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| March 2009 |
Vol 1, Issue 7 |
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Montessori Matters
Newsletter of the Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy |
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WELCOME |
Hello, families, alumni, and friends of the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy,
March certainly lived up to its reputation for "coming in like a lion." What a surprise to see almost a foot of snow on the ground just weeks before the first day of spring!
Before the month "goes out like a lamb" (we hope!), Daylight Saving Time arrives on Sunday, March 8th. To learn more about why we spring ahead and how it affects us, follow this link to "13 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Daylight Saving Time."
 March also ushers in Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents, if you have not scheduled yours yet, please give Kristin a call: 732-842-5816.
And then there's the March Montessori Matters Newsletter. It features a new alumni profile, a Practical Life article written by primary class directress, Sandra Flanagan, news about our new summer enrichment and all day Montessori programs, and much more. Enjoy!
For easy access to the articles that interest you most, try clicking on the links in the "In This Issue" box.
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NEW! SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM |
This summer, the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy will offer a summer enrichment program for children 2 ½ to 6 and 6 to 12 years of age. It is open to our students and their siblings as well as to children who are not enrolled in our school. Its price: $250 per week; or $900 for the full four-week program.
What is it?
Summer enrichment at Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy is . . .
. . . A great way for our students to continue their exploration, growth and learning over the summer;
. . . A wonderful opportunity for children who are not enrolled in our school to experience some of what Montessori has to offer;
. . . A program we're often asked for, where children can find the support, stimulation, and joyful discoveries they've come to expect from our Montessori school.
The primary program, for 2 ½ to 6 year olds, will be directed by Mrs. Bradbury. It includes:
~ Outdoor activity and gardening;
~ Individual work with Montessori materials;
~ Math & reading readiness activities;
~ Daily snack preparation;
~ Arts & Crafts, Story Time, Music & Creative Movement.
The elementary program, for 6 to 12 year olds with Ms. Cherniavsky, will focus on math and include hands on work, according to grade and ability, with our beautiful math manipulatives. We'll cover: - Long addition, subtraction, multiplication & division; - Multiples, factors, commutative and distributive laws; - Fractions, powers of numbers, expanded notation; - Decimal fractions, negative numbers, and pre-algebra. Ms. Milonas will offer weekly music instruction with an emphasis on singing and parts of the orchestra.
When is it?
The program will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 11:30 am, starting July 13th and ending August 7th. Children may enroll for one week, several, or all four.
Who can attend?
Both children who are enrolled in our school and children who are not may attend this summer enrichment program. All children must be toilet trained. Physicals and medical registration forms are required for children not currently enrolled in the academy. - Fees for summer enrichment are $250 per week; $900 when you sign up for the full four-week program. - Register by April1, 2009. Enrollment forms are available from the office - 732-842-5816; info@vsmma.org We'll also be happy to answer any questions you might have. - We need 10 children enrolled in each class in order to hold it.
Please help us promote the summer enrichment program by sharing information about it with friends, neighbors and family. Use the forward to a friend feature at the bottom of this newsletter or request a paper flyer or email announcement to pass along. Contact: info@vsmma.org or 732-842-5816. |
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KID'S ART FUND RAISER |
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Transform your children's art into note cards, notepads, stickers, invitations and more through KidsArt, Inc. And in the process, raise funds to support our school.
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WELCOME ALUMNI - AND THANK YOU |
For many of you, this is the first issue of Montessori Matters that you've received. We're pleased to share it to you. And we'd like to thank you for taking the time to respond to Mrs. Guli's letter. We were thrilled to receive news from so many of you. The favorite memories you wrote about were heartwarming and amusing - often both at the same time.
We look forward to hearing more from you and also to hearing from more of you. Your parents too! If there are friends from your Montessori days who you think we might not have reached, please reach out to them for us.
We hope you'll join us at our annual reunion day party on May 30th and at other Montessori community events. | |
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| MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
Sunday, March 8: Daylight Saving Time starts. Turn your clocks ahead and gain an hour of sunlight in the evening.
Monday, March 9: Parent-teacher conferences begin.
Friday, March 13: School closes at 12:30 for afternoon Parent-Teacher conferences.
Thursday, April 9: Spring Recess begins when school closes at 3:30
Monday, April 20: Spring recess ends. School reopens 8:30 am
LOOKING AHEAD
Upcoming events you won't want to miss!
