continue to problem solve. Sometimes physical holding is necessary to stop a tantrum and help a child learn to self-soothe.

Discipline is about teaching, not punishing. Rather than exclude a child, we want to encourage the development of empathy and insight. We want to set clear limits while helping empower children to understand and collaborate with us so that respect flows in both directions.

Changing Time-Out to Time-In

We want to convey love and respect, letting children know it is the behavior we want to change, not the child. “Time-in” means we know where the child is developmentally and can intervene before the child seriously misbehaves. If you stay calm and spend “time-in” with your child, both of you will feel more secure and in control.

These ideas may help:

  • Anticipate and prepare for challenging situations. Have appropriate expectations for your child’s behavior based on his age and abilities. Be willing to adjust your plans accordingly.
  • Take games or quiet activities for those wiggly waiting times in the doctor’s office, a restaurant, or on the airplane.
  • Support your child by explaining the reasons for requests. Make clear brief explanations appropriate to the child’s age.
  • Spend 5 to 10 minutes with a young child when you notice frustration developing. Change the activity or just assist in making it easier to handle.

Look to the Child

What are reasonable expectations? Psychologist Madeline Levine reminds us that “the happiest, most successful children have parents who do not do for them what they are capable of doing.” This leads to independence and a strong sense of self-esteem. We need to stand back while they figure out things on their own. We as parents can give up judging ourselves when our children don’t live up to our expectations. We can instill positive values and encourage persistence while watching our children learn from the normal challenges in life.

“No one who has ever done anything really great or successful has ever done it simply because he was attracted by what we call a ‘reward’ or by the fear of what we call a ‘punishment.'”
—Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

 

by Jane M. Jacobs, M.A., Montessori Educational Consultant at Montessori Services. She is a trained primary Montessori directress and also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has taught children aged 2 to 7 years in Montessori schools, Headstart, and also in a preschool for children with developmental challenges. In her counseling practice, she helps individuals, couples, and families.

http://montessoriservices.addr2.com/view/350390d/702cd6/

 

MCS Recognizes Earth Day

b2ap3_thumbnail_EarthDay1.png

 

 

 

b2ap3_thumbnail_EarthDay2.png

 

Montessori Community School loves the passion our students have toward caring for our earth. They help with keeping our grounds clear of trash, working in our gardens, composting, and planting raised garden beds. Our students also implement and are responsible for recycling throughout our school. We try very hard to make our school and community a greener place.

 

MCS Family Ski Day

b2ap3_thumbnail_Ski-Day.png
b2ap3_thumbnail_Ski-Day-1.png
b2ap3_thumbnail_Ski-Day-2.png

 

To close our Winter Sports season, Brighton Resort would love to host an MCS Family Ski Day. Tickets are at a reduced rate and can be purchased from the MCS Office. When purchasing your tickets, please ensure to make checks out to MCS.

 

MCS Student Television Debut – Good Things Utah

MCS Lower Elementary student Diego Reyes-Lisieski recently appeared on KSL’s Good Things Utah where he shared his talent and passion for cooking as a representative of the Salt Lake Culinary School which he attends.  Diego has shared this talent with his classmates at school as well.  He has been a student at Montessori Community School since 2010 and has enjoyed his cooking hobby since he was very young. Nice work, Diego!

 

 

First Day of Winter Sports

The first day of Winter Sports was a success! We would love to thank all those who chaperoned and made it possible for our students to enjoy and learn such great activities and develop their skills and talents.

b2ap3_thumbnail_IMG_3123.JPG
b2ap3_thumbnail_photo-2.JPG

 

MCS’ Ski and Snowboard lessons are taught at Brighton Resort. The first day of lessons can be a bit tricky as instructors adjust groups. Instructors will assess each student and figure out what level that student will enjoy and be able to continue to develop and enhance their skills.

b2ap3_thumbnail_photo-3-1.JPG

 

Our chaperones were great in helping to keep spirits high, students organized, and feeling secure. This year we have 24 Kindergartners participating in the Winter Sports Program. It was awesome to see them hauling their gear by themselves to and from the school and also to observe the older students reassuring and comforting them.

b2ap3_thumbnail_IMG_5484.JPG

 

Murray County Ice is providing ice-skating lessons to a portion of our students. Again, our parent chaperones were wonderful in providing support to our students and teachers.

b2ap3_thumbnail_IMG_5501.JPG
b2ap3_thumbnail_IMG_5506.JPG

 

Spirits were high as students finished their lesson and moved into the free-skate period to practice what they learned.

 

Fill-the-Pack Holiday Giving Project

This year, Montessori Community School particpated in a service learning opportunity that touched the lives of many by supporting a local charity.

This year, after looking into many areas of need in our community, we participated

in the Fill-the-Pack Project created by the Homeless Youth Resource Center. This relatively new program provides a way to get some basic survival necessities (toothbrushes, toiletries, hats, gloves, and blankets are just a few of the items in the packs) to teens that are living on the streets of Salt Lake City.

MCS provided two backpacks for each of our classrooms to fill with items from the Homeless Youth Resource Center needs list.There was such a wonderful response from our students and families! We were able to fill and deliver 24 backpacks plus many other various items that were brought in and donated. Imagining these teens out on the streets trying to make it- these backpacks were truly a heartfelt, supportive gift. We know our community felt the spirit of giving when one family filled two backbacks on their own and many students were talking about how grateful they are to have families supporting them and warm beds to sleep in at night. Our students kept trying to fit more and more into these packs. Their kind hearts and generosity was overwhelming.

Thank you to all the MCS families who helped with this tremendous project and learning opportunity. To find our more about the Homeless Youth Resource Center, please check out the following links:

 

 

LiVe Well- 8 Healthy Habits for Kids, Teens, and Families

                                               Intermountain LiVe Well Assembly

                                                 The 8 Health Habits—The Musical!

MCS Kindergarteners, Elementary, and Middle School students attended Intermountain’s LiVe Well assembly.

The assembly was a fun-filled 45-minute health education show called LiVe—The 8 Healthy Habits Musical!

The Grand Theatre and Corporate Staging Resources brought the excitement of live theater to MCS in hopes

to encourage students to adopt healthy eating and exercise habits. In a mix of drama and humor, performers

spoke to our students hoping to empower them with the skills they need to critically evaluate media messages

and peer group pressures in order to make healthy choices from eating more vegetables and obtaining at least

10 hours of sleep at night.

The first 3 healthy habits revolve around the food and drinks that are put into our bodies:

     1.   Always east breakfast and make it a healthy one.

      2.   Eat more fruits and vegetables.

      3.   Limit –or eliminate sweetened beverages.

Followed by the next two healthy habits revolving around activity:

       4.   Sit less and limit screen time. 

       5.   Move more.

The final 3 involve sleep and support.

       6.   Get enough sleep.

       7.   Eat meals together as a family.

       8.   Be positive about food and body image.

Wholesome varieties of activity, food, sleep, and support are proven to be crucial to a balanced and healthy

lifestyle.  The LiVe Well program is geared toward educating and motivating the younger generations to practice

and incorporate the 8 health habits into their lives.

 

Our MCS students were, of course, the perfect audience. Our students demonstrated the utmost level of respect

with beautiful live interaction and well thought out responses.

 

MCS encourages our parents to review with their students the 8 healthy habits and find ways to better

incorporate these practices into their daily routine. Parents may have one of the most powerful roles in helping

to shape a child’s life. Support from parents and/ or guardians is essential to forming habits. Let us try to make

healthier choices for our future generations and ourselves.