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Tag: School Events

Spreading Peace

Written by Montessori Admin on . Posted in Blog.

Last week our school community shared in the beautiful gift of celebrating peace as a community and as part of a world-wide event. Each member of our school, from the tiniest toddler to the tallest elementary student, joined together on the field to sing “Light a Candle for Peace.”  Then, our elementary students sang “What a Wonderful World” and one of our elementary teachers, Christian, spoke to our students briefly about sharing compassion around the world.  He invited the students to imagine a mirror that allows them to look at themselves full of love and compassion, then invited them to turn that mirror and extend the same love to their friends, their family, their community, their city, their state, their country and, finally, to the entire world.

As stewards over these each of these beautiful little humans, we take great joy and responsibility in the privilege and responsibility of teaching peace to the students of Montessori Community School. MCS teachers touch on many different aspects of peace throughout the year.  Our peace curriculum, written to create a culture of cooperation and compassion, acts much like the other subjects taught in a Montessori environment.  The following ideas are touched on year after year and at varying levels, depending on the development of the students and the make up of each classroom.

  • Creating a space for peace
  • Supporting peace
  • Acknowledging peace
  • Advocating for peace
  • Developing inner peace
  • Intentional acts of peace
  • Cultivating peace
  • Nurturing peace
  • Celebrating peace

Peace truly does begin within.  However, just like addition and history and penmanship, our children must be taught to develop and emanate peace.  We teach through lessons, we teach through experience, and we teach by example.

May each of us be filled with intention to develop our own sense of inner peace and compassion and may we seek opportunity to spread compassion and light to our fellow man. May the love of our wonderful MCS students be given the respect and attention it deserves to grow and spread and make a sincere difference in the world.

Two friends, one Toddler and one Early Childhood, gleefully meet on the playground and dance, providing great pre-program entertainment for the rest of us

Peace Education

These Aspens class students hold a sign that says “Peace” during the program

MCS students, toddler through elementary, gather together to sing “Light a Candle for Peace.”

Younger students are paired with older student while they hold hands and walk around the campus to look at the peace flags made by their peers.

This mother and son look at the peace flags during the peace walk.

An Upper Elementary student signs “Peace.

Upper Elementary teacher, Christian, talks to the students about self compassion and sharing compassion with the greater community.

Peace flags are decorated by MCS students and staff and then hung along the Outdoor Classroom fence.

Peace in any language.

“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education…”

Written by Montessori Admin on . Posted in Blog.

“Everyone talks about peace but no one educates for peace. In this world, they educate for competition, and competition is the beginning of any war. When we educate to cooperate and be in solidarity with one another, that day we will be educating for peace.”
María Montessori
 
Each year MCS staff and students decorate peace flags, share a peace walk through our campus, and hang a peace dove in our gardens as a way to support, honor, and celebrate peace on earth. Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times, Dr. Montessori was a strong advocate for peace. She firmly believed that the education of children was the key to future peace. Her vision was the reconstruction of society and formation of world peace through education.
A teacher walks with Toddler students past our Outdoor Classroom where the student’s peace flags have been hung.
Upper Elementary students prepare to carry the Peace Dove to the Outdoor Classroom, where it will be visible to the Salt Lake Community.
An Early Childhood student decorates a peace flag with images that remind her of peace.  Her flag will be hung outside with the intent of spreading love and peace.
Another peace flag.
Elementary students help their younger peers locate their flags in the Outdoor Classroom, where the breeze blows the students wishes for peace.
Siblings share a moment.
Friendship is honored and celebrated.

MCS’ 2015 – 2016 PSA Team

Written by Montessori Admin on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Community News, Get Involved (P.S.A).

Left to right: Jeannette Shaffer: Lower Elementary, Gretchen Strear: Early Childhood, Greg Feucht: Toddlers, Annie Guerrero: Upper Elementary, Soo Schmidt: Early Childhood

This year, the Parent School Alliance (PSA) has been restructured to include one (1) representative for the Toddler, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary age groups, and two (2) representatives for the Early Childhood age group. We hope that the presence of a PSA Team will continue to help facilitate conversations between parents and the school, and to create events throughout the year that give us an opportunity to get to know each other, and have some FUN!

The PSA includes parents, faculty, and administrative staff of MCS and allows us to work together with a mission to offer support to our school, which allows our children to get the most out of their education.

There are a number of ways for you to get involved such as various Social Events, Fundraisers and MCS Community Committees. We would love your enthusiasm and assistance in getting involved with Community Building for your child’s class, the Halloween Carnival, the Spring Music & Dance Performances, the Art Showcase and the End of Year Carnival. By participating you will work toward completing your parent participation hours, have some fun and it will also give you a chance to help improve our school.

Parents are always encouraged to participate as volunteers in the classroom, help with events, and attend our PSA activities throughout the year. Volunteer opportunities are fun, diverse, and vary in time commitment. We encourage you to be as involved as your schedule will permit.

We look forward to working with you over the next year. Please feel free to contact us at any time. Also, we will have a PSA Suggestion Box in the office at all times, and we will be available to answer any of your questions via this box or you can email us direct psa@mcsslc.com.

Thank you again for your support.