Calaveras Montessori - Craft for creative kids

Kids are undoubtedly the most creative! Nurturing this creativity is the parents’ task. And to enhance it they should constantly indulge in tasks that help them explore their inbuilt creative self. Among the various activities for kids, crafts are quick and easy; require minimal equipment and materials while offering satisfyingly instant results. Quick results are important as even crafty kids like to be able see the fruits of their labour in action within minutes rather than hours!

There are numerous types of crafts available for children; parents need to explore the market to get the best ones for their lil ones. Many craft activities are adaptable to suit different ages and abilities that work well with individual children or a even large group. Don't worry that you need any great expertise or a huge amount of supplies and equipment. Crafting with children is all about having fun, experimenting, taking ideas that you see and adapting them to suit what you have available and what you think your children would enjoy most.

Parents could also create a craft area for their kids which is fun and at the same time motivating for the kids. Crafting areas can fill up a whole room or they can be little areas tucked in the corner of a kitchen or family room. A well organized space can keep children engaged in their work for hours. Make sure there is enough space for a friend and they will stay even longer. 

This way kids would enjoy and create new stuff even while being with their little friends. This is a great way to learn more in a fun way.

Importance of Extra-curricular activities

Children who are involved in sports get higher school grades, have an increased sense of self-worth, and are more likely to complete high school than children who are not involved in sport. Apart from this, the increased physical activity makes children healthier and fit. The participative kids have stronger social networks than children who do not participate in sport. Calaveras Montessori has always encouraged these activities but parents too need to make kids understand its importance by encouraging them for the same.
The list of benefits that extracurricular activities bring is unending but it is equally essential to see how children could be most effectively in these activities.
Here are a few tips to consider:

Extra-curricular tip # 1: Be a role model

Parents are the primary and closest source of inspiration for children. If children see them enthusiastically practice an instrument or indulged in some activity, they will surely follow.  So, lead them through example.

Extra-curricular tip # 2:Create a supportive environment

On free days or weekends take out the sports related items from the store and make the most of then by indulging kids. Even musical instruments like a piano, keyboard, guitar, violin etc will add to their learning and once interest is developed they are likely to take it forward. This will also help keep children away from other unnecessary distractions.

Extra-curricular tip # 3: Encourage your child

Encourage kids to participate in the events as well as other activities at school. Look for opportunities for your child to extend herself. See if s/he would like to be involved in the after-school dance class or choir.

Extra-curricular tip # 4: Social Support

Let children be part of a team that seems to increase motivation. This also helps them to learn socializing with more kids while enjoying and learning. So, if the friends of child are participating in a particular activity then motivation is required from parent’s end to encourage joint participation. This motivates the kids to always stay involved in creative stuff.

Extra-curricular tip # 5: Be involved yourself!

W3hen you yourself are involved in the activities, then kids are ought to take interest. So, positive attitude regarding the activity is a must on part of parents. We get the chance to provide encouragement and feedback, pass on our feelings about the value of the activity, and teach important skills. Participate with the kids wherever you get a chance as this give kids more motivation to continue the activity even when parents are not involved.

Calaveras Montessori offer a wide variety of extracurricular activities from outside programs to help kids learn while enjoying.

Is my child ready for Kindergarten/First Grade?

Alignment of Common Core Standards?  Montessori is already there!

Is my child ready for Kindergarten/First Grade?

One of the most frequent questions teachers hear is "Is my child ready for Kindergarten?"

Considering that Kindergarten teachers simply ask that a child can sit still at circle and write their first and last name with a capitol letter at the beginning of Kindergarten, well the simple answer is Yes!  Montessori four year olds far exceed most expectations in the second year of Montessori education.

Can you imagine what a child who stays in a Montessori class for three years is capable of ?​

Let's review the Common Core Standards for the end of Kindergarten and find the counterpart in the Montessori classroom:

