Bringing the Joy of Reading to Your Child's Life Before the School Year Starts

Parents often ask themselves, “How can I ensure my child stays on track with learning during the summer months, outside of the classroom?” An impactful and bonding activity between parents and their children that can be overlooked is the act of reading together. Not only is it an enjoyable for everyone involved plus a method of bonding the child with his or her parent, but it also holds numerous learning benefits that lead to overall well-being. Let’s explore some of the key advantages of reading with your child, plus provide practical strategies for incorporating these strategies into your child's daily routine as they prepare for diving back into in-classroom learning.

1. Enhanced Cognitive Development: Reading aloud exposes children to a wide range of vocabulary, ideas, and concepts, stimulating their cognitive faculties and nurturing critical thinking skills. As you read together, your child's mind expands, making connections and developing a deeper understanding of their immediate and the whole around them as a whole.

2. Preparation for Academic Success: Reading aloud facilitates the early cultivation of essential literacy skills, such as letter recognition, phonics, and comprehension. These foundational skills serve as the cornerstone for future academic accomplishments, setting your child up for success in school and beyond.

3. Fostering Parent-Child Bonds: Engaging in shared reading experiences strengthens the profound bond between parents and children. It offers an invaluable opportunity for quality time, fostering intimacy, and nurturing a sense of strengthened connection. The moments spent together while exploring the pages of a book create lasting memories that both you and your child will cherish for a lifetime.

4. Heightened Concentration and Discipline: Reading necessitates focused attention, helping children refine their concentration and discipline. By sitting still, attentively listening, and following a narrative, they develop valuable skills that extend beyond the realm of reading and carry into everyday activities.

5. Amplified Imagination and Creativity: Through the magic of books, reading ignites children's imagination and stimulates their creative faculties. As they immerse themselves in diverse worlds, characters, and ideas, they are encouraged to think innovatively and develop their own narratives and concepts.

6. Cultivation of Lifelong Reading Habits: Early exposure to reading is instrumental in fostering a lifelong love for literature and books. By introducing your child to the joys of reading at a young age, you lay the foundation for an enduring appreciation of reading not just for mandatory curriculum in school, but also for pleasure and the pursuit of knowledge throughout their lives.

Now that we understand the many benefits of reading aloud, let's explore some strategies to seamlessly incorporate it into your child's daily routine:

1. Library Excursions: Take your child to the local library and let them explore the captivating realm of children's literature. Encourage them to choose books that align with their interests, empowering them with a sense of ownership over their reading choices.

2. Creating a Cozy Reading Nook: Curate a dedicated reading corner at home, complete with comfortable cushions, blankets, and a bookshelf filled with age-appropriate literary gems. Make this space inviting, and encourage your child to spend quality time there, immersed in their favorite stories.

3. Plan a Reading Picnic: Pack a blanket, along with a selection of books, and head to a nearby park or your own backyard for a delightful reading picnic. Enjoy the sunshine while delving into captivating tales amidst the great outdoors.

4. Joint Reading Sessions: Engage in shared reading experiences with your child. Choose books with compelling narratives, endearing characters, or captivating illustrations that effortlessly captivate their imagination. Take turns reading aloud and allow them to participate in the storytelling process. Engage your child during reading sessions by asking questions, discussing the story, and encouraging them to share their thoughts and interpretations.

5. Bedtime Stories: Incorporate reading into your child's bedtime routine. Choose a cozy spot in their room, snuggle up together, and embark on a nightly adventure through the pages of a book. This peaceful ritual creates a sense of tranquility and allows for a moment of shared reflection before sleep.

Remember, reading aloud to your child is not just about imparting knowledge or improving skills. It is about creating moments of joy, connection, and discovery. It is about building a lifelong love for reading and nurturing their imagination. By incorporating these strategies into your parenting journey, you are sowing the seeds of a profound love for literature while reaping the multitude of benefits it bestows upon your child's holistic development. So, grab a book, snuggle up with your little one, and embark on a captivating reading adventure together. The rewards will be truly priceless. We hope you enjoyed reading this guide brought to you by the educational team at Neshaminy Montessori. Remember, it’s never too early or too late to enjoy!

Developing Citizens of The World: The Sensitive Period for Language

Language is thought to be the universal form of self-expression, and allows us as humans to both communicate our wants and needs while forming bonds with others.  Introducing the ability to communicate in other languages opens a child’s mind to other cultures and allows them to dream of far way lands. Maria Montessori believed young children have a natural ability to pick up languages. At Neshaminy Montessori School, we follow Maria’s theory on the sensitive period for language by introducing French to our scholars ages pre -primary through elementary.

