 By Becky Greenstein
-- Jewish American Heritage Month is an excellent time to learn about some of the contributions Jewish Americans have made to American society. We make up only 1.7% of the United States population but have contributed quite a lot! And as a music teacher, I'm particularly inclined to draw you towards some famous Jews in music. Dorothy Fields was a trailblazing lyricist and librettist (someone who writes librettos, or scripts for musicals) who lived from 1904-1974. Collaborating with iconic composers like Jerome Kern and Cy Coleman (both also Jewish!), Fields penned some of the most memorable songs in the Great American Songbook, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of musical theater and popular music. From the timeless classics "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" to the exuberant "On the Sunny Side of the Street," Fields' lyrics captured the essence of joy, romance, and the human experience with wit, charm, and sophistication. She won an Academy Award for "The Way You Look Tonight", a Tony Award for best lyrics for Redhead, and she was the first woman elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame (posthumously). Joshua Nelson is a gospel singer and Hebrew teacher working today. His vibrant performances celebrating the intersection of Jewish tradition and gospel music have earned him the moniker the "Prince of Kosher Gospel." He has performed with musical legends such as Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, and Aretha Franklin. Through his innovative fusion of Hebrew melodies and soulful gospel rhythms, Nelson pays homage to his Jewish roots while fostering unity and joy. You may have seen a 2000 documentary made about his life, and a clip of him performing "Hinei Ma Tov (Behold, How Pleasant)" is currently making the rounds in my Instagram feed: https://www.facebook.com/weitzmanmuseum/videos/844504647447162/ -- Becky is our Music Specialist. You may reach her by emailing [email protected] with the subject line 'attn: Becky Greenstein By Stephanie Jouflas
-- Did you know that the Ute Tribe of Ute Mountain is building an eight mile long solar power farm? Or that California's power grid successfully ran entirely on wind, water, and solar power for two consecutive days this February? Renewable energy technology is becoming more efficient, widespread, and widely adopted worldwide. This Earth Month, I am centering resilience and hope, and I invite all of you to join me! Earth Month is sometimes hard for me; it is not easy keeping faith with so much negative news of harm being done to our planet and our communities as climate change progresses. We know that the big picture is indeed very big, and will take cooperation at all levels to bring meaningful change. However, we have to remember that the small things we do-- not just this month, but in our daily lives-- matters exponentially. Tiny seeds grow into vast forests, and children who are shown that the world is a beautiful place to be loved and protected grow up to be fierce lovers and protectors of that world. If we can make a home, a campus, a community, or a city, a nurturing place to grow and witness what Maria Montessori termed the cosmic vision (a universe in which every small thing affects and is affected by every other small thing), then our children will grow up feeling both important and powerful, and also deeply connected to others. Taking time to show real care to the planet and involving your child in concrete work in nature is how we can help shape the child to show love, hope, compassion, and inner peace which will make a difference for our planet. Take some time this April to look for the good news around you, and then go out and make some good news! Let's surround today's children with beauty, opportunity, and, most of all, hope. It will not leave them, and they will return it back to the environment tenfold. -- Stephanie is an Assistant Teacher and Aftercare Supervisor in Nootka Rose. You may reach her by emailing [email protected] with the subject line 'attn: Stephanie Jouflas  By Remin Shamir
-- Ramadan holds immense significance for Muslims around the world, including my family. This sacred month is cherished and it shapes our lives in different ways. Spiritual Reflection and Growth: Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time of deep spiritual reflection and growth. It commemorates the momentous occasion when the angel Gabriel revealed the Quran—the holy book of Islam—to Prophet Muhammad in 610 AD. This divine revelation, known as Laylat Al Qadar or the “Night of Power,” occurred during Ramadan. As Muslims, we fast from dawn to sunset during this month, abstaining from food, drink, and other physical desires. Fasting serves as a shield, reminding us to avoid negative behaviors and focus on self-improvement. Through prayer, recitation of the Quran, and acts of kindness, we seek to strengthen our connection with Allah. Acts of Compassion and Service: During Ramadan, we engage in acts of charity and compassion. It’s a time to support those in need, both within our community and beyond. Muslims are encouraged to give Zakat al-Fitr, a form of almsgiving, to ensure that everyone can partake in the joy of Eid al-Fitr—the festive celebration marking the end of Ramadan. Supporting local food banks, volunteering, and reaching out to neighbors are ways people can contribute to our observance of Ramadan. By extending kindness and empathy, we embody the spirit of this blessed month. Strengthening Family Bonds: Ramadan brings families together. We break our fasts as a unit, sharing meals and prayers. The pre-dawn meal, known as Suhoor, and the evening meal, called Iftar, become cherished moments of togetherness. We gather around the table, express gratitude, and connect with loved ones. Supporting our observance of Ramadan means understanding the significance of these communal meals and perhaps joining us for an Iftar. Your presence and respect for our practices are invaluable. In summary, Ramadan is a time of devotion, self-improvement, and compassion. To support our observance, consider learning more about its significance, participating in community events, and showing understanding and respect. May this blessed month bring peace and blessings to all. -- Remin is an Assistant Teacher and Aftercare Supervisor in Nootka Rose. You may reach her by emailing [email protected] with the subject line 'attn: Remin Shamir'  By Burt Davis