Kindergarten Learning Outcome	Montessori Materials
Ability to wait and listen	Practical Life, Circle Time, Walking the Line, Sensorial, Grace and Courtesy
Emotional development	Mixed-age grouping, independence, problem solving (conflict resolution), Grace and Courtesy
Oral Language Development	Conversations with adults and peers, Circle, informal and spontaneous conversation, Language and Sensorial
Language-prewriting  Pencil grip	Transferring activities, Pin pushing, Easel, Sandpaper letters, Scissors, Metal Insets, Knobbed Cylinders, Sand Tray, Classroom library
Language-prereading	Sequencing, Patterning, Sandpaper letters, Moveable Alphabet, nomenclature 3-part cards, picture-word matching, phonics instruction
Art Development	Sensorial (color tablets and recognition), quality art materials, literature, process vs. product, nomenclature cards.
Environmental Awareness	Montessori Cultural Curriculum and maps, Geography lessons, stories, celebrations, daily schedule, circle time, Grace and Courtesy
Print Awareness	Classroom library, story time, direct instruction, Independent reading, Language cards, 3part nomenclature cards.
Speaking audibly, expressing thoughts,  and ideas clearly	Grace and Courtesy, Social interactions, The Question Game, reading.
Addition and Subtraction	Number Rods, Addition and Subtraction Boards, Stamp Game, Golden Beads, equation papers

The Fundamental Choice

“It is the child who makes the man, and no man exists who was not made by the child he once was.”—Dr. Maria Montessori

Last May, I had the opportunity to observe a kindergarten and first grade class at the local elementary school my then 5-year-old daughter would have attended in fall, if we went the public school route.

The school I observed is about as good as it gets in public education. It’s a “Blue Ribbon”, “California Distinguished” school, with standardized test scores in the top 5% of the state. It has families all over the city vying for spots. The principal, whom I had the pleasure to talk to at length, is a kind man and a good listener; he struck me as the type of educator deeply dedicated to providing the students in his charge with a quality education.

© MariaMontessori.com

Generally, public schools are reluctant to allow observations by prospective parents. After I shared that my daughter attended Montessori school, and that I was concerned how she would transition to the public school environment, the principal made an exception to his usual policy and invited me to observe some of his best classes.

I saw a lot in the time I spent in each of two classrooms. The kindergarten students were working on individual letter sounds q, v, and z. The 1st graders were writing 3-4 sentence paragraphs and working with numbers up to 100. The contrast with a Montessori classroom was dramatic. Kindergarten-aged children in a Montessori environment are reading real books and writing multi-sentence stories in cursive, and elementary 1st year students are writing page-long stories, reading chapter books and doing arithmetic into the thousands.

But while the contrast was dramatic, it wasn’t surprising to me. I went in expecting this difference in academic progress. What really took me by surprise was just how deep the difference between the programs went. The traditional classrooms I observed were, in a thousand ways large and small, training students to conform passively to adult rules and expectations—a completely opposite behavioral mindset than the active-minded independence we encourage in Montessori preschool and elementary programs.

Let me share just two small observations among many, one from each class.

First grade: Teachers as guides or as servants? Children as independent actors, or passive observers?

In the first grade class, the children were studying how seeds grow into plants. Each child was asked to observe how a few lima beans and sunflower seeds germinated, and to record their observations in a science journal—a project that you might well find in a Montessori lower elementary classroom.

But here is how the project was implemented in this classroom: the teacher walked around the tables in the room, stopping by each child. She tore off a paper towel, put it on a plate, and sprayed it with water. She then had the child put the lima beans and seeds on the paper towel. After that, the teacher folded the towel, and inserted it into a zip lock bag, upon which the child had written his or her name. Over the entire 15 minutes I observed, the teacher was occupied making these kits for the children, while children were apparently supposed to be working independently on other tasks, but in fact spent much time chatting and mingling without a clear purpose, as the minutes ticked by. The teacher completed the kits of approximately 6 out of the 30 students in the room, suggesting that she was going to be occupied by kit making for well over an hour that afternoon.

© MariaMontessori.com

As someone familiar with Montessori rooms, I could not believe that the children had such a passive role! This was a class of 6 ½ to 7 ½-year olds, fully capable (one hopes!) of tearing off paper towels, of wetting them by using a sprayer, of counting out beans and seeds and placing them on a towel, and so on. These children could have and should have made these science kits by themselves! Instead, the teacher did it for them. The teacher was in charge, the students, outside observers of their own education.

