The Timeline of Life: Upper Elementary

"The Timeline of Life provides the child with a vision of all the life that comes on Earth before the human being.  In Upper Elementary, children enter the room having explored the timeline through retelling the story, animal research, and memorization of time periods and of species introduction.  Around the age of nine, the elementary child experiences a deeper passage into abstraction and therefore experiences the Timeline of Life on a new level, much like how when climbing a circular staircase, you can see the same visual information below, but from a new vantage point as you spiral around.  The same Timeline of Life story is told, but new information is emphasized." Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander shares what is special about the study of life through the timeline, below. All words are her own!Our focus revolves on an in-depth look of several tents of life.  We explore how water is crucial for all life and how the egg is really a container with the ocean inside it.  This then sets the stage for cellular biology and vertebrate study.  We consider how while complexity of a species may enhance survival, it may also increase fragility within a species—there are more moving parts with more things to go wrong.  We discuss species collapse and adaptations, touching upon the rise and fall of the trilobite.  We look at the immense variety of life on earth and research classification and etymology.  The cephalopod is a relative of the squid that swims backwards, whose name derives from two Greek words: cephal, meaning head and pod, meaning foot—a creature with its head on its feet!  We discuss the changing geography of the Earth, taking a look at plate tectonics and climate change.  Finally, we discuss the field of paleontology.While its graphic beauty is compelling, and its breadth of information offers a good introduction to the diversity of species, the Timeline of Life is also purposely incomplete—not all species are represented. This allows children to do their own research, make their own connections.  Years ago, I was accosted by a young first year child:Indignant, a child demands, “But, where are the spiders?”“Hmm.  Did they not make it on the timeline? Maybe they just appeared on Earth when the Human Being did.”“No! They must have come on during the middle of the timeline.  I see other bugs and creatures like spiders then.”“Oh, that seems logical.  Would you like to find out? And, then, if your hunch is right, you could add a spider to our timeline?”Just recently, I was delighted by another heated conversation:Horrified, a fourth year exclaims, “Ms. Rebecca, just look at what someone did to your timeline!  They taped a spider to it!”“Yes.  That was Celene, thirteen years ago.  She wanted to remind us all of when the spiders came on Earth.  It has been on there a while.  Should we take it off?”“No!”“Are there any creature that you think are missing?”“Wolves!”Time goes on, the universal pull of the Coming of Life and the Timeline of Life attracts another generation of students, adding their own indelible marks, following their rules to life, to eat, grow, and create/multiply!Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing such a broad and fascinating topic! Be sure to check back for a post on the Upper Elementary fossil hike... 

The Fort Builders

The Fort Builders use muscle and mental power, individual and communal strength; they make rules, break rules, argue, agree, build, and imagine. There is more involved than first meets the eye in building these forts - these spaces that children return to, build on to, and take pride in time and time again. Below, a fort tour, and what is going on developmentally. Why are children so obsessed with building forts? Read about this, and what do we do here at Villa di Maria to support them, below. If you are a parent of a child here at Villa di Maria, you have probably noticed the progression of several forts over the past month. One, which is located just next to the driveway and Magic Circle, is hard to miss, but the others are located in the beloved woods just north of the playing fields where Elementary students gather every day during recess. They return to these spaces over and over again, and work daily to add to their special places, sometimes planning inside the classroom for their additions.

Since this photo, the children have actually managed to complete the bridge!

According to David Sobel, author, researcher, and educator at Antioch University New England, fort-building is a universal drive that is rooted in children's healthy development. Amazingly, children all over the world create and build these special places: from the woods to the canyons, to deserts and riverbanks, inside hedges, among fields of snow, and of course, in back yards. “It used to just happen, and the best thing to do was mostly stay out of the way,” he told Paula Spencer Scott in an article about fort-building published in February, 2016. “Now the impulse is still there in kids, but opportunities to act on that impulse have diminished some.”Though this may be the case in general, here at Villa di Maria, we see the value in letting children be children, in being open to and supporting their natural developmental stages, including their urges to build forts. Instead of fighting against it, instead of creating rules to control it, we go along with it. As Ginni Sackett put so succinctly: "Ride the horse in the direction it is going." (Thank you, Reghan, for the quote!)We acknowledge how meaningful fort-building is to children. The youngest Primary children, who remain contained (for safety purposes) in a fenced-in playground, are provided with stumps and other loose-end materials with which to build.Once they are in Lower Elementary, children have a much wider range with which to roam, including portions of the woods found on the northeastern side of campus, just beyond the playing fields. Visit this special place, and you will find children ranging in age from 6 to 12, working together in small groups or pairs to build forts.Developmentally, children of this age feel so inclined to build forts for two main reasons: they are figuring out the world around them, and they are seeking more independence. More concretely, a fort is, well, a fortress. Such a structure is, "... literally and figuratively, a defense against all the forces of the outside world (and a primo place to daydream)," Paula Spencer Scott writes.There is so much thought, planning, work, and trial and error going on here. If you observe children building forts, you will see the choosing of a special place, the clearing out, the collecting of materials - the branches and sticks - the carrying, the transporting, the planning, the placing, the re-placing... it all takes time, energy, and lots of trial and error. Add in more friends, and it requires negotiation, compromise, and even conflict resolution.As with many things in childhood, the process is often the whole point. They may spend 95% of their time building the fort, and only 5% of the time actually playing in the fort!

There's plenty of pride that comes with finally finishing a fort!

What do we do to support children's fort-building here on campus? We give them space and freedom within limits. Staff station themselves in the woods, there are orange markers for boundaries, and "floaters" (staff who walk around during recess time) make sure children are staying within these boundaries. Other than that, children are pretty free to explore and build. There is also a good common sense rule to follow: do not build higher than two of yourself stacked one on top of the other! This does mean that smaller kids can't always go up into a bigger kid's fort, but it's generally safer this way.We also provide them with some natural building materials. When a large branch fell from one of our older trees the night before the first day of school (perfect timing!), staff asked that some of the stumps be left behind for children to use for forts and anything they can imagine. Usually these larger pieces of wood are used to outline boundaries of a fort or separate a space, but sometimes children build "stores," rooms, tables for crushing berries, or use them for obstacle courses.And of course, nature itself is the ultimate gift we allow our children access to every day. We are so thankful that, even through construction on campus last school year, tremendous care was taken to assure the favorite trees and spaces for forts were protected."When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength."  - Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the ChildAnd for further inspiration, check out this amazing 3-minute video about Jayson Fann as he weaves, bends, and shapes eucalyptus and willow branches into incredible human-sized nests. Thank you to VdM Assistant Cristina Kerr for sharing!

