Edited by Crystal McConnell [email protected] September/October 2009 Written By and For Community Montessori Families Since 2002 How to Talk to Your Learner Without Saying a Word Contributed by Crystal McConnell I found as we geared up for the new year, a theme began to emerge for me. More and more I found myself talking with staff and families (and my husband) about parental involvement at school: how to get involved, how to get others involved, what it means to be involved, and perhaps most importantly, why I SHOULD be involved. Through these conversations, it occurred to me that what we DO as parents communicates far more to our children than what we SAY. When the topic of parent involvement comes up, do your eyes tend to glass over? Or does your inner scheduler immediately jump up, Blackberry in hand and scream “Oh no...we’re too busy for that!”? I know...I’ve been there, too. But have you thought about what you are really saying when you do that? What messages you are sending to your child? For example, say you take Johnny to soccer practice. Not only do you take him there, but you might even coach his team. Meanwhile, you get Janie to weekly piano lessons, have her practice a few times a week and attend every concert and recital. Amazing! Without saying one word, you are teaching your children what you value (them, physical activity, the arts), declaring your love and devotion, and reassuring them that you will support them in attaining their own personal goals. You also drop Janie and Johnny off at school promptly each morning. Then what? Are you cutting and laminating materials for teachers, reading to the Early Education learners, or organizing the library? Are you picking up recycling, subbing in the studio UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER 14‐25 NWEA Computerized Assessment (“grades 2‐10”) 15‐17 GQE Retest for qualifying teens 24 Family Night at the Louisville Science Center OCTOBER 1 School Picture Day 5‐8 Scholastic Book Fair or helping plan the Celebration for Education? Are you weeding the landscaping, cashiering the Book Fair or supporting an enrichment program? Where are you, and what is that saying to your learner? It’s important to “talk” with your child or teen about the importance you place on their education. By letting them see you at school, even if you are not involved with them directly, they will still know you are here. “Tell” them you believe education is always important by attending school events outside the regular school day—visit the Harvest Homecoming booth or attend Fall Family Night at the Science Center. “Speak” to them about their school work by attending all the Parent Partner Conferences and visiting their studio for ten minutes each week. For some, this new type of (Continued on page 2) 6 PIP Workshop, 7 pm‐ Teen’s Program: College Credits, Core 40, ACT/SAT, Heroic Journey. Developing true learning and supporting individ‐ ual growth in all areas! 9 All Programs Closed, Staff Professional Day 10 Harvest Homecoming Kids’ Tent 12:30‐3 PM 15 Child’s Work Night/Teen Exploration All Programs, 5‐7 pm 22‐23 All Programs Closed, Staff In‐Service Days Remember: Newsletter submissions are due by November 1 for the next edition! Contact [email protected]. Engaging the Community How to Talk to Your Learner (Continued from page 1) Yoga An adult yoga class presented by CM parent Joey Hawman Thursdays, 6‐9 pm River Bend Winery, 120 S. 10th Street (between Market and Main) Cost: $9.00. Contact [email protected]. Remember to Recycle! Collection bins for ink cartridges, toner and old cell phones are located in the Parent Room! conversation will mean getting actively involved for the very first time. It may mean moving out of your own “comfort zone”. It might even mean you have to juggle your calendar a little bit. And yes, at first it might be a hassle. But I guarantee you the benefits to both you and your learner will be immeasurable, and the connection you will both feel—to each other and to the school—will only bring about a positive result at school and at home. The very fact you have sought out Community Montessori as your child’s school shows you place significant importance on their education and success. We believe learners can only reach their full potential when ALL OF US—you, them and the school—are working together to support them. As part of our enrollment process, we require families to commit to a minimum of 10 hours of involvement time each year. The Parent Involvement Partnership, more commonly known as PIP, was formed to help connect family members to opportunities. You will hear a lot this year about getting involved. You will learn about PIP, and receive emails full of opportunities to help, both school wide and from your teachers and studio coordinators. We never stop asking because it never stops being important. I encourage you—I challenge you—to let your actions speak for themselves. Get Involved. Today. ACT/SAT Registration Deadlines Approach The ACT and SAT are college entrance exams. Most colleges and universities accept or require the scores of at least one of these tests for admission, although some schools are changing this policy. The ACT is an achievement test, and it directly measures what a learner has retained from their school coursework. The SAT is an aptitude test, and measures a learners verbal and reasoning abilities. Most colleges require one or both of these depending on their entrance requirements, and what they consider to be important to success at their institution. The ACT has 5 components (Math, Reading, English, Science and an optional Writing test). The SAT has 3 components (Critical Reasoning, Math and a required writing test). The ACT’s writing test is only taken if the college you are applying to requires it. To determine if you should take the ACT or SAT, you will need to consider your situation. The ACT is open to anyone “grades” 6-12. Because it measures achievement, the score report can be indicative of which areas are goal areas for a learner as they plan their future coursework. The SAT is not recommended until the junior year, so learners can test while the information is still fresh in their minds. (The PSAT, however, can be taken as a freshman or sophomore.) Check with your advisor for help in planning when to take a test. A wealth of information for both learners and parents can be found on the following websites, including test registration, dates, fees, test prep help, college planning resources—you name it! We HIGHLY RECOMMEND each Teens Program family register at these sites! www.actstudent.org www.collegeboard.com 2 UPCOMING TEST DATES AND REGISTRATION DEADLINES ACT Local test site: IUS Test Date Dec 12, 09 Feb 6, 10 April 10, 10 Deadline Nov 6, 09 Jan 5, 10 Mar 5, 10 SAT Local test site: NAHS Test Date Nov 7, 09 Dec 5, 09 May 1, 10 Deadline Oct 1, 09 Oct 30, 09 Mar 25, 10 PIP MISSION STATEMENT “We believe that family involvement is the best foundation for school and personal success. We support the continued growth of each member of our school community through opportunities of involvement at the school and with its activities.” H E L P F U L Top 5 Reasons to Volunteer By: Tracy Pickman-Yates 5. Be connected: Volunteering is a great way to stay connected with your studio, other families and school in general. 4. Learning is everywhere: Volunteering is a great way to learn more about the school philosophy and learning environments. Get Involved! 3. Make an impact: You will impact your learner and all learners by supporting your studio and school in general. 2. Make a difference: When you give of yourself, you make a difference and are a contributing part of something great. and the #1 top reason to volunteer? 1. Share yourself: Everyone has something important to share and we all play a part in our school and learner’s success! Andy Neichter’s advice to new parents: “Take a deep breath and relax. You are going to get a lot of information thrown T at you and if you do not I understand the Montessori P process it can be a bit overwhelming. Remember O that the staff and other F parents are great resources the for advice. Volunteering is fun! You will be blown away M by the commitment that the teachers and staff have for O this school.” N T H So who’s PIP, anyway ? The Parent Involvement Partnership was created because we believe so strongly that family involvement is the foundation on which a love for lifelong learning is built. Four main involvement areas are supported by PIP: Event Planning, Studio Support, Staff Appreciation and Family Fundraising. The PIP Council is a group of parents who volunteer their time and energy to coordinate involvement opportunities on a school-wide level. This year we have returning members: Becky Herald, Shaunna Graf, and Kelly Coots; and new members: Tracy Pickman-Yates, Brandy Worster, and Andy Neichter. If you are a new parent, you might be overwhelmed with the amount of information you’ve received since the beginning of the year. We’ve all been in those shoes at some point! Remember we are always here to help, so please don’t hesitate to stop and say hi in car line or send us a friendly email if you ever have any questions, concerns or even ideas. Written by: Brandy Worster You can contact the PIP Council anytime at [email protected] or visit them on the web at http://pipshiningminds.tripod.com/ . 3 Welcome to our new staff members this year. Please be sure to introduce yourself to them! e Ba Welcom Barbara Moore Sapphire Co-Teacher Abby Kerns Typhoon Advisor Debbie Jinks Oak Advisor What’s For Lunch? Liz West Developmental Specialist Coordinator Jana Morgan Herman Learning Coordinator Thanks to our contributing studios: Rainforest, Pentagon, and Diamond Community Montessori believes that good nutrition is an important cornerstone of a good education. Throughout our curriculum we weave in discussions about good health and wellness choices. School lunch is great opportunity to support these beliefs by modeling them at home. Younger learners are able to assist with preparing sandwiches and other items, and even our youngest learners can slice apples (yes, they can—ask any Early Education teacher!) and put them in a container. We also consider lunch planning and preparation a Work@Home opportunity. Learners of every age are capable of packing their own lunch. Challenge your teen by asking them to pack a lunch that represents each food group, or let them plan the weekly grocery list for their lunches. Make sure they have enough food to eat by discussing portion sizes. overs are a Healthy left orite! teacher fav Mike Schipinski Cypress Advisor ck ! We encourage you to have discussions with your learner about what is healthy and why. Guide them in making selections that give them a well-rounded lunch that will carry them through the rest of the afternoon. We asked learners what they liked for, and about, lunch. Here’s what they had to say: “We like the ‘one small dessert’, so we don’t eat too much sugar.” -Rainforest Studio Early Education Top 5 Lunches 2. “I like to use the microwave!” - Rainforest Studio 1. Mac-n-Cheese Ham Sandwich, Chips & Fruit 3. Pizza 4. Strawberries 5. Chocolate Milk “ We like eating on the patio.” - Rainforest Studio 4 Reheated Piz za is a popula r choice in Diam ond