Owner’s Manual for a Child — Maria Montessori

Owner’s Manual for a Child — Maria Montessori.

Hand in Hand

The Art of Creating the Perfect Arrival — Maria Montessori

Hello families! Here is a wonderful link for you to take a look at- not all of it applies to us as we are a small school…but it has excellent advice!

 

 

 

The Art of Creating the Perfect Arrival — Maria Montessori.

The Key To Your Child’s Heart 7 Ways It Works | Janet Lansbury

The Key To Your Child’s Heart 7 Ways It Works | Janet Lansbury.

Tips and Tricks for Homework!

I have been a very lucky mom so far in my children’s school career. There has been almost no homework for them from kindergarten through to third grade. Both my daughters are in a Montessori program, and most of their work is kept in the classroom. This year however, my oldest is in grade 4…and we have begun to see homework. Not a lot, but in September 2012 they are changing schools and moving to the Catholic school close by. (Which brings with it a whole bunch of new issues, but I digress.)

I have friends whose children go to this new school, and I know there is a lot of homework each night. We are going from about  10 minutes a night…to probably about 60. Or more.  Yikes.  And that’s for grades 4 & 5. I know it will only become a larger concern as time goes on, so I am addressing it right now so we can create good time management skills and a positive spin on homework.  I have a list of recommendations for all you parents out there who are entering the homework domain.

-          Create an inviting space. A spot that is close to where the rest of the family is gathering, but still is quiet and free of distractions.

-          Establish a set time each day for getting it done. My recommendation during the week is for them to come home from school, have  a snack and a few minutes of downtime, then get to it while dinner is being prepared. This way it is not after dinner when they should be winding down for bedtime.  There is also not a panic when they pull out their homework and you find out they have a 2 hour project that HAS to be handed in tomorrow and it’s already almost time for sleep!

-          Make sure any materials your child may need are readily available- keep on hand pencils, erasers, marker, highlighters, paper, scissors etc. (If you are like me, you will have fun buying up a bunch of school supplies, it always makes me think of back to school.)

-          Provide guidance if necessary, but don’t provide answers. This is a chance for your child to discover independently- let them.

-          Do the tough stuff first, leave the easier tasks to the end when they are getting tired. Take a break if you see them getting frustrated or losing interest. Get them up to get a drink, or do some jumping jacks, or a yoga stretch or two. Make it a fun part of the homework routine.

-          Stay in touch with your child’s teachers. If you feel the homework is excessive, don’t be afraid to ask for a meeting to discuss. Every school and teacher are different.

Now, these are recommendations for parents of young students- my hope is that if these guidelines get put into place at an early age, as kids grow they will be more likely to take the responsibility of their homework seriously, and upon themselves.

At the very least, that is what I hope for in our house!

Cheers,

Tammy

Inspiring Greatness

“Redefine your self-concept by challenging everything that you’ve held to be true about yourself up until now. Be open to examining everything you’ve previously thought limited you in any way. Affirm: I place no limits and no restrictions on all that I intend to accomplish and become from here on in.” Wayne Dyer

What could we make happen if we all thought about this? If we threw away all that limits us, and all realized our full potential?   My hope as a teacher, is that I leave all the children in my care with the beliefs that they can do anything, be anything, accomplish anything.

If all the children who will one day be taking care of us, leading our planet forward believe there are no limits to the wonders they can do…where will they take us?? As parents, as teachers, as aunts, uncles, friends, human beings- let’s remove our own limits, and keep inspiring the children to do the same.

Summer Camps!

For the first time, we are offering summer camps here at Hand in Hand. I am really excited about it, and have spent hours planning our activities and how our days are going to go. I love the outdoors, and with Calgary…our outdoor sunshine fun time is limited. So I am hopeful that we will have lovely weather and we will spend our hours outside. But even if we don’t, we will make our own sunshine!

We will be involved in gardening, cooking, outdoor activities, science experiments, arts and crafts and field trips.

Hours : 9 am to 12 pm / 12 pm to 3 pm

Dates: Session 1- July 9-13, 2012     Session 2- July 16-20, 2012    Session 3- July 23-27, 2012.

Ages: 3-7

Lunches and snacks are not provided, but our cooking and baking will provide some snacks throughout the day.

Cost: $ 150.00 per child per session. (Your child can attend for the whole day for $ 280.00 per session.) Before and After care is available from 7-9 am and 3-5 pm for an additional cost of $ 10.00 per day.

If you are interested in having your child attend, please call us at           403-370-0942 or email us at handinhandcalgary@hotmail.com Spaces are limited to 6 students per session.

MAPSS presents: Principles of the Montessori Method- a presentation

March 8, 2012

7:00 pm- 9:30 pm

Cardel Theatre

180 Quary Park Blvd SE

Cost: Free!

Email events@mapss.ca to reserve your seat today. Your reply email is your ticket, which you must bring to gain entry.

Speaker: John Chattin-McNichols- has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UCLA, a Montessori teaching certificate for ages 6-12 from the Centro Internazionale Studi Montessoriani in Italy, and a doctorate from Stanford in Child Development and Early Education. His primary areas of interest are Child Development, Early Childhood Education and Montessori Education.

Learn More about Calgary’s Montessori Alternative Public School Society at www.mapss.ca

 

Little Warriors, Stewards of Children Program

I have a wonderful opportunity for my families- to become part of the Little Warriors. This is a group who educate adults on how to prevent, recognize and react to child sexual abuse. If you are interested in attending one of their programs, please go see their website at www.littlewarriors.ca and let me know- we can set up a group evening training program for as many parents as can attend. I will definitely be taking part in this training program, and I look forward to sharing an evening with you. The cost is negligible at $ 25.00 per person.

Little Girl, Big Brain | Montessori At Home!

Little Girl, Big Brain | Montessori At Home!.