Sunday, January 26, 2020
Sunday, September 22, 2019
International Day of Peace
Community Service
Back Pack Donations
Our students learned about Community Service as we celebrated the International Day of Peace last week. Thank you to all of our families for sending in donations for our Back Pack program. Our students were excited to fill back packs with the food that we donated!
Monday, July 29, 2019
Montessori Family Event
Please Join Us Tuesday, July 30
from 5:30-6:30pm
at Pelican's Snoballs
202 Graces Way
for a Montessori Family Outing
Due to summer schedules, not all teachers
will be able to attend.
will be able to attend.
However, this is a great opportunity to meet new friends in the program and see old friends as well!
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
Montessori Movie Night
Important Information
Montessori Movie Night for this Friday has been cancelled.
We will let families know if we are able to reschedule this event.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Week of the Young Child
The Week of the Young Child is a celebration hosted annually by NAEYC, National Association for the Education of Young Children. What better way to honor our young students at Pontiac than to discuss the importance of play? When we think of young children we automatically think of play time. We know that children learn through imitation and by playing. Social interactions are crucial at this age of development. Learning to take turns, synergize, compromise and strengthening gross motor skills all occur through play. In this digital age, play can all too often look differently.
Laura Bongiorno provides parents with wonderful tips about play in her article, 10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play. Here are her top 10 tips for parents about play.
1. Children learn through their play.
Don’t underestimate the value of play. Children learn and develop:
Don’t underestimate the value of play. Children learn and develop:
cognitive skills – like math and problem solving in a pretend grocery store
physical abilities – like balancing blocks and running on the playground
new vocabulary – like the words they need to play with toy dinosaurs
social skills – like playing together in a pretend car wash
literacy skills – like creating a menu for a pretend restaurant
physical abilities – like balancing blocks and running on the playground
new vocabulary – like the words they need to play with toy dinosaurs
social skills – like playing together in a pretend car wash
literacy skills – like creating a menu for a pretend restaurant
2. Play is healthy.
Play helps children grow strong and healthy. It also counteracts obesity issues facing many children today.
Play helps children grow strong and healthy. It also counteracts obesity issues facing many children today.
3. Play reduces stress.
Play helps your children grow emotionally. It is joyful and provides an outlet for anxiety and stress.
Play helps your children grow emotionally. It is joyful and provides an outlet for anxiety and stress.
4. Play is more than meets the eye.
Play is simple and complex. There are many types of play: symbolic, sociodramatic, functional, and games with rules-–to name just a few. Researchers study play’s many aspects: how children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts children’s health, the effects of screen time on play, to the need for recess in the school day.
Play is simple and complex. There are many types of play: symbolic, sociodramatic, functional, and games with rules-–to name just a few. Researchers study play’s many aspects: how children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts children’s health, the effects of screen time on play, to the need for recess in the school day.
5. Make time for play.
As parents, you are the biggest supporters of your children’s learning. You can make sure they have as much time to play as possible during the day to promote cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development.
As parents, you are the biggest supporters of your children’s learning. You can make sure they have as much time to play as possible during the day to promote cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development.
6. Play and learning go hand-in-hand.
They are not separate activities. They are intertwined. Think about them as a science lecture with a lab. Play is the child’s lab.
They are not separate activities. They are intertwined. Think about them as a science lecture with a lab. Play is the child’s lab.
7. Play outside.
Remember your own outdoor experiences of building forts, playing on the beach, sledding in the winter, or playing with other children in the neighborhood. Make sure your children create outdoor memories too.
Remember your own outdoor experiences of building forts, playing on the beach, sledding in the winter, or playing with other children in the neighborhood. Make sure your children create outdoor memories too.
8. There’s a lot to learn about play.
There’s a lot written on children and play. Here are some NAEYC articles and books about play. David Elkind’s The Power of Play (Da Capo, 2007 reprint) is also a great resource.
There’s a lot written on children and play. Here are some NAEYC articles and books about play. David Elkind’s The Power of Play (Da Capo, 2007 reprint) is also a great resource.
9. Trust your own playful instincts.
Remember as a child how play just came naturally? Give your children time for play and see all that they are capable of when given the opportunity.
Remember as a child how play just came naturally? Give your children time for play and see all that they are capable of when given the opportunity.
10. Play is a child’s context for learning.
Children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play. It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet. For example, in playing restaurant, children write and draw menus, set prices, take orders, and make out checks. Play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem.
Children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play. It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet. For example, in playing restaurant, children write and draw menus, set prices, take orders, and make out checks. Play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem.
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