The Outdoor Classroom

Maria Montessori asserted, “When children come in contact with Nature they reveal their Strength.”

Being outside is THE best. Children use all of our senses when we’re outside. They see, hear, smell, touch and sometimes taste if there are tasty vegetables in the garden or fruit on the trees. Being outdoors builds their confidence. It teaches responsibility and promotes imagination. In a less structured environment, children have an opportunity to control their movement and refine their gross motor skills. Being outdoors promotes exercise, allows them to release energy that has built up throughout the day, and gives them a much deserved brain break after working hard. Simply put, children need to move! These are just a few of the benefits of having an outdoor class.

Living Out Our Core Values

Service is a core value of our learning community. Every grade level and student council completes at least one service project each year. Students learn about the group of individuals their project will support and the entire school community is invited to participate by making donations. 

Lower Elementary students completed their service project on April 16th. The service project’s goal was to help students at Laura Dearing Elementary School, a Title 1 elementary school in Las Vegas. Students at Dearing Elementary were in need of snacks that would help students remain full and energized throughout the day and McDonald’s gift cards to incentivize students to come to school every day. Within the first few days of the project alone, the cars of our lower elementary teachers were overflowing with donations. The kindness and generosity of our families is absolutely incredible.

The students from each lower elementary school classroom also walked a mile as a “Walk Together” fundraiser for the donations. The walk allowed the lower elementary students to work in solidarity when they have had to remain separate due to COVID-19 policies. The gift of service teaches us all that we are global citizens and thinking outside of ourselves can lead to powerful community change. 

We are so proud of our community! 

Montessori Math

Montessori curriculum is based on giving children exposure to concrete materials first, then giving them incremental opportunities to build more abstract concepts.  

What do we mean by concrete?  The children are able to hold a material in their hands.  Montessori Math is unique in that math skills are developed through hands on materials first.  They physically hold, carry and manipulate materials to gain a complete understanding of the concept of quantity.  

Children initially experience concrete 1-10 concepts in Sensorial by doing activities such as the Pink Tower, Brown Stairs, Red Rods, Knobbed and Colored Cylinder.  All of these activities have ten physical components to them (10 cubes, 10 stairs, 10 cylinders, etc.).  While we do not count these components, children work with them and unconsciously experience what 10 items feel like.  The materials are carried individually to a workspace on the floor, built or organized, then returned, one piece at a time, to their proper location in the classroom.

Montessori math materials stem directly from the Sensorial materials by utilizing the physical feel of 1-10, then adding the more abstract idea of a symbol: the number that corresponds to the physical quantity.

Number recognition is taught after the concrete materials are introduced, then the two concepts are paired together.  In this manner, children develop a thorough understanding of not only numbers, but what those numbers represent.

Examples of Early Montessori Math materials include:

The Red and Blue Rods

The Spindle Boxes

Cards and Counters

and the Short Bead Stair.

When concepts of 1-10 are mastered, children move onto concepts of Teens, Tens, Hundreds and Thousands using the same process of introducing the concrete material first, then learning the symbol or number that represents the quantity, then pairing the two concepts together.

The materials are symbolic or representative of something else (a number, perhaps), and that symbolism changes over time until children are ready to let go of the materials and find solutions on paper or even in their heads.  This idea of mastering a skill without the assistance of materials is what we refer to as abstraction. 

When a child is ready to learn about basic operations, there are plenty of materials to support them.  Montessori math uses the golden bead material; first to build numbers into the thousands.  For example a single golden bead represents 1, a group of 10 beads are strung together in a straight line for 10, and 100 beads are affixed into a flat square.  The thousand cube is as large as 1,000 of the original single ‘1’ bead.  Once a child is able to build a visual representation of a number, the beads are used to teach basic operations.  Young children are able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers into the thousands using this material.  They first learn with static problems – that is, with no exchanges – and then move on to more complex, dynamic problems.  They quickly learn that ten 1s is equal to one 10, and they do this by holding those numbers in their hands.

Long and Short Chains are a continuation of the short bead material.  These materials incorporate sequential counting that can also be used for skip counting which, in turn, aids building addition and multiplication skills.

In this manner, math concepts are easily understood and students are able to practice a wide variety of functions.

https://hollismontessori.org/blog/2018/3/19/montessori-basics-how-math-progresses-through-the-levels

Gratitude

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.  Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.  Thankfulness may consist merely of words.  Gratitude is shown in acts.” – Henri Frederic Amiel

The holiday season has many themes. In this year of loss and uncertainty, perhaps the most important is gratitude. Students in our Upper Elementary program have been learning that gratitude is not just saying “thank you” and having good manners, but it is an intentional act. 

One of our teachers, Ms. Krista, taught students ways to show gratitude during one of her Growth Mindset lessons. The students were paired up to design skits to show the acts of gratitude. Each pair was given an act of gratitude and they prepared a skit to perform for the rest of the class. The rest of the class had the opportunity to guess what act of gratitude they were portraying in their skit. 