I couldn’t help but contrast this with how the same experiment would happen in a Montessori classroom. The teacher might take 10 minutes in the morning, collect a group of students ready for this experiment, and give them a brief introduction, describing the purpose of the work and demonstrating how to assemble the experiment. She would then set up a table with all the materials, and invite the children to make their own kit. The children would autonomously make their own bags, taking turns at the table. They would have ownership of their work, and reinforce many practical skills in the process. They would help each other if one got stuck, with the teacher monitoring from afar to ensure that the peer interaction was to mutual benefit. The teacher would gain over an hour to dedicate to her actual job, helping students learn, rather than spending her time in essentially the role of an unwanted nanny or servant, doing things to children perfectly capable, and almost certainly eager, to do them for themselves.

Kindergarten: Respect for intellectual independence, or conformity and obedience?

In the kindergarten class, I arrived during a silent work period. I was pleasantly surprised at first: after all, independent, engaging, self-initiated work is the core means to develop concentration skills in children!

But when I observed more carefully, here’s what I saw: these 6-year-old children were totally silent. Not one word was spoken. They were glued to their desks, upon which were found things like play dough, simple coloring pages and other very basic activities typically undertaken by 3- or 4-year-olds in a Montessori class. Some children were engaged, but many more seemed bored and disengaged.

And then the work period ended. The teacher turned on the light, and started counting, loudly: “Five, four, three, two, one. All eyes on me!” Without giving children time to process her expectations, she immediately started directing her students: “Sara, put that down. Ian, stop. Look at me, now. Come on class, remember our agreement: when I count, you stop working. Let’s try that again. Put your fingers on your noses, all eyes on me!”

I stood, stunned, as I saw these twenty-odd six-year-olds touch their noses, line up, and stare at the teacher. I cringed as they were ordered to clean up, pronto (“you have three minutes to clean up, then please find your spot on the carpet” and “Peter, you are late, pick up your pace.”)

Compare this scene with the work periods I observe regularly in Montessori classrooms. There, children have 2-3 hours of uninterrupted work time, twice a day. During this time, the classroom is calm, but not eerily silent, as children are free to move about, talk in appropriate volumes as they work with friends, and select from a wide range of stimulating activities much more engaging than play dough or coloring pages.

© MariaMontessori.com

In such a Montessori room, here’s how the work period might end: the Montessori teacher would ring a small bell, and speak gently in a quiet voice, “Children, I invite you to finish up your work and put it away if you are interested in coming together in circle.” After this request, children are free to complete their activity, and to put it away on their terms. A child immersed in an advanced task might continue with it, even as the other children join the circle and the teacher starts reading a book or singing a song. Another child might leave his work out, with his name badge on it, so he can continue and finish it in the next work period.

Consider the difference. In the public school class I visited, the implicit theme is obedience to adult rules. In practice, students learn to conform habitually and unthinkingly to cues and prompts and commands. In a Montessori class, in contrast, the theme is respect for each individual, and the result is that a child develops the ability to responsibly take care of his own work, learning how to act freely while also considering the needs of others.

I cannot be sure how representative my observations are of public schools in general. As a parent, if you’re considering public school, you should definitely make the time to observe the school and classroom your child would be joining. What I know is that this was a highly-rated school, and the two classrooms I observed were chosen by the principal as examples of what a good public school education can look like.

If what I saw is indeed indicative of a pervasive characteristic of public education (and sadly, I suspect it is), then the implication is that in choosing between a public school and an authentic Montessori school, you are making a choice that goes far deeper than just the difference in academics. You are choosing the type of implicit values that will be emphasized to your child: respect vs. obedience, creativity vs. conformity, active-mindedness vs. passivity.

As Dr. Montessori put it, it is the child who makes the man. I’d encourage you, in judging your child’s future classroom, to ask yourself what kind of man or woman you want your son or daughter to become.

--Heike Larson

Heike Larson is the Vice President of Parent Outreach at LePort Schools, a group of six private Montessori schools in Orange County, CA. She lives in Oakland, CA, with her husband, and her two children, who both attend a Mandarin immersion Montessori program. She writes about education in general and Montessori in particular on the LePort Schools blog.

Original Source : http://mariamontessori.com/mm/?p=2210

Introducing the California Reading Program for Montessori Classrooms

The Montessori environment is rich in language.  Whether through conversation or language games the young child is surrounded by vocabulary and the sounds of the English Language.   At our schools we use a phonetic approach to writing and reading.   Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing by developing the ability to hear and identify sounds of the English language.

