 Upcoming Events | |
Saturday, Mar. 31:
Pre-Kindergarten
Tea Party
10:00AM - 12:00PM
&
Kindergarten Tea Party
1:00PM - 3:00PM
Friday, April 6 -
Sunday April 15:
No School or Childcare
(Spring Break)
6:30AM - 6:00PM
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Normalization
| | "Actually, the 'normal' child is one who is precociously intelligent, who has learned to overcome himself and to live in peace, and who prefers a disciplined task to futile idleness. When we see a child in this light, we would more properly call his 'conversion' a 'normalization.'"
-Dr. Maria Montessori
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Greetings!
Welcome to spring! February brought us Valentine's Day parties and parent/teacher conferences, which went very well. March and April step in with new developments in the weather and in our school family! The elementary students all had their art on display at Anton Art Gallery early in March. Also during these months, the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students will be hosting tea parties for their parents, and spring break is just around the corner. We have now expanded our social networking by joining Pinterest and tumblr. You can follow us on these two sites for classroom updates, books to read, and fun things to do with your children at home. Of course, you should also continue checking Facebook, Twitter, and the app (iPhone or Android) for updates, stories about what's happening in each classroom, and pictures of the children at work. |
 | Tea Parties | 
On Saturday, March 31st, the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students will be hosting a tea party for their parents. They have been working on their grace, courtesy, and manners in the classroom in preparation for this event.
All of these children are eager to serve their parents tea and perform for them as well. The pre-kindergarten students will perform a song for their parents, and the kindergarten students will present a memorized poem for theirs.
Tea time is at 10:00AM for the pre-kindergartener and 1:00PM for kindergarten. We are all looking forward to this very pleasant occasion! |
| Spring Break | |
Spring break is just days away! We will be closing the school for six school days. There will be no school or childcare from April 6th - 15th. School will resume on Monday, April 16th.
We hope you all have a wonderful time on your days off. Feel free to update us on Facebook and let us know what you're up to! |
| Normalization? |  Normalization! You want to normalize my child? What? Are you saying my child isn't normal? What is this Montessori madness?
Normalization does not actually have anything to do with being normal. It is, rather, a status of regulation. In fact, any student who is not perfectly "normalized" in the classroom can still be a perfectly "normal" child.
Normalization can be thought of as the point at which a child, using concentration, is able to fully utilize his/her ability to self-regulate. The sensitive period for this self-regulation, the time at which the brain is under optimal conditions for developing such a skill, is between birth and six years old. Although some children have developed it by age four, others continue to grow through age ten. In order to develop the self-regulation necessary for normalization, the child must be given opportunities to develop concentration. The development of concentration depends upon the child being provided with purposeful movement and meaningful experiences.
What Dr. Maria Montessori theorized over 100 years ago has been scientifically proven today through brain research. She developed an environment rich with
 opportunities for purposeful movement and meaningful
experiences. She did this because she observed that, in this way, children develop their concentration and thereby self-regulation (normalization). Montessori classrooms are the only classrooms in the world that are perfectly set up for optimal learning and development at every level.
Our goal, as Montessori teachers, is to create a rich environment, and to connect the child to the environment through presentations which help them find their own purposeful activities and meaningful experiences. Keep in mind, we must also be sure to find the correct balance between challenge and interest for each child's activities and lessons. Montessori teachers are the only teachers in the world who are trained to set up the perfect environment and present the materials for optimal learning and development. |
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We are doing our best to keep you updated with Facebook, twitter, and our app and now are introducing our Pinterest and tumblr accounts. If you have any suggestions for "pins" we might want to share or ideas for our blog, please let me know. I am very open to all of the wonderful things that may be floating around in your head!
As always, keep your "likes," comments, stories, and suggestions coming! Also, please forward this newsletter or our information to anyone who may be interested in Montessori Stepping Stones. Sincerely,
Michelle Daley
Montessori Stepping Stones
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