-- March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in various fields of human endeavor. One of the most influential women in history was Dr. Maria Montessori, a pioneer of child-centered education and a champion of peace and social reform. Dr. Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870, at a time when women faced many barriers and limitations in society. She defied the norms and became one of the first female doctors in her country, specializing in pediatrics and psychiatry. She devoted her life to studying and understanding the development of children, especially those with special needs. She observed that children have an innate potential and curiosity to learn from their environment, and that they need freedom, respect, and guidance to do so. Dr. Montessori designed innovative materials and methods to foster the natural growth of the child’s mind, body, and spirit. Dr. Montessori’s work spread across the world and inspired many educators and researchers to follow her vision. She also advocated for the rights of women, children, oppressed communities, and promoted education as a means of achieving peace and harmony among nations. She was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize and received many honors and recognition for her work. She died in 1952, leaving behind a legacy of a universal approach to education that continues to benefit millions of children and adults today. We are proud to follow the Montessori philosophy in our school, and to honor the remarkable woman who created it. Dr. Maria Montessori was not only a brilliant scientist and educator, but also a courageous and compassionate leader who changed the world for the better. She is a role model and a source of inspiration for all of us, especially during Women’s History Month. -- Burt Davis is the Farm Manager and Gardening Specialist at Montessori Children's House. To reach him, please email [email protected] with the subject line attn: Burt Davis.  by Rohini Batra
--- Recently a parent asked me about teaching children `Delayed Gratification’ and when does a child really develop this ability to wait to obtain something that they want. I thought that was such an important question! In today’s world, parents are so focused on academic grades, extracurricular activities and so much more, that we all are forgetting that life’s success depends less on the college your child lands into and more on whether they have it in them to work hard and persevere during tough times. Our cultural norms are also encouraging us to seek Band-Aid solutions and temporary comforts - basically, whatever it takes to ease our discomfort now. We often make our life choices according to how we can avoid pain or obtain pleasure in the moment and, in doing so, fail to see that the path of delayed gratification is sometimes where the real solutions to our problems lie. At the preschool level, it can be compared to a hungry child insisting on having a cookie just before dinner. Parents who often cave in for a child’s request, may not be teaching their child one of the most important skills of their life-time, delayed gratification. Choosing to have something now might feel good, but making the effort to have discipline and managing your impulses can result in bigger or better rewards in the future. For instance, eating a cookie before dinner may satisfy your child’s hunger but may leave them full yet cranky. And in the long run if that keeps happening over and over again, it may not be good for the child’s health. Similarly, children who learn to control their impulses and delay satisfaction, thrive more in long term goals like their careers, relationships, health and finances. Look back and think if delayed gratification helped you in the long run. I am pretty sure it did always help to study than watch a movie, the day before the test. You may have heard of the famous Stanford marshmallow experiment by psychologist Walter Mischel on `Delayed Gratification’. In this study, a child was offered a choice between one immediate reward, or two rewards if they waited for a period of time. During this time, the researcher left the room for about 15 minutes and then returned. The rewards were either marshmallows or pretzel-sticks, depending on the child's preference. In follow-up studies, the researchers found that children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by their educational attainment and other life measures. Now that we know delayed gratification is key for a child’s social emotional development, you may wonder how do we teach this both in the classroom and home setting. In a Montessori classroom setting, we always have only have one set of material for a particular lesson. If one child is using it, another child has to wait for it until the work is put back on the shelf. Similarly, when a child is interested in having snacks in the classroom, they do not just go and help themselves. They follow guidelines of first wearing a snack necklace, then waiting for the table to be available for them. These simple grace and courtesy lessons are big building blocks for delayed gratification. To emulate this behavior in home settings, you need to create an environment where the child knows the routines and understands that everyone needs to follow the routine. If your child is still having a hard time to leave his Lego and come to the dinner table, try giving him extra Lego time after dinner or even better try enticing him with special daddy or mommy time after dinner is over. And as always, the choices you offer should always be what you can follow through. The education of a small child therefore should not just aim at preparing them for academic success, but for life! So, when you are overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life and parenthood, take comfort in knowing that the Montessori education, you choose for your child is doing just that for you! -- Rohini Batra is a Lead Teacher in an MCH Early Childhood classroom. You can reach her here. The wisdom gained in retrospect, once becoming a parent, is invaluable because it could never be understood in the shoes of a child.  by Sunanda Bhaumik