The Montessori Approach to Early Education prepares children for word composition and reading through the use of our curriculum materials in five areas of the classroom. For the young child Practical Life offers practice, not only of body and hand coordination but focus and concentration as well.The Sensorial area develops discrimination of shapes and sounds through the children's deep practice with the hands-on material.  These are two areas where a three year old child would focus their attention as they grow in their ability to make a sound-symbol recognition.  During this time period they are working with the Sandpaper Letters to learn the shape and sound of each letter, hearing that words are made up of sounds, and refining their ability to hear a particular sound in the front, end, and middle of a word.  This is the time when you may hear them repeating sounds as they say the word, "b,b,b, baby."

 

Typically four-year-olds work with the Metal Insets,Sandpaper Letters, and the Movable Alphabet to practice and build word composition and writing skills. Once a child begins to compose short vowel words like mat, rug, and hop and shows interest in invented spelling, reading can occur almost spontaneously.With these foundations in place a Montessori a child who reads, works first with three letter phonetic words and continues to achieve fluency in class lessons focusing on phonographs, sight words,parts of speech, and reading.

 

This summer each of our seven primary classes (ages 3 to 6) are introducing the California Phonetic Reading Program.This long-standing, self-directed program will round out and support our language rich classrooms. The program allows children to progress along the road to independent reading in a self- paced manner in coordination with other Montessori language materials.

The program presents the phonetic approach to teaching reading with a series of boxes each focusing on a beginning phonetic skill. The boxes contain color pictures and cards isolating a skill.The boxes are organized to teach short vowels blends, consonant skills, and long vowel patterns.  The main goal of this program is to teach reading skills in a sequential order and in a self-directed fashion. The boxes, teaching fundamental skills, will be coordinated with the Montessori Compass online record keeping system we will introduce in fall 2014

 

Reading skills normally develop so smoothly in Montessori classrooms that children tend to "explode into reading."  They often begin to read back their own writing, their own thoughts, and then soon enough they are sounding out the words of others and reading books.  Montessori teachers are trained to teach the young children parts of speech in very meaningful and interactive ways.   One favorite work in the class is reading of action words (verbs.)  Children can read and perform actions like, jump, eat, dust, and mop.  Soon enough they are diagraming sentences and understanding the 'job' of each word in a sentence.   The children will naturally expand these new skills to interpret the world around them and to develop reading fluency skills.

Food for Focus

Proper Nutrition, exercise and learning go hand in hand in nurturing the development of the young child. If lacking any one of these elements, the child cannot possibly develop to his/her fullest potential. By establishing a foundation of proper eating habits and regular physical exercise the child will be far more capable of completing a task and focusing. The child will also have emotional stability as well as the energy needed to sustain a purposeful day at school.

Starting off the morning with a fiber, protein and vitamin rich breakfast is very important for all of the reasons I listed above and it can help to prevent a "sugar crash" or emotional melt down before the next meal.

Here are some sample children-friendly breakfast ideas and the benefits of them.

A bowl of "kid friendly" oatmeal and a half of a pear-  I know this sounds like a lot of work but preparing the night before can help tremendously in that area! One serving of this oatmeal contains 4 grams of fiber (which will help to keep you full for hours), 10% of the daily iron you need, and 5 grams of protein- all with only 1 gram of sugar. The pear (which children love) contains 3 grams of fiber and a wonderful array of vitamins, potassium and natural sugar.

You can prepare enough oatmeal for the whole week on Sunday night and serve it with different fruits, nuts, etc. throughout the week.

Oatmeal with cinnamon recipe:

• Oatmeal (Country Choice Organic, Organic, Oven Toasted Oats, Quick, 18 oz.
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Agave, Honey or any natural sweetener
• Milk- soy or regular

 

Follow the simple directions on the oatmeal container using water. Add three cinnamon sticks and let it simmer with a lid. The next morning you can heat up the oatmeal with the milk of your choice. Mix in any fruits, nuts or even dried fruit.

You may even notice yourself feeling better, more energized and happier throughout the day by sharing this same breakfast with your child.

 

--Brittany Sembera

About Brittany Sembera

Brittany is born and raised in Bay Area of California. Her love and compassion for children really began at an early age as she was the eldest of four siblings.After being introduced to Montessori classroom in 2009 her ideas and passion for the development of the "whole child" finally fell into place. I am a certified Primary Montessori Teacher and currently the Site Director for Crescent Montessori. Along with my advocacy to empower children, encourage exploration, I am a big believer of teaching kids about health and nutrition from early age. In my free time I enjoy hiking, yoga, traveling and cooking.

