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Spectrum News visited Community Montessori over October Break, to find out more about Charter Schools in Indiana. This interview was part of a story on the lack of Charter Schools in Kentucky. http://spectrumlocalnews.com/ky/louisville/news/2018/10/17/kentucky-charter-schools #CommunityMontessori

The News and Tribune published an article about our school's Early Education program. The reporter who wrote the story was invited to the school to explore our program as a follow up to a recent article in the paper on the effects of the State of Indiana's "On My Way to Pre-K Program". Check out the story, below: Link to today's article: Community Montessori Works To Be Accessible; Stay True To Philosophy Link to the original "On My Way to Pre-K" article: On My Way Pre-K Off To Slow Start #CommunityMontessori

At Montessori schools, children are usually divided into 3-year age groupings. This makes Montessori classrooms diverse environments with a variety of ages, abilities, and interests. Younger children are able to observe and learn from older children doing more challenging work. Older children have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and be role models. Learners are allowed, and even encouraged, to work collaboratively (especially at the elementary age level when they are developing their sense of fairness and thrive on social activity). When you observe in Montessori environment you’ll witness a busy hum of activity--that means learning is happening! For now, enjoy this video from Montessori Guide showing collaboration in the elementary environment in action.

The foundation of everything we do as a Montessori school is observation. Maria Montessori was a doctor and a scientist before she was a teacher. She took a scientific approach to education, observing children’s natural tendencies and developing an educational pedagogy grounded in those observations. Today, we watch closely and modify our lessons and materials in the environment to best suit each child’s individual development and interests. We try to anticipate just what the children will need next and make sure it’s readily available for them. This observation-based approach is called “following the child.” Dr. Montessori said, “It is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may always be ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience.” Learn more in the video, below: "An exploration of the role Observation plays in our daily Montessori practice in both the Primary and Elementary setting. For more, go to montessoriguide.org."

Do you ever wish that your money would magically double? Well, your wish may be fulfilled. Our school is participating in Give for Good Louisville, a 24-hour, regional day of giving to support non-profit organizations in our community to be held on September 13th - and we have an alumni family that has committed to match any gift, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, up to $2,500, given on that day through our online profile. If we exceed this amount, all contributions made by ANYONE to our school on September 13th through our profile linked here will also be MATCHED, on a proportionate basis with other Southern Indiana non-profits. As of this writing, THREE Southern Indiana Foundations are matching contributions made to southern Indiana non-profits, including our school! In addition to planning to make your financial gift, you can also view our giving day profile today and sign up there to share about our school and our project, and even set your own fundraising goal to share with your family and friends! Community Montessori is participating on September 13th to raise funds to support our many Expansion projects like the CASA dei Curiosity project - the first addition to our school in more than a DECADE! Check out this awesome video created by our staff and learners here to learn more about the CASA! Maybe you are a new family this year, and you are feeling grateful for a new school, and new opportunities for your family. Maybe you are a family who has been with us for many years, and our school has become part of the fabric of your lives. Or maybe you are a community member who is glad to have this school available to our young people. These expansion projects are one way to allow our school to continue to grow and serve our community with a unique environment for education, right here in New Albany. Aren’t we all so lucky? Join us on September 13th. Thank you! Melissa Weissinger Expansion Development Coordinator

Check out this short video to see how you can submit your Absence Waivers online, through our website.

This video is a recording of a presentation given on Tuesday, August 14th for CM families and teens, to share some exciting changes that have gone into effect for coursework and requirements for graduation that have been crafted by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and the State Board of Education (SBOE). We are very excited to share all of this information and partner with you to support the BEST transition for your teen from CM to college/career! Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation to follow along, and here is a link to the informational form about dual credit options available for teens at CM.

Take a look at this video to see what was shared at our New Family Orientation meeting on Tuesday, August 14th. The link to the PowerPoint presentation to follow along can be found here. The video link below plays part one of the presentation, and you can visit this link to see both parts in one playlist.

Striving to create an authentic Montessori environment in a Charter school world like the one at Community Montessori is a balancing act. Families of 12-14 year old learners, and even the learners themselves, might begin to question why activities such as "occupations", "Big Projects", "individual inquiries", and even our kinesthetic approach to learning in a lot of our studies is necessary. This video of a presentation given by Emily Ross, a teacher in the Islands' Monsoon Studio, shows her explaining to the learners why the teaching and learning styles utilized at this age level have been developed at Community Montessori. It is our hope that this presentation explains to the learners and their families the role of "Noble Work" and the intentions of Montessori's Erdkinder vision combined with the modern requirements that our current world demands of schools in our state and local environments.

Here is a beautiful slide show of the First Day of School, August 2nd, 2018 here at Community Montessori. Enjoy, and we hope everyone has a wonderful year!

