What’s in a Montessori Lunch?

Healthy foods are a hallmark of Montessori philosophy. Dr. Montessori was one of the first educators to recognize the connection between nutrition and the developing brain. One of the best ways to encourage a child to eat healthily is to get them involved in preparing their own food.

Parents are often astounded when they see their young child ready and able to peel and cut his own apples or carrots. In the Montessori classroom, children beam when it is their turn to enjoy snack with a friend. This means they can practice: gracefully inviting a peer to join them for snack, as well as preparing, serving and cleaning up after snack. And they quickly become very adept at all of these skills.

Helping the child develop this type of independence is at the very heart of the Montessori environment. What could be more meaningful to a young child who is developing independence than to master a few basic skills that can help him meet the fundamental human need of nutrition?  What’s more, food preparation also builds concentration and the very motor skills needed for writing.

So back to packing a healthy lunch…here are a few handy tips:

• Make a shopping list before you go to the supermarket.
• Try to avoid artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or hydrogenated fats (if you can’t read the list of ingredients, it’s best to avoid that product).
• If you are in a pinch and sending in a pre-packaged lunch, make sure to check the sodium level. Many “Lunchables” are extremely high in sodium.
• Get your child involved in prepping (peeling, washing) the fresh ingredients that will make part of his/her lunch like fruits and veggies.
• Keep your child’s small tummy in mind; provide a variety of smaller foods instead of an adult-sized portion like a sandwich. The same sandwich ingredients in small containers are more likely to be consumed. You can trim bread down into cracker-sized pieces and then get creative with the rest of the ingredients that s/he can mix and match.
• Think of simple dips for veggies that start with plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Try to provide a balanced meal, including some protein.
• Watch the sugar content of things that appear to be healthy, like flavored yogurts.
• Water is always available at school so there is no need to send juice boxes; children usually fill up on their juice box and then have no room left for lunch.
• More ideas on healthy lunches here.
• Have fun!

Montessori classrooms support growth during first days of school

A Montessori classroom is carefully prepared to “follow each child” as he engages in joyful learning while building independence and confidence.

The first few days of school are very important toward helping children acclimate to new routines, new friends and new teachers.

Reviewing a few basic principles will help, such as;

* Pushing in a chair when you leave the table

* Walking around rugs and work

* Rolling a rug

* Sitting in a circle

* Using the right voice in the classroom

* Washing hands

* Stopping when the bell rings (or a signal is given)

And the teachers do just that!  In addition to the carefully prepared environment, Montessori classrooms have another special feature that support a cohesive beginning: multi-age communities of children. One of the benefits of a Montessori multi-age classroom is that the returning, older friends can make the back-to-school transition easier for everyone by becoming role models for their younger friends. Younger or new friends can look to the older, returning friends for cues on how to interact with the environment and each other.

As it is customary for children to stay in the same classroom for multiple years, it means that the returning students will already know the basic ebbs and flow of the classroom. These children have an opportunity to build and hone their leadership skills vis-à-vis their younger friends. The peer cooperation that is established helps build self-esteem for both the younger and the older child.

Dr. Montessori’s vision was to create a closely-knit community in each classroom—one where each child becomes a contributing, sharing member of their school family. A multi-age classroom provides a natural environment where students learn to care for and trust one another. This strong, naturally forming bond is what helps create the peaceful, industrious hum of the Montessori classroom.

We look forward to building great communities this year!

Learn more about Montessori education.

New Child Passenger Safety Laws

Beginning September 1, New Jersey will begin enforcing a new set of car restraint laws. The most significant change to the law includes having all children under the age of 2 and 30 pounds secured in rear-facing car seats. The law also more specifically lays out the progression of moving from a car seat to a booster to a seatbelt.

The legislation includes these stages of carseat usage:

	a. A child under the age of 2 years and weighing less than 30 pounds shall be secured in a rear-facing seat equipped with a 5-point harness. b. A child under the age of 4 years and weighing less than 40 pounds shall be secured as described in (a) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing seat, then in a forward-facing child restraint equipped with a 5-point harness. c. A child under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as described in (a) or (b) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing or forward-facing seat, then in a belt positioning booster seat. d. A child over 8 years of age or 57 inches in height must be properly secured by a seat belt.
	If there are no rear seats, the child shall be secured as described above in the front seat except that no child shall be secured in a rear-facing seat in the front seat of any vehicle that is equipped with an active passenger-side airbag. The aforementioned is acceptable if the airbag is de-activated.

When... Then... Contingencies

A big part of teaching children to be responsible and self-directed is in the delivery of directions. There are many things that children may not want to do... pick up their toys, put their shoes on, brush their teeth... and having children do these things without getting into a power struggle can be one of the most challenging parts of raising children.

With the use of when...then statements though, many of the potential power struggles can be completely averted. By keeping directions positive, children can keep their sense of control in the situation without the adult losing theirs. Here is how some of these statements may sound:

• When your coat is on, you may go outside.
• When your hands are washed, you may have a snack.
• When your blocks are put away, you may play with your trains.

These contingency statements almost always begin with the word WHEN to show that you trust and expect your child to cooperate. The second part of the statement tells the child that she will have what she wants after she meets the expectation. As with all limit-setting strategies, a contingency should be stated in a neutral, non-punitive way, but with a firm expectation of cooperation.