There are numerous benefits to foreign language instruction within early childhood education.

1.    Early language instruction is easier to introduce in adolescence rather than adulthood.

Young children have absorptive and elastic minds. Introducing a second language at a young age takes advantage of our children’s quick memory and unconscious familiarity with the process.  Studies have shown that children introduced to a foreign language in their formative years are more likely to speak and read fluently in that language.

2.    Bilingual children become more marketable as bilingual adults.

The ability to read, understand, and speak more than one language is a great advantage in our global world.  Communicating in numerous languages opens up doors to various career paths and opportunities.

3.    Children who speak multiple languages are more grammatically aware.

Children who learn a second language with different grammatical rules have a better grasp of their own. As our students become more aware of the French language, they begin to compare their native language to the one being introduced.  Our children tend to read earlier in their schooling due to the constant contrast between both languages.

The benefits of speaking multiple languages are endless, but the greatest underlying reason is that languages increase understanding amongst individuals and promotes a deeper understanding of cultural acceptance and peace. Here at Neshaminy Montessori, we are raising global citizens who will be future peacemakers in our world.

Curriculum Night

On September 28th, Neshaminy Montessori opened its doors to a new community of learners- our devoted parents!

Our “Curriculum Night “provides the opportunity for our adult learners to experience the classroom through their child’s eyes.   The directresses provide classroom tours, go over daily schedules, present innovative lessons, and highlight curriculum content.

In addition to learning about the Montessori method and instruction, our educators explain their personal philosophies of education. Each directress strives to create an environment rich in creativity, peace, and academic success.

Building a bridge between parents and teachers is essential in creating a foundation of a lifelong love of learning.  Parents are a critical part of the learning experience in our classrooms. When educators and parents work together, our children benefit in the following ways:

1.      Student Motivation- Parent involvement boosts your child’s motivation and improves self-esteem. Attending “Curriculum Night” and other parental workshops demonstrates to your child that their educational journey is important. When parents actively support their child’s academic life, children tend to perform to their fullest potential.

2.       Educational Experiences- Parents learn about and gain an understanding of the Montessori philosophy of teaching. When parents feel confident in their knowledge, they can provide meaningful educational opportunities at home.

3.      Security- By being actively involved in your child’s academic functions, it conveys the message that school is a safe and loving environment. Your children witness that you enjoy their school and learning just as much as they do.

We look forward to a continued partnership with parents and invite you to join our monthly workshops on academic topics related to your child.

The Importance of the Montessori Work Cycle

At Neshaminy Montessori, we follow the child. Dr. Montessori said it best. “Work chosen by the children, and carried out without interference, has its own laws. It has a beginning and ending like a day, and it must be allowed to come full circle.” (Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work )   One of the best gifts we can give our children is the opportunity to fully develop their concentration and independence, free from unnecessary adult interruptions. A successful, complete work cycle is one of the best ways to accomplish this.

What is a Work Cycle?

A Montessori work cycle is an uninterrupted block of instructional time.  During this time children are able to explore the prepared environment and engage with materials of their own choosing.  The time is meant to give them opportunities to enjoy the work they love, be introduced to new curriculum areas, and spend time developing their academic skills at their own pacing.

While it looks slightly different at different grade levels, there is always some combination of students working independently while teachers give individual or small group lessons.  Children move around the classroom selecting work of their choosing.  They may work on a table or the floor, with a special rug laid out beneath them.  After selecting a work from the shelves, they bring it carefully to the workspace of their choosing, and use the material as they have previously been taught.  Children know they are responsible for putting the materials back neatly and selecting their next work independently. While there is a great emphasis on choice and self-directed learning, your child’s teacher creates individualized lesson plans to ensure your child meets their academic goals throughout the day. The work cycle gives children a chance to develop new skills, make choices, and be a pioneer of their learning process.  When children are not told what to do, and when, they learn how to prioritize, become independent thinkers, and responsible citizens.

Freedom Within Limits

   A misconception of the work cycle is that the children can do whatever they want. This is furthest from the truth. Freedom within limits is an empowering concept. It embraces the notion of the child as an explorer who is capable of learning and doing for themselves. Montessori encourages freedom within limits through the design of the prepared environment and ground rules.  In order to have a successful work cycle, our students are taught they must respect themselves, others, and their environment.

Respect for oneself- Children are free to choose their activities, provided that they have been shown a presentation of the activity, and know how to use the materials respectfully to avoid self-harm.

Respect of others- Children can choose to work independently or in small groups; however, they must be invited to work with another child, and must not interfere with another child’s work. 

