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Author: Alejandro Malespin

Tips for Parents for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up quickly!  Enjoy these helpful tips for making the most of your conference!

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Friday, November 9th. There will be no school that day. Sign-up sheets for the conferences are on a table in the lobby, arranged by class, from Toddlers to Upper Elementary (please check the top of each page for the name of the class).  As we do every year, we ask that you observe the following requests:

· Please sign up for one meeting time per child.

· Please be on time for your conference.
· Please help the teachers to stay on time.

· Please arrange for childcare during Parent/Teacher conferences.We have included some additional tips that might be useful in having a successful Parent Teacher Conference:

  • Write down questions or things you would like to discuss and email the teacher(s) with your questions/comments before the conference.
  • Ask your child if there is anything they would like you to discuss with the teacher(s).
  • Keep the conference focused on the child and the purpose of the conference-use your time carefully.
  • Be open to suggestions from the teacher.
  • Be prepared to share suggestions of your own. No one knows your child like you know him/her.
  • If you are unclear about what the teacher is telling you about your child, ask for specific examples. Remember that you and the teacher(s) are a team and your main focus is meeting the needs of your child.
  • Take notes so you can share information with your child after the meeting.
  • Make sure the teachers have the best contact information for you and that you have a clear understanding of the communication protocol.
  • Keep the teacher informed.  Things happening at home often affect children’s behavior at school.
  • At the end of your conference make sure that everyone understands what was talked about and what they can/have agreed to do to follow up.
  • Follow up.  If you have concerns that need to be followed up on, set up that time in advance.

Montessori Compass – Are YOU in the know?

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Announcements, Blog.

MCS Parents,

Did you know that you can check on your child’s weekly progress through Montessori Compass?  Compass is where your child’s teacher records lessons, uploads pictures, and writes anecdotes about what’s happening in the classroom.  This is an excellent way to stay connected to your child and their experience!  Compass includes some excellent parent resources.

We encourage each parent to access and read your child’s weekly reports and their Fall Evaluation, coming in October, in preparation for Parent Teacher Conferences in November.  If you are unable to log in to Compass or do not receive weekly updates to your email, please contact Britney at britneypeterson@mcsslc.com.

Thank you for your ongoing support of both your child and your child’s teachers!

Parenting Connection 10/17/18

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Screen Free Sundays have become quite popular at our house.  Admittedly, when we began SFS there was a concern that the adults would feel more punished than the kids.  As it turns out, my dreams of us coming together spontaneously as a family have finally come true! Sundays at home are now spent adventuring, resting, and playing together.  Some of the best conversations I have with my kids each week now take place after a few hours of together time and I find that my children are more well rested and prepared for the new week than ever before! Lasso the Moon suggests these 75 Screen Free Activities.

 

Last Week’s Annual Fun Run Fundraiser Update

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Wow! What a fantastic event. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this year’s Fun Run such a wonderful, exciting event.

The morning was beautiful. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. The students were buzzing with excitement.

Students began with some warm-up exercises then the clock was started and they were off. Students ran laps through a 65 foot inflatable obstacle course then climbed a 24 foot inflatable slide to complete the course loop.

High fives were given, wrist bands marked per lap, and much cheering and encouragement from teachers, staff, parents, and peers.

After their timed run was up, students enjoyed some fruit slices and water to cool down and chat about their experience with the course amongst all those milling about.

Our Toddler friends were able to walk, run, and toddle their way through a small obstacle course around their own playground. With the help of their teachers, PSA, and Fun Run Committee, they worked their way through the various challenges set up. They, too, enjoyed fruit slices to finalize their running time.

Currently, we have raised $3,504.42! A big thanks to all those who have sponsored and contributed to our Montessori Education Foundation (MEF) and supported our Service Learning Program. You may still bring money in until October 12th, 2018.

***As MEF is a 501c we would like to issue receipts to all those who donated and would like one! Please contact info@mcsslc.com or stop by the school office to request a receipt.

