Stop and Think
Blog

Stop and Think

There are times when answering a question with a question is appropriate. This is rarely more true than when a child asks for an adult to solve a problem that they themselves could solve with just a little more thought. When Susie says "Bobby keeps knocking down my blocks" or Michael says "This puzzle piece won't fit" you are faced with a choice as a parent. Solve the problem for the child or do what we do and ask "And what do you think could be done about that?". The younger the child the more likely you will get a shoulder shrug, but to ensure that children are solving more problems via thinking as they get older, you can present them with practice. What follows are some examples of everyday activities that encourage thought and self-reliance versus dependence on others to make the world work in a way that makes them comfortable.

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August 6, 2021
Earth Day
Blog

Earth Day

Earth Day occurs this week and that means a number of things to us. First and foremost - at Greystone House it means we will be outside as much as the weather allows. We love that and so do the preschool aged children we support.

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April 16, 2021
Get Your Hands Dirty
Blog

Get Your Hands Dirty

One of our favorite activities at the school is gardening. We have kept plants in the curriculum as, among other things, a way to teach the children about growing food. As usual with Montessori, the best way is the hands-on way. Watch the edges of the playground and you will notice a series of box planters. Over the years these have yielded some wonderful classroom treats.

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March 12, 2021
Positive Self-Esteem
Blog

Positive Self-Esteem

Self-esteem can be a mixed bag. When people move from a sense of justified pride earned by working their way through a task to being convinced of their own superiority with little to no justification, something has clearly gone awry. But there is a clear area where self-esteem is healthy and where, particularly in children, it can serve as an armor against all manner of negative influences. Building that positive self-esteem and thickening the armor starts early. As parents of preschool children, there is no time like the present.

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February 19, 2021
Emotional Maturity
Blog

Emotional Maturity

Entering first grade, children are confronted with social hierarchies and politics to navigate that are going to be, in some fashion, new to them. One of the advantages for children in childcare is that all of them have at least been in a group social situation by the time they move to elementary school. But mere attendance in a group environment does nothing to prepare a child for the transition.

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January 29, 2021
Making Memories
Blog

Making Memories

Making positive memories with children is one of the great joys of parenting (and childcare). The first time you hear your grown children waxing eloquent about the wonderful time they had when you did something special as a pair or as a family is absolutely priceless. It is a concrete example that you as a parent handed something of value to your child

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January 22, 2021
Self-Reliance
Values

Self-Reliance

If you scroll back to the first article that launched this series you might notice the emphasis we place around responsibility. So much so that three of our values represent three different key tenets of responsibility. Responsibility itself, leadership, and this week's value - self-reliance. A critical aspect we like to point out when it comes to the last item on the list is that Montessori doesn't just teach self-reliance as a concept, but rather it is at the very core of the method.

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November 23, 2020