MMA Monday Montessori Moments
February 26, 2018
A message from our counselor, Ms. Andrea
These words reveal the child’s inner needs: “Help me to do it alone.”- Maria Montessori
Some of the best parenting advice I ever received was the phrase “I am not raising children; I’m raising future adults.” We love our kids, we want them to be happy, we don’t want them to suffer or be stressed out, and we try to protect them. These are all natural and admirable feelings; and, in practice, sometimes we are doing our kids a disservice by acting on these natural impulses.
Anxiety disorders affect one in eight children and has been the fastest-growing mental health concern. This is a serious issue and if you are concerned that your child has symptoms of an anxiety disorder, please consult your doctor. I also have resources available if needed.
With that said, every child sometimes experiences anxiety because it’s a normal part of growing up and sometimes in our rush to protect and care for our children, we are inadvertently sending them the message that they can’t handle whatever the challenge is in front of them.
Tamar Chansky, Ph.D. is one of the leading experts in the country on parenting and anxiety. She has some great advice about strategic under-functioning:
One parent told that the clearest advice I [Tamar Chansky] ever gave her was when her children were calling out to her that they couldn’t find something – their cleats, their homework, the peanut butter- to reply like this: “Look harder!” As a highly motivated woman who was very concerned about being a good parent, it had never occurred to her to wait. Just wait. Maybe even offer support, but from a distance, to see what her kids might be able to come up with on their own...
Doing for kids convinces them that the task is too hard, that you don’t believe they can do it, that it’s better to rush to get it done than take the extra time to let them struggle a little and then arrive at a solution. Waiting and encouraging them from the sidelines gives them the opportunity to be the hero. To see what it’s like to win, to stand up to the bully in their mind and not get tricked, or scammed, or deprived of what they really want to do. By under-functioning in kind, strategic ways, you enable your child to function “up”.
This advice is also consistent with the Montessori method where we try to "never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." Thanks for sharing your wonderful kids with us here at Maria Montessori Academy every day!
Andrea Eggett
School Counselor
It is Literacy Week at MMA
Book Swap
Please enter our Literacy Week writing celebration!
Construction Update: Look at Us Grow!
Wanted: Lost Montessori Materials
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!
9th Grade Parents
MAPA Information
Art Sneak Peek!
I hope you all got your invitations for the upcoming Gala. Your student should have brought them home to you, so check their backpacks. We are offering a pre-sale price on tickets purchased before March 10th.
Purchase online at https://squareup.com/store/mapa-9 or
MAPA will be at the school during these times:
· Fri March 9 3:00-4:00 pm
Regular Price Ticket Sales
· Wed March 14 3:00-4:00 pm
· Thu March 15 3:00-4:00 pm
Thank you,
Heidi Bradley
MAPA President
Gala Donations Needed!
Plans for our annual Gala are underway! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and 100% of the proceeds benefit the students of MMA. Past year's proceeds have purchased computers, playground and PE equipment, classroom grants, and so much more! Every year MAPA asks each classroom to donate a basket for our silent auction. If you have a connection to items that would benefit any of the baskets listed regardless of your student's class, please consider donating. Watch for a request from your students room parent for more details. If you don’t see your child’s class on this list, please contact the teacher and possibly offer to help create a basket for the Gala. As always, any items donated go toward your service hours.
Jr. High- Mindfulness Basket
Ms. Amy- Cooking Basket
Ms. Brittany- Exercise Basket
Ms. Kaley- Golf Basket
Ms. Joy- Rainy Day Basket
Ms. Jen- Gardening Basket
Ms. Laura- Kid Craft Basket
Ms. Jill- Art Basket
Ms. Lana- Movie Basket
Additional baskets not connected to a classroom:
-Car Cleaning Basket
-Spa Basket
If you are willing donate any items to these baskets, please email me at heidibradley81@gmail.com, or drop items off to the office with a note explaining which basket the items belong to:)
WE ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER DONATIONS SUCH AS DISNEY CONNECTIONS, VACATION RENTALS, FLAT SCREEN TV's, LAGOON PASSES AND MORE! If you have connections to any of these items please contact me.
Thanks for all your help!
-MAPA
Recruiting MAPA Vice President / President
If you don't know what MAPA is... it is our school's PTA program. The Fall Festival, Gala, book fairs, teacher appreciation, classroom safety kits, box tops (and more!) all happen because of MAPA. We want these wonderful events and opportunities to continue to happen for our school and students, so keep your eyes and ears open for someone who would do a great job!
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 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 a month, and we have had an incredible community response in donations to these events. The skeleton is pretty well in place- we just need parents to take it and run! If you are interested please contact rbaker@mariamontessoriacademy.org by Feb.1. We would like to meet with everyone as soon as possible so that dates can be set for next year's events and assignments can be given on things that need to be started on to give the committee a head start for next year. If you have questions, please contact Jenna Beers at (801)695-5864.
Calendar Of Events
MMA Spelling Bee
Upper Elementary 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018, 09:00 AM
MMA Gym
7th grade History Fair
Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018, 01:00 PM
MMA Gym
MMA Annual Literacy Night
Monday, Feb 26, 2018, 06:00 PM
MMA
MAPA Meeting
Friday, Mar 2, 2018, 08:45 AM
MMA Conference Room
MMA Spotlight-Ms. Brittany (Lower Elementary)
How long have you been at MMA? I have been a parent since 2010 and a teacher here since 2013.
What is your favorite thing about MMA? There are many things I love. I love our community and that our students are in a classroom community for a 3 year cycle.
What is your favorite food? Mexican Food
What is your favorite color? Dark Teal
What is your favorite movie? I love Christmas movies, like A Christmas Story.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? Hmmm.... I am a pretty "crunchy" mom, all the way down to cloth diapering.
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