The acts of gratitude were the following: 

  • being an active listener, giving out compliments 
  • making eye contact, giving detailed examples of appreciation
  • being thoughtful of others, how to give a virtual hug (COVID style)
  • being gracious when challenged, offering congratulations (even when you are not the winner) 
  • volunteering to help others with difficult tasks
  • showing patience. 

All of these acts show gratitude for the community in which we live. 

How will you and your family show your gratitude this season? 

Art is Essential 

Due to budget deficits, schools throughout the nation are finding ways to cut their spending, and often the first thing to be removed from the curriculum is art. At Foothills Montessori School, we are committed to offering art education. We see the value in arts education and appreciate the significance it can have on student development. There is evidence that supports it helps our students to develop stronger academic skills, improve their decision-making processes, foster inventiveness, and help build self-confidence. These are the things we want for every student that joins our community. 

We asked our art teacher, Ms. Angela, what the goal of our art curriculum is for our students and she said, “The goal at FMS has been to support fundamental academics, supplement our cultural curriculum, and bridge gaps by developing new ways of seeing.  At a young age, children begin to communicate through artistic expression.  Long before they are able to read and write, they tell stories through their artwork.  Creativity through expression in the arts helps to improve innovative thinking for our students at every level.  It’s the ‘out of the box’ thinking that provides so many areas for growth. Students exposed to the arts become adults with improved focus, decision making skills, self-confidence, and civic engagement.”

During our spring school closure in 2020, Foothills Montessori continued to provide our art curriculum remotely. The art curriculum was delivered through project-based challenges. Project-based challenges in the arts allow our students to devise strategies for problem solving. As teens and adults, life is full of trials and obstacles.  Determination and commitment gained through project-based learning helps prepare our students for future challenges.  No matter their level of development, their capacity expands.

In closing, the Brooking’s Institute did extensive research and published an article in 2019 on the impact of the arts educational experience.  Their findings determined that arts education not only positively impacted emotional and social outcomes for students by fostering greater compassion for others; but it concluded that the students they researched had 13 percent higher standardized writing scores*.  Our students create magic everyday with their creativity and dedication to their arts based projects- many of which become treasures or family keepsakes.  The true beauty in arts education is that those experiences are helping to frame our future.  Students that become strong leaders, inventors, designers, communicators, and citizens.  Whatever they choose to become on their path, the arts provide them with tools to use for a lifetime.

*Brian Kisida and Daniel H. Bowen Tuesday, February 12, 2019

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2019/02/12/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/       

Managing Challenging Behaviors Starts with You

All children exhibit challenging behaviors at some point in their life. It might be when they are three and bite another child that reaches for a toy they are playing with. It might be your seven year old that refuses to go to bed on time and then refuses to get up in the morning. The teenage years are universally dreaded by most parents because of disrespectful language and outright rejection of your guidance. When these challenges begin to pile up, all parents ask the same question: How can I change my child’s behavior?

The answer: change your own behavior. Consider how you react when you encounter unhelpful behaviors and consider how you react when behavioral expectations are met. Do you pay the same amount of attention to the behaviors you want to encourage as the ones you would like to discourage? It is a hard pill to swallow, but parents and caregivers dramatically influence children’s behavior.

So what can we do?

1. Notice

Encourage the behaviors you like by noticing. For example: If your child has been refusing to pick up their toys when you ask, notice them when they do it on their own. It could sound something like, “I see you decided to put your puzzle and cars away. Now we have a few extra minutes to read a book together.” You will soon see that the behavior you pay attention to is the behavior you will see most often.

2. QTIP (Quit Taking it Personally)

Dr. Becky Bailey refers to QTIP in her book, “Conscious Discipline”, and it is a simple reminder that behavior is a way for children to communicate, not “get back at us”. Sometimes, we assume children act a certain way to annoy us, purposefully push our buttons, or defy our directions. However, usually, children’s behavior is a direct result of how they perceive their environment. It is up to us to push away those assumptions to address the root cause of the behavior.

3. Model Calm

Most people have figured out ways to communicate without behavioral outbursts by the time they reach adulthood. If we are stressed about an upcoming work deadline, we don’t throw a tantrum on our supervisor’s office floor. Instead, we make a plan to manage the stress and remain calm. If we take the time to model this behavior, talk aloud and plan, in front of our children they begin to see appropriate ways to problem solve.

4. Remove Negative Verbs

“No” is a common word parents use to manage behavior. We get frustrated when we explicitly say, “No” to a child and they do exactly what you said not to a minute later. It is baffling that this happens repeatedly until you realize that most children do not begin to comprehend negative verbs until they are seven years old. Instead of saying, “Do not _______”, try giving them a command of what you would like them to do. For example, instead of staying, “Don’t run in the house”, say, “If you want to run, put your shoes on and go outside.” You communicate an expectation to them and give them an alternative option in the same simple sentence.

Family is made up of the most important people in children’s lives. Healthy relationships, effective communication, and behavior modeling help our children develop into the best people they can be. It all starts with you!