Ever felt like you were going to blow your lid? Lose your cool? Flip out? I’d be hard pressed to find a human who hasn’t experienced the out of control sensation of emotions running wild; that fight or flight feeling that causes our blood to seemingly boil and our hearts to race in panic. As a teacher and a parent, I spend a lot of time working through feelings, my own, as well as those of the amazing young people around me at home and at school. Since it doesn’t get much more personal than feelings running amuck, I find it helpful to take a step back and look at those tumultuous ups and downs as a science. Looking at emotions as a science gives us a way to expand our emotional toolkits, build resilience, develop coping mechanisms, and identify support strategies when working with others. Image used with permission: By Camazine [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons The Science of Emotions Our brain is made up of about 85 billion neurons - that’s a lot of horsepower to harness, so it’s no wonder that as humans we often ride the roller coaster of our emotions. Learning more about how our brains work can empower us to feel more grounded and peaceful in our daily lives. Additionally, understanding the science of emotions can help us in our interactions with those around us. To put it simply, our brain is for three purposes: 1st - Survival - first and foremost, it’s priority is survival 2nd - Feelings - we are feeling creatures who think, we’re not thinking creatures who feel 3rd - Thinking/Cognition - this process is broken down into 3 different parts of the brain Our brain stem is our “reptilian” part of the brain - meaning it seeks out/needs basic sensory comforts. Our amygdala is our emotional brain - it is located on each side of your brain above your ears. When it activates, the prefrontal cortex shuts down. Our prefrontal cortex (frontal lobe) is our thinking brain - it shuts down when the amygdala is in control. Who’s Driving? The Prefrontal Cortex or the Amygdala? The emotional part of the brain is referred to as the limbic system. When we’re scared, a small structure called the amygdala sounds the alarm. When we’re happy, structures within the limbic system release dopamine. Our brain stem seeks and is rewarded by basic comforts and sensations. The limbic system sends messages up to the prefrontal cortex, which then informs our higher-level thinking. Unfortunately, this means the limbic system - specifically the amygdala and the brain stem - can control the prefrontal cortex; i.e. our feelings can run wild and call the shots in our lives. The good news is, with effort, this also means the prefrontal cortex can control the limbic system and help us to feel more in control of our emotional roller coasters. When we (or our learners) “lose our cool,” the limbic system - our emotional brain - has actually taken control. The prefrontal cortex - thinking brain - has left the building and we are now operating in a reactive, more primal way. The language of the prefrontal cortex is words - it can be reasoned with. When things are hitting the fan and someone is heightened emotionally, many of us try to respond with words and this simply doesn’t work - you can’t reason with the amygdala or brain stem. The language of the amygdala is feelings, while the language of the brain stem is sensation. When someone is heightened we have to “speak” their amygdala or brain stem languages. Ask: what do you want? How can I help? What can we do to make this better? Validate (when appropriate): That must have made you feel really angry. I hear that. I hear you. What a frustrating situation to be in. Work to connect before correcting or advising. Observe first, connect, listen, then work with them to decide what needs to be done, if anything. Feelings vs. Emotions Feelings and emotions are the same thing, right? This is a common assumption. Noted neurologist Antonio R. Damasio observes that, “In everyday language we often use the terms interchangeably. This shows how closely connected emotions are with feelings. But for neuroscience, emotions are more or less the complex reactions the body has to certain stimuli. When we are afraid of something, our hearts begin to race, our mouths become dry, our skin turns pale and our muscles contract. This emotional reaction occurs automatically and unconsciously. Feelings occur after we become aware in our brain of such physical changes; only then do we experience the feeling of fear.” Meaning, feelings are caused by emotions. Feelings are how our brain processes emotions. He goes one step further to assert that feelings influence our decision-making, for better and for worse. Mindfulness: Responding Instead of Reacting Strong emotions tend to lead to knee-jerk reactions; this was an evolutionary necessity back in the day, but isn’t particularly helpful in our modern era when we respond to rush hour traffic in the same physiological way as our ancestors running from tigers. Or dinosaurs. You get the idea. For example, the emotion of fear breeds uncertainty, while anger breeds confidence, risk-taking, and impulsivity. Angry people tend to place blame on others and/or society. Interestingly enough, happiness doesn’t help us much on the decision-making front, either. When someone is feeling happiness, they are less likely to pay attention to details or the quality of a message and more likely to just respond to the attractiveness of someone or something. Conversely, just the right amount of sadness can lead to thinking and problem-solving, but it’s a fine line between problem-solving and ruminating/obsessing. What’s a person supposed to do? The practice of mindfulness may very well be the answer. Mindfulness, in its simplest terms, means to stop, take a moment, breathe, and observe what’s happening in your body. That moment’s pause is a way of checking in with yourself so that you can choose to move on from something, or respond to it with your logical mind. Holocaust survivor, Viktor E. Frankl, said it best, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” It is comforting and empowering to understand that we have a choice in how we will respond to situations. We can take a breath. We can empower ourselves and the young people around us to recognize what’s happening in our bodies, since our bodies tell us when something is wrong faster than our mind does. Mind Over Matter It’s empowering to gain better understanding of how we process and respond to the circumstances around us, how emotions become feelings, and how those feelings manifest. When things happen (which they always do), if we can learn to take a moment, take a breath, and stay grounded, we can learn to respond instead of react. This skill will put us and the people around us well on our way to a more mindful, and ultimately peaceful, way of being. Finding the balance between acknowledging our feelings and being ruled by them requires raising awareness of how our amazing minds and bodies work. Sources: Feeling Our Emotions Scientific American The Best Headspace for Making Decisions The Atlantic Webinar: The American Montessori Society series on Trauma and Stress Seminar: Addressing the Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs of Our Students

