Montessori Matters
September 14, 2018
Practical Life
What does practical life look like? It will look different for each age group. However, it is essential to recognize that for every age, there is a huge component of independence that is in place. It is also important to note that the independence did not happen over night and centers around the prepared environment that allows them to be successful.
- Infant/Toddler - A child may pour their own pre-measured drink into a glass cup. They may help prepare a meal. The child will be responsible for taking care of their own dishes.
- Primary - A child may work on pouring or cleaning skills at a work station. Students may help prepare snacks or meals. Children will be responsible for cleaning up their own messes.
- Lower Elementary - A student may learn how to sew a button in fibers. Children will be responsible for reading recipes and creating a meal for their friends. They will be responsible for serving themselves their snack and lunch.
- Upper Elementary - A student may have a weekly job to take care of the class pet or water flowers. Students will help prepare and set up snack for their friends daily. Students will help develop and plan for the week's snacks and meals.
- Middle School and High School - A student will be responsible for his/her own work and deadlines in class. Children will work on campus in our horticulture program caring for our plants and grounds. Students will be responsible for cleaning up their enviornment at the end of day.
With all of this in place at school, there is a great opportunity for it to carry over to home. Again, independence will not happen over night and as parents you will need to prepare your environment to allow your children to be successful, but practical life can be an essential part of your home life.
- Allow your children to help care for home pets (feeding, cleaning and giving them water).
- Keep snacks and food at appropriate levels for your child to make their own snack choices. Label and discuss appropriate amounts and serving sizes.
- Allow your child to help prepare a meal. For older children, have them read recipes, prepare a grocery list, make the meal and even clean up.
- Let your child help with chores such as laundry, loading dishwashers (they already do this at school) and vaccuming.
- Have older children research insurance prices for vehicles, track the expense of gas in their vehicles, help budget for a family vacation (let them help plan what to do).
Practical life can sometimes be messy and will not always be perfect, but as a community we can feel good in knowing we are preparing independent, life-long learners.
Dates to Remember
September 17-28 - MAP testing 2nd-9th Grade
September 18 - Toddler Two pot luck dinnerSeptember 20 - Upper Elementary Field Trip to Paris Mountain State Park
September 20 - Middle School field trip to Sky Top Orchard
September 21 - Primary Planet PJ Party
September 25 - Toddler Three pot luck dinner
October 1-5 - Yearbook portraits -- class schedules will be announced soon
October 12 - Early dismissal, see note below
*Note: Toddler parents please be sure to check out the sign-up forms attached to your child's classroom door for your class' potluck dinner.
*Note: October 12 is an early dismissal day for Professional Development for teachers. All programs closed. No extended day or childcare will be available.
The Early Release schedule for Oct. 12 will be as follows:
Infant/Toddler dismissal---11:30 a.m.
Primary dismissal------------11:30 a.m.
Lower el dismissal-----------11:45 a.m.
Upper el dismissal-----------12:00 noon
Middle School dismissal---12:00 noon
High School dismissal-------12:00 noon
Toddler One Potluck
Cross Country Meet
Science as Art
Language
Building Puzzles with Math
Games Club
Nurse's Notes
Immunization records:
As a reminder, September 20th is the 30 day deadline for Immunization record compliance. All students must have a South Carolina DHEC immunization record on file in the MSA Health Office within 30 days of admission or the first day of school. If you are a transfer student from out of state or country, all immunization records must be transferred to a SC DHEC Form at your physician's office or a South Carolina Health Department. If the student has received any additional immunizations in the last year, a new record must be submitted to MSA. Any student not in compliance with South Carolina's Immunization mandated guidelines must be excluded until a immunization record has been received. Please make every effort to meet this deadline so there is no interruption in your child's educational experience.
School closures:
MSA continues to monitor the weather conditions and the possibility of inclement weather as a result of Hurricane Florence. Any MSA school closure, early dismissal or delay of school will be communicated via MSA's reverse notification system. As a reminder, MSA follows Anderson County District 5 regarding closure due to weather related situations. Please check local media, WYFF, Fox News for all school closings.
Hurricane safety:
Please take a moment to review the great information in this Kids Health article on addressing Hurricanes with children prior to the storm this weekend.
With safest regards,
Susanna Merriman, RN
Sweet Moments
Following Instructions
Number Rods
Jeff Bezos Announces New Project
“We were thrilled to read the news of Jeff Bezos’s $1 billion charitable initiative, Day One Academies, to launch high-quality, full-scholarship, Montessori-inspired preschools in historically under-resourced communities.
We are honored that Mr. Bezos, a Montessori alum, sees the value of Montessori education. His vision to bring it to underserved communities reflects the spirit of Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy and her belief in children as the eventual purveyors of worldwide peace and social justice. I know that you, as dedicated and passionate members of our Montessori community, share that belief too, and I hope you will join us in celebrating all the good that can come from this ambitious project!”
Adding Montessori Matters Recipients
Parent Education Survey
Montessori School of Anderson
Email: mdabney@msasc.org
Website: www.msasc.org
Location: 280 Sam McGee Road, Anderson, SC, USA
Phone: 864-226-5344
Facebook: facebook.com/montessorischoolofanderson