Business Leaders and Montessori

Business Leaders and Montessori

We recently came across a Wall Street Journal article from 2011 about business leaders who credit their Montessori educations for giving them a business advantage. These leaders include the founders of both Google and Amazon, who were both interviewed for the piece. The Wall Street Journal gave a tongue-in-cheek title to the story, “The Montessori Mafia.” Around the same time, the Harvard Business Review published “Montessori Builds Innovators,” a reflection on the WSJ article written by Andrew McAfee, a professor at MIT.  McAfee’s recollections of the Montessori math materials are especially interesting to read. Happy reading!  ...

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Honor the Birds

Honor the Birds

In our Montessori program, finding ways to honor the Earth and the life upon it are part of our Peace Curriculum. This year, we’ve chosen to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day at Winfield Children’s House. This day was designated as the second weekend in May and is celebrated worldwide. Many birds visit our school’s campus. During the winter we fill bird feeders. We eagerly await the return of the migratory robins and phoebes that nest on our grounds each year. To celebrate this international event, we’ve invited a children’s naturalist from the Maine Audubon to present a program to the children. Individual classrooms are celebrating with different activities and materials. We were excited to add some new book titles to our school library, as well. Feather Not Just for Flying and A Nest Is Noisy are a few of new picture books we’ve order. How is your family celebrating birds this May?      ...

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How the Young Child Masters Executive Function

How the Young Child Masters Executive Function

The staff who were able to attend the American Montessori Society Annual Conference in Philadelphia this past weekend are returning to school with a wealth of resources about teaching and learning. One term that was popular in workshops and keynotes was “executive function.” The latest research in neuroscience is giving educators a lot of insight into how the brain learns. A metaphor for executive function is the “air-traffic control” of the brain. In other words, the mechanisms that allow concentration, organization, flexibility and the ability to filter distractions. Research is showing these abilities are teachable. Montessori programs are able to provide an environment to let these skills unfold with the long, uninterrupted work time and age-appropriate materials that isolate skills and allow for independent discovery. Twin Parks Montessori in New York City shared this excellent video explaining more about executive function in young children. If you would like to learn more about how to support your child in developing executive function, you may wish to mark your calendar for an upcoming lecture sponsored by the Maine Montessori Association and North Yarmouth Academy. It’s offered by psychologist Stephen Hughes and entitled, “Building Better Brains.” The event will take place Friday, March 26, from 6:30-8pm at the North Yarmouth Academy Savage Middle School Gymnasium. The event is free and open to the public. If you aren’t able to make it to the lecture, you may wish to bookmark this video from Dr. Hughes website. Building Better Brains from Steve Hughes on...

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Teachers Attend AMS Conference: In-Service Friday

Teachers Attend AMS Conference: In-Service Friday

There will be no school for children on Friday, March 13, at Winfield Children’s House. A team of teachers and administrators will be traveling to Philadelphia for the American Montessori Society Annual Conference. There will be teachers from the infant, toddler, preschool and Kindergarten programs attended. This year’s conference theme is “Life, Liberty, Montessori” in honor of the history of Philadelphia. The conference is expected to draw 2,000+ Montessori educators from around the USA and internationally. Keynote speakers include author Jennifer Senior. Her recent book All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood has earned acclaim for its unique perspective on the challenges American parents face in the 21st century.  Julian Bond will give the Nancy McCormick Rambusch Lecture on Friday. He has been a leader in the Civil Rights movement for many years, including positions of political office in the state of Georgia and President Emeritus of the Southern Poverty Law Center. In addition, workshops, networking events and an exhibit hall will help teachers to gather new ideas and return to school full of inspiration.  ...

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Parenting Resource: Simplicity Parenting

Parenting Resource: Simplicity Parenting

  A Winfield teacher and parent shared an article about creating balance for your child at home. It’s called the “The Four Pillars of Simplicity” from the Simplicity Parenting blog. Many of the ideas suggested in the article are similar to the philosophy Montessori teachers utilize to prepare the classroom and curriculum for your child.   Simplicity Parenting is a resource created by Massachusetts educator and family counselor Kim John Payne. If you and your family are feeling overwhelmed by all there is to do in this busy world, this might be of interest.   Feel free to share your favorite parent resources with your child’s teacher.   The photo above is a public domain image “A family having fun” by Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife...