Studio! Teachers’ Choice? - Healthy Leftovers ies - Fresh fruits and vegg - Sandwiches - Cheese Exploring Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius Contributed by Jana Morgan Herman I am a scientist. Actually, we all are. In case you missed the staff shirts on the first day of school, we are all working on the scientific minds we need to foster in our learners and ourselves. This is a challenging task. Many of us grew up in traditional schools, with traditional mindsets. Somewhere along the way, all of us here stopped to consider a different path in education. We might not have been able to put our thumbs on what we intuitively felt to be a better way, but we knew it when we saw it: Montessori. Finally, someone stopped to compile and examine research from outside the Montessori world. Angeline Stoll Lillard, a product of Montessori whose mother, Paula Polk Lillard, is one of the most well known Montessorians in America, did not accept Montessori education at face value, but questioned, “Does this really work? Is it really better? What does the research say?” The results of her scientific inquiry are relayed in Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Guess what? The scientist Maria Montessori, possessed and developed a prescience about childhood development and education which is being proven in the most current brain, psychological, and educational research. Over the course of the year we will look more closely at the eight primary tenets of Montessori philosophy. Stoll Lillard enumerates them as follows: (Continued on page 6) Helping Hands Your opportunity to get involved! Please contact PIP at [email protected] if you’d like to help with any of the following: Support Learner Art Projects Learners at each age level participate in making art for auction/raffle at the Celebration for Education. We are in need of adults who can help support learners with these projects, and also donations of the following materials:        Wal-Mart Gift Card Hobby Lobby Gift Card Small Unfinished Wooden waste basket White fabric shower curtain Lamps (old or new, small) Fabric (any amount or design) Ribbon (any color or style)       Picture Frames (any size) Expanding shower rod Wooden rods for wall hangings Buttons (any shape or size) Yarn and Felt Wood burning tool School Beautification Adopt-a-Bed—we have many flower beds on the property and outside studios that need your support to stay beautiful! An excellent project for morning or afternoon carline—park your car and weed while you wait for your child to get out of school, or engage learners by helping during the school day. Studio Assistant Volunteers are needed in every studio for Studio Assistants, who “sub” in the studio when a co-teacher is absent. 5 Exploring Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius (Continued from page 5) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. that movement and cognition are closely entwined, and movement can enhance thinking and learning; that learning and well-being are improved when people have a sense of control over their lives; that people learn better when they are interested in what they are learning; that tying extrinsic rewards to an activity, like money for reading or high grades for tests, negatively impacts motivation to engage in that activity when the reward is withdrawn; that collaborative arrangements can be very conducive to learning; that learning situated in meaningful contexts is often deeper and richer than learning in abstract contexts; that particular forms of adult interaction are associated with more optimal child outcomes; and that order in the environment is beneficial to children. (Stoll Lillard, 2006, p.29) Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to learn more about the profound influence Montessori’s pedagogical research has on children, and by extension, our world. I learn something new every time I read this book, and I have read it every year since its publication! My favorite chapter at the moment is chapter four on the impact of interest on human learning. I feel confident that by asking questions, observing ourselves and our children, we will be better scientists who strive to make the best possible outcomes for education. I’m including a link so that you may read the first chapter of the book: http://www.montessori-science.org/ Montessori-Genius/Lillard_Montessori_Science_Genius_Ch1.pdf. The book can be purchased through our Amazon Family Store. Also, here is the link to a podcast interview with Stoll Lillard about her work: http:// www.parentsperspective.org/podcasts/285.mp3. Enjoy! Take a moment to check out the Parent Room in the Cupola! Do you wonder what your young learner does all day? Here you will find space to work on studio volunteer projects, the collection bins for Box Tops, Campbell’s Labels, etc., and a DVD player for watching the PIP Workshops you couldn’t attend! NEW! In the halls on either side of the Parent Room you will now find a PIP information area to help keep you up-to-date! Come get some philosophy and material lessons for Early Education! We will be discussing the different areas of the studio, showing different materials and the philosophy behind them, and answering any questions you may have about the Early Education program. Tuesday, October 6th 7 –8:30 pm In the Quatrefoil Studio Girl-Scout-a-Palooza! Any girls interested in girl scouting should plan to attend Girl-Scout-a-palooza for information and sign ups. Sept 19th at Sam Peden Park, 3-6 pm. We have several troops here at CM for “grades KG through 7th”. For more info pickup a flyer in the information station in the cupola. 6