Sammamish Montessori

Educating Preschool & Kindergarten Students in Redmond. Montessori & STEAM Programs.

Resource Library for Parents – Health/Nutrition/Safety Information and Links

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Staying healthy and safe is such a vital part of a child’s development.  Below are some resources to help parents connect with information and resources that will help them to keep their child healthy, safe, and ready to learn:

Washington State Department of Health: https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Flu/MaterialsandResources#health

Center For Disease Control & Prevention – Flu Vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/family/flu-guide-for-parents-2018.pdf

Nutrition.gov information center for children: https://www.nutrition.gov/subject/life-stages/children

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: http://www.aapd.org/advocacy/dentalhome/

American Dental Association – Find a Dentist: https://findadentist.ada.org

KidsHealth – Finding a Pediatrician: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/find-ped.html

American Academy of Pediatrics Health/Safety Resources: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx

Preschool-age Growth & Development Milestones (Physical Skills, Social Skills, Cognitive Skills) –  https://www.healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/preschool/pages/default.aspxP

Grade school-age Growth & Development – https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/default.aspx

Carseat/Booster Seat Safety: http://sammamishmontessori.com/use-the-right-kind-of-car-seat-or-booster-seat-and-use-it-correctly/

Fostering Healthy Family Relationships: https://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/healthy-home/7-ways-improve-family-communication/

Potty-training Tips: https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/potty-training/tips/potty-training-tips/

Bed-Wetting: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/enuresis.html

Thank you for keeping your child home if he/she has:

  • A fever of 100ºF or greater
  • Diarrhea (3 or more watery stools within the last 24 hours or any bloody stool).
  • Vomiting (2 or more times in past 24 hours)
  • An earache
  • A headache
  • Signs of irritability or confusion
  • A sore throat
  • A rash
  • Fatigue that limits participation in daily activities
  • Communicable diseases in the contagious stage (see Parent Handbook).
To avoid spreading illness to other students or teachers, a child who is ill will be taken to the First Aid area in the office and kept separate from other children while parents are called and asked to come to pick up. If your child is sent home because of illness, please keep him/her home at least the following day to rest and recover and to avoid spreading illness to others at the school. A child must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications in order to return to school.
And, remember to keep yourself healthy by getting plenty of rest, eating nutritious foods, washing your hands frequently, modeling how to cover your cough/sneeze etc.  Healthy parents are important too!
Thank you.

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If you find another resource you believe would be good to share, please suggest it by emailing hilary@sammamishmontessori.com.  Thank you!  Together we can all stay healthier.

Why Montessori Kindergarten?

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The Importance of the 3-Year Montessori Cycle & the Montessori Kindergarten Year:

The primary Montessori program is designed as a three-year cycle. Ideally children from 3 – 6 years old stay with the same teacher right through their kindergarten year.

The third year, or Montessori kindergarten year, is when all the learning that has taken place in the previous two years reaches fruition and a child’s knowledge begins to fall into place. Your child will be challenged to reach his/her potential by his/her Montessori teacher who knows your child incredibly well and so can provide precisely what is needed next. Children build upon what they have learned, experience rapid academic and social growth and their skill level dramatically increases when they are given the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge within the Montessori classroom. Third year students are ready to explode into more complex learning and discovery and they delve into a wealth of new and interesting materials. They are guided to take on more and more complex work, begin to learn time management skills and have an increased set of expectations and privileges in the classroom. These older children also reinforce their academic skills by helping another child, a well-documented way to consolidate knowledge.

Your child has been unconsciously looking forward to being one of the “big kids” in the classroom so when he/she is put into a school where the kindergartners are looked down upon as being in the “baby class” his/her cycle of maturing is interrupted. It is especially unfortunate for a child who is a younger sibling at home to miss this opportunity to shine. This year of leadership gives a child immeasurable self-esteem and intellectual confidence.

A key advantage of staying at our school is that your child’s teacher already knows your child very well so no time is lost at the beginning of the year trying to assess him/her. Be sure to speak to your child’s teacher about kindergarten during conferences. The gift of this third year can never be taken away and it sets up a child for future academic and social success.

As you plan for your child’s future schooling we encourage you to view a video from American Montessori Society.  We hope this video will provide more information about the benefits of having your child stay in a Montessori classroom for his or her pivotal kindergarten year.

 

Children may be enrolled for kindergarten if they are 5 years old by August 31 (prior to the upcoming school year). Kindergarten students may attend five full days or five half days at Sammamish Montessori School.

Related article:  Standford University study finds benefits to delayed kindergarten (avoiding early entrance).

