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1280 Simmons Avenue Kirkwood, MO, 63122 United States
I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on a portion of Cab Yau's Parent-Child Course , and what a treat it was! Take a look at these beautiful babies in their prepared environment and read a bit about the space and purpose for this age range, below. On this particular day, half of the class was home recovering from various illnesses that are so common around this time of year; therefore, the full age range of this course was not represented in these photos. These children are on the younger spectrum of the age range. Still, they navigated the space well, exploring all areas of the prepared environment.For children of this age, there is no need for lessons for the sake of learning; they are already absorbing everything in the environment around them. These two are in a stage where movement and language are of primary importance. They are constantly refining their movements as they crawl, scoot, touch, explore, chase, and search. Following a rolling object, bringing a toy to the mouth, physically manipulating a jar with a lid, and learning to support weight through assisted standing are a few examples.There is also, amazingly, the beginning of social interaction between these young children. Above, the child on the left purposefully drops a toy off the top of a the shelf. Below: the other child notices, makes eye contact, and returns the toy!The materials themselves are simple and beautiful, and arranged to sit on the edge of the shelf for easiest access to little hands.Another example of early social behavior: above, the child on the left observes the child on the right mouthing a silver rattle (note in the mirror that the child without the rattle is opening her mouth in imitation). Immediately after, she offers the baby another toy, placing it directly into her mouth!
A mother watches as her child navigates the shelving unit.
Cab offers a helping hand
After plenty of time playing while the adults discussed various parenting topics, it was time for a snack!On the menu for this class: peas!
Cab assists the child in holding the fork and spearing a pea.
When weather is permitting, the children and their caregivers also spend time outside exploring on the playground. There is so much going on - just observing this amazing time of development is astonishing. Thank you, Cab, for inviting us to peek in on your course!Though registration is currently closed for this session, there will be an opportunity to sign your 8-week to 2-year-old child up for the next session soon. Please contact Carrie Tallon, Director of Education (carriet@villadimaria.org) for more information.
For the young child, walking is a relatively new skill. Some of the children in the Children's House are only two years old, meaning they have only been walking for half their lives! For such children, walking in itself is a skill to acquire and practice: an enjoyable and necessary part of developing muscles, balance, self-construction, self-confidence, and above all else, independence - especially when it comes to walking into their classrooms each day. Below, read about why we encourage parents to allow their young children to walk from the car to their classroom every morning rather than carrying them, and how this can help build independence.It is so tempting to carry our young children in our arms. In our arms, they are close to our faces and hearts; there is comfort there. But when we are trying to encourage independence, it is important that we allow the young child walk into her classroom every morning. "We should bring awareness to the big and small ways we can encourage independence in our children," says Head of School Laura Ceretti-Michelman. When we set the expectation that our child will walk to the classroom door, carrying his or her own items, we empower the child to be independent and responsible, and he will rise to the occasion.If you are a parent to a Primary child here at Villa di Maria, you may have noticed that the Directresses never carry your child from his car seat into the classroom. There is a passivity to being carried around, passed from one set of adult arms into another set of adult arms, that we want to avoid. Instead, if your child needs help unbuckling himself in the car, do so, then encourage him with verbal prompts like "Don't forget your lunch box!" with a big smile and kiss good-bye.If you anticipate walking your child to her classroom in the morning, allow extra time so you won't feel rushed and tempted to sweep her up in your arms to save time. A child will feel much more empowered if she is allowed to carry her own personal items, by way of her own two feet. How grown up she will feel! It is important to allow a child of this age to control as much about her own circumstances as possible, especially as so much is not yet in her control.Talk with your child ahead of time about the expectations of walking to the classroom and being responsible for her own items, and we will set an example for him or her here at school!You may be amazed by the carryover from these small changes; a child who carries her own items will likely take on more responsibility at home, like learning to make her own lunch the night before school, doing her own laundry, doing her own dishes after dinner, and so much more.
Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 5th, at 2am; which makes it the perfect time to talk about sleep habits for children! Read about why good sleep habits are crucial for children and adults alike, and how to set up a good nighttime routine for your family, below. Sleep is the primary activity of the brain during early development; according to the National Sleep Foundation, by the time a child is two years old, he or she has likely spent more time asleep than awake! Sleep is especially important for children because it directly impacts their mental and physical development by restoring energy, increasing blood supply to muscles, repairing tissue and promoting growth, and releasing hormones crucial for healthy growth and development. Sleep has a profound effect on children's ability to learn, as well as the ability to retain memories. A team of German and Swiss researchers have shown that "material that children learn subconsciously during the day is transformed into active knowledge in their brains during long periods of deep sleep overnight," writes Tim Seldin, president of The Montessori Foundation, and author of How to Raise an Amazing Child The Montessori Way.For all ages, the brain organizes and stores memories, in addition to sifting through all the "noise" of the day during sleep. Sleep deprivation even in small amounts has been linked to many health and behavioral problems, including but not limited to heart disease, kidney disease, obesity, high blood pressure, ADHD, stroke, diabetes, depression, and mood swings. Sleep, and lack of it, impacts all areas of life, which is why it is so important to make sleep a priority for your entire family.How much sleep do children need? The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following:Toddlers 1 - 2 years 11 to 14 hoursPreschoolers 3 - 5 years 10 to 13 hoursSchool-aged 6 - 13 years 9 to 11 hoursTeenagers 14 - 17 years 8 to 10 hoursAlthough there is obviously some leeway in these guidelines, it is important to keep a sleep routine consistent. Below, 5 ways to make your child's sleep a priority.
Establish a Good Sleep Routine. Be consistent with your evening routine. It can look something like this: small bedtime snack, followed by a bath or shower, then getting on pajamas, brushing teeth, using the restroom, and reading a book or two. For older children, this could include time reading in bed before lights out. Doing this at the same time every evening sets up your child for success, and reduces the likelihood of tantrums and resistance to sleep.