Respect the environment- Respect for the environment relates to the proper care for everything within the Montessori classroom. This includes the proper use of the Montessori materials, packing away, and taking care of all things living and non-living within the environment.

Benefits of the Work Cycle

• It promotes independent learning.

• It lets children pursue the activities and topics that they’re most interested in.

• It gives children practice setting up an activity and cleaning it up, which encourages an organized mind.

• It lets children learn at their own pace.

• It gives children practice with prolonged focused attention.

Neshaminy Montessori students are independent and life long learners.  The work cycle is essential in creating a self- driven love of learning.

Incorporating Montessori at Home

During the first 3 years of life, your child develops more rapidly than at any other time. During this phase, your child absorbs large amounts of information from the environment through observation and experiences. These are the years that lay the foundation for later learning—and the stronger the foundation, the more the child will be able to build upon it. Building home environments that harmonize with your young child’s Montessori classroom will support their education and development.

Here are some ways to build that connection.

Prepare the Environment - “A place for everything and everything in its place" is one of the critical principles of Montessori philosophy. When you designate a place for everything, your child will quickly learn where everything goes. This is an essential tool in teaching them to become responsible independent thinkers.  Your home environment should allow your child the freedom to safely explore and learn through discovery. Shelves, chairs, and toys should be at the child’s eye level.  Provide uncluttered play shelves for your child. Place toys, games and art supplies on low shelves where your child can easily access them, then separate these toys into various baskets and bins so the items stay separate and are easy to find without sifting through piles of other toys. This will give your child a sense of organization and provide a peaceful learning environment.

Emphasize Life Skills - Allow your toddler to participate in the chores of everyday life. By teaching them to take care of themselves and the space around them at a young age, you will set your child up to be a considerate, independent adult. Remember to match their tasks with their age and abilities. For example, younger children are perfectly capable of learning to water plants, setting the table, feeding pets, and cleaning up their toys.

Follow the Child - Provide learning experiences that follow your child’s interests.  For example, if your toddler loves learning about zoo animals, use that information and build upon it. Perhaps your child is working on their oral language skills, expand their vocabulary by teaching her the names of various animals.

Hands on Learning - Create hands on learning experiences. Your child learns abstract concepts by experiencing them. For example, by mixing paint colors your child has a clear understanding what makes the color purple. By providing concrete materials for your child to count, she begins to understand the concept of numeracy.  Provide learning experiences where your child explores and discovers.

Focus on Inner Motivation - Instead of verbally praising your child’s work, focus on your child’s feeling. Ask your child “You completed that puzzle all by yourself. How did that make you feel?”  The key is that you should teach your children to enjoy and seek the feelings of pleasure and pride that come with learning something new rather than extrinsic rewards.

Through incorporating the Montessori philosophy into your home, you create an invaluable bridge that reinforces independence and a love for education.

Transitioning Into Elementary

One of the biggest questions asked by parents is: “How difficult will it be for my child to transition into a new (Montessori) classroom.” This question is not always easy to answer because no child is exactly the same as another. There are different variables to think about when choosing an educational path for your child. However, one of the biggest key points to remember about Montessori philosophy is that the trained teachers never just teach to the group. They learn the strengths and weaknesses of each student in their classroom, and they work with them based on their individual learning styles.

If a child is moving into an elementary Montessori classroom from a primary Montessori classroom, the transition should be seamless. The biggest adjustment the child will have to make is getting to know their new teacher. In the beginning of the school year, teachers often spend a nice chunk of time with “getting to know you” exercises regardless of new or returning students. It is essential to build that classroom community as a whole in the beginning of the year. The previously primary student will already understand the ebb and flow of a Montessori environment and will quickly learn the new expectations of their elementary teacher.

What if your child has never been in a primary Montessori classroom...will they transition well into an elementary Montessori classroom? The short answer is YES! Children are adaptable. All of the students entering the Montessori elementary program will need to transition whether they enter a Montessori classroom or a traditional classroom. Each year is a new transition for all students. As stated before, all trained teachers take the time to understand each individual learner. The teacher will take extra time to guide the new students to understand the routines and materials. The beauty of a Montessori classroom, too, is that the students can also become teachers. Students who are familiar with Montessori often help newer students through direct modeling and interaction. With a strong classroom community, each child will feel part of the whole in no time at all.

Maria Montessori said, “Adaptation to the environment is something positive, a starting point from which a person can go a long way.” To adapt to a new environment is a skill that all people will learn to endure in a lifetime. Children are much more adaptable than most adults, and they enjoy new and exciting transitions. Be confident that your child will thrive in a Montessori elementary classroom!

If you would like to learn more about an Elementary Montessori experience at Neshaminy Montessori School, contact the office at 215 355 4373.

