Reflection
Inside this issue:
Reflection from
The Director
1-2
School Event Photos
3-5
Parent Reminders
(timings, snacks,
work commitment &
books)
6
Calendar Reminders,
Summer Enrollment
and Evaluation
7
May, 2012
Volume 11, Number 4
Recently a child asked me, “Why can’t we go out to the playground?” I
say, “ look out the window, it’s drizzling.” She asks, “What does drizzling mean?”
I explain that when it rains softly, then it is called drizzling. The child walks back
to her classroom having learned a new word.
A three-year-old asks a visiting mom, “How old are you?” Mom says, “I
am 36.” A child asks this question not because they really want to know your age,
but because they want you to ask them how old they are.
A child proclaims to another child’s Mother, “My Mom is much bigger
than you. She is 76 years old!” Mom smiles and says, “I don’t think so.” The child
thinks for a while then adds, “I was just kidding. She is only 72.”
These are conversations we are privileged to hear as teachers. Here’s another one. Child asks, “How old are you Mom?” Mom says that she is 34. Child
says, “Oh that is old. You are almost a grandmother!” Mom says, “ Not quite.
You will have to have children for me to be a grandmother.” Child says, “Oh,
why?” Again, like the example above of learning a new word — an opportunity
for you to teach your child a concept.
Here are a couple of examples of how Mom is appreciated (a little Mother’s Day gift for you Moms):
“My mom is very smart. She knows how much 1000 x 5 is.”
A child walking out with his Mom says, “Mom, you are my best
friend.”
Lastly, to demonstrate how literal children can be at pre-school age: A
child is counting children at circle time by patting them on the head, when he
comes to #5 he gently pats the younger child’s head. The younger child cries, “I
am three; I am not five!”
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Page 2
Reflection (continued from Page One)
The school year 2011-12 is coming to an end, but not the continuum of the cycle of children’s
growth and education. The summer program has a different science and nutrition focus. This brings new
excitement and with that the question of self discipline. Maria Montessori wrote, “The discipline what we
are looking for is active… an individual is disciplined when he is the master of himself and when he can, as a
consequence, control himself when he must follow a rule of life.” She further elaborates that, “such a concept of discipline is not easy to understand. This way of discipline (the child) follows all his life as he constantly perfects himself in it. We should therefore, prevent a child from doing anything which may offend or
hurt others, or which is impolite or unbecoming.”
It is this inner discipline that gives the child the freedom of movement, freedom to choose
work activities and freedom to perfect themselves. The inner discipline takes the child to the path of
freedom. He/she begins to understand the responsibly to himself and to society. His/her actions contributes to his/her own growth as well as contributing to the community. Thus a child’s liberty should have as
its limit the interest of the group to which he belongs. In a classroom environment that is created carefully
by the teacher, children will gain the tools to be independent and to guide their energy towards learning. We
witness the growth of each child in many directions, not only in academics. This is our reward in working
with children.
~ Meher Van Groenou, Director
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Page 3
School Celebrations
Egg Hunt
Fire Truck Visit
This friendly fire department team stopped by
the neighborhood and showed the children what
a fire truck looks like—close up.
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Cinco deMayo
Thank you parents, Jane Clay (Milo’s Mom) and Silvia Koneffklatt (Viviana’s Mom) for teaching the children about
Cinco deMayo and Mexican dancing!
Earth Day
Release of the Butterflies
Page 4
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Page 5
Spring Concert
We couldn’t locate a picture of the Tulip Room children
at the Concert, but here’s a birthday celebration photo!
We were honored to have Alameda
County Supervisor Nate Miley
attend our Spring Concert and
praise early childhood education.
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Page 6
Parent Reminders
Timings
Your child’s timings are what you signed up for on your child’s enrollment form. Any change,
even just one day, must be approved the Office. Unapproved drop-in or late pick-up is submit to a charge
of $1/minute.
We bring children outside for curb-side pick-up at 11:50am for the 12-o’clock pick-up and 2:50pm
for the 3-o’clock pick-up. We remain out until 5 minutes after the hour. Please be prompt so that we
may stay within this grace period for pick-up. Thank you for your cooperation.
Snack Reminder
The school-year isn’t over yet, so
please keep sending snack in as requested
on the Snack Schedule. The children count
on you to provide healthy snacks for them.
Bring in two food groups, as suggested on
the snack calendar, and enough for 25
children.
Parent Work Commitment
If you have completed your 6-hour work commitment required for the academic year, you will receive a note indicating that you are allowed to deduct $125 from your next tuition payment. If your child is
graduating, and will not be returning to the school and you completed your work commitment hours, you
will be reimbursed.
Help Your Kids Read this Summer
Our Barefoot Books Book Fair held earlier this year yielded $600 for classroom materials.
Also, the book donations for each classroom were very much appreciated by the teachers and children. We
thought we would remind parents to purchase books or materials for summer reading, birthday
gifts, etc. Here’s the link and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Montessori School at Five Canyons
classrooms; thank you! http://www.barefootbooks.com/marketplace/8247
Montessori School at Five Canyons
May, 2012
Calendar Reminders
Fri. May 25:
School Play and Kindergarten Graduation—6-7:30 pm
Mon. May 28:
Memorial Day Holiday: School Closed—no daycare.
Friday, June 1:
Last Day of School; Pizza Party! (don’t bring lunch).
Mon. June 4:
First Day of Summer School Program
Summer School Enrollment
We welcome you to the Summer Session of 2012 beginning on
Monday, June 4. We’re excited about the topic, Anatomy & Nutrition.
This program is so much fun for the children!
Page 7
End of Year Events
Why Mosquitos Buzz in
People’s Ears
Friday, May 25, 2012
At Golden Oak Gymnasium
951 Palisade Street
Hayward, CA 94552
6:00—7:30 pm
We give parents the choice to sign-up for
weeks at a time during the summer; we know parents appreciate this. At the same time it presents the
school with a scheduling nightmare because each
week the enrollment changes! Please note that parents cannot reduce the number of weeks they have
signed up for at this point. Any request for a change in their child’s summer schedule will depend on availability. Summer enrollment is now
CLOSED. Any request made now must be approved by the Director.
Before you go!
We are making a special request—a few minutes of your time—to fill out
the Evaluation form attached to this email. We are always learning
better ways to do things, so please help us by providing your constructive
suggestions as well as positive feedback.
Thank you!
The Lotus Room children will
perform a play from a West
African Folktale about jungle
animals and a mosquito which
sets off a series of events that
affects all the animals in the
forest. The whole school is
invited. So come with your
children to see the play. Right
after the play there will be a brief
graduation ceremony for the
children going onto the 1st grade.
*Monday, May 28: Memorial
Day Holiday
No daycare available.
*Friday, June 1: Last Day of
2011-12 School-Year
Pizza Party for children; don’t
bring lunch!