Give 10 or 20 minute reminders before starting the bedtime routine. This will allow your child to mentally prepare for the routine, and to wrap up any activity he or she may be engaged in. If your child is engaged in a game, drawing, or activity with siblings, the 10 minute reminder can help her adjust to winding down. Remind your child that he can start up the activity right where he left off in the morning.
Limit screen time in the evenings. Screen time too close to bedtime has been shown to negatively impact sleep in a number of ways. First, it can cut into the time children would normally be preparing for bed and winding down, delaying the onset of sleep and overall decreasing the amount of sleep. Screen time too close to bed is also affected by the type of bright light screens emit, which interferes with a child's natural circadian rhythms by disrupting melatonin levels that naturally tell a child he is becoming sleepy.
Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on the weekends. Studies have shown that turning in at the same time every night actually produces better sleep overall. This kind of regularity can help you get to sleep faster, reduce overall stress, and protect against health and mood problems more than someone who shifts around his or her sleep schedule. This goes for children and adults!
Dim the lights an hour before turning in. This may be common sense, but bright light can interfere with the body's natural circadian rhythm. Try keeping the lights lower as it gets dark outside as a signal to your child's body that it will soon be time to sleep.
Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday night, and happy sleeping!
The Long Black Strip is an impressionistic lesson meant to inspire wonder, awe, and gratitude surrounding the beginning of the universe and in particular, how very little time humans have been present on Earth. Meant to make a big impression and relay humility, the Long Black Strip lesson is given with fewer words; it is not meant to be a reiteration of the Great Lesson The Coming of Life. Learn more about what this lesson conveys below. Often cited as the most powerful lesson one can give in the Montessori classroom, the Long Black Strip not communicates the passage of time in such a concrete, visual way: a linear representation of of time. As one child slowly unrolls the long black cloth strip, another moves beside him, placing a stone on each significant event. In this case, there was another student (not pictured) off to the side, narrating the lesson: "This black strip represents the age of Earth, from its very beginning... At first Earth was a fiery ball... And this went on for a long, long time... Earth was covered with volcanoes. And this went on for a long, long time... "1 centimeter = 1,000,000 years10 meters = 1,000,000,000 years30 meters represents 3,000,000,000 years, the average accepted length of earth's history (in 1939). Now we know it is approximately 4.6 billion years.As the child unravels more and more of the fabric, he comes closer to the end. The Long Black Strip can barely fit inside the long Elementary hallway, and reaches from one Lower Elementary classroom, past the Upper Elementary classroom, and all the way to the doorway of the other Lower Elementary classroom! At the very very end is a tiny white strip, only about 2 inches long, meant to represent the amount of time humans have resided on Earth: all of humanity: cave people, Egyptians, Greeks... you and me! It is a sight to see, regardless of age. In fact, as an adult, this is a lesson that still inspires awe and wonder in me!This lesson is meant to evoke an emotional response, and does it ever!
It's been awhile since we've peeked into the Primary classrooms around here; the beginning of the school year was an important time for children to settle into their routines and class norms, so I mostly kept my distance to respect that work. Additionally, we have had many parent observers within the classroom! See what the youngest children at Villa di Maria have been up to below.
The beautiful linen cloths Assistant Cristina Kerr special ordered for P2 over the summer are such a nice touch to the classroom (and very soft too)
The hand-washing station in P2
The October morning light is so inviting in P3
Look at that connection between Directress Heather Steinman and her student! What glowing smiles!
Matching baby animals with their grown animal counterparts
Directress Jessie Braud shares a moment with an eager mind!
The energy in P2 is buzzing with some of the youngest members of the VdM community, who are very curious about the classroom materials
A child reads aloud to herself from the Halloween book collection
We hope you are enjoying the last day of October, and Happy Halloween! Check back soon for more photos - next time we'll catch P1 as well!
With Halloween only days away, the Villa di Maria crew came together once again for its annual Boo Fest celebration this past Saturday. Despite very cold weather, we had a great turnout! Don't miss all the photos from the fun event below.We were all thrilled to host Boo Fest back on our school campus this year. Not only was there plenty of room for kids to run and play, but the feeling of being "home" again made the event even more special.Families arrived to rows and rows of pumpkins, plus the sight of three large inflatable inflatables that fit perfectly in the new playing fields. The children actually gasped when they caught sight of it all! And because of the cold temperatures, there was a wonderfully cozy fire pit to warm up next to.Little siblings were so cute in their costumes! From farm and zoo animals to unicorns, historical figures, and Disney characters, the littlest members of the Villa di Maria family brought their Halloween A-game!The inflatables were a huge hit (both literally and figuratively):There was face painting by the lovely Upper Elementary children volunteers...... and pumpkin painting and other crafts overseen by some very patient parent volunteers!A couple of the coolest homemade costumes: Groot, with Lower Elementary student Marley inside (above); and a cupcake, made by Upper Elementary student Kaitlyn (taken off for better face-painting mobility below).Even the Guides and Aides dressed up! A very good witch:And a very sweet gator:And, much to the surprise of the freezing parents, most of the children went for it with the Kona Ice truck!We must thank the parent volunteers who tirelessly barbecued for the masses in order to help the good cause: the MMUN fundraiser. Families were treated to delicious burgers, chicken, or veggie burgers, in addition to a whole lot of hot chocolate! The Upper Elementary managed to raise a great amount of money. Thank you to all who supported this cause - it is a noble one which we will cover in greater detail in another blog post.Also a big thanks to the heads of the Parent Association, Kathy and Tami, who pulled it all together, like they do so well!There was also music and dancing, and lots of smiles!Thank you again for an unforgettable celebration, and here's hoping that you have a very Happy Halloween tomorrow!