Behavior Would you like to hold my pocket?

"Would you like to hold my pocket?"

This is a technique we use in our schools that is very effective. As a parent or visitor of the school, you might see one or more children walking around with a teacher with their hand in the pocket of the teacher. Both teacher and child can be successful with this method of discipline in the classroom or playground. It in no way harms the child nor humiliates them in any way. The child is right there with the teacher who can continue to work with other children, therefore, the misbehaving child is also not monopolizing the time of the teacher as well. Many times, a child will only have to hold the pocket of the teacher once. The next time she gives him a choice to either correct behavior or hold the pocket, they generally correct the behavior.

Here is how we use "holdingmy pocket"

When a child has made a poor choice: Give the child the opportunity to correct is the most important thing. Below conversation between Johnny and his teacher

Teacher: "Johnny, please sit properly in circle"

Johnny does not listen

Teacher:"Johnny, please sit properly in circle or you may hold my pocket"

Johnny either corrects behavior or not. If he does not immediately

Teacher: "I see you have chosen to hold my pocket"

Have Johnny stand up and hold your pocket. Only do this for one minute or less. If he refuses to hold your pocket, gently hold his hand, be sure to be at his level, so if he drops to the floor, you are not pulling on him. You might say Johnny, you are going to hurt yourself, please be careful" Wait until he is ready to hold your pocket. If this becomes a battle of the wills, wait it out. Eventually if you are consistent, he will hold your pocket. Tell Johnny, "hold my pocket for the count of 5" Then show him on your fingers what that means. Once he on his own holds your pocket, count to 5. Then ask him if he is ready to return to the group. (If this is distracting to the group, quietly move away from the group of children.)

The next time Johnny challenges one of the ground rules of the group, you can quietly ask him "Would you like to hold my pocket"? He likely will correct his behavior on his own.

Consistency is the key with this method of discipline; the key is positive reinforcement of the correct behavior

• Allows child total control of himself
• Does not humiliate or degrade in any way (if your words remain positive) not just used as a threat or empty threat.
• Child can choose to correct behavior quickly; some children just need a visual reminder (point to your pocket, make eye contact)
• Child maintains contact with adult – this is positive
• Adult does not forget about child, and with the child walking around with adult using the pocket, the adult has free hands
• If the child drops to the floor, adult is not pulling on child

Pocket Rules

• Only one or two fingers go in pocket
• Hand does not go all the way into pocket
• Child is not to pull on adult's clothing
• If adult does not have a pocket, find a waistband or something to hold on to. Reinforce rules about not pulling on clothing.
• An adult can have up to 4 children on "pocket". If there are more than 4 children at a time on pocket, it might be a good idea to review program and other activities going on in the classroom or outside.​

--Colleen Noll

About Colleen Noll

Executive Director of Calaveras, Crescent and Main Street Montessori Schools all located in Milpitas, Ca. Colleen is a formally trained AMS Montessori Teacher and worked in Montessori Education since 1992. She personally oversees the 3 Montessori Schools, which serves Infants through Kindergarten age. For over 13 years, her Motto has been "Children First, Always".

Very Basic Problems New Parents Face

Ms. Mimi is starting a serious of blogs to answer some of the very basic problems new parents face.

Soothe a Crying Baby the Montessori Way

Question from Her Pain is My Pain:

Hello, Ms. Mimi. 

I am a new parent and I am at a loss when my 8 month old cries over everything.  Some of my friends and family have said to pick her up every time while others advise that I let her cry it out.  Could it be that she is always hungry?  I simply don’t know what to do.  I feel like horrible for not knowing how to comfort my own child.  Please help!

Dear Her Pain is My Pain,

Great news!!  You are not alone.  Children are complex even in infancy, and when their only means of communication is crying, it can become overwhelming to both the child and the parent, but fret-not, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Many parents believe that when a child cries it must mean they are hungry or in physical discomfort or pain, but that is not always the case.  Babies can cry for many reasons.  Maybe they’re scared, cold, hot, worried, bored, lonely, or they may simply be experiencing a sad or bad memory. 

So how do we soothe a crying baby the Montessori way?

Dr. Maria Montessori advise that we “follow the child”, in which case, it is important to spend time with your baby to learn what is being said with each cry.  Only with that will you understand how to meet your child’s needs.