The Great Lesson The Coming of Life Part 1: Presented by the Sixth-Years

The Upper Elementary children have been busy and creative during this past month of school. September has brought with it an outpouring of ideas, meetings, signing of the classroom constitution, reports, and even a play performed by the sixth-years on the second Great Lesson: "The Coming of Life." Below, some photos from the play, and Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander's thoughtful, complex reasons for engaging the sixth-years to present this lesson.   Beginning where the "Story of the Universe" ended, the sixth-years presented the second Great Lesson, “The Coming of Life,” with a play, which, according to Upper Elementary Guide Rebecca Callander,  "...resulted in a spontaneous and searching conversation about life, creation, energy and science." Each performer had an important role to play, and the fifth- and fourth-year students were completely captivated.In Rebecca's words:"Great Lessons are meant to fire the imagination in order to answer the why questions of childhood, to allow the child to develop morality and reason. They offer a concrete representation for abstract concepts of the ancient past, such as the origin of life.  These tangible representations provide child with an image and story from which to understand such concepts.  Naturally, the children come to love and cherish these stories, but as they begin the transition from second plane to third, from the child to the adolescent, a new set of rules, a new operating system is required. Paramount to Montessori education, to support this somewhat tenuous passage from second to third plane, it is important to meet the child where they are—to follow them.""This means simultaneously appealing to both their intellect and their emotions, their mind and their heart.  The characteristics of the elements of the story are well understood at this point and the basic story, presented as status quo will become redundant and therefore fail to fire the imagination of the oldest child.  Further, the sixth year child is an emerging skeptic. Having the sixth years present the Coming of Life keeps them in the conversation, maintains their engagement on both an intellectual level as they research the story and also an emotional-social level as they express their feelings via a play and working together. Finally, the sixth year is the culminating year, where the children are asking themselves what they know.  By being in charge of the presentation, they are accountable for their knowledge - they own it!""Our Great Lesson, the Coming of Life presents the story of the rise of life. The story begins as narrators recap the First Great Lesson, the Story of the Universe, discussing the laws of the universe and focusing on the ending of the story, where volcanic activity subsided, water emerged on Earth, and the Earth was comprised of Rocks, Air, and Water, all in cahoots with the sun. The narrators remind the audience that while no one was there to see this amazing transformative moment on Earth, we can imagine what it must have been like. We are introduced to the characters Air, Rocks, and Water, and the Sun, who are in a heated discussion because Water was carrying crumbled Rocks into the Sea and muddying the waters.  Water, as a result was a caustic mess of acid, and Air was oxygen deficient.  Life is introduced on the Earth’s stage to help the balance of the environment.  To solve the problem, life is given basic instructions--all life must eat, grow, and reproduce.  Some of life uses the excess carbon and creates its own food, while others must find other food.  The emergence of the plant and animal kingdoms. There is a unity to the conversation of life. All life follows this rule and lives in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth."  

Above: the "Big Boss" convenes with "Air" and "Sun"

The sixth-years thoroughly enjoyed their roles!

"Let us not forget the second plane characteristics of Hero Worship.  We elementary guides are so sneaky sometimes—we help create the framework that supports the community of the room! By having the oldest children in the Upper Elementary room present the Coming of Life, the youngest children engage in the presentation on a new level, one of burgeoning self-identity, 'I could be like them one day' and emulation 'I will make my own play too.'  The fourth years feel a deeper sense of connection to the social fabric of the room when the sixth years present, 'They cared enough to tell the story to me, that must mean they like me too!'  And finally, presenting the Coming of Life generally happens within the first month of school.  For the sixth years, this is an early experience of leadership as a sixth year student, and helps to set the tone of their year of reflection and culmination.  Also, by having the sixth years present the story tells them that the guide values their input, their work,  'Ms. Rebecca cares enough of us that she is asking us to present the Great Lesson!'"Following the second Great Lesson, the fourth-years are studying the Timeline of Life, focusing on the advent of life, the evolution of single-celled organisms to multi-celled organisms, and a general overview of different geological time periods. As a follow-up to the timeline, fourth-years are planning a Going-Out to the Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park in Kirkwood.  It is an incredible place to view the fossil life of our environs during the Meramecian Period, roughly 346.7 to 330.9 mya.The Upper Elementary classroom is chock full of resources relating to these lessons and areas of study, including the comprehensive Smithsonian book, Earth: The Definitive Visual Guide. Please be sure to check back for part 2 of this post, where we will discuss more on the Coming of Life through our upcoming fossil hike through the Highlands Rock Quarry in the Dee Koestering Park! Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing all of this insight into the sixth years and setting the stage for success in Upper Elementary! 

September at Villa di Maria

September at Villa di Maria is one of the most beautiful months! The campus is a gorgeous mix of color. Everything is still green and lush, with the first autumn colors sneaking through; along with the colorful blooms planted last spring that are nearing their end and the abundance of butterflies that visit them, the hawks that frequent the campus, and the beautiful weather we've experienced, September is shaping up to be a real beauty. See what the children at Villa di Maria have been up to below. 

We've found the first fall colors!

It's unanimous; working outdoors is the best!

Upper Elementary Guide Rebecca Callander and her students take advantage of the beautiful weather during an inspirational writing assignment

Wildflowers bloom just beyond the playing fields

The first pumpkins are tucked in all around campus

Elementary children enjoy a pick-up soccer game during recess

Operations Coordinator Jeremy Lang lets his trusty pal Hank tag along, much to the children's delight, which is good practice for exciting things to come...

Primary children enjoy the outdoor prepared environment every morning

Hard at work in the woods at every opportunity

The trailhead to the woods, a favorite place for Elementary children during their recess time

Butterflies and pumpkins!

Primary children test the laws of physics (in a clown-car sort of way)!

We hope you are enjoying this lovely month!

First Days of School

The first few days of the 2017-2018 school year have been a huge success! On the first day, the campus was calm and orderly. Other than a huge branch that had fallen the previous night, damaging the pool fence, everything went off without a hitch. We'll take that as good luck! Below, some photos from the first few days of school. Enjoy, and welcome back. We are so happy to have you!Primary children were greeted with smiles and enthusiasm by Primary Directresses, while parents gave quick hugs and kisses goodbye at the door.Many Primary students took immediate advantage of the beautiful weather by choosing to work in the outdoor environment while the rest of their friends arrived.Most of them picked up right where they had left off last school year! Perhaps they had been planning what work they would choose before they even set foot inside the classroom. Amazing how these eager little ones are so motivated by their materials!Old friends met up to walk together to their new environment: Lower Elementary! Some were more nervous than others...