The Lower Elementary Racks and Tubes classroom has been lucky enough to have artist Ruth Reese volunteer her time (and clay, lots and lots of clay) to work with the children on a project with clay. Here is the beginning of the process, which we will follow up on as the project continues. On a chilly October morning, children help set up boards, on which they place their clay slabs. The outdoor work environment is perfect for this type of slightly messy work.During this particular project, the children have chosen to recreate geometric solids. They have measured the shapes necessary in constructing their chosen solid, and begin to trace the cut-outs onto the clay for later construction. Figuring out how to fit the greatest number of shapes onto each slab while wasting as little clay as possible was like completing a puzzle!
Each shape is outlined gently before final cuts are made.
Ruth demonstrates how to use the straight edge for even cutting.
We are so excited to see how this project turns out. Check back for more progress soon!
Last week, during the cultural celebration of Diwali, the Upper Elementary children decided to try their hand at a huge mandala in the south field. See more photos below.The leftover flowers from the Hoe Down were put to good use! Very little gets wasted around here...The students started by joining hands in a large circle. Then, Directress Rebecca Callander showed them how to make the circle as even as possible by using a rope stretched from the center of the circle!Once the children were in place, they passed around bottles of chalk dust to draw the perimeter of the circle.They made designs, circles within the larger circle, and other shapes with which to fill their flowers. Because they did not have enough flowers and flower petals to fill the spaces in the large circle, they improvised with hay, stones, and wood chips!Though the children ran out of time to complete their mandala, the experience was a lot of fun, and another example of good team work and coming together to design. Next time, they vowed to complete their work a bit earlier so they would have more time!
A wonderful example of the "Cosmic Education" component of Montessori education is the "Going Out" component, where students plan and execute field trips around Missouri: sometimes to the grocery store, other times to businesses or parks. This time, we join the Upper Elementary students on a fossil hike through Highland Rock Quarry. The Upper Elementary has continued to study in great depth the beginning of life as we know it on our planet; here, they uncover fossils from a time when much of Missouri was underwater. See what they found below!Before any "Going Out," the Upper Elementary students focus on organizing and planning. This can mean days of preparation: making lists of what to pack, getting directions, researching the location, calling potential drivers and leaving voice messages (some of which may never be deleted for how sweet and polite they are!). During this aspect of the field trip, it is important that the adults gently guide, but not interfere with the process, even if that means making a few wrong turns during the drive there while the children navigate!This hike follows the series of Great Lessons the Upper Elementary have been experiencing, and came soon after the Coming of Life lesson the sixth year students have presented.Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander explains the relevance of this Going Out: "The intellectual mind of the second plane child must know how we know about this emergent life. We discuss carbon traces and the process of fossilization. Children can extend this study to the world outside them. In Kirkwood, we are so fortunate to have a renowned fossil site, recognized as one of several in establishing the early stage of the Mississippian sub-period of the Carboniferous time period in North America as the Meramecian Stage.""The Highlands Rock Quarry located in the Dee Koestering Park has fossil reveals, which place Kirkwood on the shoreline of an ancient shallow ocean which covered most of the Midwest from 346.7-330.9 mya. The hike into the 100-year-old quarry allows children to see fossil life from so long ago—a chance to read our history from the pages of the book of our earth!"And packed full of fossils it is! Within the first 10 minutes of arriving, all six children in this group had found at least one. They were scattered on the ground, as well as embedded in the layers of rock below their feet.
Look at all those layers!
Our wonderful assistant Colleen Deibel joined in the search
There was also a bit of time for exploring while we searched for remnants of drill holes from the quarry's blasting days (you can see them imprinted in the rock above, where the student in the green shirt has his right hand) before heading back to school. Once they were back in the classroom, the children took turns with the stereomicroscope to identify their fossils.A large magnifying glass also came in handy.Thank you, Upper Elementary, for letting me tag along on this adventure!
An important tenet of Montessori philosophy is the recognition of all of humanity as a part of a global family. The "global citizen" aspect of Montessori values the wide and beautiful tapestry of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and takes seriously the responsibility of raising our children to be open-minded and open-hearted. Part of this practice begins with introducing them to people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the celebrations of such groups. On October 19th, the Diwali Hindu festival of lights began. Villa di Maria's Elementary students were eager to celebrate.Diwali is India's most important holiday of the year; it is as important to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians. The festival of lights (which occurs over the course of five days) symbolizes the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness, and occurs every autumn. Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that is celebrated by most Indians, regardless of their faith, and most accurately represents the victory of good over evil.The entire elementary gathered together to celebrate Diwali last week. Alongside several students who played, drummed, and sang, Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander performed the Hindu song, "Listen to My Old Soul Song" for the group. The song came together so nicely, with the children and Rebecca working together during the performance.The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word "deepavali," meaning "series of lighted lamps." The children lit a number of candles to represent the return of the deities Rama and Sita after their 14 years of exile; in the story, the villagers lit oil lamps to illuminate the path through the darkness. The lights also celebrate Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
An image of the Demon King Ravana
Goddess Lakshmi, painted by Raja Ravi Varma in 1896
Lower Elementary Directress Anna Schwind presented the Diwali story to the children, split into two groups, with much enthusiasm. She always has a captive audience, and is truly a gifted storyteller. Here, she retold and acted out the story of Ramayana, in which Lord Rama rescues his wife Sita from the Demon King Ravana, who happens to have twenty arms and ten heads!
After the the story of Diwali, the children headed outside to the pavilion, where an activity awaited them!
Lower Elementary Directress Megan Eilers had set up a rangoli activity for the children to complete. Rangoli, a colorful design made on the floor near the entrance of one's home, is meant to welcome guests and encourage the goddess Lakshmi to enter. Rangoli can be made from chalk, colored rice, flour, sand, or even flower petals. Here, the children worked with cardboard patterns with sticker designs and sand. Many of them chose to take their patterns home to finish later, as it was a long and involved (and enjoyable) process!
