MMA Monday Montessori Moments
April 9, 2018
A Message from our Assistant Director, Kacee Weaver
What Makes it Montessori at the Adolescent Level?
“The adolescent must never be treated as a child, for that is a stage of life that he has surpassed. It is better to treat an adolescent as if he had greater value than he actually shows than as if he had less and let him feel that his merits and self-respect are disregarded.” (Childhood to Adolescence, P. 72)
Community
With a low student to teacher ratio, teachers get to know their students on a personal level. Knowing students' personalities and interests outside of school helps teachers to create lessons that interest and challenge each child individually. Students work together in small communities, called advisories, and support one another’s unique strengths and weaknesses.
Cooperation
Through cooperation with one another and their teachers, students can achieve higher levels of independence and academics. Group projects, teacher teaming, and community involvement support this cooperation.
Service and Dignity of Humans
By providing service to others, we can find our true purpose. Students are asked to contribute 10 hours of service each year to their community and they are given multiple opportunities to participate in service at the school through fundraisers, peer mentoring, and other classroom activities.
Nobility of Work
All work is noble. Each person is valued for what they can bring to their community. The person who takes out the garbage each day is equally as important as the person who leads the group in their restoration process. Additionally, students study different types of college and career options to explore the numerous opportunities our world of work and learning provide.
Role of the Teacher
In a Montessori school, the teacher is a guide and a coach. They provide the lessons necessary for each child at the level at which they are functioning with an eye toward what is expected for each grade level. Teachers follow the students’ interests and abilities.
Hope and Progression of the Human Spirit
The goal of education at an adolescent level is to use the curriculum to help students feel as though they can make a difference.
Valorization
“Valorization is Montessori’s term for the adolescent’s process of becoming a strong and worthy person. Valorization comes gradually to the adolescent as she realizes she is useful and capable of effort. This is accomplished only by the work of the mind, hands, and heart. It happens when adolescents have appropriate responsibilities and expectations; when they are able to experience the joy that comes from successfully meeting challenges, and the character building that is the result for their restitution when they have made poor decisions.” (M. Donahoe http://cmstep.com/wp-content/uploads/Valorization_of_the_Personality1.pdf)
Additional information
Construction Update: Look at Us Grow!
Supplies Needed!
We are seeking donations for objects to serve to collect change. Please send in your coffee cans, formula cans, hot cocoa cans, and the like for our “Penny Wars” fundraiser that benefits the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Coming in 2018-2019
MMA Before School Orchestra Program
MMA's Tardy Procedure
We wish to stress the importance of our students arriving on time. We strongly encourage parents drop their children off to start their school day no later than 8:25 am. This will give students enough time to stop at their lockers to change their shoes, put away backpacks and lunch boxes, and walk into class ready to start their day.
We appreciate your help in ensuring our classes start on time and without interruption. If you have any questions regarding your child's attendance, please contact the front office at 801.827.0150.
6 DAYS left to order yearbooks
Unlike in previous years, extra yearbooks will NOT be available for purchase after April 15th when yearbooks physically arrive at the school. Please plan accordingly.
Enrollment is now open!
Do you know anyone who would be interested in sending their children to Maria Montessori Academy? The Montessori method is the most widely and longest practiced form of education in the World. There are more than 22,000 schools in 110 countries worldwide. Current brain and educational research supports many of the practices perfected by Montessori teachers over the last 110 years.
Enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year is open! Don't wait any longer to educate your child for a better world! Enroll now.
We must be the change we wish to see.
You can learn more by visiting our website or call and schedule a tour to see this incredible method in action.
Your opinion is important to us!
MAPA Information
Did you know?
Did you know that donating items counts towards your hours? Have you ever donated a book from the book fair? Or provided items to your child's classroom for snack or a class party?
That all goes toward your hours. You count the time it took to drive to and from the school and the time it took for you to make or buy the item!
Also anything donated for the Gala, gratitude feast, teacher appreciation dinners or the fall festival.
So please go to your track it forward account and log in your hours!We need you!
MAPA is our school's parent organization. Because of MAPA, we do not have to rely on monthly fundraisers- like wrapping paper and chocolates. School-wide functions like Skate Night, Fall Festival, Gratitude Feast, Field Day and the Gala all happen because of MAPA. We do not want to lose out on these events.
Wanted: Parents interested in helping with fundraising for 2018-2019
We are in need of a Chair and Co-chair to organize our fundraising for the 2018-2019 school year. Committee members are also welcome! Funds raised will go towards all grade levels. We have streamlined things quite a bit so that there are only 4 major fundraising events throughout the year, instead of one per month. We have had an incredible community response in donations to these events. The skeleton is in place- we just need parents to take it and run! If you are interested, please contact Ms. Rene at rbaker@mariamontessoriacademy.org .
We would like to meet with volunteers as soon as possible so that dates can be set and assignments can be given to give the committee a head start for next year. If you have questions, please contact Jenna Beers at 801-695-5864.
MMA Teacher Spotlight- Ms.Leigh (Erd Kinder, Peer Mentor)
How did you find out about Montessori Education? I first learned about Montessori Education when I was living in Kenya. I was fascinated with the works children were doing and the field experience education. I learned about Maria Montessori Academy when my nieces started attending.
How long have you been at MMA? A little over 2 years. I first started out working in special education and later began my journey in the Jr High teaching Erdkinder; and I love it!
What is your favorite thing about MMA? The community. MMA has a tradition of building and thriving as a community. We all care for each other, live the Montessori philosophy, and have a buy-in as teachers, staff, students, and families.
What is your favorite food? Sushi makes me happy and is delicious.
What is your favorite color? Turquoise. There is something about the vibrancy of this color that makes me cheerful.
What is your favorite movie? I enjoy a lot of different types of movies. One of my favorites is a movie from 1990 titled Mindwalk. It is about a politician, a poet, and a scientist who talk about the philosophies of life while walking around Mont. St. Michael, France.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I love watching Japanese Anime, but only in the Japanese language.
Calendar Of Events
4th grade History Fair
Thursday, Apr 12, 2018, 08:30 AM
MMA
HOPE Week
Monday, Apr 16, 2018, 08:30 AM
MMA
9th grade Formal
Saturday, Apr 21, 2018, 06:00 PM
MMA Gym
Maria Montessori Academy
Email: info@mariamontessoriacademy.org
Website: www.mariamontessoriacademy.org
Location: 2505 N 200 E, North Ogden, UT, United States
Phone: 801.827.0150
Facebook: facebook.com/MMAofUT
Twitter: @MMAofUT