More pictures of the run can be found on Montessori Compass. Make sure you login to catch all the fun photos of your student/s!

Thank you!

Dia de los Muertos at MCS

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Our school is currently celebrating Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos. Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd, which coincides with the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private alters honoring the deceased. The altars are adorned with sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. People often place the altars near graves of departed relatives.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. In Brazil, Día de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.

We invite you to visit the alters in our lobby, created by the Sequoias, Magnolias and Uinta classes.

 

Parenting Connection 10/09/18

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

I believe wholeheartedly that our children require a great deal of practice at becoming empathetic, compassionate, contributing members of society and that they deserve a great deal of support along the way.  Feelings can be SO BIG for kids and, in a world that thrives on immediate gratification, it can be hard to work through the “stuff” that comes with those big feelings. This wonderful article from Montessori Nature discusses the elements a child needs to learn to regulate their emotions at a young age.

 

How to Place a Scholastic Book Order Through MCS

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

1. Check out the physical book order forms in the lobby and/or go to the website: www.scholastic.com/bookclubs.

2. Follow registration/ parent sign-up instructions.

3. Use MCS’ Class Activation Code: HDLWT

4. Browse and select the books you would like to order by the due date assigned.

 

5. The MCS Office will put the orders through on the deadline. Shipping is typically 7 to 14 days. We will email you when your book order arrives and is ready for pick-up.

Creating a Place for Peace

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

“Find a time and place of solitude.
Look into the distance and into the future.
Visualize the tomorrow you are going to build;
and begin to build that tomorrow, today.”
Jonathan Lockwood Huie

As part of our Peace Curriculum that is incorporated into our monthly studies at MCS, this month each of the classes is engaged in a study of creating space for Peace as we prepare to celebrate International Peace Day on September 21st and in honor of Maria Montessori’s extensive work in the field of Peace Education. Studies show that a preventative curriculum that promotes communication, community and self-advocacy is more effective than a punishing approach to bullying in schools. Ours is a program that we expect will follow our students far beyond their structured educational experience. We hope for and assist children in the development of skills of peaceful conflict resolution, gaining respect for peers and incorporating communal advocacy, taking in to account the needs of a community and how one’s behavior affects another, and establishing a lifetime of self advocacy, self love and self respect.

Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of educators. ~Maria Montessori

Peace is a work rooted deeply in the approach in Montessori schools across the world and Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on three different occasions as her passion for Peace Education led her to spread its good word in various countries. Her legacy lives on as she is now widely recognized as an advocate for peace and her educational philosophy is practiced throughout the world.

“Peace is a goal that can only be attained through common accord, and the means to achieve this unity for peace are twofold: first, an immediate effort to resolve conflicts without recourse to violence—in other words, to prevent war—and second, a long-term effort to establish a lasting peace among men”
(Education and Peace, Montessori, 1949, p. 27).

Read more about Maria Montessori here.

Montessori education addresses Peace in a variety of ways, encouraging children to first develop inner peace. At its most basic level the Montessori method does this by honoring the individual interests, passions and ability of each child, giving children space to develop confidence with making mistakes as they explore and the courage to fix mistakes, and inspiring them to be part of a community. Because each student is recognized as an individual, you will find children working on a variety of activities at any given time. This gives children space and encouragement to accept that differences between humans exist at varying degrees.

Inner peace gives children the foundation for supporting peace within their classroom, school, social and family communities. Communities are an important aspect of the Montessori philosophy in that there is an emphasis on the whole person and learning to function within a community is essential to the success of human endeavor. A successful community is made up of a variety of different talents, strengths, skills and goals. As our students engage in peaceful conflict resolution, modeled by the adults in the community, they learn to function as many parts making up a whole. As they assist in the management of the environment, including caring for the physical space, taking on important leadership roles within the classroom, and engaging in group discussion about how to make change for the better, students practice life long skills of considering others and building functioning communities.

Some common Montessori terms/methods that directly and indirectly support Peace Education include:

–Cosmic Education is the child’s gradual discovery, throughout the whole of childhood, of the interrelatedness of all things on earth, in the past, in the present, and in the future.