The results were beautiful!
While one group enjoyed rangoli, the other was treated to a short meditation lead by Upper Elementary Directress Rebecca Callander.
The children were also encouraged to try several traditional Indian treats, included mango drink, crushed peanut chikki squares, till laddoo (sesame brittle), muruku (rice snacks), jalebi, and apple slices.
In the Montessori tradition, children are guided beyond just acceptance of multicultural ideas; through their cultural, hands-on studies, they are shown to understand, appreciate, respect, and celebrate many cultures so that they may come alive in the child's mind.
While I recently sat with a group of friends, all mothers with children ranging from 3 and 10 years old, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between all of our stories about the dreaded after-school slump. Regardless of the school - public, private, Montessori, language immersion - all of us had experienced the 3:30/4pm meltdown from our lovely offspring. Not even the ages of our children provided insight into what we were seeing, aside from the way the meltdown was expressed. Some form of "blowing off steam" or expression of disappointment, crying, whining, general feeling of being overwhelmed, or even epic tantrum (often after reports of a great day at school!) was inevitable almost as soon as they set foot in the car. The phenomenon is called "Restraint Collapse," and our Elementary Guides have been fielding many questions from parents about this topic. Why do our children melt down at the end of the school day? And what can we do to help them?First and foremost, a school day is full. It is full of physical, mental, emotional, and social stimulation - from the new lessons to the social conflict she may have with a friend, to presenting her best self to her classmates and guides. From a Montessori standpoint, this all has to do with a child's will (which we will completely cover in another blog post soon).A child, no matter what age, is usually well aware of the expectations of behavior and conduct within the classroom, and holding it together to remember those rules and self-regulate takes a tremendous amount of energy! Oftentimes when we pick up our children, they are not only physically exhausted, but they are mentally drained and very, very hungry!1. This brings us to the first thing we can do to help with this tricky time of day: provide a healthy snack. Something with protein that is low in sugar (such as some trail mix or nuts or a cheese stick, or apple slices with peanut butter) is an excellent choice, and can help restore some energy.2. If you have a car ride ahead of you, try putting on soft classical music or just keep the car quiet. This can be a time of decompression for your children. Keep in mind that some children, especially those who are more introverted, will not want to talk about how their day went (at least not right away). Try to respect her needs around this; give your child some time to just be quiet without the expectation of answering a million questions or making decisions about the rest of the day!3. Keep a few books in the car for your child to read or look at on the way home from school. This quiet time can prevent overstimulation and head off a few meltdowns before they happen. For little ones, consider a few audio books that have calm, soothing narrators. A few good ones we love are Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Stone Soup, Little Bear's Visit, The Little House, Tiki Tiki Tembo, Brave Irene, Owl Moon, Frog and Toad Audio Collection, and The Very Quiet Cricket (along with any Eric Carle audiobooks!) 4. Consider limiting after-school activities and playdates and instead save them for the weekend. Ask yourself if you are scheduling after school activities because your child really wants to do them and seems genuinely happy to participate, or because you are anxious about "keeping up." If it is the latter, you may want to reexamine your after school routine and make some changes.In a 2013 NY Times article, Polly Young-Eisendrath, a clinical psychologist and the author of “The Self-Esteem Trap,” argued that too many activities may be a problem: "Children really need that time to lie around, play more freely and have periods when they are side-by-side with their parents in the same room, being ‘alone together.’ ” The point is, be conscious of what is right for your child and try to meet him where he is.5. Respect a child's "down time" after school. You may be amazed by what your child chooses to do in her free time. One day, she may feel like burning a lot of energy being physically active, while another she may choose to calmly draw pictures for an hour before dinner time. Children with free time after school learn to further self-regulate and read their bodies' cues, tuning in to what she or he needs in the moment, whether it's more social interaction with siblings or neighbors, some alone time in his room with a book and some music, or feeding her creative need by practicing a musical instrument, helping to cook dinner in the kitchen, or chatting with Mom or Dad about her day.Of course, not everyone will be heading home straight after school; there are plenty of children who spend time in aftercare while both parents work. Here at Villa di Maria, we have a wonderful team that respects children's needs: there is snack, there are daily activities, but most of what they do is free play under the supervision of adults they adore.It is important to remember that the main reason your child may melt down after school is because they are secure; this has a lot to do with the safe space you as parents provide for them. Children who present their best selves all day long, then suddenly open the floodgates as soon as they walk into the family home feel safe to do so. They know you will still love them, and they may even know that you will help them manage these feelings and provide hugs, kisses, and kind words no matter how grumpy and irritable they are.