Friday, May 1, 7 p.m.: Elementary Class' Spring Production
Saturday, May 30, 11 am - 2 pm: 40th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Reunion.
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the school |
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Introducing All-Day Montessori |
The following went out in a special emailing last month. It's included here for those of you who might not have seen it and for those of you who'd like to take a second look.
Beginning this September, the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy will offer an all-day enrollment option that combines the joyful, child-directed learning of a Montessori program with the comfort and convenience of an earlier start time and afterschool care.
ALL DAY MONTESSORI will meet from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
A relaxed hour getting ready for the day ahead will be followed by a regular Montessori work day plus afternoon recreational activities - involving books, crafts, games and outdoor play.
Tuition will be $14,000.
All current programs - half-day primary (8:30 - 11:30 am); extended day primary and full day elementary (8:30 am - 3:30 pm) - are still being offered.
For additional information, please contact Kristin at 732-842-5816 or info@vsmma.org |
| Our Elementary Graduates Continue to Make Us Proud |
Several of our former students made Honors at Holy Cross School in Rumson for the 1st Trimester. They include Kelsey Malone (8th grade), Danielle Downie and Patrick Thormann (7th), Olivia Keavey and Austine Lilley (5th).
Thank you, Ms. Cherniavsky, for preparing our children so successfully!
~ submitted by Deborah Downie, treasurer of our board of trustees and proud mom to Diana (in Ms. Cherniavsky's class) and Danielle (a Montessori alumnus). |
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ALUMNI PROFILE: Kristin Dora Taddei |
Kristin Dora Taddei of Little Silver attended the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy from 1992 - 1995, before moving on to the Little Silver public school system and then the Academy of Allied Health and Science - one of Monmouth County's "magnet" high schools. She is now a 20-year-old sophomore at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA majoring in geosciences and, as she puts it, "studying everything about the earth." Her growing knowledge of environmental and new energy issues and her passion for learning all she can about our planet are preparing her for "a job that hasn't been discovered yet," she says.
Drawn to the arts as well as the sciences, Kristin studies music performance - her minor at Franklin & Marshall - and took courses in drawing and photography at Monmouth University this past summer. Her interests include abstract art, international studies, and poetry.
An accomplished violinist, Kristin plays with the college orchestra and in a three-person local band that performs at galleries and other Lancaster locations. She took her first violin lessons at age 9 and fell in love with the instrument. Playing it has opened many doors. She travelled to Ireland with the New Jersey Youth Symphony during high school and has performed with professional musicians at the Franklin and Marshall Philharmonia's annual Superbowl Concerts. Music has even led to a few job opportunities - playing at weddings (with her sister on the cello), for example, and giving private lessons.
These days Kristin's life is brimming over with things to do and to learn. In addition to her musical endeavors and classroom studies, Kristin recently travelled to Puerto Rico for a week-long geosciences course. She hosts a Sunday afternoon radio show. She draws and paints and works as a "techie" for the Theatre, Dance and Film Department. How she manages to find time for all of this, is a mystery. Yet, it's clear that Kristin still has many other goals and interests she can hardly wait to get to. And you somehow know she will.
Kristin's Montessori Memories
Like many alumni of our school, Kristin loved the freedom of the Montessori classroom and the opportunity it gave her to explore different ideas and interests and to make her own decisions about what she wanted to do with her time. "Coupled with the way my parents raised me," she says, "Montessori gave me the ability to teach myself and think for myself and the desire to constantly be learning."
Favorite memories: Kristin's memories of her time at the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy are both serious and whimsical. On her alumni information card, she reports that her favorite Montessori memory is "snack time with Rachel Becker. We would pretend we were English royalty as we ate and would nibble on our pretzels and dab our faces with napkins and (attempt) to speak with English accents." Another fond recollection involves "sneakily trying to see our own and other kids' parents through the one-way glass that separated the classroom from the lobby."
"Circle time," when Mrs. Bradbury and Kristin's fellow students gathered round for a story or discussion, also left a strong impression. There was something about it that seemed to foster friendships and build community, she recalls. "Because we could all see each other, we felt closer and interacted more. I attribute my ability to form and always have close friendships to those circle times."
