I watched one of our students this week who was busy doing her lesson, ‘work’ as we call it. She wasn’t smiling. She was very serious as she concentrated on her task at hand.  But listening to her words told a different story.

“I’ve finished another one....I’m so happy….I love this work….I’m so happy here….” This soft, sweet voice was singing as she colored in a control map of the number rods. She wasn’t looking for attention, she wasn’t joking around with a friend, she was simply happy in the moment.

For a bit of background, this child had some rough moments lately. She’s going through a period of anxiety that’s made many of her moments less than joyous. But here she was, content just to do work. It was as if she’d read the manual on how children act in a Montessori classroom.

I spoke to a fellow teacher in reference to this scene. I posed the question, “How many people are this happy in their day to day life? How many people love their work this much?”

To my delight, she answered, “I do!”  With a big smile on her face, she told me she loved what she does.  What an awesome feeling to see the joy in both adults and children around you.

Later in the week, I watched a different teacher outside on the playground with her class. I watched her laugh and play with the boys nearest her. Then I saw her climb on the tire swing and begin to join in their fun. Here it is again….the joy! 

This week was an eye opener for me. I’m looking at a world with so many hardships, many staring us in the face each and every day. I see the challenges the world has for us, but I’m also looking into the faces of friends and seeing the happiness they hold.  I hear the singing of the sweetest voices and witness the laughter of the good times. I’m reminded to just look around…and find the joy. It is there for the taking.

The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and children are laugh...wait! 
What is this? It's recess time, but no children are swinging on the tire swing or slipping down the slide, shimmying across the monkey bars or climbing the tire wall!  Instead eight children are huddled around the two cement flower containers that adorn the front entrance of the main building, and two more sit peacefully in the gazebo.  Upon taking a closer look, each child is coveting a wood chip or twig.  Using only God's gifts of nature and the edges of the flower containers the children are carving!  With inspiring aspects of nature and vivid imaginations, the children are using their free time to carve out their own masterpieces; a heart, an otter, a platypus, a
fish, a pencil, a calligraphy pen (tip dipped in "ink" using the remnants of the
inside of an acorn), and the list goes on. There is no limit to the possibilities
that lie ahead for recesses to come.

Baking is a holiday tradition for many no matter what the celebration.  What better way to practice life skills and get into the holiday spirit than to bake cookies!  The children in the elementary classroom combined reading, math, and home economics by baking gingerbread cookies for the school-wide Christmas party!  Doubling the recipe required the children to practice mathematical operations while precise measuring and detailed decorating enhanced fine motor skills.  As one of the children pointed out, "It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas" as the icing for the cookies was being made.  Powdered sugar filled the air, dusted the tables, chairs, floors, and the children!  Oh what fun it was to observe the children working cooperatively together as they mixed, rolled, cut, baked, and decorated yummy gingerbread.

Practical life in the elementary classroom is practiced daily through routines, jobs, and life experiences to help the child develop independence so that they may become fully capable and responsible adults. Skills pertaining to care of self, care of environment, and living things, along with grace and courtesy remain invaluable to the Montessori curriculum.  Exercises in Practical Life also serve as important social lessons.  

Happy Holidays from all of us at LifeSong Montessori and thank you for sharing the gift of your precious children with us each and every day!

The nation is all a buzz with the 2012 presidential election and our classroom has been no exception.  For just over a month, the children have been learning about the election process and studying the issues (education, economy, health care, taxes, and defense). 
Today it all came together in our LifeSong Mock Election.

Even from the very beginning of this unit it was clear that some of the children were influenced by family members and their choices about each of the candidates.  So to be certain that their was a fair and just mock election, each candidate was assigned a random letter from the alphabet and issues were studied by letter opposed to name.  As each issue was presented the children began developing their own opinions about who they wanted to elect (unbeknownst to them the actual names of the candidates). Speculation as to who each candidate was sparked controversy within the classroom. 
Several children began debating the issues themselves!  It was amazing to witness the diplomatic conversations that took place over the last month.  One thing I have learned through this whole process is that adults should step back and
listen more to children!  They really do know what they are talking about and share amazing insights. They definitely had me thinking!

Prior to today the children registered to vote (they must have turned 6 prior to the election year and be
enrolled at LifeSong Montessori), received a voter's registration card, and prepared the classroom voting booth and ballot box.  Each child and teacher registered took their place in line at the poll this morning to cast their ballot. 
The children worked the poll directing eager voters.  After lunch the children tabulated the ballots.  The results......
Barack Obama (Candidate "S")      77%
Mitt Romney (Candidate "N")       23%

Over a month of research, note taking, writing, organizing, and finalizing pays off in a “presidential” way for our elementary children this week.  Each year on Halloween we celebrate "Historical Character Day." Costumes are worn, speeches are given,
and reports are shared.  The ear-to-ear smiles on the children's faces indicate success. 
Pride in their work is apparent as they confidently shared their reports before parents and peers.  Each of the children stood tall just as our forefathers must have done 225 years ago
upon signing our Declaration of Independence.