-Intrinsic motivation (versus rewards or punishment) is a desire to do for the sake of doing with no expectation or even hope for an outside motivator.

 

-Multi age classrooms allow children to play varying roles throughout their cycle in a classroom, allowing investment in the environment and practice of various skills, jobs and identities.

-Follow the child means that each child is considered individually and opportunities to further develop special skills and talents is honored along with opportunity for extra, repetitive practice of more difficult tasks.

-Class meetings and agenda books allow children to bring up issues or concerns and decide, with adult guidance, how to overcome challenges as a group. It also allows a sacred place for celebrating one another’s accomplishments.

-Peace areas in each classroom provide a place for children to go when they need to find inner peace. Meditation, breathing and various other exercises are encouraged to help students look within.

-Outdoor education and care for living things (plants and animals throughout the school and in each classroom) give children the opportunity to practice care for and consideration of the needs of all living things and help them develop a love and advocacy for our earth and all it has to offer.

By honoring each individual and supporting children in becoming their most authentic, passionate, courageous and determined selves, we provide the world with a powerful force for change for the better.

May you all find inner peace and enjoy a most lovely day of celebrating the beauty and hope of mankind on this day set aside for celebrating Peace on earth.

12th Annual MCS Fun Run

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Community News, Get Involved (P.S.A).

If salvation and help are to come, it is from the child, for the child is the constructor of man and so of society.
The child is endowed with an inner power which can guide us to a more enlightened future.

—Maria Montessori

 

The heart of our Service Learning curriculum at Montessori Community School is Maria Montessori’s mandate to empower children to become agents of change, and our personal mission to create global citizens. The goal of the service works we do at all levels is to promote the development of lifelong lessons in empathy, hard work, and cultural awareness, while giving students a sense of belonging to a community.

Raising for a Good Cause:

On Thursday, September 27th, your child will be participating in our 12th annual Montessori Community School Fun Run!  Each year our students have the opportunity to raise pledges for two of our Service Learning projects, The Children of Ethiopia Education Fund, COEEF, and Adopt-a-Native Elder Program.  Please learn about these wonderful causes and support our community and your students in their efforts!

Our Montessori students will have the opportunity to raise pledges for our two main Service Learning projects: The Children of Ethiopia Education Fund (COEEF), and the Navajo Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program.  Specifically, the COEEF program will give vital financial support the girls our MCS students sponsor can attend school in Ethiopia. Pledges will also help our adopted Navajo grandmothers purchase much-needed items, such as food, firewood, clothing, and gardening tools for themselves and their families, as well as yarn to weave the beautiful rugs they sell to earn a living.

 

Service learning is a wonderful element of our Montessori program, and teaches students about the joy and value of contributing to their community, society, and world. We encourage you to join with us in supporting your child in service learning. You can do this by:

·      Helping your child tell family and friends about the Fun Run. You’d be surprised how many friends, neighbors and grandparents are eager to support such a worthwhile event.

·      Helping your child actively participate by earning money to pledge in the Fun Run. (For example, maybe he or she could help sweep the floor or put away clothes.)

·      Helping your child to set a goal to run a certain number of laps or to raise a certain amount of funds.

·      Attending the event (see the upcoming schedule for when your child’s class will be running) and join with them as they run their laps or cheer them on from the sidelines.

·      Volunteering to help at the event. Please email psa@mcsslc.com for details.

We look forward to this exciting service learning experience and hope you’ll participate with enthusiasm.

Sincerely,

MCS Parent School Alliance

Montessori Community School Tiles

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Last year, Montessori Community School’s Elementary Art Teacher designed and created a mural for the cement wall facing 1700 South. These tiles have been mounted and have really come together beautifully, enhancing the aesthetics of the space. If you have not had a chance to stop by and see this mural, please do! It makes a great place for back to school photos!

Also, tiles created last year by students and staff are in the works to be mounted on the remaining cement wall. Stay posted for when they have been mounted.