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Infant Program Enrolling for June 2015

Infant Program Enrolling for June 2015

Winfield Children’s House is proud of the success of our newest program, the Bambini classroom for children ages 6 months to 16 months. Limited space is available now and we are enrolling families to start the program in June when older children transition into the Toddler House programs. Please call to learn more about our specific infant program options and to arrange for a personal tour of the classroom and our school. You can reach us during regular business hours at...

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Toddler to Children’s House Transition

Toddler to Children’s House Transition

Transitioning from the Toddler House to the Children’s House by Rita Children grow and develop so quickly, and it is a remarkable and wonderful time of change as your child begins to look and act less toddler-like and more like a preschooler. At Winfield, the transition from the Toddler House to the Children’s House may seem daunting to both you and your child. You may have questions about how many familiar faces your child will see as he/she begins preschool and what type of support the teachers can offer your child if they struggle with separating from you. You may also wonder what the daily schedule is like, if your child will be supported socially and emotionally, and what they will begin to learn academically. Your child will have an opportunity to visit the preschool classrooms and playground during summer camp and/or during our two Phase-In days shortly before the school year begins. These times will allow your child to meet their new teachers and other children who will be in their class. Fortunately, your child will have already met most of the preschool teachers. They visit the Toddler House for “second circles” to share their specialties and conduct activities with the toddlers on a weekly basis. Also, your child will have met many of the second-year preschoolers who will be in their class. The Winfield teachers have recently increased the amount of activities involving more than one classroom in an effort to build upon the close-knit, community feeling of the school. The preschoolers and toddlers may spend time interacting on the playground, sharing reading activities together, or coming to together to celebrate a holiday. All of the Winfield teachers have experience in helping children separate from their parents. We are here to offer comfort and support to your child, along with consistent parent communication. We will always contact you if your child is upset for a prolonged period of time. The daily schedule for the preschool is similar to the toddler’s schedule. Both schedules offer two morning circles to sing, read, or present new materials. Both have a work time in which children move freely about the classroom to use self-correcting Montessori materials with independence. The work time in the Children’s House may be slightly longer than the Toddler House work time as the children are able to concentrate for longer periods of time. Both schedules offer a lunch and recess that are each thirty minutes long. If your child stays at school for the afternoon program, it is important to know that the rest time in the Children’s House is shorter than in the Toddler House and lasts for approximately forty-five minutes. Although it is not guaranteed...

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Enrolling Now for Fall 2015

Enrolling Now for Fall 2015

Enrollment is open now for families on our waiting list and for new prospective families. We are in the process of updating our registration documents on our website. For the latest forms and to set up a tour date to see our programs firsthand, please call our office at 207-797-8101.  ...

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Montessori Teacher Training

Montessori Teacher Training

Winfield Children’s House is home to the Maine Montessori Institute (MMI), a teacher preparation program for Early Childhood Montessori education. MMI is accredited by MACTE, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. Teachers who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive an American Montessori Society certification for teaching children ages 3-6. MMI is also affiliated with the University of Southern Maine. MMI offers a M. S. Ed. in Teaching and Learning with a specialty in Montessori Education through the USM School of Education and Human Development. Teachers completing the Master’s Degree program are also eligible to take the Praxis II exam to earn a teacher certification from the State of Maine for ages birth-five. MMI offers wonderful benefits for Winfield Children’s House. First, it attracts wonderful teachers. Our preschool classrooms often hosts intern teachers who are completing their year-long practicum and internship through MMI. The MMI program draws teachers with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who enrich our classrooms. MMI also allows us to incorporate the latest innovations and requirements for teacher training into our curriculum, ensuring that the quality of Montessori education experienced by children at Winfield is of a national caliber.  Finally, MMI allows the teachers to model the kind of inquiry that we wish to instill in our young learners. The teachers and staff are learning and teaching one another and seek to know more through the training program. The children are aware of the intern teachers who arrive from other schools each Tuesday night for classes and know that their own classroom teachers assist in the set-up and teacher training. Winfield Children’s House is a richer place because of the Maine Montessori Institute. To learn more about the teacher training programs and the partnership with the University of Southern Maine, visit the Maine Montessori Institute...

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