In elementary the gears change from "learning to read" to "reading to learn."  For much of the last couple of months, the children have been reading numerous resources about one of the first seven presidents of our country. Each child researched a former president of interest.  They studied their president's childhood, family, their service in office, and retirement.  Upon reading interesting and sometimes unbelievable facts (Did you know that John Quincy Adams had an alligator for a pet while living in the White House?), the children often couldn't contain their enthusiasm!  Observing their excitement about their most recent finds and watching the children dive into more research just to see what else they could learn and share speaks volumes.  One of my favorite quotes throughout this assignment was from a first year child who had just completed her final draft, “Wow!  I can’t believe all those words came out of my pencil!”  This project was more than just researching, writing, and presenting; it was a mark on the child's personal timeline in history.

A four year old was climbing UP the slide at recess the other
day.  In general, that’s not very safe.  Often times, children
stationed at the top of the slide will proceed regardless of the friend making
their way towards them, knocking the feet out from under the climber and…well,
you can imagine the entanglement that leads to lots of tears and boo boos.  

When the four year old was asked to use the ladder and slide DOWN the slide instead, he said that he didn't know how.  On our jungle gym, there are two ladders that access the slide: one, a column of wooden slates; the other, a mesh of tires. I had a few of the kids show him how to maneuver the wooden slatted-side, but he tried it and said he couldn't do it. I suggested instead that he watch someone going up the tire-side and he was again hesitant. 

Determined to see this kid "play well with others" I asked him if he would climb up the tire-side with me. He agreed. We worked our way up the web of tires, as I showed him the good spots to place his feet. However, at the top I realized he was a bit scared so I sat him in front of me on the slide and he happily went down.  I slid down behind him and was applauded by a parent in the carpool lane. I also saw giggling teachers taking pictures of me.  For a moment I was embarrassed and felt a bit inappropriate…I was, after all, at work and should be watching over the kids, not playing with them.  Luckily, I also remembered that it is my job to be their teacher.

Carolyne Britt is an assistant and Art Teacher at LifeSong Montessori and she plays well with others.

“For those who practice not-doing, Everything will fall into
place.” ~Catherine McTamaney, The Tao of Montessori

So often as teachers we find ourselves wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the daily routines. There is work to be prepared, lessons to be taught, and observations to be made.  I often find myself concerned about the lessons that I had planned to teach that day and didn’t get to.  I start to question my ability to successfully complete the planned curriculum for the school year.  What I fail to remember is that one of my responsibilities as a Montessori teacher is to be a saint.  

Practicing saintliness is challenging for me.  To be saintly one is required to be still.   To be a saint you must refrain from modifying or changing.  You must simply accept what is.  As I sit at a table working with a child on her spelling words, a jolting crash echoes off the cinder block walls directly behind me. Bead bars scatter around the floor beneath my feet. 
The child I am working with gasps.  I close my eyes, refrain from turning around, and continue with the next word. Several students make their way over to the source of the mishap.   I take in the sounds of children working together to rectify the situation.  Within a few short minutes, the bead bars are back in their respective box, and the child is returning the wooden box to the shelf with two hands.  The other children quietly make their way back to their workspaces.  I
smile knowing that I just encountered one of many tiny miracles that would occur within the learning environment today.  It wasn’t a lesson that I prepared, but a lesson that unfolded while engaging in life.

We are saintly when we do for each other.  Grace and courtesy are lessons that frequent the Montessori
classroom.  However these lessons are best taught through actions we ourselves perform on a daily basis.   Sometimes it’s the children who model this attribute.  Again, while working with a child on her spelling and vocabulary words, I soak in my surroundings.  Rugs are sprawled out on the floor nearby with children tracing wooden puzzle pieces onto colorful textured paper.  They carefully pin-push the shapes and strategically position them onto an outlined map of the
United Sates of America.  One child struggles to“punch out” their shape and another offers to assist them.  The paper rips and the shape is torn beyond recognition.  You can read the frustration on the child’s face as she witnesses all of her efforts being recycled.  A feeling of failure momentarily sweeps across the face of the child who was only trying to
help.  With a skip in his step he quickly makes his way back to the puzzle, takes out the same shape that he had
just torn.  He carefully re-traces it, “pin-pushes” it, and punches it out beautifully.  He walks over to the other child and humbly offers it to her as an apology.  She graciously accepts the shape and attaches it to her map as the other child observes.  Sweet smiles reflect thank yous and the two resume their work.  Another lesson carried out
unplanned.

My heart overflows with love and pride for these children as I witness the many miracles that occur throughout the work
morning.  Catherine McTamaney’s words resonated with me today.  “Bearing witness to the“normalized child” serves us well, encourages us to continue to do this work, and gives foundation to our accomplishment as
teachers…” (p.4).  These are the moments that renew my passion for teaching and my love for God’s precious gifts
to our lives; the children.


 
 

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