Villa di Maria: Tell us a bit about your family.Suzanne Miller: We are a family who LOVES to travel and will do so as much as possible. Our oldest, Margot, visited NYC, the OBX twice, and 6 countries in her first 10 months. Having new experiences and meeting new people is something we love to do as a family.My husband Paraig and I moved back to St. Louis in 2007 after I was away for around 15 years. Paraig and I met in Ireland where we lived for 6 years. Margot made us parents in 2009 and Rory completed our family in 2011. Our furry children are two very smart Westies called Lulu and Georgina (Georgie for short).VdM: Can you tell us about your background and education?SM: I grew up in the St. Louis area and attended St. Louis University where I created my own major of International Affairs, which emphasized French, Political Science and Economics. I mention this because I’m so grateful SLU gave me a ‘Montessori-type’ experience where I crafted my own studies. From that I did an internship at the US Department of Stage and the US Information Agency. I stayed on in DC in public affairs and then transitioned to financial communications in NYC and San Francisco. I had always wanted to live overseas so combined that experience with getting my masters in Dublin, Ireland. I met Paraig the first few months I was in Dublin and the rest, as they say, is history.VdM: What do you do career-wise?SM: When I was in Ireland I started my own marketing and communications consultancy called Magellan Communications. After doing this for 15 years, I'm ready for a new challenge and now in stealth mode on a new venture that I hope to launch next year.VdM: Do you have any hobbies? How do you and your family enjoy spending your spare time?SM: It seems I can’t read enough and recently have really enjoyed working in my flower garden. Photography has been a longtime passion of mine and I even did portraiture as a side business before the children arrived. As a family we love to ski. But second only to Christmas for Margot and Rory for being the best day of the year is a day on the beach as a family.The last two summers we have gone to Ireland and stayed on the island where my mother-in-law grew up. When the weather looks like it will hold, all the extended family (sometimes numbering up to 40) take small fishing boats over to another island that is no longer inhabited but where my children’s great grandparents lived. We picnic, hike, swim and the kids play soccer and rugby with the most breathtaking scenery as a backdrop.VdM: How were you introduced to Montessori?SM: My mother helped co-found a co-op when I was small so attended that school, which was called the Acorn School. We had materials at home that my mother would use to instill some lessons in practical life, and math (the golden beads). For my own children, I was looking for a Montessori program and the stars aligned that the Lab School at Grand Center opened three years ago-just five minutes from our house. Margot and Rory were students #5 and 6. After the first day at that school I knew this was our path.VdM: What are you most looking forward to this school year?SM: Now that we have both children in the same school, we’re excited to get better acquainted with the VDM community, but I’m also enjoying observing Margot and Rory enter the second plane and expand their collaboration skills and social circles.Thank you, Suzanne, for sharing your family with us!
The Great Lessons are presented in a specific order, every year, so that children may experience these large concepts over and over again, thus solidifying the big picture stories they convey, as well as inspiring curiosity and a sense of wonder at the beginning of the school year. Before learning about the advent of written language, Lower Elementary children are introduced to the Coming of the Universe and Earth (1), the Coming of Life (2), and the Coming of Human Beings (3). Today, we peek in on Lower Elementary Directress Anna Schwind, as she gives the Fourth Great Lesson: The Story of Writing (also referred to as Communication in Signs). She begins with a review of the first three Great Lessons by prompting the children. They each contribute the big picture knowledge they have been thinking about, discussing, and studying over the past month of school. It is touching to hear the children discuss the three gifts that make humans special: a mind to imagine, a hand to do work, and a heart that can love. There is a gentleness to this discussion that conveys a deeper understanding of humanity.As with every Great Lesson, children are eager to contribute their recollections of what they have learned thus far.Anna animatedly shares the very first means of communication. Above, she expresses how there was a need for humans to communicate in ways other than through spoken word. The story of the advent of the written alphabet is told, with an emphasis on the incredible ability that humans have of committing their thoughts to paper.This lesson leads to the study of languages, alphabets, bookmaking, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word study, figures of speech, reading, myths and folk tales, literary terms, writing, research, and so much more! It is indeed a Great Lesson!Also notable: Anna produces a papyrus plant, which is associated with Egypt and early paper making. It is a fascinating plant, as its stem is a great example of a triangular prism found in nature.The history of written language is a complex one. During the fourth Great Lesson, the Directress introduces pictographs, ideograms, hieroglyphics, the Phoenicians, the Greek alphabet, and Latin.To further engage children after the Great Lesson, books are introduced. The children gathered round afterwards to look up the history and details of the first letters of their names.As with all the Great Lessons, this was used to be a springboard rather than the focus or endpoint. Each lesson is meant to inspire curiosity and interest. Clearly, this one did!
This past weekend, Villa di Maria celebrated its 50th Anniversary on a beautiful evening with a hoe down! There was live music, line dancing, great food, drinks, and wonderful company. See a whole heap 'o photos below!Even the VdM Birthday cake got all gussied up! The decor for the evening was charming and fun, with hay bales, cowboy hats, lassos, boots, daisies, and even a few longhorns! The work put into the night by Maria, Samantha, and Michaela was certainly apparent. Jeremy and Chelsea also did a lot of work to pull together the big event.Jeremy Michelman (above left) and Dave Anderson (not pictured) got quite a band together and played an amazing set for the beginning half of the night.The auction and raffle raised a good amount of money with items like "An Afternoon with Mrs. Schwind" and "10 Haircuts from Cristina" and "A Carriage Ride with Mrs. McAuley & Mrs. Jente" among so many other wonderful experiential auction items. A+ for creativity (if we were giving out grades... which we aren't, because: Montessori)!
Such pretty details everywhere!
The event was catered by Sugarfire, with some wonderful St. Louis local BBQ. It was the perfect way to start the night!
The long auction table, with so many wonderful baskets!
And let us not forget the mechanical bull, attempted by many brave souls...Those who wore their finest hoe down attire really added character to the night.But perhaps the highlight of everyone's night? Mr. Leo (yes, that Mr. Leo) really stepped up (pun intended) to teach those willing to get their boots moving how to line dance! He and his wife Casey really brought the moves!There was also quite a crowd gathered around the line dancers, clapping and whistling. Really, it was so much fun to watch everyone let loose and laugh and dance. The music was wonderful - from the first band with Jeremy Michelman and Dave Anderson and their friends, to the second set which included three musicians (fellow VdM parent Samantha Oberkfell Mueller - mom of Jackson in P1 - who played the fiddle and the hammered dulcimer; Steve Craig, who played banjo and hammered dulcimer; and Carole Bryan, who also played hammered dulcimer). Steve, Carol, and Samantha have been playing "old time" music together since Samantha was ten years old! The music portion of the evening was very special, and the whole evening was a blast!
Don't these wonderful faces say everything?!