Sisters were reunited and found themselves in the same building once again!

The location for recess has changed; while children are able to roam the school grounds more freely when compared to last year's construction constraints, most Elementary and Upper Elementary children congregate in the Magic Circle for games like banana tag (which, according to Mr. Jeremy, can go on forever and ever...).

Time to line up, according to the triangle

We've been lucky to have beautiful weather this first week of school. If your child comes home with the smell of wind in her hair, it's because much of the day is spent outdoors, working in the beautiful new outdoor environments.As is tradition, the Great Lesson was given this first week of school. There are plenty more pictures and a full blog post coming up to highlight this very special storytelling lesson, so be sure to check back for that!Happy first week of school, Villa di Maria. We couldn't have kicked it off to a better start if we tried!

Geometry in Nature: the Fibonacci Sequence

Dr. Montessori noticed early on that children are instinctively attracted to geometry, in large part because everything in the natural world is geometric. As the child adapts to her world, she takes in impressions that are geometric. All natural symmetries are multiples of 2, 3, or 5. The same mathematical patterns or forms are repeated again and again; there is a logarithmic spiral at the tip of a fern leaf, which is the same spiral that is seen in a sea shell. The child observes such patterns around her from birth. In this way, these shapes are already a part of the child's unconscious mind, and thus attract her attention naturally. Below, how the Fibonacci Sequence presents itself in nature, and how it all relates to Montessori.

How amazing are the similarities between a plant (top) and an animal (above)?!

The Fibonacci sequence contains the numbers found in an integer sequence, wherein every number after the first two is the sum of the preceding two:1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, ...Their constant appearance in nature - such as branching in trees, the arrangement of leaves on a stem, the bracts of a pinecone, or the unfurling of a fern - make them a readily available math resource for young children. For parents with young children, a fun activity to do is to observe the spiraling seeds on the head of a sunflower or to count the petals on a daisy to see if they add up to a Fibonacci number (many sunflowers contain the number 89, or in some cases, 144). Or gaze into the center of a rose before it opens completely to observe the petals arranged in an elegant spiral shape.Seed heads and flower heads often use arrangements that are based on Fibonacci numbers because, as it turns out, that is the most efficient way of packing seeds, florets, or petals into a round arrangement while still allowing more of the seeds or florets to grow from the middle. Nature is just chock full of mathematics!The Fibonacci sequence can also be see in the world's creatures. The nautilus shell is the most commonly referenced logarithmic spiral, and can best be observed through a cross-section of the shell's inner chambers.

photo credit: gofituremath.org

The seeds of a pinecone twist in opposing Fibonacci spirals, and the interesting romanesco, a vegetable that also contains fractals (when you zoom in on each bump, it is made up of its own spirals, its spirals have spirals, and so on!) is a fantastic example of Fibonacci numbers in nature.

photo credit: gofiguremath.org

Plenty of creatures also contain this fascinating arrangement!

The next time you find yourself out on a nature walk, or even walking through the produce section of your grocery store, be sure to point out the wonder and beauty of Fibonacci to your child!

Graduate Highlight: Kat

For the last speech (minus one graduate, who opted out of sharing his speech here, which we completely respect), sixth year graduate Kat shares her educational experiences thus far, and how she found her niche among the VdM community. Enjoy her words below!Today, I’m graduating from sixth grade. Coming all this way hasn’t been extremely hard, but like all achievements, it required changes, both in me, and world around me.I’m like a non-human animal in more ways than just my nickname, Kat. Specifically, having to adapt while changing ecosystems. Each one being more competitive than the last, I had to evolve as I grew. It all started eleven years, seven months, and twenty-six days ago . . .I was born in an east coast state, in Norfolk, Virginia. I don’t remember anything about it there, because we moved away when I was about eight months old. We were on a long haul road trip to the opposite side of the country.After living in Portland, Oregon for a little while, I started Primary. I had to adapt to the fact that my classmates were the same size as me. At that point in my life, everyone had been adults, or my older sister Elise. In Primary, I worked my way up, from one of the younger kids, to the oldest in the class. (Although I was pretty much guaranteed the “oldest in the class” position because I spent four years in Primary.) Everyone sort of respected me, same as prey respect predators.But my life lesson was that good things don’t last forever. I learned this in a couple of ways. First, our class pet. He was an Asian fire bellied toad named Hopper, and he starved during a snowstorm. But also because my perfect ecosystem got reset at age six and a half, when we moved to eastern Oregon. By that time, we had acquired my little brother, Dash. In our family’s ecosystem, he was (and still is) my prey.However, the school ecosystem was completely different. I was in a public school in first grade, and I was at the bottom of the food chain. Everyone, from the second graders, to the fifth graders, would prey on us first graders.This time, though, I learned that everyone will get what they deserve. There was this one kid who lit two trash cans on fire. Needless to say, he was expelled. And as for me, I got to skip second grade and go straight to third. So I was doing a pretty good job at that school, and that town in general.Then, in August of last year, our family moved one more time. To Ballwin. Starting school, I automatically became a sixth-year, and a respected (sort of) elder. Because I had been in a Montessori Primary, I knew the basic idea of how things worked, but I still had a lot to learn. All of the materials were new to me, but I caught on fast. And I promptly learned that sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do. My advice for this is stick it out, and complain about it when you can.Anyway, I’ve had a lot of fun this year. Our class went on a camping trip to tour some caves, we put on play in which I was a lead role, and every Friday, Mr. Justin would bring in a magic trick to show us. We’ve had lots of good times together, and I’m excited to see what MAP has in store for me and my fellow sixth-years. From all I’ve heard about MAP, I’m certain that I’ll love it. I’ll be sad to leave behind this school and all that it’s taught me, but I’m ready to move on to an all new environment.But before I go, I want to give thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way. Ms. Rebecca and Mr. Justin, who have all the traits that perfect teachers should have. My friends who are almost family, and my family, who are friends. Also everyone in this community. With all the support you’ve given me in this environment, I’ve done something only a true animal could do. I’ve found my niche.