25 Reasons to Keep Your Child in Montessori through the Kindergarten Year

Montessori Builds Innovators (Harvard Business Review)

WA State Public School Kindergarten Readiness checklist

8 Principles of Montessori Education

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In her analysis of Montessori education, University of Virginia Professor, Angeline S. Lillard, Ph.D. notes eight fundamental ideas central to Montessori education that in her words, help provide students with superior educational outcomes:

  1. Movement and cognition are closely intertwined; physical movement can enhance thinking and learning.
  2. Choice and perceived-control promote children’s concentration and contentment in the learning process.
  3. Personal interest enhances learning in a context where interests build on prior knowledge and the children’s own questions.
  4. Extrinsic rewards negatively impact long-term motivation and learning.
  5. Collaborative (child–child) arrangements are conducive to learning.
  6. Learning situated in and connected to meaningful contexts is more effective than learning in abstracted contexts.
  7. Sensitive and responsive (nurturing) teaching is associated with more optimal outcomes. (Multi-age classrooms where children stay with the same teacher and many of the same peers promote continuity and close relationships.)
  8. Order in the environment promotes and establishes mental order and is beneficial to the child.

More information about Montessori education:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQl-7Lmm4hE (Superwoman was already here)

www.montessori-science.org

www.amshq.org

 

Congratulations to 7 SMS Alumni Honored as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists!

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We wish to give special congratulations to the seven Sammamish Montessori School alumni, now high school seniors, who have been named as semifinalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Alexia N. Friedman (Nikola Tesla STEM High School)

Sahas Goli (Redmond High School)

Meera M. Hoar (Redmond High School)

Shreya Kedia (Redmond High School)

Haeli N. Knox (Redmond High School)

Melissa Lin (Redmond High School)

Hamsa Shankar (Nikola Tesla STEM High School)

These seven of the 32 Lake Washington School District students named as National Merit Semifinalists are all former Sammamish Montessori School students.  We are so proud of our alumni students and excited to see their future academic achievements and success in life.

According to the Seattle Times, approximately 16,000 semifinalists across the nation had the highest scores on the PSAT taken by 1.6 million juniors this past year. Roughly 90 percent fo those students will be named finalists in February.  To qualify, each student must submit an application that includes academic transcripts, an essay, and a letter of recommendation.  About half of the finalists are awarded Merit Scholarships, which in total are worth about $31 million.

National Merit Scholarship Program

Click here for more information about the National Merit Scholars program and all semifinalists in Washington State.

 

After School Club Staff Member

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Seeking a confident, friendly and organized teacher, teacher’s assistant, or intern who is able to collaborate effectively with colleagues, loves children and is able to multitask. Excellent verbal and written communication skills a must.

Daily schedule M-F 2:30PM to 6PM, or as mutually agreed.

Beautiful school and campus. Classrooms are well organized and fully equipped with teaching materials and supplies. Our school has a small gym/multipurpose room, library, multiple spacious playground areas and offers foreign language and music led by specialist teachers.

Supportive administration and professional, approachable staff. Competitive salary determined according to experience and education.  Janitorial service provided nightly.

Established in 1977. Family owned and operated.

Conveniently located near the end of 520 in Redmond close to the Microsoft Campus.

Please send cover letter and resume to Janet Villella, Director.

janet@sammamishmontessori.com

 

Practical Life – A Foundation For Academic Growth

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Why Practical Life activities?

Amit has just started school and his parents watch their little boy endearingly as he attacks real-life chores with serious determination. They are so proud to see him carefully spooning dried beans from one dish to another and concentrating hard to pick up the beans he has spilled. However, Emma’s parents watching their five year old following the steps to sew on a button are impatient to see some “real work” being carried out like reading, math or spelling. Even the best-informed Montessori parent may wonder whether the practical life activities may be using up time better spent on academic pursuits. Of course, Emma’s day is not spent solely on practical life activities but this is the area of focus to her parents.

We need to understand why these practical life exercises are so important in the primary Montessori classroom (ages 3-6) and how they relate to the child’s overall development. We should realize that mastery of the task itself is not the primary goal of these exercises.

Practical life activities may well be the most important work in the 3 – 6 classroom.

These activities lead a child to make intelligent choices and become physically and then mentally independent and responsible. The child learns to concentrate, control muscles, move and act with care, focus, analyze logical steps and complete a cycle of activity. This is the foundation for mental and physical work in all other areas, not just in early childhood but also throughout life.

Practical Life activities hone concentration and fine motor skills.

Practical Life activities hone concentration and fine motor skills.