Adult Success linked to Social Skills in Kindergarten

In June we had an early childhood specialist come to observe in our school. Although she had observed in hundreds of preschool classrooms, this was the first time she had been in a Montessori school. After observing, she remarked to me how amazed she was by the children's ability to problem-solve and work through disagreements without much or any input or prompting from the teachers. This was something that in all of her years in traditional preschool education she had never seen on this scale. She saw a classroom full of 3-6 year old children cooperating, helping each other, sharing, taking turns, and genuinely caring for the feelings of their classmates.

This calm and respectful environment is something wonderful that happens for a variety of reasons. 

1. The Montessori culture curriculum promotes respect and admiration for people who are different than ourselves.
2. Children are taught how to be peaceful through peace education.
3. Children are taught to respect nature, others, and the self.
4. Conflict resolution is modeled early and often.
5. Children are respected as individuals with individual needs and feelings. Because they are not taught in a "herd" they gain respect for themselves and know that their feelings do matter, as do the feelings of others.
6. Expectations are clear and consistent.
7. Routines are established and maintained providing a sense of security for the children.

Recently the American Journal of Public Health published the results of a 20-year longitudinal study out of Pennsylvania State University. It asked the teachers of 753 kindergartners in Nashville, Seattle, rural Pennsylvania, and Durham to rate the children on skills in eight areas:

• resolves peer problems on his/her own
• is very good at understanding other people's feelings
• shares materials with others
• cooperates with peers without prompting
• is helpful to others
• listens to others' point of view
• can give suggestions and opinions without being bossy
• acts friendly towards others

The study then tracked those children to age 25 and compared their social competencies at age 5 with their accomplishments by age 25. What they found was that those children who had high levels of social competencies were more likely to have graduated college, be employed, and have fewer incidences of criminal activity, regardless of socio-economic status, race, or early academic ability.

To read more on this study, click here to be redirected to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

Summer is a great time to make incredible memories with family. Some of the best memories can even come from day trips around the state.

I came across a great online resource recently at tomsriver.macaronikid.com. They put together a list of 101 places to visit with children in New Jersey. It is such a thoughtful list that I thought I would share it with you here.

Enjoy your summer adventures!!

Sit Back and Relax or Explore
1. Wildwood Beaches
2. Hopatcong State Park
3. Waywaywanda State Park
4. Bass River State Park
5. Sandy Hook

Favorite Cities to Explore
6. Montclair
7. Bridgeton
8. Princeton
9. Morristown
10. Lambertville

Day at the Museum
11. Franklin Mineral Museum
12. Jersey Shore Children's Museum
13. Liberty Science Museum
14. Marine Mammal Stranding Center
15. Insectroplois
16. Garden State Discovery Museum

Up Up and Away!
17. Zoom ZipLines
18. TreeTop Adventure Course at Turtle Back Zoo
19. Ironwood Outdoor Center
20. Skyride Seaside Heights
21. Hunterdon Ballooning

Weeeeeee!
22. Delaware River Tubing
23. Slide The City

You Light Up My Life
24. Cape May Lighthouse
25. Twin Lights
26. Sandy Hook Lighthouse
27. Tuckers Island
28. Finn's Point
29. Absecon Light
30. Barnegat Lighthouse

Water Parks
31. Sahara Sams
32. Coco Key Water Resort
33. Breakwater Beach
34. Hurricane Harbor
35. Runaway Rapids
36. Tomahawk Lake
37. Thundering Surf
38. Action Park
39. Crystal Park Water Park
40. Ocean Oasis

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
41. Naval Air Station Museum
42. Spacefarms
43. NJ Museum of Transportation
44. Millville Army Air Field Museum
45. Diggerland
46. Northlandz

Boats and Maritime
47. Battleship New Jersey
48. New Jersey Naval Museum
49. Museum of NJ Maritime History
50. The A.J. Meerwald
51. Intrepid Museum

Visit the Animals
52. Space Farms Zoo
53. Cape May County Zoo
54. Lakota Wolf Preserve
55. Turtle Back Zoo
56. Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge
57. Adventure Aquarium
58. Jenkinson's Aquarium

Theme Parks
59. Storybook Land
60. Bowcraft Amusement Park
61. Field Station: Dinosaur
62. Six Flags Great Adventure
63. Wild West City

I Am An Island
64. Ellis IslandGet Outdoors
65. Cattus Island
66. Island Beach State Park
67. Branch Brook Park
68. Grounds For Sculpture
69. Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
70. Deep Cut Gardens

Go Jump Off a Cliff
71. FreeFall Adventures

Go Take a Hike
72. Baldpate Mountain
73. Rancocas Nature Center
74. Cheesequake State Park
75. Double Trouble State Park
76. Hacklebarney State Park

Go Jump in a Lake
77. Carnegie Lake
78. Round Valley Recreation Area
79. Tomahawk Lake
80. Shepard Lake
81. Lake Nummy

Waterfalls
82. Buttermilk Falls
83. Ramapo Falls
84. Tumble Falls
85. Bridal Veil Falls
86. Silver Spray Falls
87. Tillman Ravine

Visit a Grande Hotel
88. Congress Hall
89. The Bernard's Inn
90.Westminster Hotel
91. Stockton Seaview
92. The Westin Governor Morris

Take a Trip Back in Time
93. Waterloo Village
94. Dey Mansion
95. Thomas Edison National Park
96. Historic Cold Spring Village
97. Allaire Village
98. Batso Village
99. Grover Cleveland Birthplace
100. The Hermitage
101. Monmouth Battlefield State Park