Graduate Highlight: Julia

"My life is like a building. It is strong and tall in spirit. Villa di Maria has helped me construct myself into who I am today, and who I will be tomorrow."Julia's speech was full of gratitude and the comparison of her life so far to act of building a structure. Enjoy the full speech below!My early years in school prepared the foundation for my structure and helped me get ready for hard things to happen. When I started preschool, I didn’t know much, but I could tie shoes pretty well. Whenever someone else was walking around with an untied shoe, I tied it for them. So tying bows was my favorite. While I do not tie shoes too often now, helping others is still one of my greatest skills. Even though I was helpful, I was not always nice. (“Hey Kalyn, I’m telling a story about us now”.) When I was about 3 years old, I bit my sister; she was mad at me, but she knew I was young. Now, I have learned how to express myself in other ways than biting, which helps me organize my ideas clearly to make things happen.On to the walls of my building… to 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. My favorite subject in school was math because I understood math quickly. Being home schooled for half of 1st grade and all of 2nd and 3rd grade, my sister and I would go to the zoo to see the animals, which I enjoyed. I learned to be patient because everywhere we went, I would always ask “Are we there yet?” over and over until we got there. Because I’ve learned to be patient, I have uncovered that I enjoy and am patient with younger children. Patience will help me be respectful of others and to let life happen the way it wants to go. And now I’m to the roof of my structure… I have to be careful for falling objects.  We have come to 4th, 5th and 6th grade. My favorite work these 3 years was work with Binomials; they were my favorite lessons because they were super fun and a used great materials. Speaking of materials, Montessori materials are structurally balanced for each person, for each person can work at their own pace. My building is strong because my materials have been exactly what I need, for me. Thank you to the fellow sixth years I have learned so much from you guys and girls.  And now we are all looking back to the blueprints of my life. I want to give a shout out to the teachers. Thank you for letting me come to this fabulous school; you helped me so much with all you have done. And my mom and dad; you have taught me almost everything I know, how to see the world through my own eyes. You have taught me there is no stopping point and to be the best I can be. Also, thank you to my grandparents; you have helped me through hard times to when I was three days old and I stopped breathing. You stayed with me in the NICU. And last but not least, thank you to my sister; you taught me how to be crazy like you, how to face my fears and never give up. Thank you all for listening to the story of my life.

Graduate Highlight: Emily

For those of you who know Emily, you can imagine that her speech was as unique as she was. If only we could see it instead of read it, I guarantee from her Directress Rebecca that the effect would be full "Emily." Below, her heartfelt speech.From the first rehearsal to the final bow, well, a lot happens through that short amount of time, like making friends, learning life lessons, and growing up. So let’s look back at Act One: Primary and Kindergarten. My favorite material was the bells, because I love making noise and music. My favorite memory was doing skits with my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Jordan; my favorite skit was “The Three Little Pigs”. During my time in Primary and Kindergarten, I learned two life lessons: independence, and generosity. Mrs. Jordan reminded me to share with others and to do things on my own. That lesson paid off. I am independent and now able to work with others easily. Well, I think we should look at Act Two: Lower Elementary. My first two years were not the best; I spent the majority of my time moving from school to school, but, in third grade I found Villa, and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. My favorite memory was when my Dad taught me how to use the computer for the first time, which might have been a mistake…. I loved researching with my Dad; I wrote a report on Martin Luther King, Jr.  This work was pivotal for me; it opened up the curtain to my humanitarian and social justice side. I shall play this role throughout my life. One very important thing I took away from my lower elementary experience is that it always takes a while to find where you belong.

Welcome to act three of my life: Upper Elementary. I have learned so much over these past three years like how to develop friendship, confidence, and…well…come to think of it, I learned to work on the edge of the stage, project my voice, and be vulnerable--a good actress must put herself out there. When I first came to Upper Elementary I felt like an outsider, but Upper Elementary quickly became my home. My favorite lesson is Parts of the Cell; I just love all its twists and turns that make you want to do it more and more, plus it is fun to make models of cells. My favorite memory was hard to choose; really, my favorite memory is upper elementary and all the years I spent being a part of it. The life lesson that I learned over these short years and will carry with me for the rest of my life is that once you are a part of something, it will always be a part of you, no matter where you go.

Before I go, I’d like to thank a few people, my friends, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Nidhi, Mrs. Lebeau, Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Justin, Ms. Rebecca, and my parents for supporting me and putting up with me for all these years.As I take my final bow here at Villa, I can’t wait to start my next act in a new play: Middle School. I can’t wait to go to MAP, so I want to leave Villa with the immortal words of Hamilton…“I am not throw’in away my shot!”

Graduate Highlight: Luke

We are halfway through our graduate highlights, in which we share with you the wonderful, funny, and delightful speeches of the most recent sixth year graduates from Villa di Maria. Hard to believe it is already July, and in just a short couple of months, these amazing kids will be moving on to the next phase. We hope you have enjoyed the speeches so far. Below, Luke's memories of his favorite lessons, plus a few funny stories from his time here at VdM. Enjoy!

Sometimes I like to think of school as an ollie, (the skateboard trick, not my little brother.) Primary is the part where you kick the board into the air, Lower Elementary is the part where you slide your foot up the board and propel yourself forward, and Upper Elementary is the part where you land and roll away.

Let’s start with Primary, the kick. I actually didn’t attend primary at Villa di Maria, I lived in Chicago back then, and went to a place called Chiaravalle Montessori School. My favorite material from there was probably The Pink Tower and/or The Brown Stairs. I remember I worked on them so much that my teachers would come and say, “Luke, that’s the third time you’ve done that today. Maybe you should try something else.” My favorite memory is a funny one. You know how there’s the adjective barnyard lesson? Well, one day I was messing around with the horse and this other kid took it.  I asked for it back with my hands. This results in him throwing the horse at me. And before you know it, everyone is throwing animals at everyone. I don’t remember exactly what happened after that, but I’m pretty sure we all got in a lot of trouble. My life lesson for Primary was restraint. I know a lot of you might say I have no restraint whatsoever, but all I have to say is, if I didn’t go to primary, it would have been worse.

Now for Lower El, the slide. This is where I first came to Villa. I had two amazing teachers, Mrs. Nidhi and Mrs. Lebeau. My favorite material was definitely Racks and Tubes. I can’t quite remember why I loved it so much, but I certainly did it a lot. My favorite memory there is also a funny one. My friends Ben and Beacon and I were sitting at a table for lunch in the science room. Anyway, Ben had some applesauce and couldn’t open it. So, he did the logical thing and started hitting it with a spoon. Beacon said, “Ben, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Unfortunately, Ben back then was not the smart guy he is now, and continued hitting it. I started to say, “Ben, I think Beacon—" but just then he hit it super hard and it exploded everywhere. It was all over the microscopes and then Mrs.Nidhi walked in to see what all the commotion was. Ben instantly pointed at Beacon and yelled, “Beacon did it!” Anyway, it was super funny. My life lesson for Lower El was probably working together.