Children follow a sequence of prescribed directions, which include choosing the work on the shelf, finding a space at a table, following steps to complete the task, cleaning up and replacing the work exactly where it belongs on the shelf so it is ready for the next person. It is the small muscle coordination, motor sequencing, inner discipline leading to good social skills and work habits and ultimately self-esteem, which are so important and directly prepare for and support development in math, reading and writing.

Every child instinctively strives to grow and develop skills to the limit of his/her ability. A child’s love of the routines found in practical life activities, stems from a strong biological need to gain coordination. That need is especially strong between the ages of three and six years. At this age, the mind still runs faster than the abilities of the body. An older child may remember the steps needed to thread the needle, knot the thread, choose the button and piece of fabric and sew the button from front to back and then back to front without going around the edge of the button, but this knowledge may not yet match his/her developing physical ability. In this carefully prepared and stimulating environment children can respond to their inner need to work on a wide variety of skills until their physical abilities can keep up with their hands. Children are developing eye-hand coordination, upper body strength, balance and spatial perception. It is no coincidence that these are the basic prerequisites to successfully learn to read and write.

The practical life exercises have precise and orderly movements and are divided into steps, which are completed in a certain sequence that follow a logical progression (essential skills for understanding mathematical concepts). The concentration and inner discipline required to carry out multi-step procedures on their own help to prepare children for all of the complex academic materials they will encounter as they progress through the Montessori curriculum.

One of the greatest driving forces in the maturation of young children is the overwhelming desire to be independent. “I can do it by myself” is a phrase we hear over and over again. These practical life exercises reinforce this sense of self-sufficiency. Children discover they can exert control over their environment and such control carries with it certain responsibilities. What a thrill they feel when they have mastered a useful activity. They feel privileged as they gain the skills to progress to more and more complex tasks as they feel it implies respect for their skill and good judgment.

We can be sure that children of all ages, having experienced a continuous flow of small successes as they accomplish the exercises of practical life, will not only have the skills in place to continue with even more complex tasks, but will be happier, more confident and well-rounded individuals. They will be ready to progress through their school life with pride and the self-esteem to accept challenges, both practical and academic, with optimism and self-confidence.

Pouring work develops concentration and hand-eye coordination.

Pouring work develops concentration and hand-eye coordination.

About the Article’s Author: Joan Starling, Founder, Sammamish Montessori School serving preschool, kindergarten and elementary students in Redmond WA.

Joan established The Sammamish Montessori School in 1977.  She began her long career in Montessori education more than four decades ago training under two Montessori trainers who were themselves trained directly by Dr. Maria Montessori. One of them, a wise and practical woman, Margaret Homfray, when young in the late 1930s, accompanied Dr. Montessori on trips to translate her lectures on her speaking tours.  Joan has been a pioneer of Montessori education in the greater Seattle area, establishing what is now one of the oldest Montessori schools on Seattle’s Eastside and one of the largest Montessori schools in the state.  Joan’s two daughters (Janet Villella Director and Hilary Prentice, Business Manager) now share the running of the school and are supported by a wonderful group of teachers, assistants and supporting staff from all over the world. 
 
Related articles/information:
The Importance Of The Hand In Language Development
Montessori Scope and Sequence: Practical Life

Resources About Montessori, Brain Research & How Children Learn

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If you are interested in learning more about Montessori education, you may wish to check out one or more of the following books:

  • Montessori’s Own Handbook by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • The Child in the Family by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • The Absorbent Mind by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard
  • Montessori: A Modern Approach by Paula Polk Lillard
  • Montessori Today: A Comprehensive Approach to Education from Birth to Adulthood by Paula Polk Lillard
  • Montessori and Your Child: A Primer for Parents by Terry Malloy
  • At Home with Montessori by Patricia Oriti
  • Education and Peace by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • From Childhood to Adolescence: Including Erkinder and the Function of the University by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • The Secret of Childhood by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • To Educate the Human Potential by Dr. Maria Montessori
  • Montessori Play and Learn: A Parent’s Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six by Lesley Britton
  • Montessori Madness! A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education by Tevor Eissler
  • Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents by Maren and Dana Schmidt

You may also wish to peruse the following websites that contain a wealth of information about Montessori education:

We have found the following books on brain research and learning to be excellent resources for parents and educators alike:

  •  Zero to Five: 70 Essential Parenting Tips Based on Science by Tracy Cutchlow
  •  Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, PhD
  •  What’s Going On in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot PhD
  •  Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Difference Grow into Troublesome Gaps – and What We Can Do About It by Jane M. Healy, PhD
  •  Your Child’s Growing Mind – A Practical Guide to Learning and Brain Development from Birth to Adolescence by Jane M. Healy, PhD
  •  Different Learners – Identifying, Preventing and Treating Your Child’s Learning Problems by Jane M. Healy, PhD
  •  Endangered Minds – Why Children Don’t Think – And What We Can Do About It by Jane M. Healy, PhD
  •  Failure to Connect – How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds – And What We Can Do About It by Jane M. Healy, PhD

History of the Montessori Method of Education

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Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was the first woman physician/surgeon in Italy.  She also had a degree in biological anthropology which honed her powers of meticulous observation, and formed the basis of her system of education.  She was not trained as a teacher, although she did take some education classes so that she could observe the schools of the time.  This freed her up to study how children learn, in a detached and rational manner.  Her talent was to see children as they really are, not as adults think they are or ought to be.