Special thanks are in order to Maria Burr, Samantha Clarke, and parent volunteer Michaela Herbst, who worked so very hard to make this event the success that it was. This one will be hard to top!
During the first Elementary Parent Education Night here at Villa di Maria, Directresses Megan Eilers, Anna Schwind, and Rebecca Callander discussed "Conscious Social Growth of the Elementary Child," including the complex characteristics of the 2nd plane child. While an attempt to recap the fantastic, informative (and indisputably entertaining) evening would certainly fall short, an important take-away from the event was a discussion involving how parents can best support their 2nd plane children in conflict resolution at home. Below, we share several ideas on guiding your 2nd plane children (ages 6 - 12) through their conflicts with siblings, friends, and family members. Ideas were originally presented by the Directresses. The 2nd plane of development, often called the "birth of the social personality," takes place between the ages of 6 and 12, and can be fraught with conflict as a child develops her moral compass and a strong sense of justice; after all, working out a disagreement or injustice is difficult at any age, but especially when one does not yet have all the tools or language to do so. In both the classroom and at school, this can present as testing limits, tattling, learning to manage frustration and impulses, and plenty of peer (and sibling) conflict. It is crucial to keep in mind that all of these behaviors are developmentally appropriate and necessary. It is an opportunity that we, as guides and parents, should take full advantage of, especially as research has revealed the greatest job growth (including wages) to be linked with social skills like empathy, cooperation, and flexibility.Here at school, the Directresses and Assistants are constantly taking time to guide children through conflict. But what can we do as parents, at home?First and foremost, if you have a child (or children) in the 2nd plane, it is important to allow some space for conflict, but equally important to act as a "floater." In other words, be aware of the conflict and remain close enough to intervene if needed. This attention does not simply refer to physical fights among siblings, but also to quarreling over what game to play, whose turn it is with a certain toy, etc.Letting siblings "work it out" on their own can backfire, as dysfunctional habits or roles may form quickly without the help of an adult to navigate the situation. For instance, if siblings experience the same scenario over and over again, a younger sibling may constantly give in to an older sibling, thus taking on a "doormat" role, or a younger sibling may learn he can get his way by crying or whining rather than effectively expressing himself with others. An older sibling may learn to manipulate or bully her younger sibling during conflicts, or vice versa! These habits can be hard to break and can last into adulthood, so they are quite important to address during this impressionable time.One way to avoid the solidification of bad conflict habits with your children is to step in and model conflict resolution. Allow each child to be heard, identify emotions with specific and concise language, and recap the conversation while working through the situation. Using precise language to articulate emotions is extremely important, and a tool your child can draw from and build upon over the years.Try to help your child stay in the current situation rather than generalizing. Redirect "always" and "never" statements by reframing the situation in your own words. For instance the complaint, "Jack never lets me have a turn with the ball!" can be rephrased as, "I can see that you are upset because during this game, Jack was taking a long turn with the ball. You seem frustrated that you have not yet had a turn with the ball."Key to conflict resolution during any age is to refrain from forcing an apology. Doing so can have negative results, including sending a message that "I'm sorry" is just a set of empty words one has to say in order to avoid delving any deeper into the conflict, or even devaluing the emotions and needs of the child who is accepting the apology. A forced apology does nothing to teach compassion or responsibility for one's actions. However, modeling and teaching active listening to our children during conflicts will naturally lead to genuine apologies - a conclusion our children will reach on their own, when they are ready, in addition to teaching them to voice their concerns and opinions in respectful ways in the future.For further reading, our Guides recommend the following resources for parents:On Peer Conflict, Villa di Maria's BlogBuilding Resilience in Children - 20 Practical, Powerful Strategies (Backed by Science), Hey Sigmund8 Ways to Help Your Child Deal with Mean Kids, Bergamo Schools BlogLives in the Balance, Ross Greene's website for collaborative problem solvingBooks:The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children, by Ross W. GreeneQueen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World, by Rosalind WisemanAnd of course, please refer to Villa di Maria's Peace Policy, on our website, under Parents (scroll all the way down to the bottom of the "Home" page)
As part of a series we’re calling Who We Are, we’re working to build and connect our community by interviewing the talented, dynamic parents and staff who make up the people of Villa di Maria. Today, we meet JoAnne and Kyle Cronan, a music-loving family with a great sense of humor. Read more about their family, and their unlikely introduction to Montessori below. Enjoy! *Photo credit: Shannon Lee Images Villa di Maria: Tell us a bit about your family!JoAnne Cronan: Cronan, party of 4. Kyle, Jo, James (5.75 years old) and Caroline (2.83 years old). We also have a black lab named Chevy, so named because Kyle is a Ford truck guy and Jo likes the jokes. James has big blue eyes and a tender heart and cares deeply about animals. Caroline is smart and feisty and cares deeply about princess hair and floofy skirts.VdM: Can you tell us a bit about your background and education?JC: Kyle grew up in Portageville, MO (aka the boot heel) and as a young'un chopped cotton and helped maintain the facilities at the University of Missouri Delta Center with his dad, and went to a lot of church and played a lot of piano for church with his mom. His father wanted a better life for Kyle and urged him to get a college education, so Kyle went to SEMO (Southeast Missouri State University) where he majored in Finance and Pi Kappa Alpha. During college he ran an ice business and also helped raise his adopted siblings while his dad served with the Army in the Gulf War. After college he sold his ice business and chased the American Dream, which moved him northward and he held variety of jobs with big name companies like Pepsi and Paychex. Ultimately he ended up going back to school at Webster for his MBA, and later UMSL to study Piano. One of his fraternity brothers ultimately hooked him up with the first job of his current career, which was an introductory financial aid administrator position at the BJC College of Nursing (now Goldfard school of Nursing).