A Favorite Activity: "Counting Beads. For a long time after I left Montessori I'd still think about those beads while I was doing math."
Another Favorite: "The pink tower, especially when you finally placed the smallest block at the very top. Then another kid would come along and do it differently, maybe build an abstract sculpture with the tiniest block at the bottom. That's Montessori."
In what ways, if any, does your Montessori education come in handy today? "Montessori gave me a different way of looking at the world and a certain way of thinking about situations. It helps me get perspective and not sweat the small stuff. I'm able to reason with myself instead of freaking out." |
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CELEBRATE - 40 YEARS OF JOYFUL DISCOVERY |
On Saturday, May 30, 2009, the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy will mark a milestone-its 40th anniversary-by starting a new tradition: an annual Reunion Day gathering.
Please plan to celebrate with us as we bring together current students and alumni, families, faculty, and friends for a delightful mid-day (11am - 2 pm) party in our backyard. There will be activities and entertainment for all ages ~ great food ~ fantastic company ~ and many opportunities to reminisce and re-connect.
We'll be filling in the details as they develop. In the meantime, please save the date. |
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40TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE JOURNAL: Help us make it memorable! |
As part of our 40th anniversary celebration, we will be publishing a commemorative journal to highlight our school's history and reflect the favorite memories of our students, past and present. We will begin distributing it on May 30th, with copies available hot off the presses at our reunion day gathering. All proceeds after expenses are covered will be donated to the Mary Mastro Guarriello Scholarship fund.
Our students, families, alumni and friends can support this effort and help us create a truly memorable and meaningful keepsake by:
. . . purchasing space in the journal to share a Montessori memory, present a child's artwork, advertise your business, make a special dedication, or sponsor a photograph from the school's archive. Rates:
___ ¼ Page, $40
___ ½ Page, $60
___ Full Page, $100
___ Inside Covers, $150
___ Back Cover, $200
A flyer with more details will be coming your way very soon!
. . . suggesting businesses you frequent and service providers you use whom we might approach about advertising in the journal.
Involving individuals and groups that the families of Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy depend upon and support will allow us to contain publication costs and continue building relationships in the community. In this trying economy, the opportunity to advertise economically to a responsive audience will surely be appreciated!
To get those creative brainstorming juices flowing, here is as an example of one parent's list: Monmouth Pediatrics, Shore Pediatric Dentistry, Sid's, Katherine Barnett School of Dance, Shrewsbury Gymnastics, Sal's, Crazee's, Kidz Kuts, Sport Spot. Please send a list of your favorites to our office: journal@vsmma.org
We look forward to receiving your suggestions and thank you in advance for your support.
For more info, contact Jennifer Anderson, development consultant, at 732-870-6085. |
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Montessori Primary Presentation |
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On Tuesday, February 10th, Mrs. Sandra Flanagan, who directs the upstairs primary class at Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy, presented "What is Montessori Pre-school? - An Introduction to the Montessori Primary Classroom."
The program attracted 18 prospective Montessori parents, who clearly enjoyed listening to Mrs. Flanagan's spirited explanations and demonstrations and felt they learned a lot from them. Fortunately for those of us who were not able to attend, Mrs. Flanagan has captured some of her presentation in writing and shares it with us in the article below. |
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THE MONTESSORI METHOD AND PRACTICAL LIFE |
For my very first article in our newsletter, I'll be writing about the Practical Life area of the Primary classroom. I chose that topic for three reasons. First, it is the cornerstone of the Montessori Method and the foundation for the learning that occurs in all other areas of the classroom during the three-year primary cycle. Second, it is the area where children entering a Montessori primary program at the ages of two and a half or three will spend most of their time. And lastly, it tends to be the most misunderstood part of the Montessori Program.
From her observations of young children, Dr. Maria Montessori realized that children do not learn by sitting in a chair all day, listening as an adult feeds them information. Her study of children taught her that in order to learn, children need to move and to use their hands. They need to have the freedom to choose what interests them and to repeat an activity over and over again without restrictions on time.
100 years ago when she opened her very first Casa de Bambini in San Lorenzo, Italy, the exercises of Practical Life were Maria Montessori's gift to the young child. They are a gift to today's young child as well. The exercises of Practical Life offer young children the opportunity to develop independence, responsibility, and self-confidence. They help children become problem solvers who think and do for themselves. And isn't that what we as parents want our children to grow up to be?