Now for upper el, the landing. I’ve had a lot of fun at upper elementary, with my three amazing teachers, Mrs. Rebecca, Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. Justin. I’ve done some great things here from leading over twenty other students in a MMUN resolution, to building a Cajon box drum. My favorite material was definitely Square Root, probably because it was one of the few math lessons I understand. My favorite memory was definitely MMUN. MMUN has fueled my love for politics and social justice. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. And now I’m rolling away feeling excited for the future, grateful for my education so far, and ready for whatever the future holds. And last but not least, I’d like to thank all my teachers, friends, and family for an amazing elementary experience. Thank you.

Graduate Highlight: Cameron

The Final Chapter

Twelve years, much of it spent with my friends and teachers at Villa di Maria.  This school has been like a chapter in a book, exciting action, unexpected plot twists, and sadly an ending.  But with any ending there is a new beginning, so without further pause, here is my chapter in the book.

Read more of Cameron's graduation speech below...

Primary is the first classroom you step into; it’s a pretty big deal for most.  One of the lessons I remember is the frame you have to button and tie.  Another lesson I remember vaguely is cutting vegetables.  A favorite memory as well as a life lesson is hard to discern, because I was only in primary for a few months.  That experience was probably the shortest chapter in my book.

Lower El the first big step into a higher classroom.  My favorite material from Lower El is the Large Bead Frame. In second grade, my friend Seth and I did a HUGE problem on it that was bigger than us at the time.  I liked how you could do large problems, and it probably was one of the main materials that fueled my love of math.  Another memorable material for its size, was the Wooden Hierarchical Material.  I remember it being absolutely huge and lifting it was a real trouble for me.  My favorite memory is from one of the school campouts, where we were playing flashlight tag and only the teachers saw that I was hiding under a swinging bench! A life lesson I learned is that I can do so much more than I anticipated if I used my mind.  Just like characters in a book, you can do anything if you can imagine it…well, unless it is flying; physics kind of applies there.

And finally, the last three years at Villa, Upper El.  My favorite material in this classroom is either the Geometric Construction material, a math/geometry work, because it was really fun to do and I’ve always loved math work.  Or, Sentence Analysis, a language work.  Yes, my fellow sixth years, you heard that right, the dreaded and resented Sentence Analysis work.  I wouldn’t blame you if you defriended me for life immediately, but here are my reasons: it’s fun to find all the wacky parts of language, I have learned a lot from it, and it’s a fun work if you can get into it without gagging at the sight of it (sixth year boys I am talking to you).  My favorite memory from Upper El was the MMUN, which in my eyes, was one of the best experiences this school was to offer.  It was a hard experience, but it was worth it to gain life skills and to get to do things most people don’t get to do, like vote on solutions to world problems in the UN Building.  A life lesson I learned especially in Upper El, and in my everyday life, was to not procrastinate and get the important things done.

As I look back at my time at Villa, it almost feels like I’m rereading a book and noticing details and plot points that had gone unnoticed before.  Villa offers an education unlike any other and I would not be the same without it.  A lot of the friends I have now, that I couldn’t imagine myself without, I have met a Villa.  The academic and life skills it offers can be used in your everyday life and help you in the future.  Some of these skills, that some adults might not have, are being able to hold up an intelligent conversation, being confident in yourself and the ability to be independent.

To end my speech, I’d like to thank the people that helped me on my way and to look towards the future.  First off, thank you to my parents who brought me to this amazing school, to my friends who stayed with me and who I have grown incredibly fond of, and finally to my teachers who have helped me and taught me important lessons.  The next school I plan to go to is the MAP or the Montessori Adolescent Program, which is a great school and provides a good future for those who go there.  I plan to dive straight into it like a new book that I’ve been waiting for months to read.

Every chapter has an end, but with that end there is a new beginning; so with these words I end my years at Villa.  Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Cameron! We wish you the best of luck and you will be missed!

Graduate Highlight: Bethany

I am like a painting.

Each stage of my life

Is another streak of

Paint on a canvas.

Read more of sixth-year graduate Bethany's heartfelt speech below!

Every step of the way, my canvas has become more and more full and filled with details.  I have always been drawn to art because of how creative and expressive it can be, and Villa has allowed me to be the same way.

I had been pretty stressed out in a public school kindergarten with the bell noises and the drama.  So, when I first came to Villa in first grade, it was life changing.  That is the first dot of vibrant paint on my blank canvas.  In Lower El, I would hug Mrs. Lebeau and Mrs. Nidhi every morning before I dived into my day.  My Lower El experience was like how an artist struggles to figure out what they are going to compose, as in I had lots of arguments with my friends about silly things, so in third grade, I really had to figure out the balance of friendship, especially when Mrs. Lebeau would constantly say, “Cheese and crackers, Bethany!”

Like an artist, I have always been drawn to beauty, and there is lots of it in Montessori materials.  All the colors and shapes, I think that they have lead me to understand what I am learning and has fueled my love for learning.  Artists need to use quality materials and Montessori has given me that quality.

Upper Elmenetary is where you learn to be independent and try new things.  In Upper El is also where you get to do many things that you never thought you could do like the MMUN.  Just as artists must push themselves, take risks and put in hard work in their art, I had to learn to research, edit and speak before a crowd.  Upper El is all the paint, colors, and art put together to form a picture.

I would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca for teaching so many lessons and helping me through the way.  And I would like to thank Mrs. Anderson for a great year, helping us with the MMUN and anything related with computers.  Don’t think that I forgot you, Mr. Justin!  You have dealt with us the whole year—that’s a big deal, and for making anything and everything positive and always finding lots of solutions for the class if there is a problem.  And to my parents, I thank you for helping me through the way and enrolling me here.  All of these people are the details and touch ups to my painting, making it what it is.

I know that my painting is not finished yet, but I am sure that it will grow into a masterpiece.  Next year means a new me, new school new world—middle school!  Ms. Rebecca, you have prepared me well, but I guess it is time to move on, to a far away land called MAP.

Thank you.

Thank you, Bethany! We can't wait to hear all about your time at MAP. Good luck!

Graduate Highlight: Kaylee

Our next sixth-year graduate, Kaylee, shares her experiences in Montessori, her love of science, and personal thank-you's to her friends and guides below.My time being a Villa student has been like a roller coaster with all its ups, downs, twists and turns.  It has been the ride of my life, and has helped shaped me into the fun, loving daring and weird person I am today.

I have always loved Montessori and I have many favorite lessons, so I am going to sum it up with one word: science.  Much like a roller coaster, science is my thrill ride.  In Lower El, my favorite lesson was Prelude to the Winds because we learned about how hot air rises. I’ll never forget when we accidentally caught the spiral on fire! And, in Upper El, we dissected a cow’s eyeball! It was so cool to see all the parts and, when we were done, we took the lens and made it into a magnifying glass!