It was in Music School at UMSL where he met me (JoAnne), a St. Louis native who was studying Cello and Music Business. I grew up doing fun stuff like going to summer camp, being on swim team, and taking horseback riding lessons, playing and refereeing CYC sports, and participating in field hockey, drama, and orchestra in high school, Lifeguarding in the summers and babysitting neighbors. Loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time doing fun stuff outdoors. I had some stellar advisors and advocates during my undergrad at UMSL who encouraged me to pursue more business, so the encore to my Bachelor of Music was a Masters in Accounting, and becoming a CPA.
VdM: What do you do career-wise?
JC: After the requisite brief stint in Public Accounting at a local firm in Sunset Hills, I got the tremendous opportunity to become the Chief Financial Officer at Logos School, a therapeutic alternative middle and high school in Olivette. I love what I do, but nobody loves to hear about it because most people think it sounds boring. What's not boring is the life-changing work going on at Logos. I am amazed everyday by the determination of our therapists and teachers and not only resilience, but strength of children in adverse circumstances.
Kyle works at the Olin Business School at Washington University. He is the face of financial aid for the graduate business programs, working directly with the students to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible from the initial application all the way through financial aid exit counseling (and sometimes beyond). He is especially proud of his work to bring the military Yellow Ribbon Program to the Olin Business school, and he loves getting to know military veterans of various backgrounds through the financial aid process. He is known as "Kyle the Smile" and really enjoys getting to know people at the "B-school."
VdM: Do you have any hobbies? How do you and your family enjoy spending your spare time?
JC: Kyle enjoys fantasy sports and learning as much as possible about Bourbons, Scotches, and Whiskies through Scotch Club and by reading various blogs and newsletters. He is also no stranger to Wine and Cheese Place, where he knows the staff by name, and sometimes will bring them things to try and sometimes they invite him to come try things.
My hobby is my kids. I like to be involved in what they are doing right now. We swim in our neighbor's pool and go to the library a lot. We joined the Science Center, the Zoo, and the Botanical Garden and we spend a lot of time in those places. We do a lot of crafts with a lot of tape, pipe cleaners, and aluminum foil. I pretty much just like to see what's going on in the world and try to involve them if possible. We had a great time a few months ago making eclipse viewers, and then spending the whole day of the eclipse at Suson Park in Arnold. Also recently I was house-sitting at my friend's farm(ish - it's a house on 10 acres but not a working farm), so I took the kids down with me to help feed the horses and enjoy that life for a few days.
VdM: How were you introduced to Montessori?
JC: I had a bizarre friend named Kati in college. She was totally weird but remarkably confident in herself. One day during my freshman year, I found out she went to Montessori (through Upper El) in Tacoma Washington where she grew up, and she attributed her own awesomeness to that foundation. To be honest, the thing that stuck with me the most about our conversation was that she told me about choosing her own work and studying whatever her own interests led her to. I thought that was nuts. I was raised in traditional school and could not even picture myself having the ability at a young age to choose meaningful work, and to not be doing the same thing as everyone else, and to not have my teacher constantly affirming my own "mastery" of something (I was a total grade-grabber growing up).
Luckily it was quite a few years later before I was pregnant with James. During my pregnancy I followed up on the seed planted by Katrina and I researched Montessori at the most basic level, like what would I expect to see if I walked into a Children's House, and I was struck by the emphasis on Grace and Courtesy, the idea of free movement throughout the classroom, the emphasis on the curated materials available in the prepared environment. It still seemed kind of unbelievable to me, but I just thought back to my friend Kati and thought, if nothing else, at least I want my kids to grow up with the same confidence that radiated from her, and which I knew of myself was lacking because I thrived on outside input of my value to this world. I also had a sprinkle of co-workers who spoke highly of Montessori.
Having been to several parent education evenings and to the Silent Journey, I have come to understand that so much work is done on the part of the Directresses and Guides to allow the children to lead their own meaningful work.
VdM: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
JC: I am really excited for Caroline and James to spend a special year together in P3 with him as one of the culminating year children and her as one of the newest. I am looking forward to James growing in reading because it seems he is right on the verge of a shift there. I am excited to see where Caroline will thrive this year. Because she is starting Montessori a little over a year younger than James did, I wonder what materials she will be interested in at so young and how her journey will be different.
Thank you for sharing, Jo! What an inspiring introduction to Montessori. We are so happy that James and Caroline get to spend this special year together, and that your whole family is a part of our community!
"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 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!
As part of a series we’re calling Who We Are, we’re working to build and connect our community by interviewing the talented, dynamic parents and staff who make up the people of Villa di Maria. Today, we meet the charismatic, musical Kiley and Steve Kozel who share their sacred Sunday night tradition and what they love most about VdM. Enjoy!Villa di Maria: Tell us a bit about your family.Kiley Kozel: We are the lucky and exhausted parents of three little boys. Brixton (5), & Blair (2) are in P3, and Baby Wyn (5 months) is mommy's sidekick throughout the day along with our 9-year-old, Jack-rat-terrier, Pocket. Brixton is bright, curious, a complex thinking, big feeler, and ridiculously caring oldest brother. Blair somehow has the physical and comedic timing of a seasoned stand-up, accompanied by platinum blonde hair the texture of cotton candy which compliments his overall effervescent spirit. Baby Wyn is nearly perfect as he hasn't had a tantrum yet. As for Steve and myself, while we are complex, individual human beings, perhaps nothing can explain us more succinctly than our Meyers Briggs: Steve - INTJ, Kiley, ENFP. 100%VdM: Can you tell us about your background and education?KK: We met at Webster University. Steve graduated with a degree in film (2004) and I graduated with a B.A. in music (2006). Both of us were able to study abroad (Steve, a quarter in Vienna and myself, a semester in Thailand) and we feel the abroad experience is mandatory for our boys' future education. After college, we played and toured in an indie band for a handful of years before eventually becoming full-fledged adults with a mortgage, a lawn, and a zygote. Or three.VdM: What do you do career-wise?KK: Steve works downtown at Osborn Barr as an account planner and I have a piano studio, "Kiley Ko. Piano" teaching private piano lessons as well as "BabyGrands," a baby music class, out of our home in Rock Hill. I am also returning as the piano accompanist for the Primary Classrooms at Villa this week! VdM: Do you have any hobbies? How do you and your family enjoy spending your spare time?KK: Steve is at his happiest learning, creating, and doing something with his hands. I enjoy interior design & decorating, occasionally writing in my blog, and reading recipes I will never make. Brixton and Blair spend a lot of time drawing and coloring and are diving headfirst into an obsession with Rescuebots.