--- Since it is February, the month that celebrates love, I chose to talk about a special kind of love. A love which is near and dear to my heart, Parental Love. I have been blessed with a set of parents and the gift of children, hence becoming one myself, so I have experienced all the manifestations of this love. The wisdom gained in retrospect once becoming a parent is invaluable, because it could never be understood in the shoes of a child. Only once you are a parent or a guardian can you understand a lot of the reasoning and loving behind a parent’s care. As a child, a parent’s strictness may seem unfair and mean, but their foresight far exceeded our limited perspectives and emotions. There were emotions we may not even had yet, and this signifies the gap in emotional understanding between parents and children. For example, the feeling of motherly love I felt when I held my children after each of them were born is something, they may never experience the love I felt in that moment, until that moment comes to them in their lives. Yet and still, despite the differing levels of experience, a child still connects with a parent. With the guidance of a parent, a child comes to understand that the help which comes in a troubling situation, and the warm embrace of a parent’s arms, the sacrifices, these symbolizes the love parents and children share. -- Sunanda is a Lead Teacher in an Early Childhood classroom. You can reach her here.  by Sara Davies --- Regardless of age, sleep is a very important part of a person’s day. It is the time when the body restores and rejuvenates itself for the work that all parts of the body need to accomplish the next day. Infants are no different. Sleep is just as important for them, if not more so, than someone like an adult who is much older. Sleep for an infant serves several purposes. Not only does it help to aid in their overall development, by the length and quality of sleep, but it also plays a role in an infants’ overall temperament and ability to function during the hours they are awake. It is important to remember that sleep occurs in various cycles that are broken into stages. It is not one continuous action when a person’s body is at rest. Each sleep cycle is approximately 90 minutes long and is followed by a R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle. Four sleep cycles occur when a person’s body is at rest. The last two cycles of sleep are the most restorative for the body and are known as deep sleep cycles. These cycles are the most important for brain development because they are the cycles during sleep that repair, restore and rejuvenate the body by repairing cells and tissues in the body as well as retain or eliminate information that has been learned during the day. Lillard and Jessen state in their book Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home, from Birth to Age 3 (published in 2003) that these stages of deep sleep are the most important for young children because it is the time when “the body receives almost half of its daily dose of human growth hormone” which encourages the growth, maintenance and repair of muscles in the body. If a child becomes sleep deprived, they will not be able to function as well overall. Sleep deprivation is something that can happen easily if a child misses naps or starts to go to bed past their usual time. Sleep loss can be connected to a child’s learning ability and in-turn harm their overall development. This is all important information to better understand just how important sleep is to a young child. Establishing a sleep routine is important to do as soon as it is possible and practical to start one. A sleep routine helps to establish the quality of sleep your child will likely receive and a general routine to wind down at the end of the day. Establishing a sleep routine helps to form healthy sleep habits that will continue as your child grows. Newborns are unpredictable with their sleeping habits and this continues until about the third month of life. They nap several times a day which can vary from 15 minutes to four hours at a time. By three months old, infants begin to have more organization in their sleep patterns and take about three naps a day. The first nap occurs between one to one and a half hours after waking. The second nap is dependent on the infants’ personal schedule and can last from one and a half to three hours and then the third nap of the day usually occurs between 4-6pm for about an hour. Keep in mind that each child is different and unique, and each have their own personal needs regarding sleep. Another thing to keep in mind is that as your child grows older, their sleep needs will change, but they will greatly benefit from a sleep routine that you helped to establish early on in life. Just like adults, sleep helps to improve how infants’ function during the day. Adults in the infants’ life help to facilitate important sleep habits and patterns by understanding the need and importance of sleep for their child as well as maintaining a regular routine at bedtime as much as possible. Young children thrive on routines and this is one that is going to serve them well for years to come. A child who is overly tired will have a much more difficult time falling asleep than a child who is well-rested. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s website, these are the recommended hours your child should sleep each night:
Lillard and Jessen (2003) state that a parent’s “first responsibility to newborns in regards to sleep is to help them sleep through the night as soon as they are capable of doing so.” To learn more about safe sleep practices, go to: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/children-and-sleep --- Sara is the lead teacher in our Infant Classroom. You can reach her here. “Sleep is a paradox; it is a passive state that is highly productive. ”
Kim Berude is the Infant/Toddler Program Director at MCH. You can reach her here.
Nicole Champoux is the Elementary Program Director at MCH. You can reach her here.
|
Archives
October 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed
|
Montessori Children's House
5003 218th Ave. NE Redmond, WA 98053 Phone: 425-868-7805 [email protected] For Records Requests, please reach out to [email protected]. |
Founded in 1987
Fully Accredited in Infant - Elementary II
|