The exercises of Practical Life, which include washing, scrubbing, sweeping, folding, dusting, pouring, and polishing, also help the child gain self control, sequencing skills, and the ability to concentrate and focus. They are the young child's work--work that is purposeful and necessary for the child's development.
In a world where three-year- olds so often hear: "No, Don't touch that," "No you'll hurt yourself," "No, you'll break something," or worse yet: "Here, let me do it for you," the three-year-old in a Montessori environment hears something totally different..... "Come; let me show you. Now you do it."
The Practical Life Work Area
When you enter the Practical Life area in a primary classroom, it looks more like a home than a school, and that's exactly what Maria Montessori wanted. When young children enter this prepared environment, they see things that are familiar: things they might find in their very own homes but may have never been allowed to use or touch. Other things are familiar, but for the first time they are just the right size. Shelves are low and tables and chairs fit their small bodies perfectly. The materials are beautiful, colorful and attractive. They are displayed in a way that is appealing to the young child. Everything has its specific space on the shelf so it is always in the same place when the child wishes to use it. This provides consistency and a sense of security. It also establishes a sense of order.
From the very first preliminary exercises - folding cloths, pouring water, learning how to carry a chair and how to unroll and roll a rug - young children begin developing their coordination of movement. As the child progresses through the preliminary exercises, they use the dressing frames, the hand washing table, and other materials to learn to care for themselves. At the same time, they are building fine motor skills (necessary for holding a pencil and writing), gross motor skills, and other abilities they need to be independent.
The Practical Life exercises also provide opportunities for young children to care for others and for the environment. Through vegetable cutting, polishing, plant care, table washing and cloth scrubbing children become aware of their place in their new school community. Lessons on Grace and Courtesy, including lessons on how to greet someone, how to pass in front of someone, how to walk around a rug, and how to offer assistance, are incorporated into the exercises of Practical Life. Children as young as three learn how to fill a pitcher of water for the next friend, how to wipe up a wet spill so no one slips, and how to return a tray to the shelf in such a way that it is ready for the next person. Patience is learned at an early age. With only one of each material on the shelf, waiting one's turn becomes second nature.
Repetition, repetition, repetition
The exercises of Practical Life provide young children with purposeful work and an introduction to cycles of activity - the concept of working sequentially through a series of steps from beginning to middle to end. Each lesson is presented to the child as if it were a gift especially for that child. Once the Directress presents a lesson on a particular piece of material, the child is free to choose that work anytime he or she wishes and may repeat the lesson as many times as he or she chooses. Repetition, repetition, and more repetition are imperative for mastering a skill.
Through repetition young children's movements become more refined and their thought patterns more organized. They begin to learn how to concentrate and to develop longer attention spans. As the child grows, the lessons grow as well, with some exercises containing as many as 40 or 50 steps. With the Directress serving as a bridge between child and material, children work without having to worry about an adult interfering or criticizing. They learn by analyzing their own movements - "Oh, I spilled the water because I put too much in the glass".
 The key to self-confidence
As children become more aware of their movements and more ordered in their thinking, the need for external discipline by an adult is replaced by self-regulation, self-control, and self-discipline. The need for external rewards and praise is replaced by intrinsic rewards. Children no longer work for the approval of others; instead they realize their own value and self-worth and take pride in their own personal growth and accomplishments. In turn, the more self control, focus and concentration children have and the more confident and independent they are, the more successful they will be in all areas of learning - and living.
Independence . . . Concentration . . . Focus . . . Self-Confidence . . . Increased Attention Span . . . Self-Control . . . Dexterity . . . Eye-Hand Coordination . . . Fine Motor Skills (preparation for holding a pencil and writing) . . . Gross Motor Skills . . . Sequencing Skills . . . Problem Solving Skills . . . Self-Discipline . . . and Responsibility. Clearly, the Practical Life exercises are about more than washing tables, polishing metal, scrubbing a cloth, caring for plants or cutting vegetables. They are the foundation for all future learning. The abilities children develop as a result of their Practical Life experiences are necessary for children to be successful in other areas of the prepared environment - and in the outside world.
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Accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
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Affiliated with North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA)
The Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, nonsectarian school admitting students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its admission policies, educational policies, or school- administered programs.
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