Her first job was the director of a residential institute for developmentally delayed children who, because of superstition and shame in those days, were ostracized from their families. Believing that these children might be capable of some learning, she developed diagnostic and teaching materials based on the work of Itard and Sequin (researchers and educators) and continued to observe and experiment.  Many of these children were eventually able to pass the state exams.  Montessori remarked, “If these children are able to do so well, then typical children must surely be capable of achieving so much more.”

In January 1907 Montessori was asked to supervise fifty 3 to 7 year olds who were running wild in the slums of San Lorenzo, a district of Rome.  She was given an room in a tenement building and one unqualified teacher.  She provided the children with some toys and her diagnostic materials (the basic sensorial materials) to give them more to play with. In time the children discarded the toys and go the diagnostic materials out of the cupboard on their own.  Over time more sensorial materials were added, using what was at hand (the color tablets are based on cards of colored embroidery thread).  Montessori taught them life skills, even how to blow their own noses.  They were excited to learn and progressed by leaps and bounds, even learning to read and write.  Montessori introduced child-sized tables and chairs, which were unknown at that time.  This whole phenomenon of children working at their own pace, using materials selected for their abilities and designed to stimulate independent exploration was new.  To see children’s natural curiosity satisfied and begin to experience the joy of discovering the world about them sparked worldwide interest.

Montessori noted that many children were frustrated by lack of proper stimulation and inadequate opportunities to achieve.  She observed that children can have long attention spans when not interrupted.  They become happier and more self-controlled after a period of time in the orderly environment she had created, working with their hands and making their own discoveries. Here they were introduced to challenging tasks that not only absorbed their energies, but also resulted in a sense of achievement.

This led Montessori to develop the planned system of education that bears her name.  Many Montessori schools were established during her lifetime and today there are thousands of private Montessori schools in the United States, hundreds of Montessori public school classrooms and countless Montessori schools operating throughout the world.

Principles of Montessori education:

  • Movement and cognition are closely entwined; movement can enhance thinking and learning.
  • Learning and well-being are improved when children have a sense of control over their lives.
  • Children learn better when they are interested in what they are learning.
  • Studies have shown that linking rewards to an activity (like gold stars or stickers) negatively impacts motivation to engage in that activity when the reward is withdrawn.  (It shifts the focus from the activity to the reward.)
  • Children have a great sense of order and are more secure when there are no surprises.
  • Until children develop at their own speed, they are not put in group situations where they could be perceived as fast or slow.
  • The environment is conducive to children being able to casually observe lessons being given to the older children; this piques their interest and desire to progress.
  • Older children are able to help younger children and this consolidates the older children’s knowledge and fosters kindness and good social skills.
  • Older children act as role models for younger children (how to sit, follow directions, stand in line, etc.)
  • The work in the classroom is sequential; a child does not progress onto the next step until the first set is fully mastered; in this way a child never encounters work that is too difficult and is never left floundering.
  • A child encounters many small successes along the way and these build a child’s self-confidence.
  • School should be a happy and positive experience to which a child looks forward with happy anticipation.
  • Children who acquire basic skills in a natural way have the advantage of beginning education without drudgery, boredom or discouragement.  They gain enthusiasm for learning, which is the key to becoming a truly educated person.

Sensitive Periods:

Through keen observation, Montessori found that children have sensitive periods, a window when they are tuned in to certain stimuli.  These intense periods, when a child can learn instinctively, happen in the early years when the brain is forming itself.  They Montessori system is based on the unique cycle of learning that takes advantage of these sensitive periods.

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About the Article’s Author: Joan Starling, Founder, Sammamish Montessori School serving preschool, kindergarten and elementary students in Redmond WA.  
 