We get it. Raising children seems harder than ever these days. ‘Give your children the life you didn’t have. But don’t spoil them. Give them the world. But don’t do too much for them.’ We are here to partner with you on this journey and swim with you through the sea of opinions and advice. According to Dr. Montessori, “The child’s nature is to aim directly and energetically at functional independence.” We’ve all seen it: a small child kicking and screaming as she is being carried out of a public space, a three year old squalling that he can do it by himself. We often see these episodes as bad behavior, but these children are sending a message: help me do it myself! Children are naturally aiming toward independence, but adults don’t always hear their message clearly. Without realizing it, our well intended help can become an obstacle on a child’s path to independence. Whether this is your child’s first adventure away from home or they have been in someone else’s care since they were six weeks old, there are things you can do right now to support their journey to independence. Here are our top ten things your child can do right now: 1. Your Child Can Put On Their Own Clothes and Shoes The key to allowing your child to be independent in dressing is to allow enough time for them to try as many times as they need. Be sure to get up early enough that you can be near your child while they get dressed, so you can coach as needed. Use positive phrasing! If you have seen your child put on a t-shirt before, a simple, “You can put your shirt on,” is all the coaching they will need. 2. Your Child Can Carry Any Item Into School (even heavy things!) Young children are capable of carrying their belongings into school and into the studio on their own. Parents can help support children in this process, using positive phrases, such as “I know it’s heavy, but you can do it.” 3. Your Child Can Make Choices about What They Wear and Eat (Within Reason) Adults can support their child in the decision-making process by narrowing down the selection of acceptable choices. For example, during the winter months, only have a selection of winter clothes and shoes available in your child’s closet. Have your child help make their own lunch and provide guidance like, “What kind of fruit would you like in your lunch?” Or “For breakfast, would you like eggs or yogurt?” 4. Your Child Can Walk As you know, children are not notorious for rushing and that’s okay! Leave enough time for your child to walk into the building, which may mean they stop occasionally because something they see interests them. Children’s sense of time is different from an adult’s. If letting them walk in by themselves makes them tardy to school, that’s okay too! If you’re worried your child will bolt, feel free to hold their hand and let them know that the expectation is that they will walk with you. 5. Your Child Can Open and Close Lunch Containers For a child to feel successful during lunch it is important that they be independent, which means they should be able to carry their own lunchbox and open all of their containers. Children love being able to do things for themselves; the independence and freedom of being able to open their own lunch items certainly builds their confidence. Have fun with practicing opening those containers before they are sent in. 6. Your Child Can Blow Their Own Nose You can encourage appropriate nose blowing etiquette by modeling this yourself, because blowing can be tricky for some children. Also keeping several boxes of tissue strategically placed around the house on their level where they can reach, helps divert snot from sleeves. 7. Your Child Can Wipe Themselves After Using the Toilet and Clean Up Accidents If you have seen your child wipe themself then the next time they ask, “Can you help me wipe?” you can say, “You can wipe and you may wipe yourself.” If you are concerned with them not wiping well enough then you can teach them to wipe until the tissue is clean. Accidents happen and when they do they can change their own clothes, they can clean up, and then wash their hands thoroughly. 8. Your Child Can Put Away Their Belongings You can make sure your home is accessible for your child. You can place hooks low on the wall for their jackets, baskets for shoes or accessories like hats and mittens, clothes you want them to wear in lowest drawers, food/snacks you want them to eat in crisper drawers, cups and dishes and silverware in a low cabinet. When the environment is prepared and consistent, it is easy for your child to put away their belongings. 9. Your Child Can Speak for Himself or Herself Part of our role at school is to let your child find their voice and know when to use their voice. Like most everything else when fostering independence in small children, providing your child with enough time to speak or answer a question is important. And although it may be tempting, we should avoid filling in the gaps when we think a child is stuck or not answering quick enough. We can also let children know when someone is looking at you, then they are listening to to you. 10. Your Child Can Clean Big and Small Spills and Messes At school, we say yes to the accidental mess! Think of every spill as an opportunity to learn how to clean up, care for their environment, and become more independent. Keeping cleaning rags, brooms, and dustpans in a space where your child can access them, helps facilitate this process. To see independence in action, check out this short video (below) and know that Montessori said it best: “How does he achieve this independence? He does it by means of a continuous activity. How does he become free? By means of constant effort. …we know that development results from activity. The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” (The Absorbent Mind) #ParentEducation #Montessori #CommunityMontessori