Self-Care for Your Family

The excitement of returning to school this fall has been both energizing and exhausting for students, families, and staff. Reopening a school amidst a global pandemic is no easy feat but, ultimately, is the best thing for our students. You might find yourself feeling worried or anxious by things outside the scope of your control. These feels are normal for both adults and children, but it is imperative we all take the time to practice self-care and allow ourselves to maintain our physical and mental health.

Often, emotional well-being is a foreign concept to children. They may act out, throw tantrums, or even give you the silent treatment. Establishing a self-care routine for both you and your child will benefit the whole family. Practicing self-care will give your child additional tools to regulate and express their emotions in a healthy way. You may even learn some new ways to unwind too!

Here are four easy self-care routines you and your family can establish together!

  1. Get Active

Whether it is a mini-dance party in your living room, yoga on the lawn, or a plunge into the pool on a hot day, engaging in physical activity isn’t only great for your physical health but your mental health as well. Exercise of any kind, not just high intensity workouts at the gym, release endorphins and trigger a positive feeling in the body.

  1. Journaling

Taking time to write down what happened throughout the day encourages us to cope with negative experiences and celebrate positive ones. Journaling is especially good for children because they are in a sensitive period of development and it supports them in acknowledging their feelings and problem-solving.

  1. Nap Together

Sleep helps us feel energized, aids in de-stressing, and gives our mood a boost. Most people, especially parents, do not get enough sleep. Establishing a quick 30-minute nap in the afternoon will not only help you feel refreshed but allows you to bond with your child. Children love to sleep with their parents because it gives them a sense of closeness and safety.

  1. Make Time Reserved for Family

Many of us are guilty of taking our work home with us. Whether it is responding to an email after work hours or going into the office to work on a project during the weekend, these things add stress to our lives. Sometimes working outside of work hours is necessary, but by establishing a strict “family time” during the week ensures we commit to building relationships with our loved ones. Strengthening your relationship with your child will help them feel more secure in an ever-changing world.

End of the school year! 2020

What an unusual ending to our school year!  Our remote learning is up and running for the majority of our student body and a limited number of primary students have attended class on campus.  Despite all of this upheaval, the essence of the FMS community is seen in all of the interactions among the faculty, students, and parents. We have not lost sight of the values of integrity, clarity, and the drive to create and deliver meaningful educational experiences for our students. Without the daily contact that our student body thrived on, we have learned to rely on technology to bridge that gap.  It has worked admirably well, but the personal contact is sorely missed.  We realize how much is communicated in the simplicity of a smile, in person.

Our hearts were touched by the family car parade held at school on May 16th. It revealed the depth and breadth of support from our families and the momentum we have to preserve and recreate our collective experiences.  We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the educational needs of our students, and look forward to a renewed vigor and strength of our community in the fall.

Have a safe, healthy and restful summer.

Greetings

Greetings FMS students and families!  As we adjust to our new way of staying home and being mindful of the part each one of us plays in helping our community stay healthy, we also want to share our deepest intent of nurturing and supporting our FMS family. We are in uncharted territory and the need to stay focused on what matters most is an important challenge for each of us.

We are complex, social mammals (ask your child “ what makes a mammal a mammal?”) and the need for contact, reassurance, and sustained interaction is a vital emotional and psychological need for all of us. We have certainly felt the immediate pullback of physical contact with each one of you, yet the heartfelt connection we know between us is strong and growing. The value we place on each student (and their families) is in clear sight of each teacher and administrator at FMS (including our direct reports at Endeavor, our parent company).  We know the health and well being of every student, their family, and the FMS staff, along with their families, matters most to the long term well being, productivity, and growth of Foothills Montessori School. We are committed to this vision and offer our professional experience, hope, and action towards this noble aim.

Community of the Cure Fundraiser

How do you measure the value of Montessori education when there are so many options available?  Is it the academic acuity, and the ability to reason and think through problems? Yes, those analytical and observational skills serve a young student well, especially as they progress on their educational path. However, some of the intangibles which support and help develop the student into a well-rounded person are also foundational to the FMS experience.

FMS alumnus, Sidra Wohlwend, began her Montessori education as a preschooler and graduated with her middle school class in 2017.  Now a Junior at Coronado HS, Sidra was nominated by another FMS alumnus to apply for a 7-week leadership program sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Sidra credits her enthusiasm for applying for this position to the confidence she developed while a student at FMS.  She also notes that the sense of service to others, which is a foundational tenet for the FMS student body, was impressed upon her early in her primary years while participating in the annual service projects.

Sidra now finds herself guiding 30 peer volunteers (including seven FMS alumni) while raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  They are well on their way in achieving their ambitious monetary goal and are grateful for all the community support. The link below gives you the means to donate directly to their team (Cancer Crushers) if you would like to support this worthy cause. You may also consider attending their gala event on Tuesday, 2/25 at Anthem Country Club (5:30 pm-8:00 pm).  You will enjoy food, music and a silent auction, including a special music performance by Desert Bloom, a band formed by two other FMS alumni (Kameron and Kennedy). https://communityforthecurenight.weebly.com