Like riding a roller coaster, it takes courage to succeed, right?  Well, at MMUN, I used a lot of courage to go up and deliver my opening speech in front of 100 people.  Boy, that took some real guts!  My life lesson from the whole Montessori community is to always be independent—it’s the Montessori way, to do things for yourself.  One of my best memories from Villa di Maria was when we went to the MMUN—it simply was one of the best experiences of my life.  One the last day, we went on a cruise ship around Manhattan; it was something I will never forget like when you are on a roller coaster and your will never forget how long you have to wait in line.

Speaking of waiting in line, you know how when you are waiting in line, all alone, ready for a ride, well, that’s what life would be like without friends—boring and lonely.  But, in this case, I don’t have that, you guys [spoken to 6th grade graduate friends in the front row] mean the world to me.  So, I’d like to say something about you:

To Julia, you taught me to be a hard worker and a great leader.

To Bethany, you taught me to be humble and kind to everyone around you.

To Emily, you taught me to overcome fears, no matter how hard it is.

To Kat, you taught me to always love books!

And, yes, boys, I’m going to say something about you too… [boys were cued to groan at this….]

To Simon, you taught me to never hide your inner animal—get it…salmon…okay….

 [Kaylee holds up a prop, which on one side has a photo of Simon on a popsicle stick, while on the other has a photo of a salmon, his personal moniker].

To Cameron, you taught me to always follow the rules.

To Seth, you taught me to always be happy, and even when I am down, you always cheer me up with your stupid jokes.  Oh, Mrs. Rebecca, did I say a bad word?  Pshh, whatever….

And to Luke, you taught me to live life like no one is watching.  Eat any paper lately?

Before I say the rest, I would like to thank my teachers for all they have done for me.  Mrs. April, Mrs. Nidhi, Mrs. Lebeau, Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Justin, and last, but not least, Ms. Rebecca, who has been the best teacher ever.  She has been so good, helping me with things that I don’t and do understand.  If I didn’t understand, she would take the time to explain it to me until I do.  And the last people that I want to thank are my parents, for all that they’ve done for me, especially for paying for my time at school.

The last year I was in the Upper El, we got kicked out of the Villa building and were moved to Laumeier.  I thought it wouldn’t be the same, but it has been awesome.  It has been a great last year for me and I hope the rest of the kids have a fun time in the new building.  I will miss everyone, but I am going to move on with my life and have a new beginning.  It’s time for a new ride!

The best of luck to you, Kaylee, and thank you for sharing your memories and sense of humor! 

Graduate Highlight: Seth

We are thrilled to share most of the sixth year's graduation speeches, in the order they were given during graduation night. We hope you enjoy them! First up: Seth. Goodbye…My time at Villa Di Maria has been fun--every year of my decade at Villa, but sadly it must come to an end. Leaving school is like growing up and officially leaving my house because Villa Di Maria is like my home away from home, so it’s a little tough having to leave. Believe it or not, I actually went to Villa before I even got home from the hospital.My first day of school--one of the scariest days of a person’s life.  So many unfamiliar faces and lessons that I knew nothing about. But as I got older I made some friends, which made it better. So I have to say my favorite lesson in primary was...any math lesson. The way numbers can change just fascinates me. I really liked graduating from primary. It made me feel like an adult.Now I’m in Lower Elementary. I’m finally 6 years old, and I know so many more people.  Some of them are currently 6th years of Villa Di Maria, but I lost ones that left Villa, which was also a little sad. If I had to choose my favorite lesson of Lower El, I would probably say Abstract Large Bead Frame because my friend Cameron and I made an 8-page long problem, taller than us.  My first year in LE, I of course didn’t know many lessons, but I was pretty good at math and spelling, I could spell just about every word I’ve said so far in this speech (true fact)!  My favorite memory was probably meeting Mrs. Nidhi and Mrs. LeBeau, which made it even harder when they left. During LE, I learned not to just put work away in my cubby, but to finish it because at the end of the year, I would have at least 80% of a folder filled with unfinished work!  And now, I’m finally in Upper El and I know so much more and I have much more responsibility. Ever since I learned abstract math, paper has been my favorite material, if you can call it a material. On it I did things like division to Square Root to even Cube Root and I enjoyed that a lot.One of my favorite memories of Upper El was when we went to New York for the MMUN. For those who don’t know what that is, it stands for Montessori Model United Nations and I hope the future 6th years enjoy it. One bad part about my trip was when a few other of my classmates offered to take me to the Hershey’s factory and the M&M factory and I refused. I refused because I thought I had to stay with my chaperone, Mrs. Rebecca who was not ready, neither were my roommates Jackson and Luke. But I was ready to go, I was dressed. I had showered and I even brushed my hair. After they had left, Mrs. Rebecca said I could go but I was too late. Also, my friends Gabby and Kaylee got food poisoning, they claimed it hurt… A LOT. I’d say that I learned not to procrastinate because during MMUN, I procrastinated on so many position papers, but not this speech.Thank you to all the teachers that helped me through my toughest times. Mrs. Milos, Mrs. Steinman, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Mcauley, Mrs. Nidhi, Mrs. Lebeau, Ms. Rebecca, Mrs. Anderson and, the only male teacher I have met, Mr. Justin. Once again, it will be hard leaving Villa because it’s the only school I have ever been to and I’m going to miss every one of you guys.  Thank you.And thank you, Seth! You will be missed!

Rebecca's Tribute to the Graduates

This spring marked a very special occasion at Villa di Maria: the sixth year graduation, where nine of our most beloved students marked their move out of the VdM community. Their doting directress, Rebecca Callander, went above and beyond to honor them in her speech, which celebrates each individual and what they have brought to the classroom and beyond. Below, her touching words.

Good evening. I would like to open with a quote by Pablo Picasso:

The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape of a spider’s web.

Our prepared environment for the school year was held in an international sculpture park, where we have interacted with world-renowned artwork on a daily basis.  Each child has had a chance to respond to Laumeier artistically, environmentally, personally.  The prepared environment of the park has indeed helped shape us from its sculpture to its sky, earth, scraps of paper, and butterfly chrysalis.