Wyn is yummy and wonderful and loves almost everything except the unfortunate, occasional bowel movement. Together, our family enjoys hiking, playing music, walking our neighborhood, cooking, eating, exploring new restaurants and visiting with friends and family. Brixton often likes to help daddy with any building or cleaning projects around the house (thank you, Montessori!) and Blair likes to rub dirt on his face.
Perhaps our most sacred moment of the week is our Sunday night, "Pizza Picnic" where a sheet is spread in the living room, pjs are the suggested dress code, and we eat sliced cucumbers (somehow this has become part of the ritual?) and frozen pizzas (preferably Jack's or Bar Pizza) and watch whatever new, free, movie is on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
VdM: How were you introduced to Montessori?KK: We were introduced by Meg Mottl, who was a VdM cheerleader-extraordinaire. She also gave me two books on Montessori which sit lovingly on our shelf, untouched. Because, time.
Regardless, I feel I make my best decisions with a quick whim of my gut. I originally began as an accompanist at VdM before we had children attending, then after a small baby-related-hiatus, I am back. Whenever reflecting on Villa and the Montessori education I always feel like I won the lottery. I am so grateful for this opportunity for my children and to provide this type of foundation for their lives.
VdM: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
KK: We are excited to watch our boys grow together in Mrs. Steinman's classroom, and especially to watch Blair begin to transform there (language, skills, interests, socially, independently, etc.) the way we watched Brix. We are also excited to continue to get to know VdM families and develop relationships with other parents and children. We have made some really wonderful friends from VdM, which is perhaps reason 1,794 why we love it here.Thank you, Kozel family! We are so happy you are here with us!
Some of the most eye-catching materials in a Montessori classroom are the geometric solids. Bright blue and commanding, they draw children of all ages in to touch and explore them. Find out what these materials are all about below. The purpose of the geometric solids are many! First and foremost, they appeal to a child's senses. Through manual manipulation of the geometric solids, a child uses her muscular-tactile senses, as well as sharpening her visual perception of solid figures. They are all the same color so that the child can focus on what is different about the solids: their shape, their appearance, the way they feel in her hands, and the way they act upon a flat surface. Just as important: the guide provides a child with the appropriate language for each geometric solid.When introducing the geometric solids, the Guide invites a child to select three items from the collection and carry them to a mat for the lesson. The enthusiasm here was abundant!This child chose her three solids, placed them in a basket for easy carrying, and proudly transported them to the mat she had already placed in her chosen work space on the floor. There is so much empowerment in all of these independent (but carefully guided) choices. Thus the child is invested and interested before the lesson has even begun!Each geometric solid is presented independently and with careful appreciation. Such care is quickly picked up on by the child, who then also handles the material with care.In this case, the child repeats the name of the ovoid, then the triangular based prism, and finally the cylinder. She feels each with her hands, then carefully hands them back to the Guide.Next, it's time for a game!
"Cover your eyes!"
The Guide then shows each child how to reach under the cloth to feel for a particular geometric solid. In doing so, the child reinforces her tactile experience of each material!Once the lesson is complete, the child returns the materials to their places.Thank you, Reghan, for demonstrating a wonderful lesson, and to Gwen, for being completely adorable!
I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on a portion of Cab Yau's Parent-Child Course , and what a treat it was! Take a look at these beautiful babies in their prepared environment and read a bit about the space and purpose for this age range, below. 
On this particular day, half of the class was home recovering from various illnesses that are so common around this time of year; therefore, the full age range of this course was not represented in these photos. These children are on the younger spectrum of the age range. Still, they navigated the space well, exploring all areas of the prepared environment.
For children of this age, there is no need for lessons for the sake of learning; they are already absorbing everything in the environment around them. These two are in a stage where movement and language are of primary importance. They are constantly refining their movements as they crawl, scoot, touch, explore, chase, and search. Following a rolling object, bringing a toy to the mouth, physically manipulating a jar with a lid, and learning to support weight through assisted standing are a few examples.
There is also, amazingly, the beginning of social interaction between these young children. Above, the child on the left purposefully drops a toy off the top of a the shelf. Below: the other child notices, makes eye contact, and returns the toy!
The materials themselves are simple and beautiful, and arranged to sit on the edge of the shelf for easiest access to little hands.
Another example of early social behavior: above, the child on the left observes the child on the right mouthing a silver rattle (note in the mirror that the child without the rattle is opening her mouth in imitation). Immediately after, she offers the baby another toy, placing it directly into her mouth!
After plenty of time playing while the adults discussed various parenting topics, it was time for a snack!
On the menu for this class: peas!
When weather is permitting, the children and their caregivers also spend time outside exploring on the playground. There is so much going on - just observing this amazing time of development is astonishing. Thank you, Cab, for inviting us to peek in on your course!Though registration is currently closed for this session, there will be an opportunity to sign your 8-week to 2-year-old child up for the next session soon. Please contact Carrie Tallon, Director of Education (carriet@villadimaria.org) for more information.
