Why We Sew

Learning skills for Practical Life is a major part of every Montessori class. By learning to dress one's self, set the table, clean up messes, and use kitchen tools, children gain confidence and pride.

The Kindergarteners at Westmont have been busy learning the Practical Life skill of sewing. Although this may seem like an extra, unimportant skill for six-year-olds to have, there are many amazing learning opportunities for children who engage in this task.

• Handwriting ability is directly correlated to hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination which can be strengthened with hand stitching and threading needles
• Sewing is not an immediate-gratification activity, patience is learned as fabric slowly transforms
• Mathematical concepts such as measurement and geometry are honed as children visualize how a pattern can be used and even created for their project
• A greater appreciation for the work involved in making the things around them (houses, food, furniture, etc.) inspires more question and wonderment
• Pride and accomplishment from doing "real" work with a real purpose

Submarine Parenting

Recently there was an article in the Boston Globe about the “new” phenomena of Submarine Parenting. I had to chuckle when reading it though because Montessorians have been Submarining for over 100 years!

The idea is that, unlike helicopter parenting, a submarine parent (or teacher) places children in situations that they are fairly confident the child can handle with success, even if the task is slightly outside of the child’s comfort zone, and then allows the child to try it on their own, only "popping up" to add guidance if necessary.

By guiding children in this way children develop self-confidence, learn that success is built from failures, and become resilient and accepting of life’s challenges.

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself.”

Maria Montessori

The arts: more than play, more than “a play”

The arts provide opportunities for self-expression, help instill pride and cultivate real-life skills.

Whether it is music, drawing, acting, singing, or dance that they choose, the arts provide children with a natural outlet to express themselves and practice and hone their skills, including: critical and creative thinking, hand-eye coordination, motor and social skills. 

Join us tonight, April 29^th, 2016 at 6:30 PM at the Valley View Chapel in Long Valley for a creative interpretation of John Lithgow’s “Marsupial Sue”. This performance is delivered by our Kindergarten class with chorus accompaniment by our second year Early Childhood children and highlights some delightful facts about the subject of our in-depth cultural exploration this year: The Continent of Australia. All are welcome!

For more reasons to help your child choose the arts, read here.

Celebrating and nurturing each child’s intrinsic desire to learn

This past weekend we came together at The Westmont Montessori School to learn about what makes the “K” year particularly impactful in the Montessori classroom. Our Head of School, Colette Cross, our teachers, and our Curriculum Coordinator shared some of the milestones of the K year.  

Five and six-year olds are going through a period of tremendous brain development--a period when they are developing and honing their reasoning skills. Affording them this year of continued discovery where they have ample opportunity to problem solve as they move from the concrete learning materials to more abstract thinking helps them to really crystallize so many concepts that they have been exposed to in the Early Childhood classroom.

In addition to the academic progress that occurs in the K year, children benefit from continued physical, social, emotional, and spiritual growth. During this “pivotal” year, Kindergarteners take on a real leadership role in the classroom and even the school, serving as role models and helping younger friends in their classroom community.

To learn more about what makes Montessori education the most widely used pedagogy in the world, read more about the Montessori approach. Or just ask one of our Kindergarten alumni!

Why Montessori in the K Year?

The Montessori approach is carefully based on what we've learned about children's cognitive, neurological and emotional development from several decades of research. The kindergarten year is a dynamic year, a time to really internalize the early concrete experiences and make important, solid cognitive connections.

By this third—or Kindergarten—year, many of the earlier lessons in the Montessori classroom come together and become a permanent part of the young child’s understanding.

Here are 20 reasons to keep your child in Montessori for their Kindergarten year. 

Come learn more at our Kindergarten Open House this weekend!

How to Raise a Successful Child in the 21st Century

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.” –Hellen Keller

The pace of life in today’s world often leaves us and our children feeling the pressure of too many choices, too much “stuff” and way too little time. Engaged and informed parents are fundamental to supporting the peaceful and ethical development of children. Partnership between school, home and the community at large is also essential to helping both parents and their children feel more confident about their choices and decisions.

Kicking off the Parent Education Series this fall, The Westmont Montessori School is pleased to announce it’s first session: “How to Raise a Successful Child in the 21^st Century”, delivered in partnership with The Ethics Institute at Kent Place School. Dr. Karen Rezach will deliver an interactive, collaborative workshop in which parents will be introduced to the values-based Ethical Decision-making Model developed by The Ethics Institute and suggest ways in which this model can be implemented at home. Dr. Rezach will take a look at how pre-school children make decisions as well as provide concrete strategies that parents can use to help their children cope with different situations—and help their children see that they are capable of dealing with these situations.

The Westmont Montessori School has been a respected member of the local Mendham/Chester community for more than 50 years and values the strong ties it has with local families. For years, the school has offered a Parent Education Series to help keep parents informed about important topics and, in turn, be better informed about the concerns parents have in today’s world.

                             

Join us for this exciting workshop:

When: November 17^th, 7:00PM

Where: The Westmont Montessori School, 577 Rt. 24, Mendham, NJ

RSVP: acimoca@westmontmontessori.org

Celebrating Peace

"If we are to teach real peace in this world... we shall have to begin with the children."
—Mahatma Gandhi

Montessori education has often been referred to as "peace education" and Maria Montessori herself was at the forefront of global peace advocacy and education, recognized during her time and throughout history as a spokesperson of the power of peace. In fact, she was thrice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A wise believer in the power of the child, Montessori advocated for the creation of “… an environment that will promote the development of peaceful individuals.”[i]  Montessori environments are thus characterized by a special emphasis on living in harmony and respecting the rights of others.

Anyone who has visited a Montessori classroom has discovered the magical way that peace and harmony prevail in a classroom bustling with dozens of little hearts and minds of varying ages and at various stages of development. And for those who have pondered how this is possible, Montessori lends her insight: when work and concentration on activities appropriate for the child's stage of development are protected, the potential for optimum development is seen in ways previously not thought possible. Montessori herself referred to this development process in children as “normalization through work”[ii] – a process marked by “a love of work or activity, concentration, self-discipline and joy in accomplishment.”[iii]  

These characteristics are not imposed by anyone or anything—they are derived by the child through his own efforts when the environment is conducive to and fosters such an experience. The result is joyful learning and a certain inner peace at its heart, filled with self-actualization that comes from the child’s own self-discipline and accomplishments.

September 21 is the International Day of Peace. Today we celebrated Peace at The Westmont Montessori School by talking about why and how we practice peace and kindness and by singing songs together that remind us about how we all live together in harmony. Many children shared what peace means to them: “friendship”, “being kind to others”, “sharing”, and “a dove”.

At Westmont, we practice peace everyday through modeling peaceful behavior and through lessons that expound on the fact that all living creatures are important and interconnected. Today we celebrate the peace that burns brightly within each child and the peace that prevails in our community.  How did you celebrate peace today?

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[i] http://montessoritraining.blogspot.com/2007/06/peace-education-in-montessori-classroom.html#.VdEF6hNViko

[ii] E. M. Standing, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, p. 173

[iii] http://amshq.org/Family-Resources/Montessori-Terminology