In The Joyful Child, Michael Olaf states that a crying infant rarely requires food.  In fact, he wonders if babies were less soothed with food if that would alleviate the obesity problems we currently face.  He also states that it is the responsibility of attentive parents and caregivers to understand the cries of an infant so to better understand their sense of communication.

Here are a few guidelines to help with the process, as it will take some time to learn to differentiate the cries. 

- First, speak in a calm and gentle voice, reassuring her that you are present.

- If that doesn't work, make eye contact so to redirect her focus onto you.

- And if those don’t work, then check for physical pain or discomfort i.e. wet diaper, hungry, the need to be re positioned etc.

All children are different, and all children will have their own distinct cries to express their needs.   Be patient and be present.  You will learn to decode the cries and know that not all situations require immediate adult intervention.  It is important to watch for learning opportunities, and while it may be a bit irritating to the child, the space to work through their discomfort and gain independence and confidence in oneself is critical in their development.   

Ms Mimi Ha

Infant Montessori Lead teacher

Mimi Ha, winner of the 2013 Milpitas Post BestTeacher of the Year and Best Infant Program awards, has been working with young children for nearly a decade.  She has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders and Sciences, Degree in Sociology and Liberal Arts. Ms. Mimi worked with various leading non-profit organizations that support children with Autism. Ms. Mimi Ha believes that children are the key to a brighter world and through them we can learn a great deal about ourselves.

MOMtessorian – a mother’s Journey for finding the right school (Montessori)

It’s my personal experience that I would like to share it with everyone. When I was pregnant with my son, Ethan, I had many dreams for him. Every day he grew in my belly was another moment spent day dreaming of who he will become. I was excited to show him the ropes and get him through the bumpy roads of life, but little did I know, he was going to take wheel and I was merely a guide, the GPS.

Most of the dreams I had for him were pretty typical, lift head by 3 months, crawl by 5 months, walk by 11 months, and talk by 12 months. He didn’t even pop out yet and I had his first year entirely planned out, all thanks to my piles of baby books and years of child hood education and experience under my belt. It wasn’t long before I started fantasizing about what school he will go to, what sports he will join, what college he will attend, the list goes on and on.

The big day came and my son was born. There he was, full of life, curiosity, and joy.And here I was a nervous wreck! One of the things I did to help calm myself was imagine all the goals I had planned for him, and think about how I work towards that.

Few months had passed, and now my son is 5 months old. He was strong enough to lift his head, but didn’t show signs of crawling anytime soon. I freaked out. “How come he isn’t crawling? I gotto do something about it” 

Through my research no longer as a student, or therapist, but now as a mom, I stumbled upon the Montessori Method. The more I learned about Montessori, the more intrigued I grew. I am not exactly sure what caught me, whether it wasthe deep respect teachers had for the children, or that the children were able to manipulate the materials and learn through their own experiences, or that the teachers followed each child as unique individuals! I saw my little Ethan in a different light. Instead of looking at him as a future Ivy League scholar, I saw him as a child full of wonder and mystery. I shifted my feelings away from who he was supposed to be based on my preconceived notions and accepted he will be who he is meant to be.

After having started my position as a teacher in the infant Community then Director in a Montessori School, I saw ALL children differently. Suddenly the parents who came to me with suggestions of “my child must read by 3 years old” seemed silly. But really, that was me not long ago. Asking Ethan, or any children, to conform to my ideals is like “Judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”-Albert Einstein.

When making the big decision of deciding Montessori or conventional schooling—it was natural for me to choose Montessori because “Montessori is an education for independence, preparing not just for school, but for life” –Maria Montessori. That was what I wanted for Ethan, to learn without fear of reprimand and freedom to explore individual interests while building up confidence. He is now a toddler; with much to say, do, and share. I let him take the wheel, and guided him to the destination of his journey.

Milinh Villanueva

 About Milinh Villanueva

I have been working with children since 2003, with ages ranging from 6 weeks through Kindergarten, and developmental abilities ranging from typically developing to special needs. I have a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University reflecting special and childhood education. My Montessori certification is nearly completed with all coursework and I am eager to start practicum. Not only as a Director, but also as a mother of a child who attends Montessori school, I believe in the Montessori philosophy wholeheartedly. For me, the Montessori Method is more than just an approach to learning academics; it is the way to developing the child as a whole taking into account their physical, emotional, and social growth.