Joan established The Sammamish Montessori School in 1977.  She began her long career in Montessori education more than four decades ago training under two Montessori teachers who were themselves trained directly by Dr. Maria Montessori. One of them, a wise and practical woman, Margaret Homfray, when young in the late 1930s, accompanied Dr. Montessori on trips to translate her lectures on her speaking tours.  Joan has been a pioneer of Montessori education in the greater Seattle area, establishing one of the oldest Montessori schools on Seattle’s Eastside and now one of the largest Montessori schools in the state.  Joan’s two daughters and husband now share the running of the school (Janet Villella is now the school’s director) and are supported by a wonderful group of exceptionally talented, well educated and experienced teachers, assistants and supporting staff from all over the world. 

Montessori 3 to 6 Teacher or Intern

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The Sammamish Montessori School is a dynamic and multicultural school, providing Montessori education to a diverse student body in the Redmond area for 40 years.

SMS is currently seeking a MACTE certified 3-6 Montessori Teacher or intern.

Applicant must be confident, friendly and organized and who is able to collaborate effectively with colleagues, loves children and is able to multitask. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required. Duties and responsibilities include curriculum and lesson planning, record keeping and developing and maintaining relationships with student families.

Our school and campus is spacious and beautiful. Classrooms are well organized and fully equipped with teaching materials and supplies. Our school has a small gym, library, large playground areas and offers foreign language and music led by specialist teachers.

Our administration and teaching staff are professional and supportive. A competitive salary will be determined according to experience and education. Benefits for staff who meet the hours requirements include medical and dental and 401(k). PTO, disability, professional development support and paid classroom preparation time also provided. Janitorial service provided nightly.

Conveniently located at the end of SR520 in Redmond, WA near the Microsoft campus. Established in 1977, our school is family owned and operated.

Please send a cover letter and resume to Janet Villella, Director janet@sammamishmontessori.com.

 

Ideas for Fun Summer Days

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With summer right around the corner and beautiful blue skies tempting us out you may be thinking of exploring what our community has to offer.  There are plenty of fun adventures just waiting to be had right in our area.  No formal vacation plans required!

We’ve compiled the following list of day trip ideas we hope you will find helpful.  Some of these ideas are geared toward younger family members, some older, while others hold interest for the whole family.

Please let us know if you have something else to add or any feedback about any of these ideas.

The Arboretum and Japanese Garden: www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm

Aviation Center & Boeing Tour (Everett): www.futureofflight.org

Bellevue Art Museum: www.bellevuearts.org

The Burke Museum (Seattle): www.burkemuseum.org

Chihuly Garden & Glass (Seattle): www.chihulygardenandglass.com

Experience Music Project (Seattle): www.empmuseum.org

Farrel McWhirter Park & Farm (Redmond): http://www.redmond.gov/ParksRecreation/Farrel-McWhirterFarmPark

Flower World (Maltby nursery with a small petting zoo area): www.flowerworldusa.com/aboutus.html

Fox Hollow Farm (Issaquah): www.foxhollowfamilyfarm.com

Kelsey Creek Farm (Bellevue): www.farmerjayne.com

KidsQuest Childrens Museum (Factoria): www.kidsquestmuseum.org

Museum of Flight (Seattle): www.museumofflight.org

Museum of History & Industry (Seattle): www.mohai.org

Northwest Railway Museum (Snoqualmie) www.trainmuseum.org

Northwest Trek (Eatonville): http://www.nwtrek.org

King County Parks (link to list of area parks): www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/inventory.aspx

The Pacific Science Center (Seattle): www.pacificsciencecenter.org

Outback Kangaroo Farm (Artlington): www.outbackkangaroofarm.com

Padilla Bay Beach and Estuarine Research Reserve (Mount Vernon): www.padillabay.gov

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma): http://www.pdza.org

Ride the Ducks Seattle Tour: www.ridetheducksofseattle.com

The Seattle Aquarium: http://www.seattleaquarium.org

Seattle Art Museum: www.seattleartmuseum.org

Seattle Bug Safari: www.seattlebugsafari.com

Seattle Children’s Museum: www.thechildrensmuseum.org

Seattle Waterfront & Ye Olde Curiosity Shop: www.ye-olde-curiosity-shop.myshopify.com

Snoqualmie Falls: http://www.snoqualmiefalls.com

The Space Needle (Seattle): http://www.spaceneedle.com/home

Tillicum Village/Blake Island Tour: www.argosycruises.com

Washington State Ferries: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries

Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle): http://www.zoo.org

Museum of Glass (Tacoma): http://museumofglass.org

Local magazines Parent Map www.parentmap.com and Seattle’s Child www.seattleschild.com/Things-To-Do also contain a lot of articles and ideas for family-friendly excursions.

Enjoy!

 

Contact:

P. 425-883-3271
F. 425-869-2639
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Address:

7655 178th Pl. NE Redmond, WA 98052

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