And how it has shaped you! You who have worked so hard each day, and it shows.  You have practiced making decisions, learning academic skills, and organizing your time.  You have shown courage, toughing out difficulties like friendship quarrels, a skinned knee, a failed experiment.  You have exhibited tenacity, working hard over long periods of time until understanding has been reached.  You have shown boundless curiosity, researching a whole universe of topics.  You have engineered countless projects and fixed materials, often independently.  You have pondered difficult questions of spiritual, philosophical, and scientific nature. You have shown true acts of compassion for people, expressing disdain for some of humanity’s worst decisions and desiring to make the world a better place.  You have conducted yourself with humor and kindness and have bonded together as a wonderful group of nine sixth years. Each of you has offered yourself to the community as an individual, opinionated and reflective, vulnerable, and has learned to be accepting of yourself and of others.

Picasso also said,

Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain one once we grow up.

I believe that artists are not just painters wearing berets with moustaches using ridiculous combinations of words like chronological ephemeral recontexutalization of the highest ordered sapien organism (Yes, Cameron and Seth, that is for you—do you get it?  It means the life cycle of the person in Artspeak!) I believe true artists are the individuals who can stay clear in their minds, allowing them to record life, to make connections across intellectual chasms, to draw parallels in history, to observe nature and “recontextualize” it as something new.  An artist is curious and responds to need. 

The child is naturally this.  The child is an artist by default without having acquired the ruinous quality of self-doubt, which while a great instinct to help keep us from danger, can atrophy the most inventive and expansive parts of us.  In Montessori, the young person stays an artist-- creative, interested, driven, exponential--yet goes a step further developing the discipline, focus, and perspective necessary to allow big ideas to happen in smaller contained moments, thus influencing all acts throughout the day. I believe that each of you will hold this potential to be an artist, forever and always.

I would like to take a few moments now to offer the audience, who love you and have chosen this Montessori journey for you, a few insights into how each of you is an artist.  I will do this by taking a cue from the prepared environment of the year, by comparing each of you to a sculpture found in Laumeier Sculpture Park.

Simon

To Simon, who is attending his brother’s graduation from West Point, you are Mark di Suvero’s Bornibus, strong and sensitive. Simon has consistently been drawn to the epic struggles of humanity and to how tenuous science and the laws of physics can be.  Simon in the classroom is razor focused doing square root problem upon square root problem, yet also sensitive, laying his head on his friend’s shoulder as a sign of affection. And, Simon has a dry and wacky sense of humor, which Bornibus also reveals, as this bizarre mythic beast crawls out of the forest onto the Estate House Lawn.

Kat

To Kat, you are Eyeball by Tony Tasset. Staring, indeed never missing a beat, you have gleaned so much from our classroom this year, being in lesson after lesson, and observing everything.  But the eye is not strictly for seeing; no, the eye is a symbol for perceiving.  You have been the voice of understanding and knowledge in the classroom and have offered us your wisdom throughout the year. And also, since you have a delightful sense of humor, replete with delightful accompanying laugh, what could be funnier than a giant eyeball randomly placed on a manicured lawn?  Well, maybe poking the eyeball with a stick, but that’s simply against sculpture park rules!

Seth

Seth, rolling along, you are Earthmover by Marie Watt.  There’s a lot going on in this sculpture! When a person first encounters Seth, they immediately sense his humor—giant tractor wheel randomly stuck in the mud?  Yup--ha! But dig a little deeper, and we see that there is way more to this piece than humor alone.  Like an earthmover, Seth, you are not afraid to dig a little deeper too, to work hard. And speaking of movement, Seth is an excellent timekeeper--always aware of schedules and everything going on--Seth has been an outstanding leader and has kept us moving along.

Julia

Julia, standing tall as a leader, you are Aurelia Roma by Manuel Neri.  Serene in your ability to be calm and centered, expressive in your ability to articulate your emotions and experiences, contrasting, like how the smooth marble juxtaposes with the rough-hewn marble, showing a mental toughness and a gentle response to others.  I also appreciate how you embody the traits of the marble sculptor, patient, and seeing a project several steps ahead. A people person, the figure suits you well.

Luke

Luke, you are the conceptual piece, St. Louie Bones by Robert Stackhouse.   St. Louie Bones references the dichotomy of concept: the opposition and merging of two rivers, flowing into each other, a debate of the currents, and, ultimately, a mixed resolve of the waters--a new perspective.  You are our class debater, you have opened our eyes to the other side of an argument and have done it well-- eloquently, logically, and with passion.  Get Luke going on politics or MMUN, watch out, the resultant dialogue will be electric! And, I also had to include this photo of you—it’s adorable. You seem to be holding the piece together, either that, or you are simply just ready to take a nap.

Bethany

Bethany, how could I not choose Cromlech Glen for you?  By the way, this happens to be one of my favorite sculptures of the park—I love the artist Beverly Pepper! She envisioned the sculpture as a gathering place to present poetry readings, musical performances or, alternatively, a peaceful site for meditation.  This spot definitely allows for reflection with its access to wooded landscapes coupled with the sounds of nature. How does this not perfectly reflect all that is you?  Art, expression, poetry, science, observation! Well, I suppose it’s missing kindness and generosity—but one art piece can’t have everything!

Cameron

Cameron, my poet, philosopher, geometrician, and human calculator!  You’re Dan Graham's Triangular Bridge Over Water, which unapologetically lifted from Laumeier’s website, is “Like a futuristic version of The Bridges of Madison County, as if designed by Albert Einstein, the two-way mirror panels attached to a steel truss reflect and absorb the exterior public space. This arrangement counter-intuitively creates an interior private experience where the self, bridge and woods are simultaneously reflected. The fixed dimensions of the structure are warped by the speed of the viewer who crosses the bridge; what you see is continually altered by the act of seeing.” Need I say more?  And I daresay, Artspeak…you’d be good at it.

Kaylee

Kaylee, one of the first things I learned about you was that your middle name was Acacia. I must therefore choose for you, Johann Feilacher’s Redwood I. Thinking of you trying to hug your arms around the circumference is quite hysterical, but if you could, you would, for your love for science and nature is among the strongest of anyone I know.  I also love how this piece stands tall, which you do at least 1000 feet into the air with your spirit and spunk.  The tree is a symbol of life and giving, with its sturdy woody stem made of xylem and phloem, which allows the water and food to nurtures the organism, like how through you flows friendship and kindness nurturing everyone around you.

Emily

And finally, Emily, for you I choose Tony Rosenthal's House of the Minotaur.  This piece is literally full of twists and turns and surprises, just as you have done for us all—taking your classroom work to the next level, being courageous in social justice, and showing us how many different paths you can take with your theatrical ability!  The bright colors remind me of your bubbly effervescent personality. And I agree with the closing words of your speech--you are definitely not throwing away your shot.

Friends, I am so proud of you. And yes, Bethany, each of you is your own work of art, your masterpiece.  I can’t wait to see what else you will add to it. In the words of Dr. Montessori, "Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create."