Neshaminy Montessori Learns About the Art of Opera

For the fifth year in a row, Neshaminy Montessori will proudly perform an opera composed by Charis Bean Duke. This year, the show will be a rendition of “Rumpelstiltskin.” Here at Neshaminy Montessori, we understand that early exposure to music education has been proven to increase a child’s IQ and actively contributes to the development of their brain. 

·        Rehearsals directly contribute to cognitive development. While children rehearse, learn choreography, and work on blocking, they are not only refining their performance abilities but aiding their neurological development. 

·        Exposure to new songs builds literacy skills. Through learning new songs, our students are exposed to new vocabulary which will benefit them in their comprehension and language development in the classroom.

·         Performing allows children to be more in tune with their emotions. As the students are asked to convey their message through acting, they are refining their emotional intelligence thus becoming more socially aware.

·         Through rehearsals and performances, students advance their memory function. Retention skills and sequencing are developed through the memory of their lines, songs, and choreography.

·         The opera assists students in developing a stronger sense of individualism, self-reflection and self-esteem. Participating in the opera helps our students to learn about grit and commitment, emotional preparation and dedication. In the end, they can reflect on how their hard work paid off—ultimately giving them a sense of accomplishment. 

The children are looking forward to showcasing their abilities on June 10th – 11th at 10am. We hope to see you there.

The Benefits of Elementary Montessori Education

Why stay at Neshaminy Montessori for the elementary years?  The answer is simple. Children who continue Montessori education into their school aged years become innovative and pioneers of their own learning process.  Individualized lessons plans and self- directed materials allow your child to take ownership of their developmental process, thus cultivating a love for learning because they are given the chance to be actively involved in their curriculum.  

Montessori elementary classrooms are fundamentally different from traditional elementary school rooms. In fact, they are so different that it can be hard to understand how they work, and why they are so great at helping your child thrive.

Here are a few key differences between traditional and Montessori Education:

Teachers act as guides on the side rather than lecturers. In most traditional education classrooms, the students are taught through whole class instruction and students work through the same curricula at the same pace.  In contrast, Montessori classrooms provide instruction individually or in small groups.  The teacher carefully observes her students and introduces concepts and lessons to meet each child’s academic needs and interests. For example, in a Montessori classroom an advanced student will be given opportunities to learn concepts above their grade level. It is not uncommon for an advanced second grader to learn a third-grade math concept if he or she is ready. At the same time, a child who struggles can get the extra support he or she needs, without the negative effect on his self esteem due to the individualized lessons. There is no competition in Montessori. Each child learns at his/her own pace. There is no one size fits all curriculum, the Montessori philosophy recognizes this and caters to each child’s needs, wants, and developmental level.

Children learn from hands on manipulatives rather than textbooks. Most traditional schools teach curriculum using textbooks and worksheets. Montessori classrooms present curricula using hands on carefully crafted materials. Dr. Montessori believed the elementary years were pivotal because children begin thinking from concrete to abstract. The elementary materials present abstract concepts such as multiplication, division, and the decimal system through a concrete material to provide a full understanding of an abstract thought. Through the use of the materials, each child acquires the skills to think about things and figure them out, rather than focus on rote memorization.

Growth as respectful citizens within society. Much of the classroom management techniques are intertwined within the grace and courtesy lessons that are unique to Montessori classrooms. These lessons are designed to teach the children how to follow polite social norms. Older students in the classroom assist with modeling appropriate manners to their younger peers, which is one of the many benefits of a Montessori multi-aged classroom. The lessons are first taught intentionally, but then consistently modeled by all adults with expectations for the children to follow. Children thrive socially when given the opportunity to teach appropriate behaviors to their peers.

Considering a Montessori education for your elementary child is an easy decision. Offering a thriving learner an opportunity to grow and develop academically, socially, and cognitively in a manner which best suites his or her individual learning style is what every child deserves. See what Montessori supporters say:

·        Children advance quickly. Parents who love the Montessori approach rave about how quickly even young children advance in terms of self-esteem and academic abilities. They also say that Montessori-educated children tend to be self-motivated, independent learners.

·        Children develop and learn at their own pace. Children aren’t compared to one another or forced to compete, be it for rewards, accolades, or attention. Instead, they’re encouraged to collaborate and support one another.

·        Teachers respect children and encourage independence. Children are left to themselves; grown-ups rarely interfere with kids’ activities, respecting children’s intelligence and ability to master many real-life skills.

·        It’s calm and inviting. Parents like that children spend their day in a calm, orderly environment; children aren’t stressed out, but inspired and happy at school.