And create, I know you shall, for you all shall continue to take the path of the artist, because you have found the way, just as we have found our way back to Villa di Maria!  Full circle.

Are you ready to start your new journey? Please stand as we call your name!

Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your beautiful speech! And please check back for the individual graduates' speeches in the coming weeks! 

LE to UE Visits

Some of the most highly-anticipated days this spring have been the visits of culminating year students to the classrooms they will join this fall. During these visits, children have the opportunity to get to know the Directresses and Aides with whom they will work for the next three years, making for a more seamless transition in the fall. And just as important, they experience the current classroom dynamics and have the much-needed opportunity to socialize with the older children they will join in a few months. During this particular visit, four Lower Elementary students visited the Upper Elementary classroom just in time to celebrate one Lower Elementary student's birthday! She brought treats to share with the entire class, then shyly listened as the entire class took turns sharing an adjective to describe the birthday girl. This was such a touching moment, as her peers complimented her friendliness, curiosity, effervescent personality, and athletic prowess. What a wonderful way to feel welcomed into the next stage!Lower Elementary culminating students also have the opportunity to receive lessons from Ms. Rebecca, which exposes both the children and the Directress to each other's personalities and strengths.At the end of the day, all students gathered to listen to a presentation by two sixth-year students. This particular presentation was about cancer, and the two covered an impressive amount of information about the disease. Watching the culminating year Upper Elementary students present also exposed the Lower Elementary visitors to the expectations of this next stage. Especially during this age and stage, modeling appropriate behavior and work is an extremely influential piece of the visiting process that sticks with the visitors long after they leave.Also noteworthy: these kids' commitment to skateboarding is pretty serious!We are all experiencing the excitement and bittersweet feelings that come with watching our children and students grow up and move up. As the end of the school year nears, may we embrace every moment!

The Hat Game

Children in the Lower and Upper Elementary were treated to Mr. Justin's fun-loving ways on their trip last month to the Sheldon, then Forest Park for lunch and recess. Below, some fun photos from their game.Thank you, Mr. Justin, for the endless sources of entertainment! These kids sure do adore you!

Violet Jelly: Foraging + a Recipe

This spring, wild violets have been abundant. After picking a bunch during recess one day, some Upper Elementary girls decided that they would like to make something. After some research, they decided they would try their hand at violet jelly! Below, the process, along with the recipe.Upon Directress Rebecca Callander's recommendation, the girls directed their foraging attention to a spot near the Meramac River in Greentree Park (before the entire location flooded last week! The entire area we visited above was/is under several feet of floodwater!). We were able to pick 4 cups of violets* in just under an hour.

Six out of seven violet harvesters (one preferred not to be in the photo, so she took the photo!)

After bringing the violets back to the classroom, the girls sorted through and removed any stems that had been missed, then measured and rinsed the violets.

Interesting fact: the salicylic acid found in all parts of fresh violets is an active disinfectant and is also fungicidal! The spring pseudo-flower is what we see (the true seed-bearing flower is green and appears in the fall), and it is edible in all forms. Try sprinkling some on a fresh salad for color!

After removing the stems, the students poured boiling water onto the violets to steep overnight.The water almost instantly turned a beautiful blue color!The following day, the girls got back to work, following this recipe from Taste of Home. 

That's a whole lot of sugar!

Straining the liquid

Look at that beautiful color!

Violet Jelly (from Taste of Home)

• 8 cups fresh violet blossoms
• 3 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 package (1 3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 cups sugar

Directions

1. Rinse and drain blossoms; place in a large heat-resistant glass bowl. Pour boiling water over the blossoms and let stand for 2 hours (up to 24 hours), stirring occasionally.
2. Strain and reserve violet liquid, pressing with a spatula to extract all possible color. Discard blossoms.
3. Measure violet liquid; add enough water to measure 3-1/2 cups (liquid will be blue-green). Stir in pectin, lemon juice and sugar (the liquid will turn a violet color).
4. Pour into a large stainless steel saucepan; bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.
5. Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Carefully ladle hot liquid into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Yield: about 5 half-pints.

The finished product, which has a subtle, sweet, slightly lemony/grape-y flavor. Delicious and beautiful!*Only pick common wild violets for consumption from spaces that are chemical-free woods or lawns.  

A Montessori Moment

During a recent visit to the Upper Elementary classroom, a Lower Elementary student approached Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander with an insect she had found outside on a stick."What should I do with it, Ms. Rebecca?""Why, look at it, of course! Maybe you can identify what kind of bug it is!"After she and another student looked at it under a microscope, then researched insects in an insect identification book, she determined that it was a green lacewing. She then took time to draw the adult insect. Then, in Ms. Rebecca's words, "released the creature back outside, but not in the garden, because that would be bad for the garden."Truly a Montessori moment - the freedom and space for curiosity, investigation, and truly inspired, hands-on learning!

Upper Elementary Observations in Primary

Happy May 1st! This school year is winding down quickly, with many fun events on the horizon, including the sixth year graduation! As an exercise in reflection and preparation for this transition, the sixth-year students at Villa di Maria have been going back to their roots and participating in observations in the Primary classrooms. Below, some reflections from the sixth-years before and after observing the Primary students. Villa di Maria: What are your thoughts going into this observation?Kat: I remember a lot about Primary. I really liked it. I've never observed before, so I'm going into it with an open mind. Luke: I'm going to stay curious. I've been in Montessori my entire life. I remember my Primary classroom in Chicago really well. I especially liked the bells.Cameron: I don't have any memories off the top of my head; I'm just planning to see what the classroom is like, to see if I can relate to the Primary kids.The observations, which took place for an hour, left the sixth-years with an excited buzz on their way back to Upper Elementary. From identifying an overlap of materials to noticing how busy the Primary children were, to their shared amusement with the children who were curious about them, or the sheer amount of spilled water there was to clean up - the Upper Elementary children had plenty to say about their observations.Luke: There was so much I had forgotten about, things I had forgotten even existed, like the button frames and the smelling bottles...Kat: There were a lot of the same materials between Primary and Upper Elementary. These kids learn the materials at such a young age! I remember really struggling with safety pins when I was that age; I could never get them open, I guess because I didn't have the hand strength yet. Now it's easy for me. I have no idea when that happened...Cameron: I think some kids outside of Montessori could get really bored if they couldn't work ahead. The independence allows us to work at our own pace.Kat: I prefer working independently. I observed a lot of kids who wanted to work on their own, at their own pace. I'm still that way.Thank you, Kat, Cameron, and Luke, for letting us in on the observation! We can't wait to hear your graduation speeches later this month!